Not wanting to turn this into a cheap gun vs a $$$ one, poor proletariat vs rich capitalist, or East vs West argument, but having owned both the SKS and Garand going back over 20 years, the M1 Garand is head and shoulders above the SKS in accuracy, build, look, power, feel, fit and finish. Don't get me wrong, an SKS provides lots of fun at a reasonable cost, with a bit less recoil, but I'd pick the M1 over the Siminov in every department. Even if I was on a budget, I'd still pick the Garand and just shoot less, I guess! Both rifles are historically important, but the Garand has had a much greater international role from the entry of the US in WW2 (both theaters) to Korea and even some service in Vietnam [the SKS was there too, but in nowhere near the Garand's numbers]. There will never be as many M1s in Canada as there are SKSs, and the prices reflect that. Shoot both (short range and long), field strip both, check 'em both out and I'm sure the Garand will win you over. Just don't get your thumb caught in its action! Ouch!
