Anyone else just love how well-thought-out the SKS is?

[BishopofBling]

Cleaning rod and cleaning kit can be stored on the rifle. No dumb windage adjustments for the rear sights that no one even uses anyway. The bayonet is already attached so you can't lose it. Its' chambered in an intermediate caliber and shoots semi-automatic with a quick stripper clip feed where you can easily drop the magazine to empty it. And man they are so easily to field strip, no special tool required.

It's like the Soviets knew what an average soldier needs for combat. For example, M1 Garands are really nice, but nobody uses those windage knobs just elevation. And measurements in clicks is just annoying, the SKS rear sight has clear adjustments with 100m increments. Only real drawback is no detachable box magazine but besides that it is very well-though-out.

[Bacarnal]

Yes, the SKS is a well thought out Carbine as you have pointed out and the entire cleaning kit is a marvel of simplicity once you are aware of what all of the parts are for.  The chrome lined barrel on most of the variants allows for a greater spectrum of ammo usage.  That said...

Having spent my formative shooting years using, at first the M16A1, then the XM16E2 (Air Wing still had 'em, down to the can opener flash hiders), I got proficient using the windage adjustment on both, though it was an uphill battle regaining my expert qual because of the shotgun pattern the E2 printed.  When we were issued the A2's with their sights like the M1 Garand, scores improved dramatically.  It was an easy step from the A2 to my DCM H&R M1.  I typically use the windage knobs on all of mine that have them and can apply KW on those that don't.   Cheers, Bruce.

[Boris Badinov]

IMHO, the only shortcoming of the sks design is the safety.

[High Noon]

Yes - overall it's well done for the era. 

Simple, robust and with clever touches.  The SKS is small, light and easy to use - it's popularity all these decades latter helps show how well Simonov and his team did.   

The biggest drawback to me, is the length of pull is rather short.  I've heard the length of pull is short because the soldiers would likely have cold weather gear on, so that's part of the logic behind the design.

[Larry D.]

Yes - overall it's well done for the era. 

Simple, robust and with clever touches.  The SKS is small, light and easy to use - it's popularity all these decades latter helps show how well Simonov and his team did.   

The biggest drawback to me, is the length of pull is rather short.  I've heard the length of pull is short because the soldiers would likely have cold weather gear on, so that's part of the logic behind the design.

Pretty much sums it up for me.
However, I'm fairly short, so that length of pull actually works in my favor.

[running-man]

The gas system is a work of art honestly.  Far superior to many of the direct impingement types out there in my opinion.  Quite a few guys are not so fussy about the free floating FP, but with only a single moving component, it's a pretty straightforward design that is going to work the when it's needed.

I think the one ding I can think of is the charging handle being on the right side of the gun.  For a right handed person who is typically a right handed shooter, they have to pull their dominant hand off the trigger group to grasp the handle.  I'm a lefty, and shooting left handed, I absolutely *love* being able to use my non-dominant hand to operate the charging handle.  Of course I have to deal with spent casings flying through my field of vision while firing which always bothers me a bit but you ca't have everything.   

[BishopofBling]

Yes, the SKS is a well thought out Carbine as you have pointed out and the entire cleaning kit is a marvel of simplicity once you are aware of what all of the parts are for.  The chrome lined barrel on most of the variants allows for a greater spectrum of ammo usage.  That said...

Having spent my formative shooting years using, at first the M16A1, then the XM16E2 (Air Wing still had 'em, down to the can opener flash hiders), I got proficient using the windage adjustment on both, though it was an uphill battle regaining my expert qual because of the shotgun pattern the E2 printed.  When we were issued the A2's with their sights like the M1 Garand, scores improved dramatically.  It was an easy step from the A2 to my DCM H&R M1.  I typically use the windage knobs on all of mine that have them and can apply KW on those that don't.   Cheers, Bruce.

Windage adjustment is great when shooting on a range I just haven't seen it in use by soldiers in combat. I was reading a Korean combat report (if anyone is interested I could post it) and basically no GIs used the windage knobs in combat on their M1s they used Kentucky windage. Many of them even wanted open sights funny enough as they complained that dirt and water would get in the peep hole and it was annoying.

[High Noon]

Yes - overall it's well done for the era. 

Simple, robust and with clever touches.  The SKS is small, light and easy to use - it's popularity all these decades latter helps show how well Simonov and his team did.   

The biggest drawback to me, is the length of pull is rather short.  I've heard the length of pull is short because the soldiers would likely have cold weather gear on, so that's part of the logic behind the design.

