Your experience on a cheap SKS

I rolled the dice on a $200 Cabela's Chinese SKS last year. I got a 1967 factory 26 heavily refurbed. Most parts including the bolt, bolt carrier, magazine, trigger group and stock are mismatched. There is light pitting on top of the receiver that was blued over during refurb. The magazine fit so tight I had to carefully pry it out to strip it. It has since been fitted properly. The trigger was the heaviest, grittiest of any SKS I've had. Buttplate screw holes were stripped out and have been repaired by me. The cleaning kit did not fit through the painted beat up buttplate and the muzzle guide fits loose on the barrel. There is a small dent in the front sight hood and the stock fits very loose front to back. It's a beauty. It now has a Chinese surplus sling and bandolier chest rig to go with it along with a few cases of Chinese M43. The only non Chinese kit is the Czech stripper clips.
 
For $200 it's not a high risk purchase.
You know you're buying an old used gun. So you know it will take a bit of cleaning up, etc.

If you want something new;
You can spend $700 and get a Chinese M305 in the same caliber as an SKS.
 
I'm the unlucky guy who had multiple chinese sks's that didn't work well.
Russian one I had worked better and looked nicer. But take a chance why not. If you're an hour from the store take the drive.

Just saw you live a days drive. Roll the dice.
 
cheap SKS-the best value for quality/ reliability/price of ALL milsurp and even modern stuff available in Canada
I am preparing a M10x review now and man.... SKS is far superior in most respects, unless you are a "greenhouse gentle plant" guy who prefers beauty and some functionality over toughness/ reliability
yes there are other platforms, which may marginally outperform SKS on Canadian market, but cost....
 
I rolled the dice last year and got a mismatched type 56 with fiberglass jungle stock for 189$!!! It's very accurate. 1 inch groups at 50 yards.
 
I’m going to roll the dice on one of these. I’ve never had a Chinese one yet. Can always sell it for $180 on the EE if I don’t like it. Lots of folks will prefer buying used without the “registry” from Bill C-71.
 
if you're going to get a 305 in 7.62x39, why get that much weight for such a lacklustre cartridge- the 305/14 was built around the 51 and performs best when chambered for that- the 39 is an inaccurate DEER cartridge at best
 
Deathrawt said:
For 190 bucks it’s worth the chance to order one online
If it’s totally fubared I think you can send it back?
Chances are you will get something ok though
Click to expand...

they say specifically on the cab site that the SKS is Final sale.

Try and get one in person! (actually, try and get 2)
 
t-star said:
if you're going to get a 305 in 7.62x39, why get that much weight for such a lacklustre cartridge- the 305/14 was built around the 51 and performs best when chambered for that- the 39 is an inaccurate DEER cartridge at best
Click to expand...

Where have you got that nonsensic idea from that the 7.62x39mm round is inherently inaccurate? There are a large number of tests that show that with a good rifle one can shoot a sub MOA groups using the 7.62. You can watch these two examples here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArvRTl3ambY and here for up to 500 yards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ya2XR9eZw. There are many tests like that on You Tube.
With my Ruger American Ranch and Sabatti Rover 600 (obviously scoped) I can get routinely grouping like 1-1.5MOA with the 7.62x39mm Chinese mildly corrosive surplus (bi-metal jacketed ammo) or Barnaul let alone PPU or S&B ammo. shooting sitting at the bench rest.
 
Last edited:
I went down to Cabellas last week and hand picked one of their SKS's for $189 bucks. The boys there were super helpful and let me look at around 15 of them that are on the floor. I picked one up with 4 matching serial numbers ( trigger guard and Mag are mismatched as usual per canada) and also they oil bottle , cleaning rod and trap door cleaning kit.
 
Dah. Buy, worst case you can use it as spear or a club. Seriously none of them are exactly Brownings in the finish department and they all seem to work. But yes it is nice to be able to select what you like in person but in practical terms I don't think it makes much difference.
 
some times the one with the ugly stock has the best Mechanics in it. I never judge by the wood.
I usually Toss the stock and put some Nice russian furniture on....or Tapco.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom