SKS in Archangel stock. Final thoughts and why not to buy it!

PECHENEG

PECHENEG

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These are my final thoughts re: SKS in Archangel stock:
Cons:
1. No bayonet accommodation
2. Zero, I repeat: it is 21st century and it has ZERO railing (picatinny) system
3. Not an easy fit for gas tube cover
4. Handgrip is placed too far into the rear from the trigger group
5. Stock is not foldable (for some it is an advantage)
6. It is one of the MOST pricey tactical stocks for SKS
7. Cheek riser works only if you are a short guy and the stock is in collapsed position. Moreover, it is done in a way that only front piece rises and not the rear piece where you cheek is = fail
8. 5kg of weight (11+ pounds), seriously, guys, what kind of tactical stock is it if it weighs same or even more than an original wood stock? = Fail
9. Finally, why this stock fails-is the stupid piece of non-removable plastic, which doesn't allow you to field strip the rifle, unless you disassemble the whole gun including a trigger group. = Fail x10

Pros:
1. Plastic is of very very high/ extreme quality
2. QD points are very high quality and variety (total=5)
3. Handgrip has a good storage for your original cleaning kit (without a cap)
4. Butstock is of good shape/ quality and it has 6 collapsible positions. it allows you to use tactical buttstock ammo holder/ storage without any mods, for SHTF, for example
5. Fits Tapco mags without any problems
6. Fits most Russian SKS rifles without any problems, except gas tube cover (see above)
7. Handgrip is one piece with the rest of the stock-no stupid screws

This rifle was exchanged today 1:1 to a good condition SVT40 non-sniper version
The following mods were done to the SKS Archangel Stock before exchange:
1. Cut through the front QD point/ stock to accommodate for a bayonet. QD point was still functional. Hey after all, if no bayonet, how an SKS it is after all? :) I originally had a bipod instead of a bayonet, but it is not recommended to put any bipods to the barrel of the rifle, really
2. A custom picatinny rail installed behind the bayonet to specifically accommodate picatinny rail soft grips. It was done for the sake of grip and grip only. It was not done for any bubba style front grips/ tactical lights/ laser and other IMHO bizarre things- thing what the enemy will shoot first... correct-the source of light-which will arrive to your head really
3. Angled high grade aircraft custom made aluminum extended Mag release with thumb mod, just like Tapco plastic extended mag release. this was ordered from US and then modified
 
This is what I exchanged it for 1:1, no crazy paper, called money, involved:
SVT40_1941.jpg
 
I got the archangel stock on my Sks , it's ok but much better than the real crappy wood it came with . I wouldn't do it again unless it came with ####ty wood . U get what u pay for though as I got the Sks for $230
 
If I can find a perfect shape SKS.. my next tactical sks will look like:
355362_03_russian_sks_1954r_w_ammo_640.jpg


5 yrs ago when I just started my tacticool trip... ppl were telling me how it will end.. I didn't believe 'em...
I still appreciate some tactical mods... but .... arriving to... see above
 
Good score on the SVT40. Way better than the SKS with an aftermarket stock.
I've found myself pretty much settling into the notion that the best SKS is the way Simonov himself specified.
Lately, I've been putting a lot more effort into blueprinting than modifying.
 
Yeah, really. I have one SKS all tricked out, so I can play with all the variations on the theme.
Otherwise, I just spend my time on bluing and refinishing the woodwork to make them look better than what the arsenal could produce.
About the only thing I have with Simonov's original design is in the sights.
I'm not sure I'll ever have a definitive answer for that.
 
Good analysis Pech and too true MT - I like the one that someone came up with with a two picture cartoon...."It's Tapco time!" followed by "No Bubba!"

I went down the Archangel route too and I will be converting back. It just made the rifle heavier though the pistol grip was a definite improvement.
 
VanIsleCam said:
Good analysis Pech and too true MT - I like the one that someone came up with with a two picture cartoon...."It's Tapco time!" followed by "No Bubba!"

