View Full Version : Back to the basics: Norinco SKS
Having indulged plenty in various types of AK and AR rifles, a few neat pieces thrown in here there (Vector RPD, Microtech STG-E4) and lots of old surplus (Mosin Nagants, Mausers, etc), I recently decided that I needed an SKS. I've never owned an SKS before and saw it as kind of a way to bridge my EBR world to my surplus relic world.
There was one sitting on the rack at a local shop for a while and thought I'd see if I could get them to budge on it. Success: It was marked $325+ tax and he let it go for $300 out the door. Also in a Mosin sling which works well enough for it. It's a 906 marked Norinco. Very sweet condition. I'm not sure why I used to turn my nose up at these rifles so much. They're extremely rugged and well-made. Despite the fact that it fires the same 7.62x39 as an AK, the experience is totally different. Recoil (not that AKs have much) is drastically reduced to almost nothing, and the whole action feels very smooth. I really like the two piston design too. It's intricate compared to an AK yet seemingly every bit as durable. Field stripping is standard eastern-bloc: ridiculously simple. I used to be put off by the 10 round capacity, but I'm realizing that reloads are quite fast with stripper clips. My father had a Romanian SKS years ago and happened to still have a bunch of stripper clips that he gave to me.The only thing it's missing is the cleaning rod. I've done some online searches and found a few, but am also reading of people getting a rod for a Norinco SKS and having it not fit. Does anyone here know of solid drop-in replacement cleaning rod for it?
These are really neat rifles that I think are unfortunately being frequently overlooked in favor of everything that came before and after them. Let's have a candid SKS discussion.
https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1538875_790144057665804_585390290_n.jpg
I'm kinda fussy on the law regarding bayonets on Chinese imported SKSes. It was my understanding you aren't allowed to have them on. I recently purchased two "Sino-Albanian" SKSes that just started being imported from Albania for around $300ea. They are well worn on the outside but barely shot at all as the barrels are pristine. One of mine even has a replacement Albanian stock on it.
Love the SKS. Would like to be able to find an unissued one of any country at a reasonable price. Is there even such a thing? Stripper clips are fast and easy to use, as well as easily carried. I have a Russian that I have had for several years and it is a great rifle.
Love mine as well. My first "military rifle" purchase ever. Got it for 99.00 at The Sportster when I was but a lad (Father bought it for me)
I would love to use it as a pig harvesting tool but No good optic mounting solutions have ever presented. Wish that would be remedied.
Nice piece -
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kaltesherz
01-09-14, 00:56
I'm kinda fussy on the law regarding bayonets on Chinese imported SKSes. It was my understanding you aren't allowed to have them on.
Not true, as long as it was imported before the ban. Which ban? 1989 I think? Been awhile...
I have a Arsenal 26 Military Export Type 56 that I bought in the early 90's, my first gun. I don't shoot it as much as I used to but it's a damn good shooter. Perfect the way they're issued, it breaks my heart to see so many SKS's that have been Tapoco'd out and are basically ugly paperweights at this point. Get some ammo, military stripper clips (not those cheap craptastic commercial Chinese ones), and shoot the hell out of it.
KalashniKEV
01-09-14, 10:40
Would like to be able to find an unissued one of any country at a reasonable price. Is there even such a thing?
I've been able to come across an unissued Chinese military SKS and a Yugo M-59/66 unissued with logbook (very cool item- even has sketches of the groups fired).
The Chinese SKS's suffer from the same issue that the MAK-90s did. Late units had weak blue, pallet wood stocks, and were overall low quality. The earlier ones are much nicer.
HackerF15E
01-09-14, 13:16
The SKS used to be the best deal in semiauto carbines anywhere, from the 1990s when Norincos could be had new for sub $100 (IIRC I bought one for $89), all the way through about 2005 or 2006 when Zastava 59/66s were available in rearsenaled/nearly new condition for about $140.
Very fun to plink with and was a great little utility carbine for hiking/camping/etc.
SKS is one of the best shooting all around rifles you can get for the money. Unfortunately those detachable magazine mod kits are responsible for screwing up about half of what's availible. That and dremmel tools....
I want to get one of those G&S(or is it S&G?) Gunworks bullpup stock for an SKS
I have several Chinese, a Russian, a Romanian and a Yugo. They were all bought new except on Chinese and the most I paid was $150 for the Russian. They're fun rifles. I even loaned a Chinese to a friend who killed his first deer with it.
Not true, as long as it was imported before the ban. Which ban? 1989 I think? Been awhile...
Even if it was imported after the '89 ban, it's only a violation of sec922(r) for the person who assembled it in that configuration. Possession of a rifle that is not sec922(r) compliant is not illegal. That said, I don't have any rifles that are not sec922(r) compliant.
