so I own a norinco that is ugly but in good shape the stock had to be spray painted black it was so fucked up. boy lug shaved but all numbers matching.



a co worker said he would trade me his yugo all numbers matching with nice stock grenade launcher muzzle and sights bayonet and all that  for my norinco plus 100 dollars.





both guns are in very good mechanical shape with very few shots fired.  



is it worth the trade? Is there any problems with the Yugo I should know about?

I would keep your Norinco. The Yugo I bought had functioning problems and could not be fixed by even a gunsmith. Very pitted chamber.  If the stock is so bad on your SKS's, I would just get a replacement.

If the Yugo shoots well, and the condition of the bore/gas tube is shiny with no pitting, then it may be worth some coin to trade.  Maybe $50 - 100?  I don't know.  It does sound like the Yugo will hold its value better in the long run.



If the Yugo has any pitting in the bore, keep the Chinese.

+1

Norinco!

I MUCH prefer the Norinco to the Yugo 59/66.  The grenade launcher thingy ruins the balance & pointability of the gun IMO.  Oh yea, and it's ugly.

My vote is for the YUGO!!

+1.

I have owned both manf. and for me the Yugo is a better quality built rifle and it shows in the craftsmanship.

If you are after a shooter, compare the two.
If you are inclined for a collector, it is a crap shoot. The Norinco has been altered and to be honest who cares if the Yugo is matching in good shape. I know they have gone up (like everything else) but I still view the Yugo as the $100 unfired condition sks a few years back. Regardless, little collector value from by angle.

check first and see if you have a sino-soviet model, and if you do i would keep it and forget the yugo.  if its not, i would stil keep it and just get a stock for it.

A lot of folks who collect not just SKS's but also C&R's care.

If you view the Yugo as a $100 dollar cosmetically unissued rifle w/ little collectibility then you sir are living in the past and it's time to head back to reality.

True to a small degree you are right. Mildly.  A sks, even a very desirable one will never be a Smithsonian quality sought after rifle. A very rare in good condition sks will, at best yields a few hundred bucks. I know I hit a nerve but that is the truth. One average,  a bunch of SKS might get you one real good modern rifle.

Acute subjectivity happening here on the value issue, and some gun speculators might balk or bark more than others. For myself, I'll just add - if one can procure any of the following for a few hundred dollars, I'll give  $350 each for the finder to make a modest profit and everyone will be happy, right?
East German Parade Replica








'49 Tula








'54 non-refurb Ishevsk








SKS-M








Another -M








Any Matching Yugo M59








Matching Albanian in Cosmo








Unfired Farmer's Friend








DB Factory Para








Matching and immaculate Sino Soviet



To non-collectors, these are just as valueless as the $49 M1 Garands of yore.  But in the eyes of Eastern Bloc and SE Asian milsurp semi-auto carbine enthusiasts,  a select few SKS's are worth more than a penny or two.  Um, at least I hope so!!!!





Now, if only I could land a North Korean or an NVA.......  (at $300, of course!)





Sorry for the hi-jack.  Thread just seemed to be moving in this direction.  




 

Now that is an ignorant statement and far from the truth. I am sorry but you have no proof to back it up nor can you find any. All you are doing is letting us know what you would pay for one in that condition, not others and not what they are actually selling for.

If your statement is true then why are Unissued 59/66's selling in the $300+ range, Russian's are selling for near $400+ etc.

I am sorry but the only nerve you hit is the one showing us that your living in the past. Speculation and being uninformed make your statment plain

No matter how you cut it, the SKS is considered by many as a "poor man's gun" or a "poor man's hunting rifle". Its cheap and its cheap but it is good enough to get you into the game. It will never ever be up there in the $1000+ range any time soon, let alone above $500. I like the SKS but I accept it for what it is not what I would like to have others believe it to be.

Like anything that is collectible, it is only valued at such inflated prices by only other collectors. The majority of us see a homely SKS but eventually a collector will do a double take and buy it for such a price.....and then let it collect dust or have something to post on this forum.

To the OP, give them both a try. At this point, collector value is moot just go for which one is all around better and for the one that shoots best.

Poor man's rifle or not you still have not backed up any of your statements with any valid arguments.

What would you like me to say? To the handful of sks collectors it is worth every penny but to the mass majority of us gun enthusiast (who beg to differ) we see just a mere outdated sks that cost more, for some bucks more, you can get a wasr ak?

I find it funny that serious sks owners take it to heart when someone points out the truth on these outdated warehoused rifles. If the sks was a car, it would be like a used/budget ended chevy cavalier. Just because you do not mind paying over sticker price still does not make it worth it every penny. That is why the same sks sit on the racks near mosin nagants every time the gun shows comes to town. Few are willing to pay that much for something that old...but eventually a dope will come around.

OP try them both.

What would I like you to say Well, how about specific examples of rare SKS's selling for a couple hundred bucks in collector grade condition like you say they are

I know a local shop with a NVA capture :)

haLfliFe,



Gargamel is not a collector of vintage items, and old things are worthless to him.  Modern everything or bust!!!!



Just my take.  And no offense to anyone.

None taken. I am not denying a certain sks (or anything worth collecting) has a higher price. I am just pointing out that collection value is only relevant to only collectors and thats it. In this case the 15 or so sks collectors out there vs the countless of gun owners. The majority of us must not appreciate the homely sks being valued that much or simply could care less. Even if it is super rare, an SKS will not be a serious gun collectors must have.
I am trying to address the op to not put too much emphasis on the two sks collection value, one that has been altered and one that is not on the top list of the best in sks. Lets be honest, most here would agree, if you could only have one sks, must would say either a norinco or Russian and not a Yugo.

Perhaps I am too practical to collect. I know this sounds cynical but most collected items sit around and if you are lucky they wil be passed down. But more often then not, you kids or kid's kids will end up selling it. And that highly collectible sks might get them 50 bucks or so. Sad when you see the family hand-me-downs get parted on the show Pawn Stars but that does happen around us too.

victor, the only thing the Yugo's have going for them is the grenade launcher. Thats only if you have a dummy grenade and blanks to launch them. The Yugo's are muzzle heavy and don't handle as easily as the Norinco's IMO. I have had both and prefer the Norinco's.

WOW, I think you have summed it up for everyone on here. This thread has truly come to an /...