A guy called me needing some money, and wants to sell a SKS for $400. He bought it new, supposedly for that price, and has only fired a few rounds through it. It is typical military issue, matching serial numbers, 10 round clip, and bayonet, and in very good shape. I think it is Chinese, but not positive.
Sounds a little high to me, but I know that these types of rifles have gone up. A few years ago, you could get one for 200+.
What do you guys think it is worth?
TIA, JT
I would suggest joining a discussion forum focused on these rifles.
Just Google "SKS Forum".
All your answers will be found there.
It is possible to buy an SKS that has issues...I know.
I'm not sure about the value of an SKS today, but you have to be careful about what you buy. There are different versions, and some are much better than others. Particularly, some versions (which I believe includes the Chinese) have a pressed-in barrel. The screwed-in barrel is better. I have a Russian version that I have been very happy with which has a screwed-in barrel. I also once had a Chinese SKS, but I sold it because I didn't feel like quality was there. It tended to slam-fire, and I didn't like that.
I've had mine for at least 15 years, but when I bought them, the Chinese one went for about $65 and the Russian went for $100. Both were directly out of a crate. (I wish I would have bought two of the Russian rifles.)
I paid $100 for mine back in the early '90s. It was chinese. That probably doesn't help much now.
Any 7.62 x 39 is a nice rifle to have around. Used ones use to go for about $300 average, but their price may have crept up a bit. Haven't been to a Gun Show in a few years.
go to www.gunbroker.com and type in Chinese SKS. They seem to be going from $300-$450. I would say that $300-$325 would be the "I really need money bad" price...
Mine was Russian, paid $175 for it with all the goodies, but that was 8 or 10 years ago, maybe they have gone up since.
> A guy called me needing some money, and wants to sell a SKS for $400. He bought it new, supposedly for that price, and has only fired a few rounds through it. It is typical military issue, matching serial numbers, 10 round clip, and bayonet, and in very good shape. I think it is Chinese, but not positive.
>
> Sounds a little high to me, but I know that these types of rifles have gone up. A few years ago, you could get one for 200+.
> What do you guys think it is worth?
> TIA, JT
I don't think there are any "new" SKS's out there, at least none I've seen. If it's the Chinese Norinko, and then past that the paratrooper model, then yes, $400 is about right. If it's the Yugo version that resembles the british muskets circa 1770 (like mine does), then $150 is about right. They both shoot the same, but one is very much sexier than the other.
Also, when you say clip, ESPECIALLY with the SKS, do you mean magazine, or that the magazine is attached and he gave you ONE stripper clip? If it's the former, then that's standard and not worth mentioning, and if it's the latter, then he gave you $2 worth of gear.
FWIW, I have many "clips" loaded with 7.62x39 to load in my "magazine" that I have for my SKS. 🙂 Also, and not to diminish it in any way, a kitty dies everytime you say clip and mean magazine. 🙂
> I'm not sure about the value of an SKS today, but you have to be careful about what you buy. There are different versions, and some are much better than others. Particularly, some versions (which I believe includes the Chinese) have a pressed-in barrel. The screwed-in barrel is better. I have a Russian version that I have been very happy with which has a screwed-in barrel. I also once had a Chinese SKS, but I sold it because I didn't feel like quality was there. It tended to slam-fire, and I didn't like that.
>
> I've had mine for at least 15 years, but when I bought them, the Chinese one went for about $65 and the Russian went for $100. Both were directly out of a crate. (I wish I would have bought two of the Russian rifles.)
Every SKS I've owned did that after about 100 rounds or so down range, and especially if you fired them in rapid succession. In fact, I've never seen one that didn't do that at some point if you were shooting LOTS of rounds. If it did it after two or three rounds, well then I'd agree with you.
> go to www.gunbroker.com and type in Chinese SKS. They seem to be going from $300-$450. I would say that $300-$325 would be the "I really need money bad" price...
