SKS but which ver.?
- Thread starter Disco Bob
- Start date
Both should shoot equally well when they are in the same condition.
Russian one's typically look a little nicer, are a teeny bit heavier (more wood) and are valued more than the Chinese. They come in two forms: lacquered birch (sometimes refinished by having had a sander run over them) and Laminate (think of plywood) which has a slightly thinner grip and is a bit stronger. Russian rifles at the moment seem to come with a few stripper clips, an oil bottle and a cleaning kit. The Chinese do not seem to.
There are various years of production, some are more common than others and have a knock on effect on price. Many are re-furbished, this is not a bad thing despite what you may read online. Basically a re-furb is one which has been brought back to "good as new" condition from a shooting and functional perspective. From a collectors perspective anything that deviates from what a firearm was when it came off the production line is a negative.
Quality Control among the Chinese varies more and you never really know where your rifle came from due to knowledge on the serial markings on Chinese SKSs being somewhat like Scandinavian runes, we can draw correlations but no one can say with complete accuracy what came from where. Chinese rifles come in a mix of forms, some have wood stocks, others have "jungle stocks" which are glass fibre. Bayonets also range from spike to blade bayonet, and parts can be highly mixed due to running off Russian schematics first and then alterations by the chinese. An example of this is the Russian Bolt group is shiny steel, the Chinese is parkerised.
Current pricing, the cheapest Russian SKS out there is from GoTenda at $440 + taxes. In 2019 they were $279, with Chinese being at circa $225.
Buy 5, and in a couple years you can sell them for more. If you don't believe me then look at every surplus rifle ever.
Russian one's typically look a little nicer, are a teeny bit heavier (more wood) and are valued more than the Chinese. They come in two forms: lacquered birch (sometimes refinished by having had a sander run over them) and Laminate (think of plywood) which has a slightly thinner grip and is a bit stronger. Russian rifles at the moment seem to come with a few stripper clips, an oil bottle and a cleaning kit. The Chinese do not seem to.
There are various years of production, some are more common than others and have a knock on effect on price. Many are re-furbished, this is not a bad thing despite what you may read online. Basically a re-furb is one which has been brought back to "good as new" condition from a shooting and functional perspective. From a collectors perspective anything that deviates from what a firearm was when it came off the production line is a negative.
Quality Control among the Chinese varies more and you never really know where your rifle came from due to knowledge on the serial markings on Chinese SKSs being somewhat like Scandinavian runes, we can draw correlations but no one can say with complete accuracy what came from where. Chinese rifles come in a mix of forms, some have wood stocks, others have "jungle stocks" which are glass fibre. Bayonets also range from spike to blade bayonet, and parts can be highly mixed due to running off Russian schematics first and then alterations by the chinese. An example of this is the Russian Bolt group is shiny steel, the Chinese is parkerised.
Current pricing, the cheapest Russian SKS out there is from GoTenda at $440 + taxes. In 2019 they were $279, with Chinese being at circa $225.
Buy 5, and in a couple years you can sell them for more. If you don't believe me then look at every surplus rifle ever.
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In similar condition the Soviet guns and milspec chinese guns sks are virtually identical in perfornance.
There were 100-150 known large, medium, and small type56 production facilities throughout China. Though overall finish quality can vary-- especially between late production Type56's, function and reliability remain more or less the same. Afterall, all of the pre-1984 Type56's were produced as milspec firearms
Where function and reliability become an issue is with the post-1984 l, commercially modified chinese variants-- ak mag conversions in particular.
There were 100-150 known large, medium, and small type56 production facilities throughout China. Though overall finish quality can vary-- especially between late production Type56's, function and reliability remain more or less the same. Afterall, all of the pre-1984 Type56's were produced as milspec firearms
Where function and reliability become an issue is with the post-1984 l, commercially modified chinese variants-- ak mag conversions in particular.
Great concise write up. Thanks.
Years back, it has been suggested the Chinese SKS were more accurate than the Russians, but most people say they’re the same these days. I think that might be because there was a time when well used Russian SKS were the norm and the Chinese ones were coming in looking as if never used (basically brand new, but made many years ago). Then great looking Russian SKS rifles were coming in from the Ukraine. The quality of the sks coming in these days has often been reported to be not be as good as the near past, so the EE might be a better place to buy a nice one.
Not an expert here, but I’ve seen them in stores and from friends and you can usually see wear and tear on the stripper clip guide and bolt on ones that have been well used and nice ones look brand new (although those could be replaced parts during refurbishment).
Russians are fewer in number and more collectible due to being the first SKS rifles.
Not an expert here, but I’ve seen them in stores and from friends and you can usually see wear and tear on the stripper clip guide and bolt on ones that have been well used and nice ones look brand new (although those could be replaced parts during refurbishment).
Russians are fewer in number and more collectible due to being the first SKS rifles.
Eaglelord17
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sault Ste. Marie
3 main versions available in Canada, Chinese, Yugoslav, and Russian.
If it was me I would be aiming for a Chinese one. Generally you can find them in better condition than there Russian or Yugo counterparts, they all have chromelined bores, and they function the same as any other SKS. Russian ones have a few sub variants the most important differences being the eariler ones can have spring loaded firing pins and non-chromelined bores (I have one without a chromelined bore and it sucks not having that). Yugoslavian ones are always non-chromelined as well. Otherwise a SKS is a SKS, they run reliably and have decent enough accuracy for what they were intended to do.
If it was me I would be aiming for a Chinese one. Generally you can find them in better condition than there Russian or Yugo counterparts, they all have chromelined bores, and they function the same as any other SKS. Russian ones have a few sub variants the most important differences being the eariler ones can have spring loaded firing pins and non-chromelined bores (I have one without a chromelined bore and it sucks not having that). Yugoslavian ones are always non-chromelined as well. Otherwise a SKS is a SKS, they run reliably and have decent enough accuracy for what they were intended to do.
I have several, the most accurate is a Chinese Good condition Mixmaster from Cabelas $79 on one of the holiday sales bought blind online. Yugo's average better than the rest if averaging accuracy, with the Russians ranging from good to a gun you would loan to the enemy. I can't say that all Chinese SKS are most accurate as others will shoot ~4" groups@100m.....the good one will group ~2 (4/5 and 1 @3" avg) with CanAmmo reloads or Barnaul. The worst accuracy rifle is a nice 54 matching Tula which at best has shot ~6" groups. For appearance the Yugo's are the best (if you can't find Polish or East German versions ++++$) then the Russians with many Chinese rifles potentially passing for Congolese militia turn-in's.
I have not done it yet but i'd love to set up a charity contest with everyone drawing for a rifle or simply picking one and donating X funds to a 50/50 five round accuracy contest/charity/fundraiser
lay out a bunch of rifles on the benches have R/O's and folks buy tickets and just go to town randomly drawing for a seat/rifle so its luck of the draw and skill as well. no one but myself would know which rifles shoot the best (appearance does not correlate to accuracy). BYOA-bring your own commercial/surplus ammo that I approve or some kind of ammo avail as part of the activity.
