My main question is this:  What is the build quality of the various SKSs based upon country?  We've got Russians, Chinese, Romanians, Yugoslavians and Albanians... Did one country make lemons?  Did one country make them better than all the rest... is there anything to look out for when buying one?  I'm looking for a shooter, not real interested in a "collector's piece", just something that will be a good shooter for a good long time.  If it happens to be cheap, that's all the better--but its gotta be a reliable shooter.  The main reason I ask is that I've looked and looked around the internet and I keep finding Yugo SKSs at great prices.  I'm about ready to bite, but I just want to know if there's any reason not to... or are the Yugos cheap because they're plentiful?    I remembered reading something about not buying Romanian AKs (at least I think that's what I read), but didn't know if that applied to their SKSs as well...

Thanks for the help guys...

Kevin

Russian - Best
Yugo - almost as nice as the russians
China - Not as good as russians or yugos, but still very nice
Albanian - By far the lowest quality SKS made, but still a very nice reliable gun

This seems to be the opinions of the majority of SKS owners, including myself ( i have all 4)

I would definatly suggest you get a Yugo 59 or 59/66 ( i have one of each and cannot tell any difference between quality of the two, just one has a grenade launcher and one doesnt) if you want cheap, my yugos shoot every bit as well and are made just as good as my russian 55 tula. If you dont mind spending the extra money get a russian because it will be worth more than the yugo later on, or a china made one ONLY if you want hi-cap mags for it (if you want 30 rnds or more find a SKS-D that takes AK mags from the factory) just remember to check the rifle out and clean all the cosmoline off of it before you shoot it (esspecialy if you get a Yugo it will probrably be covered in the crap). I have a VEPR II AK, a SAR-1 and 2 AR-15's and i still enjoy shooting my SKS's as much or even more than any of them, and they are VERY easy to clean and maintain, an all of mine are VERY accurate at 100-200 meters, and i have made a 500 meter shot or two with the Russian one, plus they are really cheap to feed, and to buy.

Enjoy your SKS, one of the best rifles ever created!!!

I have a 56 Tula, and I have had no problems with it.  The man I bought it from had a Tula and a Romainian.  He said the Romainian "felt" better to shoot, but I bought the Tula because it is Russian.  

In my opinon, just buy one.  If you can find a Russian, get it, but if you find a Romainian or Yugo get it too.  These guns were built by the same folks that brought us the AK, and the SKS is stone reliable in most all conditions.  The only thing I would make sure to get is a chrome lined barrel, as it will last longer, gives corrosion protection, and be much easier to clean.  

1950 tula.



original spring-loaded firing pin.  

Ferret, is that a steel bayonet?  

it's whatever the original ones were.

bayo is blued, bolt carrier is not.  it's a refurb (hence the laminated stock and the refurb mark on the receiver cover) but all numbers are stamped matching.

I've got a Yugo and love it.  I got it as a shooter, but when I baked all of the cosmo out of the stock, it was really soft.  I ended up refinishing it, and it turned out real nice.  

I've never had a problem with it, and would recomend it to anyone.  Pick one up at a good price, and you'll be happy with it.

I love my Romanian, best looking SKS I have ever seen, and my Chinese ones rank pretty high IMO.

<3 my 49 Tula, and it shoots great, but the firing pin broke last weekend, and it appears that finding an original (spring type) firing pin is going to be a beast.  Might have to replace the bolt group.

Iv'e got a Norinco that shoots very accurate and it eats whatever I feed it.  I'd love to have a Russian. But you got to remember, the Russians showed the Chinese how to  make them with Russian machinery and parts.

Quoted: Iv'e got a Norinco that shoots very accurate and it eats whatever I feed it.  I'd love to have a Russian. But you got to remember, the Russians showed the Chinese how to  make them with Russian machinery and parts.

Ive shot my friend's chinese sks, all in all its a pretty nice gun.  But me, I wouldnt buy a chinese firearm... It has nothing to do with the quality.. I just feel that we have way too much chinese crap in this country as it is.  So I try to stick to European or American firearms.

Quoted: Quoted: Iv'e got a Norinco that shoots very accurate and it eats whatever I feed it.  I'd love to have a Russian. But you got to remember, the Russians showed the Chinese how to  make them with Russian machinery and parts. Ive shot my friend's chinese sks, all in all its a pretty nice gun.  But me, I wouldnt buy a chinese firearm... It has nothing to do with the quality.. I just feel that we have way too much chinese crap in this country as it is.  So I try to stick to European or American firearms.

Here is an idea,go through your home and remove anything made in china,let me know how it works out for you. i must add that i have a chinese SKS and it has never given me any problems. I would buy everything USA if it were possible,but it is not.

I would rank the Norincos above the Yugo, for the chrome lined barrel if nothing else. I like the SKS as a shoot it and forget it trunk gun, and don't want to worry about the bore.

Quoted: I would rank the Norincos above the Yugo, for the chrome lined barrel if nothing else. I like the SKS as a shoot it and forget it trunk gun, and don't want to worry about the bore.

You don't have to worry about the bore if your not shooting corrosive ammo.

Quoted: Quoted: I would rank the Norincos above the Yugo, for the chrome lined barrel if nothing else. I like the SKS as a shoot it and forget it trunk gun, and don't want to worry about the bore. You don't have to worry about the bore if your not shooting corrosive ammo.

+4.

My shotguns aren't chrome-lined.  I don't clean them every time i shoot them.  Yes I clean them every now and then, but probably not till every 600-700 rounds or so.  Never had a problem with bore corrosion, and that includes a fully rifled bore for slugs.

Russian #1 and Chinese #2...there are issues with the yugos that are just coming to light. Like there a POS in reality. The rest are just copies and afew bad ones at that.

Quoted: I would rank the Norincos above the Yugo, for the chrome lined barrel if nothing else. I like the SKS as a shoot it and forget it trunk gun, and don't want to worry about the bore.

+1 , Russians, Chinese, then maybe Yugo's.

i dont like yugos because every one i have had the gas valve has broke on me

I dont own a russian make,but of the ones I own I would rank the chinese 1,yugos 2,romanian3 and my albanian 4.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iv'e got a Norinco that shoots very accurate and it eats whatever I feed it.  I'd love to have a Russian. But you got to remember, the Russians showed the Chinese how to  make them with Russian machinery and parts. Ive shot my friend's chinese sks, all in all its a pretty nice gun.  But me, I wouldnt buy a chinese firearm... It has nothing to do with the quality.. I just feel that we have way too much chinese crap in this country as it is.  So I try to stick to European or American firearms. Here is an idea,go through your home and remove anything made in china,let me know how it works out for you. i must add that i have a chinese SKS and it has never given me any problems. I would buy everything USA if it were possible,but it is not.

While he is at it he needs to look at his vehicle and rip out half the electronic parts that are made in China also. Looks like he'll be walking to work........What about all the China made products he uses to earn money? may have to change jobs to be honest about his statements, Wonder what line of work he would do? Nothing that has anything that came from China, would he go into stores that use China made products to do his business in and therby support China by spending his money there?

I have 1 Russian 1 Yugo 2 chinese type 56's and a SKS M.  I personnaly like the chinese as shooters.  The russian I don't shoot anymore.  The Yugo I shoot sometimes but had trouble with the barrel rusting/fouling.  I did not shoot corrosive ammo through it either but S&B.  I did clean it after shooting and after a few months away from home I checked the barrels of all of my weapons and found the rust/fouling.  It did clean up after 45 mins of cleaning.
I would recomend getting a chinese sks.  It will be easier to find than the russian, the yugo's are not bad by any means but I have have the above problem with mine.

My uneducated opinion.

- Russians are generally the highest quality SKS.  Even the refurbs are better than most Chinese versions.
- If chrome-lined bores aren't a necessity, then the Yugo versions are second.  The stocks on the ones I've seen are better than most of the Chinese versions.  The few triggers I've sampled are better, too.  You can usually get them C&R; makes them a good value gun comparatively.
- Chinese versions are great if you want to do custom work such as stock replacement or whacking the end off the barrel, etc.  The finish is rougher, the stock finish is usually second rate, and to top it all off, they end up costing more than most Yugo versions.  Even a M59 sans bayonet goes for less than most Chinese.
- Haven't seen an Albanian or Romanian yet, but that Albanian bolt carrier handle looks pretty crude.

jmm

Russian
Romanian
Chinese
Albanian
Yugo

IMHO. And yes, i own them all....including both the M59 and M59/66 Yugo.

Russian Romanian Chinese Albanian Yugo

DED-GUM!  I gotta get a Russian.  I think my Yugo is a hell of a gun!  Not as accurate as my Rem 700, but for $150 it'll hit pretty close to where I want, ammo is cheap, takedown is a 15 sec operation, and did I mention its cheap!

Quoted: DED-GUM!  I gotta get a Russian.  I think my Yugo is a hell of a gun!  Not as accurate as my Rem 700, but for $150 it'll hit pretty close to where I want, ammo is cheap, takedown is a 15 sec operation, and did I mention its cheap!

yugo's are great for the price.

not too long ago, you could get Russian's for todays' Yugo prices.