Buy an SKS?

[BAMAboy18]

So my buddy at work has been asking for 2 months if I wanted to buy an AK from a friend of his. I kept telling him it depended on what it was and how much he wanted. So tonight he tells me it's an SKS for $400. 1st it's a private sale, 2nd it seems like it's just below the going rate, 3rd I've been buying up 7.62x39 when I find it reasonably priced. So, not knowing country of origin, I threw the dice. He'll bring it to work tonight, fingers crossed (Russian with laminated stock, or SKS-M) I'll let you know how I make out. Worse case I'd gift it to my son to hunt deer (that's what he took his 1st with, when he was 12)

 

[MK20]

either way, at that price right now, buy it if it is in functioning shape, even if it has been slightly bubba'd.

 

[db2000]

This is always an option. My buddy has one and it seems decently accurate and functioned variably with various ammo. Some had primer strikes but didn’t fire. The same ammo fired every time in my SKS. He is going to change the spring out for a stronger one. With the ammo that did fire, it ran in full auto as well without issue.

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[W54/XM-388]

If that happens to be an actual Soviet built SKS, buy it without hesitation at $400

 

[W54/XM-388]

Also just as a side note, if you get the SKS, for the love of all things sacred, make sure you or your son resist the urge to do any mods to it.
Don't do any of that B.S. about extended feed boxes or trying to change it to a mag fed system, or putting it in some Tapco stock etc.

Clean it up nicely, get a bunch of stripper clips and the chest rig to hold the loaded clips in, and shoot it as it was designed.

 

[BAMAboy18]

So I got it tonight.
Can't find info on serial #. All matching #s, 20" barrel, & came with a scope mount receiver cover and BSA red-dot and about 30 rounds of Tula soft point ammo. Front sight and bayonet lug are ground off, very crudely
I may cut it down and re-crown??
Serial # 9-162406 /_\ E
\ /
Pretty cruddy, but should clean up.
Since it's not a pristine, and already bubbuhed nothing stopping me from going further...

 

[W54/XM-388]

Does it have any other stamps telling you where / when it was made?

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

I used an SKS, Chinese made, for helishooting/feral pest control.
They just go and go.

 

[Texasflyer]

Gonna guess from the wood its chinese

 

[diggler1833]

These days its always nice to have a 'bury in the backyard' rifle.

I scored an excellent condition, all matching Norinco paratrooper with about 120 rounds for $150 from a good buddy back in 2009. He paid that for the gun three years prior when his neighbor got drunk on the 4th (base housing) and let 5-6 rounds go into the air to celebrate. The following day after the MPs had finished questioning everyone - who saw nothing - his wife made him get rid of the gun.

It shoots a lot better than I expected of an SKS, and I hope yours does too.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Back way back in the day, you could buy proper Soviet production SKS rifles by the crateload for like $80 each or less.
Those things are worth a pretty penny today.

 

[BAMAboy18]

I had a beautiful Russian back in the day, then 2 different Chinese M models with the thumb hole stocks that took AK mags. I wish I'd bought them by the crate when they were $69 ea...

 

[BAMAboy18]

Havnt

Does it have any other stamps telling you where / when it was made?

Haven't had a chance to investigate further, here at work I just wrapped my jacket around it and moved it to my truck, then snapped a couple of pics. I'm suspecting it's Chinese

 

[W54/XM-388]

I had a beautiful Russian back in the day, then 2 different Chinese M models with the thumb hole stocks that took AK mags. I wish I'd bought them by the crate when they were $69 ea...

I remember being such a poor that I could only buy one $69 Soviet SKS and had to pass up on the beautiful $150 Bulgarian AK

 

[BAMAboy18]

Looking at parts for sale , looks like I could part this out and double my investment. I checked the barrel for the front sight and it looks like I could salvage it and replace the front sight and have a complete #s matching rifle! A front sight is going to cost as much/or more than what these sold for back in the day.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

I say you got a good deal

https://palmettostatearmory.com/chinese-type-56-sks-7-62x39-military-surplus-rifle-w-spiker-bayonet.html

 

[BAMAboy18]

Looking at parts for sale , looks like I could part this out and double my investment. I checked the barrel for the front sight and it looks like I could salvage it and replace the front sight and have a complete #s matching rifle! A front sight is going to cost as much/or more than what these sold for back in the day.

 

[BAMAboy18]

Just found & bought a used front sight on Gunbroker for $37 shipped! I like where this is going...

 

[Texasflyer]

I remember being such a poor that I could only buy one $69 Soviet SKS and had to pass up on the beautiful $150 Bulgarian AK

I had a bulgarian ak at one time. Other than the barrel, which was pretty good, i hated the plastic stock, and it was a single tang setup so i couldnt run wood ak furniture. Think i paid about 100 for it lol.

 

[BoltRunner]

This is how you know your getting older when a good price for an SKS is $400, regardless of Manufacturer or year I know most can remember when they were a dime a dozen for $150... Fuck times are changing I gotta get my newspaper, coffee, and house shoes cause I'm feeling old...

 

[BAMAboy18]

Okay I stripped her down this afternoon. It's a commercial Norinco; POLY, Atlanta GA USA (pressed/pinned barrel) it's never had the cosmoline cleaned out of the inside. In addition to an Nc star tri-rail receiver cover with the BSA red-dot the original serialized cover came with it.
Does anyone know if the front sight boss is concentric? I may need to build it back up & turn it on a lathe.
Don't understand the desire to remove the front sight & the only scenario I can imagine is guy didn't realize it was pinned on and just took a grinder to it until it fell off.

 

[AngryKoala]

Also just as a side note, if you get the SKS, for the love of all things sacred, make sure you or your son resist the urge to do any mods to it.
Don't do any of that B.S. about extended feed boxes or trying to change it to a mag fed system, or putting it in some Tapco stock etc.

Clean it up nicely, get a bunch of stripper clips and the chest rig to hold the loaded clips in, and shoot it as it was designed.

Must take ak mags right meow

 

[BAMAboy18]

What I'm working with for the front sight

 

[BAMAboy18]

What I'm working with for the front sight

 

[BAMAboy18]

Must take ak mags right meow

I've got an AK to put my AK mags in.
There are SKS "D" (detachable) rifles and "M" carbines that were variations that used AK mags, I had 2 of the carbines, they came with funky thumbhole stocks.

 

[sjmpcc022]

You did good, don't obsess, go out and shoot it!

No one gives a shit about #'s on an SKS, or anything else. Decent enough wood and no rust gets it done, not to mention Norinco is the shit when it comes to an SKS. The Russian ones used to bring a few more bucks( 225$ as opposed to 125$) That was a few years ago though.

They shoot and they fucking work!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll never lose a dime on it, enjoy.

 

[Naaman]

Damn... I thought this thread would be full of trash talk about the SKS...

Now I almost want one.

 

[W54/XM-388]

You did good, don't obsess, go out and shoot it!

No one gives a shit about #'s on an SKS, or anything else. Decent enough wood and no rust gets it done, not to mention Norinco is the shit when it comes to an SKS. The Russian ones used to bring a few more bucks( 225$ as opposed to 125$) That was a few years ago though.

They shoot and they fucking work!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll never lose a dime on it, enjoy.

You can get north of $500 for a soviet SKS with matching serial numbers that is not molested.

 

[bfoosh006]

Make sure you check the barrels bore before you spend to much time on the front sight.

Look for any pitting from corrosive ammo.

And the cosmoline needs to be removed prior to any shooting., that sticky stuff can cause all sorts of grief.

 

[sjmpcc022]

You can get north of $500 for a soviet SKS with matching serial numbers that is not molested.

I see them at gun shows all the time for 500-800, no clue if the #'s match. I doubt anyone gets 800, but I bet 550$ all day!!

Make sure you check the barrels bore before you spend to much time on the front sight.

Look for any pitting from corrosive ammo.

And the cosmoline needs to be removed prior to any shooting., that sticky stuff can cause all sorts of grief.

