SKS machining quality

BeaverMeat

BeaverMeat

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Which SKS do you find has the best machining quality? Russian, Chinese, Yugoslav... etc.

Out of the the SKSes I have handled (all Russian) I found that my '53 Izzy has the cleanest machining. But my '51 Tula; although it shoots and functions superb, has a some spots were Ivan must have taken a few too many sips of wadka. Would that be considered normal for a '51 Tula? Does the machining quality get cleaner progressively on the later production? Or is it just a hit and miss?

Your thoughts
 
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I find it hit and miss. I had a '50 Tula that was far nicer than a '54 Tula. I've even got some really good Norincos and Chi Mil SKS's. I've also got some pretty bad ones.
 
All I had were an early chinese and a couple yugos.
Honestly, I never noticed a difference. Yugo had nicer wood.
 
Hit and miss... I've purged my collection and only kept the nicest examples... which span all years. In general, my experience is that the earlier Russian variants have the nicest fit and finish, Chinese being all over the map, and Yugos being the crudest and poorest built. My absolute 3 finest are a '51 and early '54 Tula and a MINT '53 Izhevsk. My collection is now only non-refurbished Russians and 1 sweet mild refurb shooter.
 
Commies had different quality standard than us Westerners, no doubt. ;) Haven't seen any of their leather and web gear that compares to western stuff either. Makes you realize the value they placed on their grunts.



Grizz
 
All of my Russian guns have visible machine marks aside from the two mid 30's hex Mosins. Its the Russian way. Gun works, why bother make it look nice?
 
I have a '50 Ruskie. Shoots fantastic, but bolt has machining marks all over it. I half-assedly thought about smoothing some of them out, but if it ain't broke....

I shot my buddy's chineee sks, it felt half the weight, and had much more recoil. I'l definitely take the ruskie wood over the chinese bamboo, and since I don't have to lug it all over europe on my shoulder, I'll take the heavier weight lol.

I will say the bolt in mine is a bugger to work the action by hand, but the bullet seems to do it no problem, and maybe that's why the recoil is so light, who knows. I will say I don't know why they changed from a spring firing pin to a tapered floatie anyone know?
 
One less part to make/lose and less milling inside the the firing pin hole and what do you lose? You need to clean you firing pin every once in a while.
 
Two that stand out for me are my 54 and 53 brand new Izzy's. They have slightly nicer fit and finish than comparable Tula rifles. I also have a Chinese rifle that has excellent finishing and very nice blueing. The original M59 Yugo rifles had very good fit and finish and the later 1980's vintage M59/66 rifles are fairly rough.
 
My unfired, non-refurbished, and probably unissued 1953 Izhevsk is absolutely top drawer in finish and quality, however my 1951 Tula (also unissued) is nearly as nice. BTW, my '51 was compliments of weimajack. ;)
 
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