Is there any difference between these guns? I know the Russian SKS costs a little more than the others.Is it better quality?I guess it would be like comparing a S&W to a Taurus?

IMO the Russian version is the best built, followed by the Yugo, then ChiCom.  I have owned each of them.  All function 110%, but the fit and finish of the russian and Yugo is a couple of notches above the ChiCom.  

OSA

If you just want a shooter - get Chinese.
For a Looker - Russian  

BTW isn't this pretty?

Quoted: Is there any difference between these guns? I know the Russian SKS costs a little more than the others.Is it better quality?I guess it would be like comparing a S&W to a Taurus?

You left out the Romanian, Albanian, East German, North Korean & Vietnamese.  Good luck finding the E German,N Korean or Viet SKS's though.  The Romanian is pretty much like the Russian except most look like they've been rode hard & put up wet.  The Albanian is a real odd duck- magazine, bayonet, gas tube handguard & charging handle all different.  The ChiCom ones differ also in that early military/police issue ones (threaded barrels, milled)are much nicer than later export models (pressed & pinned barrels, stamped parts).  The Yugo SKS doesn't have a chrome lined bore so beware of sewer pipe barrels.  

Well the real reason that a Russian SKS might cost more is just in a name(like colt,or Smith&wesson) Russia is where the rifle was designed and first made(a Simonov Kaloskaugh type of thing)!

So the other knock offs are probably just as good as the Orig?   Maybe so Maybe not but the name and quality certainly have something to do with the cost factor(maybe just in resale only)


 So if you are going to keep it and shoot it they probably are all just the same!


  Bob  

Before Christmas a local board member needed some cash.  Got a new unfired Russian SKS with matching numbers in 99% condition along with an excellent condition Romak 2 and a bag of mags for $350.

Gorgeous SKS!

I used to own a Norinco SKS. It shot well and had a decent finish. Put a Fiberforce stock on it and then sold it. A year or so went by and I got to missing it so I went out and bought a Tula rearsenaled Russian SKS from a local dealer.

I didn't get a "deal" on it, but I like the Russian SKS better than the Chinese one. To me it just seems to have more character. The receiver is milled and it has the nifty Soviet Star stamped in the top cover, as well as the year of manufacture (1954) stamped on both receiver and stock. The furniture is a medium
dark Walnut with a heavy coat of varnish.

I prefer the 20 round detachable mags because the 30 rounders tend to be awkward and the fixed 10 round mag empties too fast. Some members of this board have reported FTF problems with detachable mags but I have never had a problem.

I plan on getting another SKS (anything but a Yugo; I can't stand that goofy grenade launcher!) and fitting it out with a Choate stock, a bipod, and a scope. My Russian will stay original.

Panzer Out

Quoted: You left out the Romanian, Albanian, East German, North Korean & Vietnamese.  Good luck finding the E German,N Korean or Viet SKS's though.

What do you mean "Vietnamese"????

There is no such thing as a Vietnamese SKS.  The fucking Russians and Chinese supplied the weapons to the bad guys.  They did not manufacture their own.

I brought back a SKS from Vietnam. It was Russian.  Most of the ones I saw in the field were ChiCom.

By the way, I still have the original war trophy papers for the SKS.  I had a serious offer of 2K for the gun two years ago.  I won't sell it because I want to pass it on to my sons.

The most sought after and highest collectable is the Viet Nammise SKS (with I think a White Star)  not sure about its markings! Think maybe a white cross!

 Look it up and be suprised!  Real suprised!

  Bob  

www.simonov.net/uberid.htm
www.simonov.net/ubertypes.htm

Flash66 you are definitely right not to sell your bringback.  The only souvenirs I have is my tour jacket dad had made in country (camo poncho liner outer, embroidered map of S Vietnam & dragons) & a SeaBee sweatshirt.  Can't wear them now...as they were made for me when I was all of 2yrs old

my two cents...

i owned a norinco paratrooper sks for a few years before i sold it a while back, now i'm sorry i did. i paid 75 for it and sold it for 125 i could probably get way more now.
anyway my best friend had a russian sks (forget what year) both rifles had exceptional reliability and function you can beat the piss out of these guns and never hear it so much as whimper.  and believe me i was eighteen when i owned it and i beat it bad.  that said, the russian in my opinion was a little nicer as far as fit and finish. but if somebody gave me a sks today i wound't care at all where it came from.

Quoted: The most sought after and highest collectable is the Viet Nammise SKS (with I think a White Star)  not sure about its markings! Think maybe a white cross!  Look it up and be suprised!  Real suprised!   Bob

BJ

Are you serious?  I've never heard of or saw a Vietnamese made SKS.  I saw a few dozen while in  Vietnam and most were Chi-Com with a few Russian made.  Are you sure then weren't remarked imports?  Were they produced after the war?

Do you have a link or anything with additional information?  One thing about this forum, no matter how much you think you know there are always more knowledgeable people.  If I'm wrong then I apologize to RiffRaf.

 

Quoted: If you just want a shooter - get Chinese. For a Looker - Russian   BTW isn't this pretty? www.miltecharms.com/mtsks45.jpg

OOOOOH.... me loves laminate stocks...  Where is that one available?  I'm thinkin about getting a Yugo from AIM Surplus myself.  SKS doesn't seem like a bad deal on a little beater/plinker.  

I still have my $85.00 chinese SKS. Shoots anything and everything, and is reasonably accurate. I can't make a comparison though, never shot any other SKS.

Quoted: Are you serious?  I've never heard of or saw a Vietnamese made SKS.  I saw a few dozen while in  Vietnam and most were Chi-Com with a few Russian made.  Are you sure then weren't remarked imports?  Were they produced after the war? Do you have a link or anything with additional information?  One thing about this forum, no matter how much you think you know there are always more knowledgeable people.  If I'm wrong then I apologize to RiffRaf.

The links in my 2nd post above should be enlightening.  Check out the rest of the site..good stuff even if they haven't updated in a while.  Don't fret, a few years back Romania denied they ever made SKS's (the ones that showed up were thought to be Chi-com with strange proofs) & the Albanian SKS was a total suprise to the collector market.  The only ones I've seen & handled in person are the Chi-com, Soviet, Romanian & Yugo & the only ones I've shot have been my Chi-coms.  I do have a Sino-Soviet SKS (Chinese with Russian parts) but haven't shot it yet.  The Russian ones are nicer but a I just can't justify spending the extra $$$$ <yet>.