I'm kinda fussy on the law regarding bayonets on Chinese imported SKSes. It was my understanding you aren't allowed to have them on. I recently purchased two "Sino-Albanian" SKSes that just started being imported from Albania for around $300ea. They are well worn on the outside but barely shot at all as the barrels are pristine. One of mine even has a replacement Albanian stock on it.
That's weird. What are you supposed to do? Hack the bayonet off? Not happening to mine :) I've always considered myself pretty familiar with most gun regulations and I've never heard of that. Wouldn't it apply to the Spiker AKs as well then? And the Type 53s/Mosin M44s?
I share the sentiments here about detachable magazines, dremel tools and Tapcoing an SKS. Leave them alone. They're fine rifles as designed. So many people show up at the shooting range with an SKS that has been brutalized with cheap aftermarket accessories and all hacked up. Even when I wasn't really into SKSs, I was still irked by that. Half the time the rifles don't work thanks to their "gunsmithing" and the other half of the time they can't hit a 6 foot piece of plywood 10 feet in front of them because of their rinky dink optic solution. An SKS isn't meant for an optic!
It's really impressive what these rifles are capable of with some practice and a handful of stripper clips. Even though they've gone way up in price compared to what they were in the past, I still think they're a bargain considering what you're getting.
Now to hunt down a nice Russian one to keep it company.
That's weird. What are you supposed to do? Hack the bayonet off? Not happening to mine :) I've always considered myself pretty familiar with most gun regulations and I've never heard of that. Wouldn't it apply to the Spiker AKs as well then? And the Type 53s/Mosin M44s?
Most people don't realize it, but sec922(r) does apply. The Chinese spiker AK's were imported before sec922(r) became law, so they're grandfathered. It doesn't apply to Type 53's and M44's because they're bolt actions.
I have several Chinese, a Russian, a Romanian and a Yugo. They were all bought new except on Chinese and the most I paid was $150 for the Russian. They're fun rifles. I even loaned a Chinese to a friend who killed his first deer with it.
Even if it was imported after the '89 ban, it's only a violation of sec922(r) for the person who assembled it in that configuration. Possession of a rifle that is not sec922(r) compliant is not illegal. That said, I don't have any rifles that are not sec922(r) compliant.
So wait if Joe Blow builds a rifle that is not 922r compliment and later sells it to me it's not illegal for me to have? The laws are confusing and convoluted as Hell.
Most people don't realize it, but sec922(r) does apply. The Chinese spiker AK's were imported before sec922(r) became law, so they're grandfathered. It doesn't apply to Type 53's and M44's because they're bolt actions.
But is an SKS an "assault rifle?" Couldn't they be imported today in the exact same configuration they were in the 1980s? They don't have a pistol grip and have a fixed 10 round magazine. Wouldn't that make them like a Saiga? I also believe that a ton of SKSs came in before 922(r) was enacted, making them also grandfathered against that.
What about all the ones that have been coming in the past few months? Aim Surplus had them a while back and JG Sales has them now. They have bayonets.
JG Sales link (http://www.jgsales.com/chinese-sks-semi-auto-rfile,-7.62x39,-military-surplus-issue-with-bayonet,-c-r.-used.-p-58288.html)
From what I can tell under 922 (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922) and 925 (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/925), the Attorney General gets to determine whether or not a firearm type can be imported.
So wait if Joe Blow builds a rifle that is not 922r compliment and later sells it to me it's not illegal for me to have?
Exactly. That said, I don't have any rifles that are non-compliant (prebans excepted) because I just want to avoid any possibilities of being accused.
But is an SKS an "assault rifle?" Couldn't they be imported today in the exact same configuration they were in the 1980s? They don't have a pistol grip and have a fixed 10 round magazine. Wouldn't that make them like a Saiga? I also believe that a ton of SKSs came in before 922(r) was enacted, making them also grandfathered against that.
What about all the ones that have been coming in the past few months? Aim Surplus had them a while back and JG Sales has them now. They have bayonets.
JG Sales link (http://www.jgsales.com/chinese-sks-semi-auto-rfile,-7.62x39,-military-surplus-issue-with-bayonet,-c-r.-used.-p-58288.html)
C&R rifles are exempt. New production is not.
This is making literally zero, and quickly pushing into the negative sense to me. I might appear dense, but please explain this to me:
I'm kinda fussy on the law regarding bayonets on Chinese imported SKSes. It was my understanding you aren't allowed to have them on.
What I took away from the first post about bayonets is that for some reason, the bayonet on a Chinese SKS can't be on it? That would imply that the SKS was manufactured in China with a bayonet, purchased by an American importer with the bayonet intact, shipped to the United States with the bayonet intact, cleared by customs with the bayonet intact, shipped to a distributor with the bayonet intact, sold to a retailer with the bayonet intact, and then sold to the consumer with the bayonet intact. Then it's up to the consumer to take a hack saw to the bayonet?
I've never heard of that and it seems utterly absurd even for American gun laws.
I'm surely misinterpreting that post?
