SKS 'Truck Guns' are back...

[AJMD429]

https://palmettostatearmory.com/chinese ... yonet.html

Not a bad price. Way back when our family had several but everyone but me sold theirs to get something better. I put a Tapco stock on mine and it's a favorite. The only thing holding me back from using it more is I never got around to starting to reload 7.62x39, so I always feel like I don't have enough ammo to just shoot it all the time.

[Sixgun]

Doc....yep..your right.....a favorite.......I like the SKS better than the AK......I have a few around here, Chinese and Russian....they shoot and shoot. Out of thousands of rounds I have to think if I've ever had a hiccup......

But like all things in life, we move on to other excitable endeavors but.....the guns stay and so do the 5K rounds of ammo for them....all nicely sealed in sardine cans and other methods.

Some people got on the boat early and others missed it....I got on when they were building the boat. ----6

[Tycer]

At one time an SKS and 1k rounds cost $150. We tried to shoot one out. Thousands of rounds through that thing. I know I bought at least eight spam cans and there were five of us buying them for the one gun. Never shot it for accuracy. Maybe I should strip the goo off the one I have and give it a go from a bench.

[AJMD429]

Yeah, but it's scary to have a gun and only have 5,000 rounds for it.....

In my case, I have an SKS, a Saiga, and an AK, and for ALL THREE I probably only have 4,000 rounds total.....

My wife says "...then just sell two of them, and keep your favorite...." and I say "...no, I need about 10,000 more rounds of ammo for them..."

But then I'd rather get a bunch more rounds for stuff I shoot a lot, like 9mm, 45ACP, 223Rem, and so on...

But then if I DID get a bunch of 7.62x39, maybe I would shoot THOSE guns more.....

On the other hand.....maybe I should order 5,000 rounds of 50 Beowulf, or 375 Ruger, or 338 Lapua....

These are the things that keep me awake some nights....

[Sixgun]

Dang Doc....there's a reason why some people are kept a thousand miles apart....you would make a cool neighbor.....ya know, what kind of a whack job would keep 5000 rounds for a 50 Beowulf or the 338 Lapua? Your my kind of whacko.

In all reality, except for .223, 9mm,.308, 30-06 and the 7.62x39 I only keep maybe 100-500 for most calibers I shoot. I am always learning (practicing as you doctors call it ) and changing bullets, and powders according to my needs. This way I don't get stuck with 5,000 rounds of 30-30's loaded with 400 grain bullets moving along at 400 fps. ---6

Personally, I would not buy one of those beat up SKS's.....for another hundred more you could get a like new one.

[AJMD429]

Dang, Six....now ya got me thinkin'...

I guess a feller shouldn't just have 5,000 rounds for each cartridge, (and of course I really mean for each gun in that cartridge)........but.......

.....you really need to have 5,000 of each bullet weight suitable for that cartridge....

Then there's shotgun shells....

Maybe a guy could get by with only 1,000 in each shot-size...???

I'd better sell 90% of my guns and buy ammo and components....

Like you, for years I just had bunches of the 'main ones' - 22LR, 9mm, 223, and in my case, 44 Mag. Everything else, even 308 and 30-06 just a couple 20 rd boxes most of the time, cuz I don't shoot them all that much. 22 Hornet, 17 Hornet, 218 Bee, 22 TCM, 25 ACP, 32-20, 380 ACP, 7mm Rem Mag, 35 Rem, 375 Win, 444 Marlin, 454 Casull, ....all stuff I buy or load up, but don't shoot too many of so 20-50 rounds is it. Then 357 joined the club, cuz it is so easy to reload and everybody likes to shoot it.
300 Blackout may join soon; once I figure out a couple loads my guns like I'll stock up, and for 338 and 375 Ruger I splurge and buy a box of 20 once a year or so and when I have 100 empties I'll start reloading those huge beasts.

Problem is, every time I think I have a good candidate for a 'truck gun', I start likin' the gun so much I don't want it rattling around waiting to get stolen. Even that little SKS now that I customized it all purty with the Tapco stock. Current candidate is a real generic AR pistol in 223; the noise concussion alone is enough to kill bad-guys by the dozen.

[marlinman93]

My first SKS was brand new Chinese made and cost a whopping $79. But for $109 they'd sell you the gun, a extra 30 rd. clip, and a folding stock too! I never thought they'd ever get more expensive, or I'd have bought a truck load of them at that price.
I've owned several, but haven't had one in several decades. They're reliable, and pretty darn accurate too. I put a wooden block in the original mag well to restrict it to 4 rds. and took it mule deer hunting one fall. It performed as needed and brought home the venison.