Gun broker is an excellent source for RETAIL IN PERFECT CONDITION prices. Otherwise, I use it just to check pictures. I wouldn't buy anything from them. Plenty of other resources out there to get the same at better prices.
Wasn't there something with the SKS where you could file down the pneumatic recoil rod a little and it would become fully automatic?
You can find a new AR for that.
10 rounds wouldn't last very long, and you could never fire it without looking over your shoulder.
Last weekend I heard some guys shooting a fully auto gun near my property. If I were LE, I would probably have investigated and someone would probably end up with a felony charge.
In addition to your advice, I would suggest steering clear of an SKS with the fixed 10 round magazine converted to a removable magazine unless it's inexpensive. They hardly never operate reliably.
I have a beauty 54 or 55 Russian (can't remember the year) and it has some failure to feed issues that I need to work out.
My brother has a Chinese Norinco that he has not cleaned for 3000 rounds. It has never failed and shoots accurately.
Back in the day I bought a few 30 round clips, too. Unfortunately I also sold all of it in the late '90s.
Edit: magazine
> Gun broker is an excellent source for RETAIL IN PERFECT CONDITION prices. Otherwise, I use it just to check pictures. I wouldn't buy anything from them. Plenty of other resources out there to get the same at better prices.
I disagree, but to each his own. I bought 3 hard to find rifles on gunbroker over the years - all were bargains and I haven't seen but one of them at a gun show over the last several years and it was more than what I paid for it. Bargains are where you find them, gunbroker, garage sales or pawn shop - get into a bidding war at any of them and you're going to get screwed.
Funny story concerning automatic weapons fire
I have a client that maintains an A-1 (agricultural) zoning on his 80 acres. This land is well within the city limits and surrounded by urban/ suburban development. Actually the Moore-Norman Vo-Tech Complex adjoins his property on the west.
Uniquely in our city limits the A-1 Agricultural zoning is specifically exempt from the city codes that prohibit the discharge of firearms within those limits.
Also, uniquely, the property owner's son is a detective in a surrounding city AND his son-in-law is a Federal ATF Agent and holds an FFL. The "kids" have built a firing range in the back pasture that fires into an embankment..a rather tidy place.
Not long ago they were playing at the range and broke out the full-auto toys. The security guard at the Vo-Tech called the local minions reporting "shots fired"...
Three municipalities and a helicopter reported to the scene within minutes. I wish I could have had at least a tape of what transpired. Eventually everyone was identified and the investigating agencies went to "stand down". I understand the 21 year old city officer (with a year under his belt) wanted to detain (cuff) the two officers and there was at least a few tense moments until badges were flashed.
The officer also attempted to cite the gentlemen for "discharge of a firearm within the city limits". It apparently took a supervisor and a dispatcher to actually look the code up AND determine the zoning of the property. Thank God for the city's GIS.
The men were asked to at least "report" when they would be shooting. Something I'm sure neither is actually that interested in doing. :snarky:
Surveyor loses license after Full auto and silencer arrest
Steve Prewitt was stripped of his surveying license after having some minor firearms violations.
Midland man pleads guilty to having eight unregistered silencers
I two SKSs at the same time, the longer one and the paratrooper carbine. I put a flash suppressor on the carbine, it would dang near make your ears bleed.
I never did put the 30 round magazine on either one, I thought I would wait and get a synthetic stock and do both at the same time. Never did get around to getting a synthetic stock, since I had the lesser desirable Chinese models I decided they weren't worth further investment. I had a couple of the 10 round stripper clips, they made loading pretty fast.
I got rid of them after a year of not shooting them, though. I had aspirations of buying an AR-15 and never did get one. If I remember correctly I think I traded both SKSs and everything I had for them on a Ruger bolt action .22. I probably had less than $300 in the whole shebang, the place I bought them from even gave you a couple boxes of the cheap full metal jacket shells with each rifle.
Something due to the design of the pneumatic piston/receiver, they had a little too much recoil for no bigger than the round was IMO. That's what got me wanting the AR, almost like shooting a .22.
:good:
