SKS at Big 5

[jason97496]

I have seen SKSs at Big 5 Sporting Goods stores several times. They always say something about the guns being collectables, or collectors items, etc. Does this mean that the rifles should not, or even can not, be shot? My first thought was that they are just trying to cover their backsides incase their is something wrong with the guns. I do not know. I was hoping that someone out their might know.

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[Oro]

I saw one last week at a local Big 5. It was anything but collectible. It was a Yugo the importer had butchered to make CA legal or something - grenade launcher cut off and a poorly pinned replacement hider installed, bayonet removed and the lug crudely sawed off, etc. Like the police, a salesman can say anything to you. Doesn't make it true.

It was priced about $100 over the going rate for a similar condition Yugo NOT butchered like this. So all told it was about $250 over the local market prices I have seen this spring. If the ones in OR are like the ones currently on offer in the stores in WA, pass them by and purchase one privately or at a gun show where people know what they are selling/buying.

 

[Sun195]

"Collectible" is just another sales tactic for them.

 

[The Duck]

I spoke with one of the sales guys, has to be over a year ago... But; he said that they call it "collectable" due to the stores views on selling assault rifles and anything which closely matches the description, they call a "collectable".

Then again, I am just a guy who had a random conversation. If that was the truth, who knows?

 

[fromotoc]

To answer your question, these guns will shoot.

 

[OreGunSun]

Big 5's also sells "collectible" M1-Carbines for $1299.99 ++ yet all the ones I had seen were little more than rack-grade mismatch parts and numbers and were laser penciled imports.

For $1299 you would be better off with two new Auto Ordinance M1-Carbines for $699. Even a Service grade from the CMP for $800-$900.

Sorry to Digress off of the SKS's topic.

I have to agree about finding them locally - they are one of the few reasonable priced Semi-Autos left on the market. -

One Cavet - your will more than likely have to spend a bit of time to clean all the Cosmo off the weapon - but after that some of them can be real tack drivers - when you consider that the 7.62x39 cartridge is the ultimate weakness for accuracy in this design.

Nevertheless -you get a rifle that has basically the same stopping power as a 30-30, yet you can squeeze off a 2nd follow up shot quickly. For about the same price as a lever action 94' 30-30 you get semi-auto action.

While they are harder to find if you get recently made SKS - It think the --SKS-D or SKS-M will accept AK-47 MAgs and Drums.

 

[gallogiro]

One Cavet - your will more than likely have to spend a bit of time to clean all the Cosmo off the weapon - but after that some of them can be real tack drivers - when you consider that the 7.62x39 cartridge is the ultimate weakness for accuracy in this design.

Nevertheless -you get a rifle that has basically the same stopping power as a 30-30, yet you can squeeze off a 2nd follow up shot quickly. For about the same price as a lever action 94' 30-30 you get semi-auto action.
QUOTE]

Also, sorry to go off topic. But I use my sks during hunting season as a brush gun with a 5 round magazine. Same power as a 30-30, fast action, low recoil. One day we compared it with my buddies 30-30 marlin w/ open sights and I shot better groups than he did. (maybe he's just a crappy shot, lol, who knows.)

 

[torpedoman]

C&R legal so they think it is a "collectible"

 

[Oro]

C&R legal so they think it is a "collectible"

The one at our local Big 5 was NOT C&R eligible - it had been modified. In fact, I don't think it was even 922r compliant, which raises a whole issue...

 

[jason97496]

The one at our local Big 5 was NOT C&R eligible - it had been modified. In fact, I don't think it was even 922r compliant, which raises a whole issue...

Not to sound like an idiot, but I have no idea what you are talking about. Will you please explain?

Thank you
Jason

 

[Oro]

Bascially, 922r is a law to keep people from buying cheap foreign guns and having "fun" with them - adding stocks, mags, scopes, etc. Some say the law was originally put in place because of US lobbying in order to protect US makers from the flood of AK and SKS style imports cutting into their sales - I don't know the history of the adoption. it makes "sporterizing" an SKS or AK a crime, while if you do it to a similar US gun you have no problem. It's like if you had to buy lots of US made auto parts to offset the fact you put a different, Japanese-made intake on your Toyota...

Basically, it says you can't buy an imported Mil-surp rifle and modify it, unless you replace most of the parts with US made ones. They have technical counts of what is a "part" and assembly towards the requirement. Here is a place that explains it better:

<broken link removed>

Now, presumably the sample Yugo SKS I saw here (WA) was done this way with a BATF exemption so as to make it CA compliant or something, so it's unlikely it's illegal as it sits. But if you were to buy it, and then someday have it examined by the BATF for some reason (imagine any sort of legal situation you want here) - and they note the grenade launcher and bayonet fixture was altered on your Yugo, you will want to be sure the importer is still around and willing to testify on your behalf.

