SKS

I am looking to buy one, preferrably new in cosmoline, but in the end I dont care. Anything that isnt Chinese, Russian would be my first pick. Suggestions on where to find one online? I dont want to go on gun broker or anything.

What's wrong with the Chinese versions? I love my Type 56. 

I got either a '54 or '55 Tula(Russian) with the laminate stock. It's a great rifle. The only ones yu are likely to find new in the cosmoline are Yugoslavian. Those are nice rifles as well, though they lack a chromed bore. The grenade launcher makes them a big heavy for lugging around in the woods, but they hold nice and steady for target shooting. The night sights are also a neat bonus. I have heard of cases where the gas cut-off has caused cycling problems if it's corroded internally or damaged. I'd recommend finding some good ammo to see what they can do. Wolf is fine, but I picked up some IMI copper-jacketed FMJ with the flat based bullet in brass, boxer primed cases and found them to be great.

For a decent story, I was at the range with a buddy of mine shooting the SKS at 200 and 300 yards. A guy and his son were there shooting a mini-14 at 25 yards having difficulty keeping the rounds on a paper plate. After repeatedly banging the 200 and 300 yard gongs offhand and getting some headshots on the 300 yard concrete silhouette sitting, we cleared the range and checked targets. When I got back from jogging to the 300 yard line and back, the father/son team were admiring my rifle, then asked me a bunch of questions about it. I kid you not, the next week they were back with a brand new Yugo SKS and were having all sorts of problems with it. I decided to be helpful and take a look at it, and the thing was still loaded with cosmoline. They were afraid to take it apart to clean it, and it took some convincing for them to allow me to take the bolt out and hose it with WD-40, work the firing pin, and explain to them how to clean it right. They'd been trying to shoot at 100 yards that day but moved it back to 25. They let me take a few shots, I pegged the 200 and 300 yard gongs to ensure the rifle wasn't bent. They had obviously been convinced that the SKS was some sort of super-accurate rifle. Frankly, I still think it was a massive trade up from the mini-14.

It's a great carbine, shoots cheap ammo, and has ballistics similar to a .30-30. Mine is also the only semi-auto I've never had a malfunction with for any reason, although I've given myself M-1 thumb (which I've thankfully never done with an M-1)



Edited by rednekk98 - 20 May 2011 at 1:28pm

They want way too much money for a SKS today.