As I am waiting for my r/pal to be issued I am trying to gain knowledge on the sks as this will most likely be my first purchase. I have read on some threads that some people are not impressed with the way their russian shoots (accuracy? ) others say the Chinese one is cheaply made. What are things I should look for when buying (especially online) to make sure I get a nice shooting rifle...the more info the better as I am new to the world of firearms and have lots to learn
Trying to gain knowledge on sks
- Thread starter slave2thepatch
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burnt_servo
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- right in the middle of b.c.
if you can group 10 shots onto a pie plate at 100 yards , you have a good one .
they are not designed to be accurate . they are designed to be cheap to make , and function reliably .... run enough ammo through one and eventually you will hit what your aiming at
they are not designed to be accurate . they are designed to be cheap to make , and function reliably .... run enough ammo through one and eventually you will hit what your aiming at
The SKS, Russian or Chinese Type 56 are not cheaply made guns. They were built to military spec and are actually overbuilt for the cartridge they fire. They are a rugged firearm, reliable, simple and go bang every time, under the severest of conditions. That said they are not a precision benchrest shooter for shooting sub MOA. People mistakenly refer to the chinese SKS's as cheaply made associating them with the cheap Western trade goods they are known for now. Most of the chinese Type 56 SKS's were made before interaction with the West was common of for the most part, and while changes in manufacturing of the SKS to less expensive and time saving procedures were made on the late production SKS's they are in my opinion actually better shooters than their earlier kin. My modded late production, pinned barrel Chinese Type 56 with scope can consistently put rounds on the 300yd gong shot after shot.
That said they were made over decades in a variety of factories and thus there was some variation in consistency. ALL will shoot reliably, however there will be variances in trigger pull, trigger smoothness and travel etc. These are issues that can be address with some trigger work or by getting the trigger mods from Murray etc. Some years have features that may be important or that you would like like spring loaded safety, chromed barrel etc. All the details are more than can be put in a simple post here. I suggest you read the Stickied Threads at the top of this section on the Russian and Chinese SKS. These will answer a lot of your questions. As well there are stickied threads on the cleaning and maintenance of your SKS especially dealing with the cosmoline and the issue of having to clean them soon after shooting surplus ammo which while being cheap to shoot can cause corrosion if your firearm is not cleaned. They are an excellent value for a rugged, reliable 30 caliber semi auto firearm that are fun and cheap to shoot.
That said they were made over decades in a variety of factories and thus there was some variation in consistency. ALL will shoot reliably, however there will be variances in trigger pull, trigger smoothness and travel etc. These are issues that can be address with some trigger work or by getting the trigger mods from Murray etc. Some years have features that may be important or that you would like like spring loaded safety, chromed barrel etc. All the details are more than can be put in a simple post here. I suggest you read the Stickied Threads at the top of this section on the Russian and Chinese SKS. These will answer a lot of your questions. As well there are stickied threads on the cleaning and maintenance of your SKS especially dealing with the cosmoline and the issue of having to clean them soon after shooting surplus ammo which while being cheap to shoot can cause corrosion if your firearm is not cleaned. They are an excellent value for a rugged, reliable 30 caliber semi auto firearm that are fun and cheap to shoot.
Amen to that! My $150 SKS is far more fun to shoot than my $1800 setup 30-06 browning x-bolt and scope. Sure, my 30-06 is far more accurate, but the joy of the mechanical feel of my SKS is unmatched. When you can get 7.62x39mm ammo as cheap as you can these days, sending lead or steel down range doesn't hurt the wallet with an SKS. Who needs a .22LR for plinking when you have an SKS? Ha! Everyone needs an SKS. They are fun to shoot, fun to take apart, fun to clean, fun to put back together, and fun to look at. SKS = FUN!!!!!!!
Probably the biggest decision for me was wether to go with a newer chrome lined barrel or an older one with a spring assisted firing pin to avoid slam fires. Spring pin 49 -51. Only after realizing you can buy a spring kit for the firing pin lol. Chrome line is easier to keep clean and will last longer with less work. That said a lot of people claim less accuracy with the chrome liners. I personally went ith a 51 Tula. Mines a shooter.
...I believe that what you asked is what you should look for when you buy a rifle (SKS?). Here's the truth. You don't know what you buy when you buy an SKS. There's a lot of variation, even from the same factory. There's discussion today about modern day rifles and even whether they don't vary from the same run/factory based on whether the button used to rifle them is at the beginning or the end of its life? It was 1978 and I was looking to buy my first high-power rifle. And here's what someone said: Look at the results of the national competitions and base your purchase on them. It was good advice...in a way. Remington 700 actions dominated the accuracy at the time, so that's what I bought...and indeed, it was (and still is) an MOA rifle. What I wasn't told at the time was that Remington was one of the few manufacturers who sold action separate from their barrels, so this is what shooters gravitated toward as they built their target rifles. Anyway, Remington 700's are classic, and solid, and accurate and I still have several firearms chambered in them. As for SKS? Well, comrade, you will just have to wait and see!? (Like the rest of us.) I have 2 SKS...same year, and same factory. One shoots well, but the other not so much. I love them both. These are BATTLE rifles. They are designed for continuous use, not like the Norinco M1A's. I may spend as much to fix them up as a new Chinese M1A, but I think I have a much better rifle in the end. SKS's are a crap shoot. But your first wife doesn't have to be your last...trade her off at the next trading post if she doesn't work, and work your way through them until you find a sweetheart.
But then again, what do I know?
PS I'd always take a Russian over a Chinese...
But then again, what do I know?
PS I'd always take a Russian over a Chinese...
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