what to look for when buying a sks

[yikes]

I finally decided that a sks is the rifle I need. I have searched and read, but I have not touched or fired one. What would you look for when buying one?

 

[garyindiane]

Interested in this as well. I have been bitten by the SKS bug also.
There are so many variations it's hard to know whats good or bad.

I did find this site if it helps

Survivor's SKS Boards - Index

-Gary

 

[03A3]

The Russian ones are nice but generally expensive and harder to find.
Actually they've all gotten to be pretty expensive, or at least I think so. The ones I see are usually around $350.
The Chinese versions are nice and a lot more common.
Look at the latch for the receiver top cover to make sure it's ok. Also the latch for the gas cylinder. Take a peek into the gas cylinder to see what condition it's in.
Actually it's pretty hard to screw up an SKS unless you let it rust or someone has Bubba'd it.
The trigger pull may not be the best, but that's fixable.

 

[alloyguitar]

Personally, I look for the ones with beaten up furniture and a nice bore. Seems like finding a needle in a stack of needles, but I picked up my chinese foldling stock one for 130.00 with a nice bore because the stock had broken after the folding part. Even after I replace the stock, I should still be ahead and get my choice of furniture.

 

[MrSmitty]

my yugo's were very accurate, but most people hate the grenade launcher, paid $200, for one, and $125 for the other...darnit sold 'em both.....where's my time travel machine?...I left it around here somewhere!!

 

[A5guy]

I've had a Chinese one and a Yugo 59/66. Both were good shooters and plenty accurate for just having those crummy bb gun sights (no peep). The Yugos don't have chrome bores and chambers, but are VERY well made and sort of heavy with the beech stocks. Just keep them clean like any other gun.
When I got mine it was literally packed with Cosmoline and stunk like a machine shop. You'll need a GOOD grease solvent like Xylol or MEK to soak the parts in to clean it, paying particular attention, well, to everything but especially the bolt. A sticky firing pin can make for surprise multiple discharges. Mine has done that anyway with commercial ammo, I believe because the primers are softer/more sensitive than the military stuff.

 

[originalhonkey]

look for the paratrooper models. they are alot shorter and have a better balance to them.

 

[762minigun]

How expensive they have become. I 'm glad I caught that bug when they were less the $100.

 

[printcraft]

.......
When I got mine it was literally packed with Cosmoline and stunk like a machine shop. You'll need a GOOD grease solvent like Xylol or MEK to soak the parts in to clean it, paying particular attention, well, to everything but especially the bolt. A sticky firing pin can make for surprise multiple discharges. Mine has done that anyway with commercial ammo, I believe because the primers are softer/more sensitive than the military stuff.

They use a floating firing pin and cosmo and gunk in the channel it
travels in can stick the pin forward enough to cause a slam fire.

Murrys SKS firing pin kit is cheap insurance if you want to go that route.
It adds a spring to a new pin to keep that from happening.

 

[jwdecour]

I have had the chinese and Russian models. Both were good and functioned properly. The Russian one was refinished with a parkerized fineshed barrel, blade bayonet and had the laminated stock. The chinese didn't look as nice but shot well. some of the older chinese models have wood that looks liked they played baseball with rocks on the stock. If I was going to buy another one I would just get the one that I found for the cheepest..

 

[A5guy]

They use a floating firing pin and cosmo and gunk in the channel it
travels in can stick the pin forward enough to cause a slam fire.

Murrys SKS firing pin kit is cheap insurance if you want to go that route.
It adds a spring to a new pin to keep that from happening.

Thanks for that link! I didn't know they had a pin mod. I'll be ordering one of those!
Don't get me wrong, I get a chuckle out of the surprise 3 or 4 round burst, but of course I'm off my target by a mile. Kind of a poor man's M14.

 

[N_K_1984]

I think most people will tell you to look for a clean bore, numbers matching on bolt, receiver, magazine, and trigger assy. Check for rust or pitting in the chamber, make sure the piston moves freely in the gas tube. They say say you should be able to pull the gas tube and actuate the piston by blowing in the tube... I'd make sure the safety works, and if it's a Yugo, make sure the gas block regulator funtions.

