# The SKS...how to avoid a junk pile.



## Magus

There are no less than FIVE types available to the prospective shooter,ALL are in used condition,so here's what to look for,first how to spot a "DO NOT WANT!!"

It will be a Chinese SKS made for civilian consumption.

It will have STAMPED parts.

The barrel will be pinned in and "skinny".

The stock will resemble pine,and it probably is!

It will rattle like a BB in a box car. 

The finish on the exterior will be commercial and smooth.

The receiver is thinner than a good SKS.


AVOID THESE HUNKS OF CRAP AT ALL COST!


Here's how to spot a good one:

All milled parts.

Threaded in barrel.

Actual hardwood stock.

The barrel is a good .125 thousandths heavier.

there are tool marks evident on the barrel and receiver.this means its a military grade weapon.over all it will appear rough,lacking a commercial polish etc.YOU WANT TO SEE THIS ON AN SKS!

The Barrel will likely have a chrome bore,but not always a chromed chamber,IF the chamber is not chromed,YOU MUST inspect for wear carefully!a friend of mine bought a Yugo that was NIB and it would split brass.it had been chambered too deep.that's not common,but worth looking into,there was a Ruger red-hawk that left the factory with no rifling once.

Matching serial numbers,do you really want a pile of spare parts?



Tweeking the SKS.

Not hard to do on a winter evening,you need:
.005 brass shim stock.
Engine block epoxy.
painters tape.
a Popsicle stick.
Lithium grease.
A small drill or rotary tool and a 1/8" drill bit.


First the easy stuff:
Shimming the trigger group.
Cut a piece of the .005 brass shim stock twice as wide as the trigger group,fold it double and hammer it flat,trim it to size,place it under the trigger group in front of the trigger,whap it with a rubber mallet to seat it,and you're done.this removes rattle in the group and increases accuracy.

Shimming the hand guard,this also works on an AK.

Remove the hand guard.

Drill some 1/8X1/8" holes where wood meets wood in the stock,use a lead pencil to outline your work area.

Split the Popsicle stick down the middle and using gorilla glue or a similar high quality adhesive,glue them in place down the sides,when dry,sand the edges flush and stain to match the stock,this also enhances accuracy.

Now the hard part,bedding the action.

First,dis assemble the weapon.then coat the action and barrel with the grease where it will mate to the wood,set it aside for now.

IMPORTANT STEP!
Cover the cleaning rod channel with the painters tape,use a 3/4" strip and make damn sure its covered!

taking your drill or rotary tool,drill a bunch of holes at random similar to the ones you drilled for the hand guard,try not to put holes in the tape.

mix up 1/2 a tube each of the epoxy and smear it into the barrel channel and place the greased action back into the stock and let dry,be observant and neat lest your weapon never come apart again!immediately remove any overflow.re assemble your SKS and allow the epoxy to harden.

Now your SKS is more accurate and that's always a good thing!


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## HozayBuck

My first SKS was built in riceland and while it was made for the civilian mkt I had none of the problems you describe.

There are always exceptions to the rule , for 89 bucks your not going to get a Weatherby.

I shot mine for 3 years without ever cleaning it, never failed me, it was a test..over 5000 rounds, and it would hit far beyond 300 yds, not with a lot of smack but a man would have gone down.. 

I have a state of the art AK made in the US by Arsenal Inc in Nevada, milled etc, I shoot it in 3 gun match's, I never feel underguned .

Too much negativity is dropped on the lowly SKS but they are a good platform for the person who needs to arm a family cheaply.. 

Anybody here in this forum who can should shoot an SKS at a range..it's not a match rifle but at 300 yds will hit where you point it...the Russian and other East Block country's made damn good ones..

You can drag one thru a swamp and come out fighting... the M16 sure as hell won't do that most of the time

if you and your entire family are armed with SKS's your going to be as well armed as 90 % of the folks around you if not better!

I bought a Yugo Mauser a while back and have a new love in my life!! it is flat awesome!!..$125.00 rifle , Ammoman has 8mm 900 rnds for 200 bucks and that includes shipping!!!


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## Magus

You misunderstand.
I wasn't panning the SKS,in fact I love it!I was just pointing out the rough spots.


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## GroovyMike

I can’t say enough good about the SKS. You guys are right on target about teh effectiveness and affordability.

I hold my shots to about 150 yards or less but I have cleanly taken deer, hogs, and coyotes with them.

I think the SKS is THE bargain on the firearms market today. I recently bought and quickly sold a Yugo. I just didn’t care for it, but I love the Chinese versions and am working on buying a Russian model again. I had one years ago, but sold it when the prices went from $200 to $500….

Magus – I think your bedding advice is probably good (I never bothered to try) – but I am inclined to attempt it. I think photos would upgrade your post tremendously, but let’s start small and make sure that I understand your advice. When shimming the trigger group, how long is the piece of brass you fold over? You say make it twice as wide as the trigger group, but how much of the trigger group does it extend under?


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## Magus

About an inch.

you can see if it will help before hand by using tin foil.

Unfortunately I don't have any rifles I bedded anymore,hard times makes ya do hard things.


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## sailaway

Bought my sks years ago for $99.00 sold it when Clinton tried to ban assult rifles for $350.00. I now carry an M1 Carbine.


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## GroovyMike

Ah yes, I know the buy/sell drill. I bought my first two SKS for $60 and $99. Loved them, but needed tires to pass inspection. Needed the car to get to work....sold them for $200. A year later bought 2 more SKS for $200. Clinton ban came and sold them for $400. Missed them so much I bought two more....


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## Magus

I just traded an SKS carbine for a Draco AK, 

Next quest is a tactical light...


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## OldCootHillbilly

So where yall buying these fer that money? Share eh.


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## sailaway

OldCootHillbilly said:


> So where yall buying these fer that money? Share eh.


Right now, I see cases of them at gun shows and sporting goods stores, alot more than in the past. I haven't looked closely at them, but they are probably the Chineese junk ones.


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## GroovyMike

$99 SKS were in every gun shop 10 years ago. If you can find one under $200 now, buy it.


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## Diego2112

Most SKS run right around $250-300, depending on the site/gunshow you go to. Those are YUGO SKS, by the way. Chi-Com (Norinco) can go for a bit more, usually $3-400. Havent seen any Russkies of late... Maybe not looking hard enough.

Had the chance around a year ago to pick up a whole case  of Yugo SKS (matching serial numbers on all parts) for $1800. UNFORTUNATLY, I also needed a car! Right now I'm just running my Marlin 336W (.30-30win, and let me tell ya, it is EPIC WIN!), and it's probably the best gun I've ever used (apart from my vocalist's Marlin in .44mag!). My BROTHER :beercheer: has a Chi-Com paratrooper, spike bayonet, folding synthetic stocks, too. He recently set it back all original (the parts came with it when he bought it) and 922R compliant. It's a pretty tasty little thang to take out hunting, too, let me tell ya!

Like he says every season: If it's BROWN, it's DOWN, baby!

SKS = Pretty much the best general purpose rifle you can ever own. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than a stinkin' AR...

Just dont use FMJ to hunt a deer, ok? ZIP!!! Deer dont even realize it's hit till it's dead 500 yards, three thickets, and a stream later. I HATE folloing a bloodtrail :gaah:!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then again, the EASY way around that is to say "BOOM!! HEADSHOT!!!" on the deer... Then it's PLOP, on the ground. No head for you WALL, BUT meat for your POT! WAAAAAAY better IMHO...


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## HarleyRider

I'd trade ten SKS's for a good old M-60. :beercheer:


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## Magus

Or an M-14 set to rock n roll.:beercheer:


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