Of course, the fact they have cut-off the grenade launcher and bayonet completely devalue any "collectible" nature of the gun - it's been butchered, and no "collector" worth his dollars or salt would bother with it as anything but a shooter - certainly not a "collectible."

922r is an onerous, pointless, and simple make-work anti-gun law. It is largely unenforced, but that doesn't mean it's not still the law and a potential problem if it's not followed. If you are considering an SKS, you do need to be familiar with it - you cannot just remove your stock mag and insert a removable TAPCO one - legally you have to change several hundreds of dollars of other parts to reach the magic number so that you can change the ONE part that you want to. It's completely Monty Python-esque, but it's your congress and BATF at work...

 

[jason97496]

Thanks for clarifying

 

[RallySoob]

note to self. don't buy an SKS, sounds like major pita

 

[jason97496]

note to self. don't buy an SKS, sounds like major pita

I was kind of thinking the same thing

 

[Oro]

don't buy an SKS, sounds like major pita

Well, if you want to modify the gun, there is a certain "numer" of mods you have to make to get it compliant, so it's not an impossible thing. Obviously, lots of folks like them and do this all the time. I had a really nice Yugo that was near-new, unissued, and it was a VERY well built rifle for a modest cost. I just left mine stock - no problem.

And it's not just SKS's that are subject to this - AK's, etc. are also.

 

[Sun195]

note to self. don't buy an SKS, sounds like major pita

Can be if you want to modify it - otherwise, they work great as-is.

 

[Generator]

Some SKS are C&R - Chinese ones are not, and cannot be brought into the country anymore. To modify one and stay 922r is easy, just buy American parts (with most non-Chinese guns its easier to stay under the 10part game) There is a guy (murry firingpins?) who does firing pin mods as a 922 part that have a spring rather than the free floating pin so that its safer to use US soft primer ammo with no fear of slam fires. There is tons of great info, at sksboards.com most of your questions can be answered by the stickies on the top of the forums. The guns get alot of crap for being old and non-US but I love 'em.

 

[OreGunSun]

Can be if you want to modify it - otherwise, they work great as-is.

I have to Agree. The Firing Pin upgrade from Murray's for extra safety from slam fires - and a trigger Job from Kivvar (sp?) and either Williams Firesights or a Mojo Micro Click or TechSights (mounts at the rear of the receiver cover at the rear cover pin). This is for upgrading the Stock Iron Sights.

For other optics mounted the front gas tube or rear receiver cover with with rails are a waste of money as they will not hold Zero after the first shot. The Front gas tube covers with rails would be ok for a cheap CQB optic. For a scope you need to drill and tap the side of the receiver or get one of the mounts that locks in the rear sight block.

SKS is great rifle when you get all cosmo out - some of them are great tack drivers. Partial due to the 21+" barrel length. You get a milled receiver it is a Semi-auto just like most of the other "assault rifles" (unless you pick up the NFA Tax stamp and go Full Auto - but then the problem is Ammo and how to afford to fire full auto).

Grab an SKS an a bando with 24 stripper clips- is a lot easier to haul around than six 40 Round or eight 30-round mags plus I would rather leave strippers behind or lug them than lugging empty mags.

While their is something to be said for a "black Assault rifle" -Nowadays I would much rather be low key and draw the least attention. A bone stock mil-surp SKS is not going to garner a "911 call" some guy with a Machine gun call, maybe a guy with a gun.

The SKS vs AK's,

If I am in a squad give me an AK, if I am solo give me a SKS.

( I can load strippers almost as fast as mag changes - I said almost - but if your burning thru mags that quick your in trouble if you do not have access to ammo near you. Granted a 75 or 100 rd Drum on an AK is nice but it rattles like a cookie can full of marbles. ( Plus you can buy 12 - 40 round mags for the price of one drum now a days).

Yet I can grab two Bandoleers full of loaded stripper clips and an SKS, and Hump 480 rounds. ( That is 12 forty round mags )

Ever try to shoot prone position with a 40 Round mag (without a bipod) or a 30 round aftermarket mag on an SKS?

Just my observations mixed with life and experience.

For me, I did buy the SKS Compliance kit with the Tapco Stock and compliance parts. ( I sold the stock and the mags .) Then I put the original stock back on.

The SKS is a great value that is overlooked - as well as a great shooter.

 

[Bark]

Great comparison of clips versus mags......I'm sticking with my clips

 

[SleepynSeattle]

One more thing to add for anybody considering purchasing an SKS. Don't listen to a damned thing they tell you at ANY gun store about them. Fact: They would MUCH rather sell you a $1500 AR, or a $650 AK than a $200 SKS. It's just business. Simonov's machine is a perfectly serviceable, tough as nails, field-worthy, accurate, and reliable firearms in most circumstances, but just like any other Milsurp..it needs to be tried and tested before it should be trusted. It is not......an assault rifle. It is not.....a sniper rifle.