Pretty much sums it up for me.
However, I'm fairly short, so that length of pull actually works in my favor.

My M1s Garands feel more natural from this perspective.   

[Larry D.]

 I was reading a Korean combat report (if anyone is interested I could post it)

Heck yes!
It would be a good add in the Militaria section.

[Bacarnal]

 I was reading a Korean combat report (if anyone is interested I could post it)

Heck yes!
It would be a good add in the Militaria section.

What Larry said 

[Cz315]

SKS is really a nice weapon. It was the last of the era and really is a transitional weapon from the old school 'battle' rifles to the new 'sturm' a.k.a. 'assault' weapons. I really can't think of any major weaknesses. The attached bayonet and boxed magazine sometimes viewed as such, but you have to remember that the design was influenced by Soviet experiences in early war (lost bayonets) and the belief that soldiers would lose magazines too. Not entirely unreasonable given the quality of their conscript army... Hence the M44 bayo setup that was mainly carried over to SKS

As always in Soviet Firearms design reliability and simplicity were prioritized. [Knocking on wood] I never had SKS malfunction with any ammo and I would certainly bet my life on an SKS, but not on a comparatively priced PSA AR-15 The accuracy is decent and more than sufficient for combat. As was pointed out earlier, windage adjustment is great for competition but rarely is used in real life scenarios for generally issues firearms - there is really no time or need for it. Actually some of the commercial variants improve the design further - box mags, shorter barrels.

I would also say that even for today's inflated price you are getting a heck of a rifle with amazing history. 

[Greasemonkey]

Always an interesting thought.. how much would it cost and what would the time be required to make the SKS from scratch today.. versus all these modern new fangled weapons you pretty much squirt in a mold and let it cool..

[Bubbazinetti]

I'm sure the chicoms saved a lot of time in manufacturing with the last known run of SKS's with the stamped,riveted and pinned barrels etc. from where the Soviets started. And those still have the ability to take life efficiently.

[pcke2000]

As always in Soviet Firearms design reliability and simplicity were prioritized. [Knocking on wood] I never had SKS malfunction with any ammo and I would certainly bet my life on an SKS, but not on a comparatively priced PSA AR-15 The accuracy is decent and more than sufficient for combat. As was pointed out earlier, windage adjustment is great for competition but rarely is used in real life scenarios for generally issues firearms - there is really no time or need for it. Actually some of the commercial variants improve the design further - box mags, shorter barrels.

I would also say that even for today's inflated price you are getting a heck of a rifle with amazing history. 

Not always, look at SVT-40, lol

[BishopofBling]

 I was reading a Korean combat report (if anyone is interested I could post it)

Heck yes!
It would be a good add in the Militaria section.

As requested: http://thegca.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Use-of-Infantry-Weapons-and-Equipment-in-Korea-1952-reduced.pdf

[Matchka]

And, the blade or spike is just plain intimidating.

[GuitarmanNick]

I was exposed to my first SKS when my dad bought one years ago and put it into a folding stock with detachable mags, clamp on muzzle break, and a bipod.

After working on one for a friend and seeing how simple and reliable the system was, I decided to acquire one.

While speaking to my dad on the phone, I mentioned that I was interested in getting one, and he told me that I could have his. He never shoots it, and just bought it to help out a friend that needed cash. Said it had been sitting in the closet for all those years. Awesome for me!

Luckily, he found the original stock and magazine. It has been lovingly reassembled, refinished(the original finish was almost non-existent) without sanding, and the bayonet re-riveted onto the rifle.

Being a Security Forces marked rifle, I struggled with the decision to refinish it. Since it has more sentimental value than collector value, I decided to proceed. It is more blonde than red now, but is complimented on each outing. Dad also thinks it is something special, now.

Of all the toys in my modest collection, it is the one that my son(not at all a gun guy) would like to have after my passing.

[Phosphorus32]

Great story Nick! Can't beat that family connection 

[jmaurer]

The design is very forgiving of abuse. I picked one up years ago as a training aid for others at a local gun show for very few bucks: someone previously had a case head separation with corrosive ammo and the case sat in the chamber long enough to rust underneath the chrome lining in the chamber, with the development of some sharp-edged pits. To make a long story short, I fired it eventually with some super-soft brass Winchester ammo, followed by Yugoslav M67, figuring that more ductile brass would hang up and jam. It has never missed a lick. For that matter, I've never owned an SKS in original configuration that has ever jammed with original specification ammo.

[Greatguns]

I always tell people, jokingly of course, it's the lawn mower of semi-auto rifles. You beat it, but it keeps on doing it's job.