I've owned several different types of SKS's over the years and as many of you, have fallen in love with it. I recently did some extensive testing on the three that I have, two Chinese and one Tula. I was testing bulk ammo versus some loads I had developed for hunting. I have read about different manufactures producing variance in qualities but until I did the testing, didnt realize how varied. Of the three the Tula is in the roughest shape it has not been maintained well over the years ( before I gained ownership) and has corrosion damage in the barrel and a bit on gas piston, but this rifle shoots and groups far more consistently than the Chinese rifles I've had for years and maintained diligently. In my travels I read that Russian tolerances were much tighter and therefore produced a superior product over the Chinese, I still would like to add a few more to my collection in your experience what is an accutate shooting SKS?
SKS who makes the best?
- Thread starter Nate.308
- Start date
Phat Eagle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Fraser Valley, BC
IMHO Yugoslavian, but they're hard to come by.
I have 4 sks's two Russian and 2 chinese, can't tell a difference in how they shoot, but I find the Chinese a lot cleaner, not as many tool marks, seem smoother overall, Iam sure everyone had their preferences, But I think I would pick Chinese before my Russians.
Here are a few pics of the groups I got out of the three, they are shot at 50 yards from a nice steady bench, one group is Chinese bulk (I think) and the other is from some Vmax I loaded up for hunting.
The groups in the second set of pics is a complete mess, and doesnt like the hunting ammo much!
The groups in the second set of pics is a complete mess, and doesnt like the hunting ammo much!
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You have a really open-ended post because these are surplus rifles with soooo many variables over possibly over half a century of use before they were surplussed. Its hard to say the years of use verses years of storage or how many times they were refurbed in the armory? Chrome bores verses non-chrome bores?
Basically the Russians had 3 armories which two of the them primarily built the SKS-45 rifle. The exact same machines were sold to China and put on a train to cross one border before the Chinese reassembled the machines to make the SKS-56. The first year or two of Chinese production was most likely no better or worse than the Russian production. Chinese engineers started making changes to the rifle after the initial factory production start up concentrating on items of less expense while using their own ingenuity also for improvements. So is a Chinese rifle made any better or worse then the Soviet rifle when they were mostly made by the same machines?
I've owned 20 or 30 sks rifles since the early 80s, some were better than others but there was never a common denominator such as one particular armory or country of origin. Some Tulas were good, some Tulas not so good. My best shooter is a Tula with a non chrome bore, but not a major improvement over other good shooters. Ammunition was usually the reason for a poor shooter
Yugo SKS rifles as mentioned above seem to have had a better machining process and made a better rifle in my opinion, but also many fewer hit the market and are harder to get. Yugos are highly sought after by collectors and demand a premium price because of it.
Basically the Russians had 3 armories which two of the them primarily built the SKS-45 rifle. The exact same machines were sold to China and put on a train to cross one border before the Chinese reassembled the machines to make the SKS-56. The first year or two of Chinese production was most likely no better or worse than the Russian production. Chinese engineers started making changes to the rifle after the initial factory production start up concentrating on items of less expense while using their own ingenuity also for improvements. So is a Chinese rifle made any better or worse then the Soviet rifle when they were mostly made by the same machines?
I've owned 20 or 30 sks rifles since the early 80s, some were better than others but there was never a common denominator such as one particular armory or country of origin. Some Tulas were good, some Tulas not so good. My best shooter is a Tula with a non chrome bore, but not a major improvement over other good shooters. Ammunition was usually the reason for a poor shooter
Yugo SKS rifles as mentioned above seem to have had a better machining process and made a better rifle in my opinion, but also many fewer hit the market and are harder to get. Yugos are highly sought after by collectors and demand a premium price because of it.
I have not noticed any advantage that a Yugoslavian SKS has over a nonrefurb Russian or Factory 26 Chinese one other than arguably aesthetics which is subjective. Some Chinese factories made rifles of questionable quality and refurbished Russians are a mixed bag.
FreedomIsn'tFree
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Buffalo.
I have Russian, Chinese and Yugo's and my most accurate is one of the Chinese I have.
I haven't had an Albanian, but I've had the rest. The Russians are decent shooters (for the most part). The Chinese were the best shooters but had the softest wood. The Yugoslav one was the heaviest and coolest (grenade launcher) and also a decent shooter.
My Chicom and Yugo were unissued unfired examples so the way they shot was influenced by that (not shot to hell). The Russian ones I've had, and I've owned a dozen of them over the years, were/are probably the ones I'd recommend. Most of them are decent, but caveat emptor.
YMMV
Some pics...
The Yugo
The Chicom
And the latest Russian (modded with a Hi-Cal peep sight)
My Chicom and Yugo were unissued unfired examples so the way they shot was influenced by that (not shot to hell). The Russian ones I've had, and I've owned a dozen of them over the years, were/are probably the ones I'd recommend. Most of them are decent, but caveat emptor.
YMMV
Some pics...
The Yugo
The Chicom
And the latest Russian (modded with a Hi-Cal peep sight)
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in my limited experience the 53 / 54 year russian izhevsks have the nicest machining. the tulas were generally not as well machined inside the action. of course each of the military chinese sks I've tried have been accurate shooters.
- Location
- Steel Town
I've owned a variety of variants, the one that remains in my locker is a non-refurbished 2008 IZH import 1954 Tula. Accurate, 100% reliable, and I would trust it with my life. The other, I sold, was a gorgeous non-refurbished 1953 Izhevsk...beautifully finished.
hi all
all i know about that is that the chinese sks have a crome barel liner suposed to be more tuff but slightly less accurate
the russian sks have a non-cromed barel and supose to be smoother but more accurate ...
you can see if you got the chinese cromed barel version at the tip end of your barel.....
all i know about that is that the chinese sks have a crome barel liner suposed to be more tuff but slightly less accurate
the russian sks have a non-cromed barel and supose to be smoother but more accurate ...
you can see if you got the chinese cromed barel version at the tip end of your barel.....
