Purchasing an SKS and would like some opinions

6MT said:
I have one Russian (clothed in ATI) and an original Chinese example. The Chinese one really shoots well. The Russian, while it's a number 1, not as well. A lot has to do with the refit in ATI.

If you can find a nice Chinese one, go for it. I've heard, not just my experience, that the Chicoms shoot better.

Non-corrosive ammo is around $.22 per round. Super cheap and no cleaning issues.
Click to expand...

The number 1 on the front sight block has nothing to do with accuracy. Internet myth.
 
fenceline said:
The number 1 on the front sight block has nothing to do with accuracy. Internet myth.
Click to expand...

Started by someone behind a gunshow booth or gun store counter. "You see that "1"? That means it has sniper accuracy... $400 and it's yours"

The numbers represent fit tolerances of parts, namely the front, rear sight blocks, gas block, and barrel.

A #1 sight block will not fit a #2 or #3 barrel. If you think about it, a #3 barrel is the thickest and potentially the most rigged... by 100th of a percent :)
 
Last edited:
Thank you for the additional info guys :)

There does seem to be quite a difference in price between a lot of the stores. So far I have seen a range of around $179 to $249 online, and that's not on sale. Since I'm a cheap bast.... er frugal individual, I hope someone has some nice x-mas sales on ;)
 
Garmin said:
Thanks for the info Cariboo, I'll have to check them out. Do you know the price range of them at both places offhand?

I really hate places that won't "allow" you to pick your own. You are giving them money for something they have for sale. Yep I guess they can decide not to let a customer look at them, and that same customer can also decide not to buy one from them. Either that or just keep returning them and getting a different one until you get one that you like the looks of lol

Do you know if they are surplus or un-issued? (no worries if you can't answer my questions since I will be checking them out in the near future anyway)
Click to expand...

$219 at Backcountry, Its been a while since I was in Corlane, but if I recall correctly they were $219 also. Most stores will not allow a return on surplus guns unless they are clearly defective.
 
Backcountrys service can be terrible and they aint into ar's and other fun rifles there more of a hunting store. I would by 1 from westrifle they are a importer and if you phone them they will help you pick one then you can look at it online as they post pictures of there rifles.
 
wmd said:
Backcountrys service can be terrible and they aint into ar's and other fun rifles there more of a hunting store. I would by 1 from westrifle they are a importer and if you phone them they will help you pick one then you can look at it online as they post pictures of there rifles.
Click to expand...

I would agree with the service at Backcountry. I spoke to two different men behind the counter. The first guy I spoke with wouldn't give me the time of day. I am also in retail, if he was my employee, he would have been shown the door if the way he served me was his "normal". The second man was quite professional and actually gave me service that I expect in my stores. Night and day difference between the two. I was looking for some specific 30.06 ammo, which has been hard to find in recent months.
 
Thanks for the info and for the heads-up about Backcountry.

Westrifle also looks like they have free shipping, a definite plus ;)
 
I have a late 1970's production Chinese and 1954 Russian SKS. I like them both too much to get rid of either. I think they started chrome lining SKS as early as late 1951. You can tell if it is or not by examining the muzzle. If there is a shiny ring on the outer edge of the muzzle, then its chrome lined. A barrel that was recrowned is commonly mistaken as an SKS with a chrome lined barrel so don't be fooled by that. However, a barrel that has been re crowned may also be chrome lined. It will just be a bit harder to notice the shiny ring.

It should look like this. Both of these SKS are chrome lined. The flash from the camera is hiding it but both of these rifles muzzles are blued. That would be a signal they have never been re-crowned.



The chome line barrel SKS don't cost more than a non chrome lined SKS and you get the benefit of a longer barrel life with easier cleaning. The only disadvantage is a loss in accuracy that you won't even notice.
 
Last edited:
Nice information, thank you Mumbles Marble Mouth. Will definitely try to keep an eye out for the chromed version if I have a choice. :)
 
I would put the word out locally that you're looking for one. Mention it to the ol' boys at the gun shop, range, and the auto parts store. That's how I got my $100 sks-D which I was able to transform into a fantastically accurate hunting rifle by trading it for a pair of savages.
 
If you want some more information overload here is a good site for Russian SKS beginners. http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=77478.0 If you want an everyday shooter then it does not matter if it is Chinese or Russian Arsenal refurb. Do get a chrome barrel. That is my humble opinion. If you collect then do your homework and find a non refurbished rifle from the late 40's to mid 50's. I agree with Corry on the ammo. I just got a wooden case from Budget with ammo wrapped in smaller sealed plastic bags and on stripper clips. Some mil surp ammo is from the 1960's this was from the 80's. Price included shipping! It is corrosive ammo so clean rifle after use accordingly or buy non corrosive.
 
I have a number of them. The best shooting one is the $99 Norinco I bought 40 years ago.

The most pleasing SKS to handle is a Russian refurb with a laminated stock and blued bayonet.

IMG_00582.jpg


IMG_00592.jpg
 
If you plan on putting an aftermarket stock on an SKS, buy the Chinese military version and do the swap on it. Money saved buying the cheaper Chinese version puts more cash towards whatever stock you want. I recommend the Archangel stock available at Hical. I bought my Chinese for just this reason and waited almost a year for the stock to become available in Canada. My Russian will stay stock. The Chinese military versions are in every way just as well built as the Russian built SKS, and add to that, they are usually brand new, as in you're the first owner/shooter. You won't be disappointed in the Chinese SKS, picked mine up from Weimajack on the EE. Good luck in whatever you pick up.
 
@ Blue Cooker - Thanks for the info, also that link you posted has a lot of good information that I had no clue about. I was looking around yesterday at ammo prices and could not believe that the surplus ammo is about 1/4 the price. I think I will be buying as much of that as I can.

@ Ganderite - nice pics!

@ Visleguy - yes I will definitely be swapping stocks. Although I can appreciate the aesthetic appeal of some of the wooden stocks on collectibles, I have never been a fan of the style on my own rifles. I'll have to do a lot of comparing when I buy one, some have rails that make loading from a strip clip impossible, and some have no rails. I am sure I will be spending a lot of time trying to decide lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom