First it will likely be Yugoslavian if that is relevant.  Reliability is a must.  I understood M43 round to 300m or under round, how much more accurate than 16+ inch AK is it?  Looks are a non-factor.  Bayonet and muzzle brake are preferred.  >>>If after stating this you feel their is info I need to know, please tell me<<<<  Do not want to drop more than $300 rifle will likely cost $150 for very good condition?  Should condition be a concern or should I buy cheap and change stocks?

That said the meat of my concern/interest is the viability of making it accept AK mags.
Is it costly?
Does it require a compotent gunsmith?
The person at the shop I talked to said I would need a specialized wrench that has some kind of Push/Punch function?  He implied some part woud need drastic tightening  He also said even with AK mags the rifle would eventually no want to feed more than ten rounds?  

Anything else I missed or you feel is relevant?

Any help appreciated

Matt  

I am no expert and only have one SKS but I think you will find most here say if you want to use AK mags buy an AK.  You could probably get a WASR AK and a Yugo SKS for the price you would pay to chop up a SKS and they would both work.

Quoted: I am no expert and only have one SKS but I think you will find most here say if you want to use AK mags buy an AK.  You could probably get a WASR AK and a Yugo SKS for the price you would pay to chop up a SKS and they would both work.

+1     (get both!)


I've got an SAR1, Chinese and Yugo SKS's.   the Yugo's are pretty fun and cheap to buy and feed!

The only sucessful modification of an SKS to use AK mag I have ever seen was done by the Chinese, presumably at the factory. Somewhere I have plans for doing this which I downloaded but I would never attempt it. In addition, modifying an SKS imported after the ban would be illegal unless you used enough US made parts. In other words, you have to use a Chinese SKS or use US parts to comply with 922. It's cheaper to get an AK.

Quoted: That said the meat of my concern/interest is the viability of making it accept AK mags.

If you want something that allows you to rip out 40 rounds quickly, just buy a cheap AK.  The SKS is a nice, solid, 10-shot fixed mag that can be fed very quickly with stripper clips.  Let the rifle work as it was designed, and you'll be a lot happier.  I've read a couple horror stories of attempts to convert an SKS for AK mags.

Dont modify a SKS to accept high cap mags, if you want a AK, then buy a AK.

The SKS as it is, is a fine rifle, rugged, simple and reliable, and easy to maintain for even the newest novice in the field.

Firstly thanks to all replies.  I have an AK an SAR1.  I am looking for same calibre with a little more range, and RPKs are not available.  Judging by your comments SKS is not worth the effort.

The main reliability problem from good hi cap mags is over loading them.  You can put 37 rounds in one but you'd be lucky to get the first 5 shots off right.  I have a YUGO with a 30 rounder and a folding stock.  It's blasphemy to some.  But in a SHTF situation I can move a folding yugo around in a Jeep much better than I can a fixed stock yugo.  In all honestly I'm probably about to buy to bushy's and then put the wood stock back on the SKS and the ten rounder back in it, then loan it to my wife's dad to protect the farm.  It's a great gun with Glock like reliability and simplicity.  To me anyway.  The only problems I've ever had with mine were all the first one or two shots not extracting or cycling all the way with an over loaded mag.  My fault, not the guns.  As far as AK mags go.  No one has mentioned that some (2 I think) norinco models were built to accept them.  They can be hard to find sometimes and a little pricey, but if it's what your looking for, there was one on the EE a week or so ago.

You would want a D/M model SKS they take AK mags. They for the most part I've seen have shorter barrells, mine does. Its still decent out to 300 yds. Ditto what others said, no duckbill mags keep stock stuff. I'm not a purist and like aftermarket stocks.

I am a huge fan of the sks,but it is what it is,a 10 rnd weapon.Put whatever stock you like on it,however stick with the stock 10 rnd mag,duckbill mags suck.With practice you can reload pretty damn quick with a bandoleer of stripper clips.IMHO someone with an sks and stripper clips that knows what they are doing is more dangerous than a novice with an ak varient.

If you just got to have a SKS that'll take high cap mags, go with the Chinese SKS-D or SKS-M.  I love my Yugo, but I want a D or a M for the cool factor.  I have a buddy that just bought a Yugo that was sold to him as a D, but had duckbill mags (He only paid $180 after tax...so he didn't pay D prices) and is VERY unhappy with his magazines (10 rd and 30 rd).  He's looking around town now for the 10 rd fixed magazine.

From what I hear from a buddy with a D, they are a lot of fun and worth the price.  But I'm with the folks saying to avoid the duckbills like the plague.

Tom

Quoted: If you just got to have a SKS that'll take high cap mags, go with the Chinese SKS-D or SKS-M.  I love my Yugo, but I want a D or a M for the cool factor.  I have a buddy that just bought a Yugo that was sold to him as a D, but had duckbill mags (He only paid $180 after tax...so he didn't pay D prices) and is VERY unhappy with his magazines (10 rd and 30 rd).  He's looking around town now for the 10 rd fixed magazine. From what I hear from a buddy with a D, they are a lot of fun and worth the price.  But I'm with the folks saying to avoid the duckbills like the plague. Tom

I have one of those USA duck-bill mags....it is so out of spec, so misshaped, that it would be a miracle if the damn thing worked.

The stupid thing is that if some one had simply taken the time make one that actually "fit" the magwell of the sks, it would most likely work. But I expect that would have cut into profits.

This whole business of wanting to convert an sks to take ak mags has got me thinking, maybe a better approach, instead of maybe butchering a good sks to make it accept ak mags, would be to try to come up with a mag that works. I have an idea, but need to mess around with it before suggesting anyone try it.