I bought my Yugo as a barreled action about 3 years ago, for $75. I had my barrel cut to 16.5 inches, had it recrowned, I did the Murray's firing pin/spring, Murray's Yugo gas valve, Murray's hammer, Wolff sear and firing pin springs, cut off my bayonet lug, soldered on a Choate muzzle brake, and threw it in the Tapco T6 stock with compliance parts (Tapco blister pack. I also use a Tapco 20 Round detachable magazine. None of my numbers match, the bore is less than perfect, but the rifle functions and fires just fine. It's will hold center mass on a human silhouette at 50 yards, so it's good enough for me. Mine was more of a junk yard rescue than a piece of history, so I had no qualms with making it what it is. If I remember correctly, I think I have about $250 in it...

Number one, It's FUN to shoot and I love it.

 

[tom1025]

I would look for the AK-47 on the shelf next to it. IMHO

 

[hotrodtba]

I finally decided that a sks is the rifle I need. I have searched and read, but I have not touched or fired one. What would you look for when buying one?

I look for one that doesn't have a ton of Tapco crap hanging on it, which in turn makes the owner think its worth $450.

I would look for the AK-47 on the shelf next to it. IMHO

Good point.

 

[yikes]

Thank you for the response and for the ak advice. I have been saving for a year and will have to wait to find a true bargain. I believe the sks will fit my needs.

 

[Fordtough25]

I have had both the AK and still have an SKS, almost the same to me shooting wise! The only thing I liked better about the AK was the mag, if you change out the factory SKS mag with a removable unit they can be a pain to fit. Other than that SKS are fun, fairly cheap to shoot, and put a bit hole in things! Good luck,

 

[N_K_1984]

I would look for the AK-47 on the shelf next to it. IMHO

Why not just save a little bit more and buy them both? Why shouldn't they both have a good home?

When you find your SKS, keep it stock though if it's in good shape, update some of the internals parts, just my . This will help you if you ever want to trade it in or sell it. Like I posted above, mine was just a barreled action so I "tweaked" it. No guilt. I don't plan on ever selling it, partially because mine is probably not worth squat at this point anyway.

 

[Lead Head]

The one thing about SKS threads is that just a few years ago, the price was fairly low, even for a Russian one. So don't get too excited about finding one cheap. Finding one for $125.00 is not likely. If you find one for this low of a price, buy three.

Unless you are lucky, it will be hard to find one for under $300.00 unless it's in rescue condition. They are going for 350 and up depending on what you are looking for.

If you want an all original, all matching, non-bubba'd model, new in the crate/box and still coated with alien grease called cosomelene, then five bills or more will do it, if you can find one.

Some of the Chinese Norincos and maybe others have composite stocks like the Monte Carlo and Folders, etc. and they came this was from the importer or in some cases from the exporter. It would not be correct to call them a Bubba model. Most imports you will see did not see battle or military issue and were commercially marketed from surplus. Same rifle for the most part though.

I'm no expert but I did my research time on the SKS and for me, finding an all matching serial number gun with a shinny chrome lined barrel was my first priority. I also purposely wanted the 20" barrel over the 16" in an attempt to set-up a 100 yard gun with tight groups from the bench or tripod. If you like to stand and shoot, the 16" is more balanced. Either way, it's a nose heavy gun compared to a stock AR, etc.

We're not in Kansas anymore and the price of guns will keep going up. The good news is that Russian ammo is relatively cheap. I don't recommend domestic 7.62X39 ammo for the SKS. They have soft primers and like other have said, they could create a slam fire situation. This mean an auto fire situation and in the wrong hands it could mean trouble. Also make sure the firing pin in the bolt is free of rust/gunk/cosmolene and moves freely. This is the main source of a slam fire if the pin is stuck forward.

The Murray firing pin w/spring is on my list but there are millions of SKS's without and no problems. Tapco sells the a new bolt with spring/pin for $85 but the murray pin is fine. I think you can still send it to them and they will do the work for a fee. Gun maintenance like all other guns is important. If the gun is cleaned and operable, you really don't have to add anything. Also make sure the gas tube and piston are clean and operable. Corrosion and residue builds up in the tube and on the piston and could seize.

Every replacement part imaginable is out there for the SKS, just read up on the 922r laws over at SKS Survival or similar forums. It's endless.

If you want to make it look different than go for it. I don't think they look good with tacti-cool furniture mainly due to the era they came from. Some look good with the Dragonov style stocks and for a hunting rifle look, the Monte Carlo does the trick. Original is good too. Just flavors and tastes I guess. Do as you will......