I went down the Archangel route too and I will be converting back. It just made the rifle heavier though the pistol grip was a definite improvement.
Click to expand...

No, don't go back.
Just buy another SKS and open up your options.
Live free.
 
Bubba Yugga said:
I found a nice BBQ job that had a mint bore. Butt ugly, but fits the bill for the mod monster.
A nice job with the original bluing is what you want to keep in a nice factory stock.
Click to expand...

Similar thing happened to me. The local GS was doing a deal of SKS already in the AA so I asked if I could buy the AA set and get the SKS they were going to put in the stock. They agreed at the same price so it worked out well as far as I was concerned.
 
I've installed these stocks on Russian SKS's before and they're a real pain in the ass to put on, especially when it comes to popping in the trigger group assembly. It seems like something just doesn't fit and it takes endless tries and lots of elbow grease to pop it in... then it finally does and you'll be like: "Well, I really hope I never have to take this b*tch apart again!" But you WILL have to... many times if you plan on shooting the thing, actually!

The utterly dumb thing about the design of this stock is that the piece of plastic that sticks out in the back (to simulate the back of an AK receiver cover) has an inherent flaw: it forces you to take the stock off every time you want to remove the receiver cover to clean the gun. Fun, eh? ;)

I wouldn't want an Archangel stock on my own SKS even if it were free, for that very reason. Not to mention the fact you'll have to mod the stock if you want to keep your bayo and cleaning rod (the bayo serves as the cleaning rod retainer). Finally, you will need to drill out one of the original upper handguard pins (steel) in order to install this piece of garbage, which will forever alter your classic SKS rifle. Drilling will take some time and you need to make sure you're drilling dead on in the middle of the pin and with a good quality drill bit that's slightly smaller than the diameter of the pin. The drill bit will need plenty of lubrication during the drilling process (I used "3 in 1" oil), or it will dull quickly. Archangel gives you two aluminum replacement pins, but the SKS just won't look right after this butchery is done. If you screw up the drilling job, you run a chance of actually making it look horrendous.


All in all good quality plastic, but piss poor execution overall. The first time I installed one (not on my SKS), I was convinced Archangel had these designed by chimp slave labor somewhere, lol! I'm no small arms engineer myself, but come on... WTF? The fact these companies and their tacticool Bubba "engineers" are still in business is astounding.


:rolleyes:
 
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First off, carve off that stupid AK hump, because it's the most painful part of the Archangel stock right there.
Secondly, bear in mind that the handguard is geometrically directional. It'll fit back to front, but not front to back.
After that, it's a good stock.
 
Bubba Yugga said:
First off, carve off that stupid AK hump, because it's the most painful part of the Archangel stock right there.
Secondly, bear in mind that the handguard is geometrically directional. It'll fit back to front, but not front to back.
After that, it's a good stock.
Click to expand...

"Carve off" pieces of the stock?

Err... this thing is like $150, why would anyone want to buy a stock that's almost the price of an SKS and then have to mod the sh*t out of it and make it look butt ugly (with carved out sections) just to make it functional? For that kind of money, you should get a functional factory product to begin with, which is the point the OP was trying to make in his video. I fully agree with him, the Archangel stock is garbage.

As for modding, you could mod a .303 Enfield into a Barrett .50 cal with enough time, effort and money... but who really wants to go there? It's much easier just to buy what you need in the first place - or at least it *should* be!
 
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VanIsleCam said:
I share your pain 762 - bang on regarding other flaws I forgot.
Click to expand...

Yeah, when I was asked to put a Ruskie SKS into one of those for the first time (for a friend), I was like: "Sure, how hard could it be? It's probably just a 10 minute job".

Oh, how wrong I was..... the job was done an hour, two drill bits and numerous swear word outbursts later, lol. The fact that this cu-nt of a stock wouldn't allow to pop in the trigger assembly at the end was just a cherry on the sundae. I finally managed to get it in there and click and then noticed I forgot the damn trigger assembly spring! Off she comes again... rinse, repeat!

Field stripping this thing would be a near impossibility.

:mad:
 
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