Sks noob questions

theoscarpaco

theoscarpaco

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So I caved and bought an SKS. It seems that every gun store I venture into has a few of these, and until recently I'd pass them by the same way I did the pink .22s and air rifles on the far side. You know what I mean.

But hot damn, the price was right at Canadian Tire in Kingston and I got to researching the Russian bastards and I had to have one. Might even buy a few more if it turns out to be as fun as it looks.

What's with the popularity of these Cold War milsurps? They are everywhere! Why so many in Canada? How many were made? Where was my rifle (1954 Tula) refurbished? How long has it been sitting in the cosmo? There are a million stamps on it. Will they appreciate in value? Was my rifle used in battle? Issued to a soldier?

So many questions. All I know is that I feel like I'm holding a little piece of history in my hands. Greasy, red, communist history and I love it. If the rifle could talk..

So if you can answer my questions I would appreciate it. I'm just happy to be a part of this club I so recently discovered. Who's got a cheap mosin?
 
theoscarpaco said:
What's with the popularity of these Cold War milsurps?
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Easy: They're cheap, and so is the ammo. Lots of people cut their teeth shooting with an SKS. They're adequate for medium to big game hunting, too.

They are everywhere! Why so many in Canada?
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Supply and demand! Lots of rifles sitting in surplus and lots of demand for a cheap semi-auto centerfire. Importers bring these in by the container.

How many were made?
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According to Wikipedia, about 15 Million worldwide (Russian, Yugo, Chinese, Albanian, E German...)

Where was my rifle (1954 Tula) refurbished?
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My guess would be at Tula. Possibly Izhevsk. As far as I know, its impossible to tell where it was refurbished, just that it is (or isnt) refurbished.

How long has it been sitting in the cosmo?
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Could be a short period, could be the greater part of 50 years. That's the fun part about these, you never know.

There are a million stamps on it. Will they appreciate in value?
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Eventually, perhaps. Once supply of the rifles runs out and there's still a demand for them. It happened to the SMLE, it'll happen to the SKS.

Was my rifle used in battle? Issued to a soldier?
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The Russian SKS only officially saw use in the Belorussian Front during WWII, and those were prototypes. Yours was manufactured a few years too late for that. It could very well have been issued to a soldier, but it did not likely see conflict.

On the other hand, many Russian SKS were sent as military aid to countries the USSR wanted to ally with, but chances are those rifles weren't returned to Russia.

So if you can answer my questions I would appreciate it. I'm just happy to be a part of this club I so recently discovered. Who's got a cheap mosin?
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Welcome to the club! I'm adding a mosin to my collection soon. :D
 
Jorkapp said:
According to Wikipedia, about 15 Million worldwide (Russian, Yugo, Chinese, Albanian, E German...)
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Well i think this number is not right,because just the factory 26 in china made sks until 1980 and their serial was in the 24 million serie.

And why we have plenty in Canada,import ban in USA :)

For a lot of information on sks go to www. yooperj.com
 
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