When did you fall in love with the SKS?

[Tall]

For me, it was back in the early 90's.

Have always regretted selling off my first one.
I was young with a family.
Sold to pay bills.

I bought mine in 1987. It was brand new and came with a bandolier and 1000 rounds of ammo for $79. I sold it recently at a local gun show for $550. I had 300 rounds of ammo left. I last shot it in 1989 so it was not missed at all.

[TD1886]

It'd put a lot of stress on the .300 black out fans.

Well I built one. I cut down LEE 8x57 dies for the reloading process. Pretty neat round.

[Lloyd Smale]

i was never a big fan. had a couple but they didnt stay in the safe very long. do still have one AK but it was given to me by the son of a good friend that died. never reloaded for it. its the gun i take to camp and blast steal case ammo when i dont feel like picking up brass. if i need something more accurate i haul out an AR

[haak48]

Well I built one. I cut down LEE 8x57 dies for the reloading process. Pretty neat round.

Sounds interesting! Pictures please! Regards, JH

[Larry Gibson]

“ My SKS jammed”
A statement never heard……


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not exactly correct. I've seen plenty of them jam. Overseas where they are used and abused by "troops" and also the company I contracted with had over 200 SKS [and 500+ AKs along with numerous other weapons] in inventory for use with blanks and live fire training of Marines and Soldiers. Numerous jams occurred during use with both blanks and milsup 7.62x39 ammunition.

[WILCO]

Not exactly correct. I've seen plenty of them jam. Overseas where they are used and abused by "troops" and also the company I contracted with had over 200 SKS [and 500+ AKs along with numerous other weapons] in inventory for use with blanks and live fire training of Marines and Soldiers. Numerous jams occurred during use with both blanks and milsup 7.62x39 ammunition.

Thanks for the information Larry.
I didn't know that.

[405grain]

One of the drawbacks to the SKS is that it doesn't have a firing pin spring. If a SKS bolt were really gummed up with crud, dried up oil, or rust, it's possible for the firing pin tip not to retract. When that happens it can cause a slam fire. If that firing pin is really stuck bad it can "repeat slam fire" sending a few rounds down range full auto style. I keep my gun clean and well maintained but whenever I let the bolt run forward on a fresh magazine I keep a firm grip in the stock forearm and (as always) make darned sure that the muzzle's facing toward the dirt. I have seen that they make a firing pin spring kit for the SKS, but the reviews on this say that sometimes it can cause more problems than it solves. In my opinion you'd have to horribly abuse or neglect a SKS to get it to the point where you'd get a stuck firing pin. Keep the gun clean & maintained and it should run like a champ.

As for the 7.62x39 cartridge, I've got two Mauser bolt actions in this caliber as well as the SKS. The 7.62x39 has lots of accuracy potential, and a couple of benchrest cartridges have been based on it. As a cast bullet cartridge it's hard to beat; it works with a wide variety of cast bullet weights and designs. It sends these bullets down range at optimal cast bullet velocities, and works well with a wide range of powders. Most folks think of the 7.62x39 as a military cartridge, but as a cast bullet cartridge it's one of the best.

[TD1886]

One of the drawbacks to the SKS is that it doesn't have a firing pin spring. If a SKS bolt were really gummed up with crud, dried up oil, or rust, it's possible for the firing pin tip not to retract. When that happens it can cause a slam fire. If that firing pin is really stuck bad it can "repeat slam fire" sending a few rounds down range full auto style. I keep my gun clean and well maintained but whenever I let the bolt run forward on a fresh magazine I keep a firm grip in the stock forearm and (as always) make darned sure that the muzzle's facing toward the dirt. I have seen that they make a firing pin spring kit for the SKS, but the reviews on this say that sometimes it can cause more problems than it solves. In my opinion you'd have to horribly abuse or neglect a SKS to get it to the point where you'd get a stuck firing pin. Keep the gun clean & maintained and it should run like a champ.

As for the 7.62x39 cartridge, I've got two Mauser bolt actions in this caliber as well as the SKS. The 7.62x39 has lots of accuracy potential, and a couple of benchrest cartridges have been based on it. As a cast bullet cartridge it's hard to beat; it works with a wide variety of cast bullet weights and designs. It sends these bullets down range at optimal cast bullet velocities, and works well with a wide range of powders. Most folks think of the 7.62x39 as a military cartridge, but as a cast bullet cartridge it's one of the best.

