SKS - The Bubba generation.

in the late 60s, i remember pawn shops with LE displayed in the window for $25. i wish i bought them all .
 
Compared to the Enfields there is a plentiful supply of non permanently altering parts for playing around on the SKS (So less cutting stocks and so on), and compared to the Enfield there are people who can make the SKS already in China. So if one wanted, one could always probably make more SKS. That was the morbid beauty behind the communist war machine afterall, masses of disposable troops with disposable weapons
 
10x said:
Have you guys noticed how the SKS has become the new platform for guys with the "Bubba" gene?
The SKS meets all of the criteria - they are plentiful, they are inexpensive, and guys can get all kinds of aftermarket parts.
I'll bet most of you don't remember the 1960s when Lee Enfields sold for under $10.00 and guys started "sporterizing" and "improving" them....
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I'll take that bet. and I remember cadet martini's for $9.95, 1917 Smiths, and Colt New Service's for $35.

No4Mk1T for $125
 
One thing everyone seems to forget is that the muzzle loader boys called the guy that invented the repeating rifle a bubba.
 
Other than throwing on a plastic stock and some other add ons, there isn't much to bubba on a SKS...

I've got a plastic stock and scope mount on mine, circa 1991, when I bought 5 SKS rifles for $75 each. It works okay, but I wonder why I bothered?

I've sold all but that one, but I'm planning on buying another when the Marstar shipment comes in, leaving it completely stock and tossing it in the truck.
 
dogzilla said:
One thing everyone seems to forget is that the muzzle loader boys called the guy that invented the repeating rifle a bubba.
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The muzzle loader guys regarded cartridge rifles as a passing fad.
The first trapdoor springfields and the first Sniders were made from muzzle loaders that got their breech plugs removed and the barrel was screwed onto a new single shot breech.
But if the government does it to upgrade a military firearm - is it still bubba?
 
I have a bubba SKS and I wonder how anything that there are ~15,000,000 of (according to Wiki) could ever become a collectable?

Isn't that like saying people collect slap chops or thighmasters.
 
10x said:
The muzzle loader guys regarded cartridge rifles as a passing fad.
The first trapdoor springfields and the first Sniders were made from muzzle loaders that got their breech plugs removed and the barrel was screwed onto a new single shot breech.
But if the government does it to upgrade a military firearm - is it still bubba?
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Very true, but often the new fangled guns were made by someone in their garage who then sold them to the military:D
 
RedDuc said:
I have a bubba SKS and I wonder how anything that there are ~15,000,000 of (according to Wiki) could ever become a collectable?

Isn't that like saying people collect slap chops or thighmasters.
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LOL... they made about 12,000,000 Lee Enfields. How collectible are nice ones That haven't been dinked with nowadays? In the 80's they could be had nice for under $75. Now, nice non-refurbed ones are anywhere from $350-$4000.

Or Mausers. They made 20 million Mausers. Many of those are worth a pretty penny now too.
 
Well the SKSs are fairly cheap now, if you think they'll become really collectible in their stock config, buy some up and shut up. Then you can be an absolute dink in 40 years when everyone's going nuts trying to find stock ones.

Although one thing I don't understand is why the term bubba is coming out, I've put a tapco intrafuse on my SKS and could replace it with the factory stock no problem. It hasn't exactly been bubba'd like my enfield in the sense of "hiuk hiuk hiuk i dun cuts dem peerty miltry stocks down n makes its liter"

putting a new stock on an SKS is more of a replacement than a bubbaing.
 
Claven2 said:
LOL... they made about 12,000,000 Lee Enfields. How collectible are nice ones That haven't been dinked with nowadays? In the 80's they could be had nice for under $75. Now, nice non-refurbed ones are anywhere from $350-$4000.

Or Mausers. They made 20 million Mausers. Many of those are worth a pretty penny now too.
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Wow I had no idea.

The only value I can see my refurbed SKS having is giving me some decent trigger time.

I'm glad that a fiberforce "replacement" stock doesn't necessarily qualify as a full on Bubba treatment. At least I can point to this thread when people laugh at me at the range.... :p
 
RedDuc said:
I have a bubba SKS and I wonder how anything that there are ~15,000,000 of (according to Wiki) could ever become a collectable?
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same as the ford mustang, 9,000,000 were built and yet a 1973 is worth $30,000 when it was sold for $3000 originally.
 
The most ill probably do to any one of my SKSs is to mount a scope on it, a POSP scope at that so at least it's true to its roots.

Other than that, I don't think I'd do anything else.
 
Leigh said:
Well the SKSs are fairly cheap now, if you think they'll become really collectible in their stock config, buy some up and shut up. Then you can be an absolute dink in 40 years when everyone's going nuts trying to find stock ones.

Although one thing I don't understand is why the term bubba is coming out, I've put a tapco intrafuse on my SKS and could replace it with the factory stock no problem. It hasn't exactly been bubba'd like my enfield in the sense of "hiuk hiuk hiuk i dun cuts dem peerty miltry stocks down n makes its liter"

putting a new stock on an SKS is more of a replacement than a bubbaing.
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Ever try to find Enfield or Ross bands, parts, etc.? How many of those take-off stocks with matching numbers will still be with those guns in 30 years after the gun changes hands a few times?

Bubba is very appropriate for SOME modders. Others make things of beauty. For example, H&H will make you a $20,000 rifle on a WW1 Gewehr 98 action. They are not bubba.

Billy-bob in his basement, will make you $1200 Gewehr 98 into a $125 truck gun. He's a bubba.

Your SKS shouldn't be looked at like a $200 rifle if it's truly a collectible variant. You need to think of what it will be worth in 20 years from now. Will it be worth more in collectible condition, or in a tapco stock with a non-original chinese pot metal action/scope cover and peep sights?

Anyhow, it's a free country. Enjoy bubbatizing your SKS if you choose to - I won;t care and nobody else should either. Me, mine stay collectible.
 
At the end of the day collecting for the sake of making money never makes sense.

Just using the mustang example above, going from 3000 to 30,000 in 37 years is only a 6.5% return per year. If you include inflation of 2% then you are at 4.5% return per year and that is not including the annual costs as an expense.

Collect something because you genuinely love it and enjoy it while you can. If you want to put a tapco stock on an SKS then do so. Keep all the original parts and if you ever sell it then put it back to original and sell it that way.

I know people who collect all sorts of things and they look at these things and admire them and put them in glass cases etc. But they never use them.

An engineer builds things and they are best admired by being used. Using the Mustang example again, run the beast and enjoy it. Take care of it but use it.

JMHO.
 
If you don't fire pristine examples and leave them in cosmoline unissued, they will always hold their value. For the shooter grade and bubba guns it depends on ammo supply. I've seen far too many shooter grade milsurps decrease in value when the milsurp ammo disappears, but then the trend comes back as we are seeing with SMLE and K98's. There are some willing to pay a small fortune for an original K98 with intact Waffen marks in good condition let alone mint, fired or not!

Nothing wrong in collecting only if that's your thing. I know some people who have millions invested in that.
 
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