What I took away from the first post about bayonets is that for some reason, the bayonet on a Chinese SKS can't be on it?
Yes, after the '89 Bush Sr. ban, "non-sporting" firearms can't be imported. It's considered non-sporting if it's semiauto and has a bayo. Unless it's a C&R which goes by a different set of rules.
That would imply that the SKS was manufactured in China with a bayonet, purchased by an American importer with the bayonet intact, shipped to the United States with the bayonet intact, cleared by customs with the bayonet intact, shipped to a distributor with the bayonet intact, sold to a retailer with the bayonet intact, and then sold to the consumer with the bayonet intact.
This literally happened with a ton of Chinese SKS's. After '89 they were not supposed come in with bayos, but they still did for a while.
Then it's up to the consumer to take a hack saw to the bayonet?
No. The '89 Bush Sr. ban only applies to importation. Once it's here, the '90 ban (sec922(r)) applies. The point of the '90 ban was to prevent people from assembling rifles from foreign parts that could not be imported due to the '89 import ban. The '90 ban (sec922(r)) does not ban possession, only assembly. So, the person who has a Chinese SKS that came in with a bayo, but shouldn't have, is not breaking any law. Of course there is plenty of ignorance about the law when it comes to ATF agents, so who knows what individual agents actually think.
So the original post of "you aren't allowed to have them on" isn't totally accurate then? They're "illegal" but the end-user has done nothing wrong. If anyone was going to be in trouble, it would be U.S. Customs/the importer/seller. There are absolutely zero legal repercussions in store for the guy at the range with his SKS.
Let's make sure that's very clear before some poor guy takes a hack saw or cutoff wheel to his beautiful rifle!
So the original post of "you aren't allowed to have them on" isn't totally accurate then?
It's more like you're allowed to have them if they're already there, but it's illegal to add them.
They're "illegal" but the end-user has done nothing wrong. If anyone was going to be in trouble, it would be U.S. Customs/the importer/seller.
In theory yes, but that was 20+ years ago.
There are absolutely zero legal repercussions in store for the guy at the range with his SKS.
There should not be. However, like I said, there are plenty of ATF agents who are ignorant about the details of the law.
Let's make sure that's very clear before some poor guy takes a hack saw or cutoff wheel to his beautiful rifle!
No saw necessary. It's just a screw if I remember.
You remember correctly. I thought it was pinned/riveted on for some reason. I'm still very new to the SKS.
It's a cool rifle and I don't regret buying an unissued one, but for the current prices of $300-$500(mainly LGS and gunshow prices) most people would rather pick up a low end AK.
It's a cool rifle and I don't regret buying an unissued one, but for the current prices of $300-$500(mainly LGS and gunshow prices) most people would rather pick up a low end AK.
Tell me about it! The Chinese ones at J&G are $499 plus shipping and transfer! I was at a gun show on Saturday and a vendor had a few of the J&G ones marked up to $675. Lunacy
Moose-Knuckle
01-14-14, 20:59
I remember in '94 when SKSs (Chinese IIRC) were stacked in cosmoline soaked crates to the rafters at guns shows priced at $75 . . .
I remember in '94 when SKSs (Chinese IIRC) were stacked in cosmoline soaked crates to the rafters at guns shows priced at $75 . . .
Wow, today while in a local gun store I noticed a beat to shit Yugo for $500 BEFORE tax.
I'd rather have a PAP.
I wonder what we'll regret not buying dozens of in 20 or so years from now. Probably Mosin Nagants and crates of 7.62x54R?
I wonder what we'll regret not buying dozens of in 20 or so years from now. Probably Mosin Nagants and crates of 7.62x54R?
You probably hit it spot on with the Mosins.
Idk about the 7.62x54R since it is still in use.
Ned Christiansen
01-14-14, 22:12
http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm
I've done a little business with this guy and his shop and from discussions I think he's an SKS and all around 7.62X39 guru. Told me there was some issue with SKS's slam firing, especially the Chinese ones and indeed it brought back to me the time my pal's SKS did not go into battery... he palm-slapped the charging knob and >bang<, of for stitches he went. The firing pin wedges forward, tapered firing pin in a tapered hole. You guys judge for yerownselves but something to check out at least.
http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm
I've done a little business with this guy and his shop and from discussions I think he's an SKS and all around 7.62X39 guru. Told me there was some issue with SKS's slam firing, especially the Chinese ones and indeed it brought back to me the time my pal's SKS did not go into battery... he palm-slapped the charging knob and >bang<, of for stitches he went. The firing pin wedges forward, tapered firing pin in a tapered hole. You guys judge for yerownselves but something to check out at least.
This is a known issue with many SKS variants. A lot of the slamfiring comes from people failing to sufficiently clean the cosmoline from the rifle before firing it, but it can also happen from general neglect.
I personally have that firing pin set installed and have had no issues since.
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