SKS research Q&A

[pj150]

Ok, so the ATF charged my CC for the 03FFL. I suspect I have another 3 week wait or so until I can expect it in the mail. I'm looking forward to my first purchase, a SKS.

I looked around some sites and in this forum and have come to a few conclusions with a few questions. The conclusion I drew in rating the quality and value of the sks positioned the Chinese versions as the best, second the Russians, everyone else being third rate and the Yugos bringing up the rear.

At a very well known importer, they have advertised a Romanian sks with a milled receiver. Are the SKS much like the AKs where there is a remarkable difference between stamped vs milled? I thought all the sks variations had milled receivers. Also, since I am not registered with them as of yet, can someone inform me of the price they are posting for these? I'd like to compare that with other pricing I see for the Yugos and the Norincos from private sellers.

I remember about 15-20 yrs ago seeing prices being more like $79 for a sks, didn't give it much thought back then since I was gulping down the grape kool-aid from the gunshop naysayers. Now that I have seen the light, I realize with the supply and demand, I have found that prices swing pretty wide with $100-500 variances, starting at about $200.

I do like the idea of using ak mags in the Norinco D model and I also like the looks of the shorter paratrooper. I did follow a link to a seller for the paratrooper model for about 300 dollars. Still seems a bit much to me or am I still living back in 1987?

As much fun this is to look at and research, I would appreciate any direction you guys can offer. Seems like everyone who gets a C&R is re-inventing the wheel (so to speak). I'd like to get a small leg up on the situation. Thanks.

 

[SKS Ray]

Ok, so the ATF charged my CC for the 03FFL. I suspect I have another 3 week wait or so until I can expect it in the mail. I'm looking forward to my first purchase, a SKS.

I looked around some sites and in this forum and have come to a few conclusions with a few questions. The conclusion I drew in rating the quality and value of the sks positioned the Chinese versions as the best, second the Russians, everyone else being third rate and the Yugos bringing up the rear.

At a very well known importer, they have advertised a Romanian sks with a milled receiver. Are the SKS much like the AKs where there is a remarkable difference between stamped vs milled? I thought all the sks variations had milled receivers. Also, since I am not registered with them as of yet, can someone inform me of the price they are posting for these? I'd like to compare that with other pricing I see for the Yugos and the Norincos from private sellers.

I remember about 15-20 yrs ago seeing prices being more like $79 for a sks, didn't give it much thought back then since I was gulping down the grape kool-aid from the gunshop naysayers. Now that I have seen the light, I realize with the supply and demand, I have found that prices swing pretty wide with $100-500 variances, starting at about $200.

I do like the idea of using ak mags in the Norinco D model and I also like the looks of the shorter paratrooper. I did follow a link to a seller for the paratrooper model for about 300 dollars. Still seems a bit much to me or am I still living back in 1987?

As much fun this is to look at and research, I would appreciate any direction you guys can offer. Seems like everyone who gets a C&R is re-inventing the wheel (so to speak). I'd like to get a small leg up on the situation. Thanks.

Oh man where to begin?

The only stamped receiver SKS out there is a Chinese model thats rare and hard to come by. All others are milled. Kingson from here got a great deal at a Springfield gun show on one and I'm hoping he'll sell it to me one day.

$300 for a Paratrooper is worth it, thats an average price for what they're going for these days.

The Romanian ones that were recently listed on some sites are advertised in good to VG condition. Not sure about matching numbers but I hear they're missing cleaning rods. I think the price is $230 - $250 depending on who you buy from. I'll let you know how they look when mine gets here.

Chinese models are usually the cheapest and range from $150 to $300 depending on arsenal code with rare models like Sino Soviets getting top dollar. IMO they offer the best accuracy out of all the ones I've shot. Yugos are fairly even with the Chinese in price and accuracy is pretty good on the 59/66 models.

Check out Simonov.net for some good reading.

 

[JonJ]

If you're looking for strictly C&R SKSs, you'll have to give up on considering the Chinese version. The BATFE has not granted the Chinese SKS a status of "Relic" and the Chinese have not provided any manufacturing records for dating.

 

[pj150]

If you're looking for strictly C&R SKSs, you'll have to give up on considering the Chinese version. The BATFE has not granted the Chinese SKS a status of "Relic" and the Chinese have not provided any manufacturing records for dating.

Good to know. Thank you for that important piece of info.

M4M- You have a wealth of knowledge which comes from first hand experience. I hope to have just enough knowledge to make an good informed decision before my purchase. Thanks 'Si-fu' for letting this grasshopper try to 'snatch the pebble a few times.' I'm learning and I'll get there soon.

 

[SKS Ray]

Good point JonJ. I had forgot about that.

There is though one Chinese SKS that people are classifying as C&R... the Sino Soviet models. I'm not sure if any official decision has been made by the BATF regarding them but its fact that true Sino Soviet models are over 50 years in age. Its one of the only Chinese variants that has been documented and dated.

Thankfully standard VG condition Chinese SKS rifles are still found for decent money these days at gun shows and shops. You can get one before your C&R comes in and jump start your collection for when you start faxing copies of your C&R and going for other SKS types like a Russian, Romanian, Yugoslavian, Albanian, etc.