It sure does! Take the whole damn thing apart and wash it old school in your sink, I prefer Dawn. Anything that washes light, sweet crude off of a baby duck will do a bang up job on the second best thing ever to emerge from behind the iron curtain!!!

 

[BAMAboy18]

So last night I soaked all internal parts with WD-40 and wiped it all down then a quick soake in Toluene and blew out with compressed air. Tonight I'll be in the plant alone and will clean the barreled receiver/stock. Looking really good.
So I have a front sight on the way, I'm thinking of mixing some Devcon and reinstalling it permanently with 1 tight pin & the 2nd setting up in the compound where the groove was ground away. Any thoughts pros/cons??

 

[Davo308]

Anybody know a source for nos stripper clips?

 

[sjmpcc022]

Anybody know a source for nos stripper clips?

Gunshow

 

[bfoosh006]

Anybody know a source for nos stripper clips?

The only good ones I have seen recently, are the ones used on that Corrosive Yugo surplus currently for sale. Not the best way to get some NOS stripper clips... but, those do function properly.

The various aftermarket ones I have tried suck.

I would love to find some NOS stripper clips.

 

[sjmpcc022]

The only good ones I have seen recently, are the ones used on that Corrosive Yugo surplus currently for sale. Not the best way to get some NOS stripper clips... but, those do function properly.

The various aftermarket ones I have tried suck.

I would love to find some NOS stripper clips.

You started this with your thumbs up.

Are you going to ask what the best thing to emerge from behind the iron curtain is or do you already know?????????????????

 

[BAMAboy18]

All cleaned up, in addition to missing the front sight there is no safety spring. I have those ordered. I guess I'm gonna have to learn how disassemble the trigger group...

 

[Davo308]

All cleaned up, in addition to missing the front sight there is no safety spring. I have those ordered. I guess I'm gonna have to learn how disassemble the trigger group...

The front sight adjustment tool is good to have.

I put in a fluorescent orange front sight post 15 years ago, don't regret it.

 

[Lange Carabine]

Does it have any other stamps telling you where / when it was made?

It's definitely Chinese, and most likely Chinese military issue rather than the later made for export examples that came in in the late 80's early 90's.
Zoom in and you'll see a faint factory mark stamped to the right of the s/n.
Looks like tri angle mark for factory 0306 to me.
Not sure if the Jainshe Arsenal/tri angle 26 date coding system( add the first 2 digits of the s/n to 1956, 16 in this case, 1956 + 16= 1972) applies to other factories but IF, and that's a big IF, it does production date is around 1972.

 

[BAMAboy18]

It's definitely Chinese, and most likely Chinese military issue rather than the later made for export examples that came in in the late 80's early 90's.
Zoom in and you'll see a faint factory mark stamped to the right of the s/n.
Looks like tri angle mark for factory 0306 to me.
Not sure if the Jainshe Arsenal/tri angle 26 date coding system( add the first 2 digits of the s/n to 1956, 16 in this case, 1956 + 16= 1972) applies to other factories but IF, and that's a big IF, it does production date is around 1972.View attachment 7629447View attachment 7629450View attachment 7629451

Definitely the 0306, thanks!

 

[BAMAboy18]

So far I have the new safety spring installed along with a Wolf 22# hammer spring I found in my parts box. I received my new sight post and tool, just waiting on front sight to arrive now

 

[BAMAboy18]

So front sight is here, now I know PO did not remove all of the old sight, he merely ground off the bayonet lug, cleaning rod retaining tabs, and sight post. I have to remove what's left and install my sight. My Sat night project at work, sometimes it's great being a nightshift maintenance man (win some). Last night wasn't one of those (lose some)

 

[Muriner]

Also, since it's so cosmoline'd on the inside, consider disassembling the bolt to carefully clean the firing pin channel. SKS's are known for slam fires. Not terribly common, but why take chances.

 

[BAMAboy18]

Also, since it's so cosmoline'd on the inside, consider disassembling the bolt to carefully clean the firing pin channel. SKS's are known for slam fires. Not terribly common, but why take chances.

Yeah, I did a complete disassembly, inspection and clean. Firing pin, op-rod, gas piston all were still coated.