SKS Tweaks: Which Are Worthwhile?

Which SKS alterations were you the most satisified with?

  • Non-standard magazine (any size or make)

    Votes: 30 21.9%

  • Replacement stock with rail system (any type or make)

    Votes: 27 19.7%

  • Fixed (tap & drilled/side rail) scope mount & scope

    Votes: 27 19.7%

  • No gunsmithing scope mount & scope

    Votes: 13 9.5%

  • Replacement hammer & magazine spring kit

    Votes: 21 15.3%

  • Firing pin replacement ('slam fire' fix)

    Votes: 24 17.5%

  • Ejection port modification or shell/casing deflector

    Votes: 29 21.2%

  • New replacement/modified iron sights

    Votes: 33 24.1%

  • Recoil buffer

    Votes: 28 20.4%

  • Bipod, foregrip or recoil pad addition

    Votes: 17 12.4%
  • Total voters
    137
Dakk

Dakk

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I've been looking over a number of threads related to some of the various tweaks that can be done to the SKS. It seems some are highly recommended, while others seem to be more trouble than they are worth. Some depend on the way the rifle is being used and what ammo is being fired. I thought it might be helpful to have a discussion related to which tweaks people here have found worthwhile, and which ones weren't worth the expense or effort.

I'm including a poll as well. Chances are you may have completed more than one alteration on the list. But please just vote for the alterations that you were most satisfied with overall, considering such factors as the benfits and the costs. Leave off (don't vote for) the alterations that you may have done, but were just 'meh' about. We just want to know which alterations you completed that were a definate 'woohoo!' or 'must do' for you personally. Multiple vote selections allowed.
 
Polishing your sear on your SKS goes a long ways to improve the trigger.

Can be done for free if you have basic files around the house, can keep filing until it feels perfect for you but don't over do it or modify any of the angles.
 
Grove said:
Polishing your sear on your SKS goes a long ways to improve the trigger.

Can be done for free if you have basic files around the house, can keep filing until it feels perfect for you but don't over do it or modify any of the angles,
Click to expand...

I've done some angle modifications (tad bit more positive), but I've done so as per AGI instructions so that upon trigger pull the sear causes the hammer to creep back before releasing. I do not reccomend any angle modifications either if you are not comfortable with the technical basics of sear engagement. From my experience and from what i've heard others say the Chinese SKS's come with a sear angle that is more neutral to negative. Not all, but the vast majority i've encountered have been this way. Here's a video to get you on your way... Good luck! :) (be extra careful with your sear polishing, and note your hammer movement if it is neutral, negative, or positive, before and after polishing)

[youtube]?v=cryTMAqLuxM[/youtube]
 
Only thing I've ever done with mine is getting a recoil pad to increase length of pull, as it's short for me.

I am considering a trigger job but I'm not sure if I trust myself with that just yet. Need to do more research.
 
Andurp said:
Only thing I've ever done with mine is getting a recoil pad to increase length of pull, as it's short for me.

I am considering a trigger job but I'm not sure if I trust myself with that just yet. Need to do more research.
Click to expand...

AGI has a very good video on the SKS trigger job, and it's taught by super uber gunsmith guru Bob Dunlap... AGI also has the SKS Armorer's course as taught by Bob...
 
Essential mods? I don't think there are any that make the rifle work any better. That said, I have bubba'd the crap out of one of mine for some legitimate and some cosmetic reasons.

1 - Crapco stock. It's a little ugly, but I need an adjustable length of pull. My wife and I both shoot this thing and she is 5'3" and I'm 6'5". Also, the pistol grip works for me. The handguard is a blocky POS with a useless rail and I replaced it with a classier vented handguard courtesy of HiCal. Overall, the Crapco is the least ugly synthetic stock available IMO. There was a guy here who did a custom stock (AK-style, maybe. Can't remember now, too lazy to look) that was uber-classy. I would buy that if it was mass produced.

2 - BC Tactical scout mount. No drilling, goes on quick and easy, solid as a tank. Only issue is that the rail is short, so it limits your options in optics.

3 - Crapco vertical foregrip with bipod. Feels right to me. Others may not agree. To each his own.

4 - Recoil buffer. Now, it's not like the rifle kicks hard in the first place, but I read somewhere that the massive bolt will brutalize optics with the force that it gets slammed back, so I figure a recoil buffer might help.

5 - Crapco 5/20Rd mag. The 10 rd box looked dumb between a pistol grip and a vertical foregrip. Cosmetic only.

6 - Rubber butt pad. Feels like it grips better to my body than the plastic butt alone.

That's it.
 
Not a single thing on your list is worth doing!

The sks is best the way it is.

I have done alot to my former sks, and it was all a waste.

For a second I was thinking that the detachable mags were worth it, but then remembered that they really don't improve much of anything. They are a pain in the ass to seat at times, and don't really speed anything up.

Stripper clips work just as fast if not faster.

If you want to add an optic, the best bet is a BC tactical scout mount that replaces the rear sight and a small red dot like a Bushnell TRS. This is the only thing I may do if I was to buy another SKS.
 
Grove said:
Polishing your sear on your SKS goes a long ways to improve the trigger.

Can be done for free if you have basic files around the house, can keep filing until it feels perfect for you but don't over do it or modify any of the angles.
Click to expand...

+1 & replacing the sear spring.
 
I didn't vote because all the choices were garbage. For over 30 years of shooting these rifles, none of these modifications will make your rifle work better than the way it was engineered to work. Babba has never come on top with this rifle, and i have boxes full of parts from people's failures to prove it.
 
Dakk said:
I've been looking over a number of threads related to some of the various tweaks that can be done to the SKS. It seems some are highly recommended, while others seem to be more trouble than they are worth. Some depend on the way the rifle is being used and what ammo is being fired. I thought it might be helpful to have a discussion related to which tweaks people here have found worthwhile, and which ones weren't worth the expense or effort.

I'm including a poll as well. Chances are you may have completed more than one alteration on the list. But please just vote for the alterations that you were most satisfied with overall, considering such factors as the benfits and the costs. Leave off (don't vote for) the alterations that you may have done, but were just 'meh' about. We just want to know which alterations you completed that were a definate 'woohoo!' or 'must do' for you personally. Multiple vote selections allowed.
Click to expand...
In the answer choice, i would have included the "none" option. I got used to the SKS the way it is, good enough for me, but its me:)
Joce
 
I'm all for the "leave it as it was meant to be" crowd... but mine had a crunchy trigger, and negative sear engagement. I did a trigger job for safety and the Wolff spring kit to lighten the pull on a positive engagement sear. I also refinished the crown at the muzzle.

The rifle works much better in every way.
 
gmctech said:
I do so love the TS200 sights... But @ $89, that's pretty much 50% of the cost of my rifle and darn near the price of 500 rounds of ammo....
Click to expand...

Well, here's another way to look at it: It may cost the same as around 500 rounds of surplus, but would that not be worth it if you could potentially shoot that surplus better?

I don't own Tech Sights and am not considering them at the moment, but that's another way to look at it, I guess. I'll probably put a pair on one of my Chinese SKS's in the future.
 
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