The SKS uses a triangular firing pin body and I think it would be pretty hard to gum it up. I've shot a lot of cast from my SKS and you know how dirty shooting lubed cast bullets can be and never had a problem of fouling in the firing pin. As you pointed out the firing pin doesn't have a spring so one should be careful with that kind of system. Worse thing to do is put a cartridge in the chamber and let the bolt slam shut. That would be the scenario most likely to cause a slam fire. The worse rifle I've seen for a free floating firing and slam firings is the French MAS 49/56. I can't post because of legal issue what simple little thing turns that weapon into full auto.

[Texas by God]

Not exactly correct. I've seen plenty of them jam. Overseas where they are used and abused by "troops" and also the company I contracted with had over 200 SKS [and 500+ AKs along with numerous other weapons] in inventory for use with blanks and live fire training of Marines and Soldiers. Numerous jams occurred during use with both blanks and milsup 7.62x39 ammunition.

“A statement Almost never heard.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deces]

How would any of you like to have an SKS in 8x33 Kurtz?

There was a few SKS that were imported by Norinco in 5.56mm just before clinton the molester put the death nail on chinese SKS imports.

[Jack Stanley]

I've had a couple of them and never felt love for them . Groups with them were never what my surplus Garands would group .

They are easy to field strip and clean and they were cheap to feed .... back then . I didn't want to have yet another rifle to feed and care for .

Jack

[one-eyed fat man]

The first time I ran onto the SKS I was on the wrong end. They weren't much after I got them from their former owners. Canister is a wonderful solution to pesky infantry at close range.

[Eddie1971]

I have 3, an early Soviet Tula, made in 1950 with a non chrome bore. I also have a late Tula made in 1956 at the end of the production with a chrome bore. Lastly I have a Yugo M59/66 with the launcher. All interesting pieces and fun to shoot!

[groovy mike]

When I bought my first SKS for $60 and a case of ammo at 10 cents per cartridge then killed a nice white tail with it. What's not to LOVE!

[jimb16]

When did I fall in love with the SKS? Sorry to say, I never did. I've had a couple over the years, but they are long gone. They just didn't "do it" for me.

[rbuck351]

I have Chineese sks. Not because I love it but because it was cheap. When I first got it, it wouldn't keep all it rounds in a 2 foot circle at 50 yds with factory ammo. The crown looked like it had been cut with a rusty spoon. After cutting about 1/4" from the muzzle and recrowning, it shoots cast about 3" at 100yds. I still don't love it but it at least it will work for defense gun under 150 yds.

[dale2242]

I haven`t yet.

[Maven]

In the 1990's (when I had my FFL), I purchased a new, "in the grease" Type 56 SKS (Norinco) from Navy Arms. With the then new C.E. Harris designed CB cut by Veral Smith (LBT), it was quite accurate. Alas, I later sold it to help finance a new bike (the kind you pedal). Several years ago, I got another Type 56 (not Norinco), which was unfired. With another C.E Harris designed CB heavier, i.e., ~162gr.) this time cut by Al Nelson (NOE) and sized to .3155" to fit the new bore, it is repeatably accurate, but by no means a bench gun. I'm going to try to attach 2 pics to this post: One of the ~162gr. Harris CB (the CB on the right) and one of a recent 50 yd. target (again, the one on the right). It is a very reliable rifle that's easy to maintain and doesn't lead either the gas piston or the bore.

[TD1886]

In the 1990's (when I had my FFL), I purchased a new, "in the grease" Type 56 SKS (Norinco) from Navy Arms. With the then new C.E. Harris designed CB cut by Veral Smith (LBT), it was quite accurate. Alas, I later sold it to help finance a new bike (the kind you pedal). Several years ago, I got another Type 56 (not Norinco), which was unfired. With another C.E Harris designed CB heavier, i.e., ~162gr.) this time cut by Al Nelson (NOE) and sized to .3155" to fit the new bore, it is repeatably accurate, but by no means a bench gun. I'm going to try to attach 2 pics to this post: One of the ~162gr. Harris CB (the CB on the right) and one of a recent 50 yd. target (again, the one on the right). It is a very reliable rifle that's easy to maintain and doesn't lead either the gas piston or the bore.

That's very good shooting Maven. I use the 155 grain bullet. Maybe I should try the heavier one huh?

[imashooter2]

Bought one for 7 cent ammo that I didn’t need to reload. That was love. Then some idiot chambers a handgun for it and the 7 cent ammo is gone overnight. Now it is a somewhat less than elegant knock around rifle that doesn’t do anything that something else I own doesn’t do better. It comes out of the safe every couple of years. We have fun and then back into the safe she goes.