SKS v. AK
Which to buy; an SKS or an AK-47. & of the victor, which make & model with which features would be the best bang for the buck?
My response is that the SKS is more accurate but the AK is more everything else. That’s just my opinion, though. However, I would snatch up an SKS-D in a heartbeat.
April 5th, 2006 at 9:19 am
I’ve owned a couple of Type M SKS’s and wouldn’t buy another on a dare. It’s neither fish nor fowl: The magwell gives the stock all the svelte grace of a 4×6 right where you want to grasp it at the balance, and mag changes (due to the mag “well”) are clumsier than an AK. Plus, it won’t take drums.
If folks want an AK, they should buy an AK. If they want an SKS, they should buy an SKS, leave it alone, and train with stripper clips. Strange chimerical hybrid aberrations should be shunned.
April 5th, 2006 at 9:45 am
The ammo for both, 7.62×39, was cheap and plentiful. It’s been scarce and more expensive lately. Whether that will change, I don’t know. I heard from an ammo seller at the gun show that Russia from whence it comes is sending their supplies to Iran–supposedly to get ready to shoot American soldiers.
April 5th, 2006 at 9:58 am
I posted a response to the effect of “it boils down to whether removable magazines are worth an extra $200-$250.”
April 5th, 2006 at 11:00 am
Jay G is on the right track. The question isn’t AK vs. SKS.
You should be asking: “Which would you rather have, an AK or an SKS and $200 cash in your pocket?”
That extra $200 will buy a lot of ammo.
April 5th, 2006 at 11:08 am
Tam: If folks want an AK, they should buy an AK. If they want an SKS, they should buy an SKS, leave it alone, and train with stripper clips. Strange chimerical hybrid aberrations should be shunned.
Some of the Chinese SKS guns I’ve seen have been very poorly made. I’ve seen some C&R SKS guns that very nice.
I’ve heard rumors that the SKS guns that are made now-a-days are made up in village blacksmith type shops, and them assembled at the factories. Because they are made by blacksmiths outside of the cities, they can afford to sell the more complex, more moving parts SKS cheaper than the AK (Haven’t checked SKS prices in a few years and sorry, but I can’t cite the rag I read this in) I understand that the AK guns made in China are made on the same assembly line as the full auto ones for overseas sales.
If I wanted a SKS, I’d be on the lookout for a good C&R gun that was made before I was born and made to equip an army, not made in ’90 to flood an overseas civilian market in a el-cheapo, pre-steel core ban era.
April 5th, 2006 at 11:42 am
If I wanted an SKS, I’d skip the ChiCom entirely and go Yugo. 😉
April 5th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Haven’t seen any Yugo ones yet. My buddy has a nice C&R Russian one that because it was a C&R was allowed to come in to the “land of the free” bearing the evil bayonet slash ersatz monopod.
April 5th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
*shrug* I’m happy with my SKS-M. I’d be happier if I could get to a place to shoot the darn thing, but “dry fire” has shown me that a grip ahead of the magazine is doable by bracing the carry strap around my elbow. Reasonably comfortable, a bit heavy.
I’d *love* me some ten or fifteen round mags though. Those thirties are *long*.
Yugos are very nice, though.
April 6th, 2006 at 9:58 am
drstrangegun,
Same with me and my Russian Saiga AK. I’d like to find a place to shoot regularly and find some 20 rd mags. Of course the 30 rd one would come in handy if you ever had to defend against multiple uninvited guests who wanted to impose me and mine. And the appearance of the black “evil weapon” when brandished could be enough to persuade any such types that they had the wrong address.