SKS Opinions

Kfgk14 · #1 05-01-12, 22:57

What do you all think of the SKS? I have a Yugo that is just sitting in the safe, waiting for me to turn it into a budget back-up-to-the-back-up's-back-up rifle. I have only shot it a few times. Are they good guns? Worth hanging onto? Suggested modifications?

Thanks.

J_Dub_503 · #2 05-01-12, 23:12

I think they're a fun gun to shoot and definitely worth hanging onto. The price has raised over the years so that's even more of a reason to hold onto it. Another plus is that they are cheap to shoot...also parts are cheap.

If you haven't already, take out the internal magazine and buy some 20 rnd. Tapco mags and have fun.

Ed L. · #3 05-01-12, 23:22

I would leave it as it is. Extended mags for the SKS tend not to be as reliable as the original.

C-grunt · #4 05-01-12, 23:25

My friend has a Yugo that's been 100 percent reliable with several thousand rounds through it and very little cleaning. A coworker of mine was in the Bosnian army and used the SKS as his service rifle. He has great things to say about it.

nabO · #5 05-02-12, 01:08

The stock is too short, safety catch is in a strange location and the magazine capacity sucks. The extended magazines are unreliable.

I've heard of issues with the gas cylinder on the Yugo version.

Other than that, the rifle itself is reliable and is a great collectors item.

RandomHero · #6 05-02-12, 01:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabO

The stock is too short, safety catch is in a strange location and the magazine capacity sucks. The extended magazines are unreliable.

I've heard of issues with the gas cylinder on the Yugo version.

Other than that, the rifle itself is reliable and is a great collectors item.

my yugo had a bad gas valve on it. $20 part from murraysguns and it was good, if not better than new.

anthony1 · #7 05-02-12, 04:29

Pretty good solid old rifles. I always kinda thought of them as the Mosin nagant of the semi auto world. Worth holding onto if you can. l wouldn't do anything to it as in modifications.

gunnut284 · #8 05-02-12, 04:47

I had a Yugo SKS for a while but decided it didn't do anything for me an AK didn't do better so I sold it. Haven't regreted it either. Though, if they were still $89 and I could just still a few in the corner for a rainy day I probably would.

halmbarte · #9 05-02-12, 11:50

Don't try and turn a SKS into a AK, it will cost you more and you still won't have as serviceable of a rifle in the end.

I have both, have shot both at our local rifle matches, and prefer the AK hands down.

H

TacticalSledgehammer · #10 05-02-12, 14:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomHero

my yugo had a bad gas valve on it. $20 part from murraysguns and it was good, if not better than new.

Better yet, use a small paper clip. Bend it around the inside of the gas tube where it sits on the gas block. I've fixed several that way. They've all ran like a champ ever since. The corrosive ammo eats away at the seal between the 2 parts (if not cleaned) as you probably know.

TacticalSledgehammer · #11 05-02-12, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kfgk14

What do you all think of the SKS? I have a Yugo that is just sitting in the safe, waiting for me to turn it into a budget back-up-to-the-back-up's-back-up rifle. I have only shot it a few times. Are they good guns? Worth hanging onto? Suggested modifications?

Thanks.

Hang onto that rifle. They're great guns. The only mods you may wanna do is lightly scrape the phosphorus sights so they glow again (assuming yours aren't tritium) Other than that forget the POS aftermarket mags, and load it with stripper clips (you can load it fast that way).

KalashniKEV · #12 05-02-12, 16:15

The only worthwhile SKS mod (and it's a very good one) is to add tech-sites.

They're amazing rifles.

Jack-O · #13 05-02-12, 23:17

great guns and every bit as fieldable as an M1 garand. Learn the manual of arms and reload with strippers. a pouch with both strippers and any loose rounds and empty strippers is gonna be one of your most efficient types of field gear.

if you can find a fixed 20 rounds mag that works (tapco is decent and can be modded to accept strippers easily) and make the gun 922r without messing it up (murrays guns) it's actually very user friendly and capable for the price.

NC_DAVE · #14 05-05-12, 15:21

I would say keep it I have owned 3 and sold all of them years ago for under 100 bucks to buy other items. I wish I had kept all of them since now they are 350-400. I wish I would have kept them since they are neat guns. But I would not pay 350-400 for another one.

gillian_seed · #15 05-07-12, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kfgk14

What do you all think of the SKS? I have a Yugo that is just sitting in the safe, waiting for me to turn it into a budget back-up-to-the-back-up's-back-up rifle. I have only shot it a few times. Are they good guns? Worth hanging onto? Suggested modifications?

Thanks.

The SKS is a great gun for a shooter who is on a budget but still wants to protect their home with a rifle as opposed to a shotgun. If a person cannot afford a nice AK or AR I suggest they opt for an SKS.

OP, I think your intended usage of your SKS as a back up for a back up makes sense. As long as you train to use it well (do you have stripper clips)? Alternatively, you could sell it to a friend that's looking for a reliable and economical gun and maybe buy ammo for your primary home defense gun.

As far a modifications go, if it was my primary I would find ways to lighten up the rifle without affecting reliability. Things such as removing the bayonet and shortening the flash suppressor would go along way to lightening up the rifle and making it more suitable for home defense. Since it would fill the role of your third line of defense I wouldn't do any permanent modifications. I would just make sure I knew how to use it.

Either way you can't lose (just make sure you check your gas valve's seal to ensure that your rifle functions).

WWhunter · #16 06-23-12, 22:23

I know this is an older post but I just picked up an SKS marked:
CJA SFLD, MI Its a Chinese made SKS and I paid $210 for the rifle and 100 rounds of WPA steel case 124 gr. HP.
Guy that had it said he had it for several years and never even fired it. You could tell since it was covered with dust. I did a basic cleaning and fired off a load of ammo and it ran like a champ.
Anyone know of good sites for getting parts, etc. for these guns? Also looking for good price on bulk ammo and wanting to get a stock of stripper clips.
Thanks,
WW

Arik · #17 06-25-12, 08:04

Try SKS boards for parts. They'll point you in the right direction. SKSman used to have all kinds of parts but I dont know if he's still in business.

As for bulk ammo you can try SGAmmo, AIMsurplus, Ammoman, Weidners and many more

brickboy240 · #18 06-25-12, 11:44

I have three of them: a Russian, a Romanian and a Chinese Military version.

Accurate as any 30-30 at 100yds, totally reliable, easy on the shoulder and a pretty robust rifle that will take a beating and fires when it is totally filthy.

I have kept mine as close to original as possible. All are reliable and very robust guns that will get the job done with 10 fast rounds. A good wild pig gun for short distance shooting, too.

I would not go about modding out any SKS and keep it pretty stock. When you go modding the SKS, it loses its reliability and toughness factors.

I love all 3 of mine and would never get rid of them. Great backups to my AK-47.

- brickboy240

Moose-Knuckle · #19 06-26-12, 16:11

Whatever you do DO NOT drag it through the Tapco/Cheaper Than Dirt/The Sportsman's Guide catalogs.

RandomHero · #20 06-26-12, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by TacticalSledgehammer

Better yet, use a small paper clip. Bend it around the inside of the gas tube where it sits on the gas block. I've fixed several that way. They've all ran like a champ ever since. The corrosive ammo eats away at the seal between the 2 parts (if not cleaned) as you probably know.

i contemplated this, but the murrays valve was $20 and 2mm (?) oversized for a tight fit.