[OldWin]

I like the SKS. I've owned a couple. Even had one of the Type 84s that used AK mags. Sold them all off.
Before the current craziness, I built a 10.5" AR in 300BO for around the same money.
Better accuracy, more sighting options, lighter, quicker to reload.
I like it better as a truck gun. More compact so I can keep it out of sight.

[AmBraCol]

Out of curiosity, what were they selling for? They're gone, baby gone already so apparently some folks thought it was a great deal.

[marlinman93]

Out of curiosity, what were they selling for? They're gone, baby gone already so apparently some folks thought it was a great deal.

If you clicked on the link they showed to be selling at $279. Must not have had many, or there was a lot of interest!

[Merle]

https://palmettostatearmory.com/chinese ... yonet.html

Not a bad price. Way back when our family had several but everyone but me sold theirs to get something better. I put a Tapco stock on mine and it's a favorite. The only thing holding me back from using it more is I never got around to starting to reload 7.62x39, so I always feel like I don't have enough ammo to just shoot it all the time.

I feel your pain, I don't reload for it either. BUT, I bought a stuff load of it for $39 ~$49 a can back in the day - no need to worry about getting set up to reload now.....

[AmBraCol]

Out of curiosity, what were they selling for? They're gone, baby gone already so apparently some folks thought it was a great deal.

If you clicked on the link they showed to be selling at $279. Must not have had many, or there was a lot of interest!

When I clicked it just said "Out of Stock", no price listed. Thanks! It's hard to believe that an SKS in that condition is a. priced that high and b. selling like hotcakes.

[mikld]

I got my Russian way back when they were $79.00. I really like it after I put a Ram-Lie "sporter" stock on it, it fits me much better. With receiver sights and imported ammo I was able to keep groups around 2" on a good day, to more common 3" at around 60-75 yards. For some reason I didn't reload or it and stocked up on Red Army ammo. It's tied for second in line behind my Garand as my "Just in Case" rifle, tied with my AK...

[Ray]

Deleted.

[piller]

Pill Her has an SKS that she probably doesn't even remember. It has a TapCo stock and fits her pretty well. I have stocked a few rounds for it. Hers uses the detachable magazines.

[Ysabel Kid]

I bought my SKS years ago for $115, and was upset because I had seen them the year before (and all years before that) for under a C-note. Can't believe they are now this much!

[fordwannabe]

A couple decades ago or maybe longer (how did that happen) a couple of us were at the gun show in Allentown at the “armory “ . Tahere was a guy with two 8 foot tables of these same guns. Vietnam era cracked stocks dripping in cosmolene. They were stacked three deep on these two tables without much room left over...asking price.$33 take your pick. I remember saying to my buddy how crazy he was, he’ll never get that for that junk. Sad part is I don’t think he sold any of em. Had a couple since and realized I missed the boat that day.

[AJMD429]

They were in the 90's what the M1 Carbines were in the 60's...

The big question then is . . . what is TODAY'S good buy we are overlooking....?

[fordwannabe]

True enough

[Griff]

Dang Doc....there's a reason why some people are kept a thousand miles apart....you would make a cool neighbor.....ya know, what kind of a whack job would keep 5000 rounds for a 50 Beowulf or the 338 Lapua? Your my kind of whacko.

In all reality, except for .223, 9mm,.308, 30-06 and the 7.62x39 I only keep maybe 100-500 for most calibers I shoot. I am always learning (practicing as you doctors call it ) and changing bullets, and powders according to my needs.

This way I don't get stuck with 5,000 rounds of 30-30's loaded with 400 grain bullets moving along at 400 fps. ---6

Personally, I would not buy one of those beat up SKS's.....for another hundred more you could get a like new one.

WATCH IT BUB!!! I'll have you know that my 6,000 rounds of .30-30 are loaded with 150's and 125HPs moving 2200 & 2500 fps... there's a difference between practicality and ... well the other word ain't in my vocabulary!

[Sixgun]

WATCH IT BUB!!! I'll have you know that my 6,000 rounds of .30-30 are loaded with 150's and 125HPs moving 2200 & 2500 fps... there's a difference between practicality and ... well the other word ain't in my vocabulary!

Ha! 6,000 rds. of 30-30??? What do you think is gonna happen in Texas.....Geronimo attacking from the West or Santa Anna sneaking up on ya from the south or maybe the abolitionists coming from the north or possibly the Cajuns coming outta the swamps in La? ---6

[OldWin]

They were in the 90's what the M1 Carbines were in the 60's...

The big question then is . . . what is TODAY'S good buy we are overlooking....?

Like it or not, the AR.
Up until "panics", they are dirt cheap and have proliferated to every corner of the republic.
I actually preferred the "cheap M1 carbine" to the "cheap SKS". The SKS had more power, but the carbine is way handier.