SKS Yugo Question?

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bluedog

New member
Folks,
I just received an email promoting the sale of the SKS Yugo rifle in 7.62x39 caliber w/attached bayonet. $211 cost. If this rifle is decent at all, that is a good price for a plinker or 'truck gun'. I have never owned nor shot a SKS or an AK.....would appreciate hearing from you Folks who know the AK/SKS and can comment on the quality and durability of the Yugo SKS. Thanks!!!
Billy
 
W

wjkuleck

New member
Suprised no one's chimed in on this one...

Rugged as nails, built in tractor factory for conscript farmers whose highest technology implement is the sickle. Don't expect better than 4-8 MOA, particularly with the junk 7.62x39mm stuff that masquerades as ammo these days.

The prices on these seem to be creeping up, though, last SKS I got was when they were around $119...

Regards,

Walt
 
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carguychris

New member
For $211, IMHO it had better be LNIB. FWIW there actually are some Yugo SKS's out there that are pristine and evidently unused, but if the gun is the typical cosmo-laden "arsenal refurbished" piece, don't pay over $180! :)

Other than the accuracy issue, another thing to consider is that the widely-sold bolt-on SKS scope mounts supposedly don't hold zero worth a darn because they attach to a part of the gun that isn't firmly fixed to the barrel.* Without major modifications, the SKS is an open-sight gun. Bottom line: DON'T expect to be able to consistently hit a 12" target at 400 yds with one. ;)

However, they're very popular in my area for hunting big critters in the woods where you can't make many shots over 150 yds anyway. If you browse the SKS's around here, you can expect a salesman to walk up and say "You going hog hunting?" ;)

*Disclaimer: I have never used a scoped SKS. This is widely circulated 'Net hearsay. YMMV.
 
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Willie D

New member
If it is in Excellent/Unissued condition and the sale is local (ie. you don't also have to pay shipping and ffl transfer) the price is good. Samco has raised their prices recently, unissued now going for $250.


As far as the gun goes, I love mine.
Quality/durability: it's heavy steel on a 2x4. It can take a licking.
 
I

ISC

Moderator
Yugo SKSs are prone to severe gas system problems. Thet're the only SKS that I wouldn't consider reliable without test firing it first. You'd be better off with a chinese or romanian. The Saiga is definately a better rifle.
 
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rocinante

New member
chip in a little more and get a saiga. I bought the SKS and then dang I really want an AK. I don't mind having both but I converted the saiga and shoot it a lot lot more.
 
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tomh1426

New member
You guys make it sound like a Yugo SKS is a POS
If its #'s matching in nice unissued shape and its local Id get it for $200.
Their not gunna get any cheaper!
No matter what you pick someones gunna say for just a little more u can get this or that.
BTW I havent seen any Saigas in the same price range as a sks.
 
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rocinante

New member
I don't think my yugo sks is a pos. It is solid, milled receiver and well constructed with a very pretty teak stock not to mention the cool bayonet. Also mine was unissued with no problem with the gas valve at all. There is no greater bang for the buck semi auto gun out there. For a little more he can get a saiga which has a lot more potential for customizing and accessories.

classicarms.us has saiga 7.62 x 39 for 249.95.
 
L

Lager

New member
I Like my SKS, its fun to shoot with minimal recoil. Accuracy isnt the best but I can hit a clay target @100 yards and for my purposes, thats OK with me.
I have a Chinese and paper shooting its MOA is 2-3 inches. I have a pretty good friend that has a Yugo and hes done a lot of hand loading.His is good for 1.5 MOA.Thats pretty good for iron sights and a $200 gun.
SKS prices are riseing fast.
For some more info about the SKS or more understanding folks, try here.
http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php
 
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ISC

Moderator
Yugos are OK, I have 2 of them, but I would grab any of my other SKSs first before I'd grab a Yugo if I had to count on it. (except for the Albanian, it's still packed in cosmoline).

The gas cut off is a weak point. The omission of a crome lined bore is a huge flaw. The useless clunky grenade launcher is cumbersome and needless. I had to go through 4 bad ones to get the two good ones I kept because of the gas cut off issue.
 
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tomh1426

New member
After tax and shipping and ffl that $250 is probably closer to $300, which I know is only a hundred bucks but when your talking about a $200 gun $100 is alot.
 
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ndking1126

New member
If the Yugo is "new" or "unissued" (I"m not sure of the correct terminology), then it probably isn't a bad deal. Around here (NW Arkansas), I can get them for $190 without any comparison shopping. If it's obviously been used, I would think that would be high.

SKS's rock. I have a Romanian and I don't think I'll ever get rid of it. Ammo is cheap and its a powerful enough cartridge to have a little fun with... shooting computer parts, tube televisions, 1 gallon jugs willed with water, on and on the list goes... Smaller cartridges just don't have the same effect. My experience is even the "lower" quality SKS are still very reliable.. not throwing common sense out the window, if it looks trashed, it probably will not be a reliable gun. Certainly these are not the most accurate guns.. 4-8 MOA as a previous poster wrote is probably right on. I have yet to see a scope mount that works well enough to hold a zero, so expect to use iron sights.

I personally would prefer a Chinese over the Yugo, but Yugo's are plentiful so you shouldn't feel badly about modifying it and ruining a collector gun. If you choose to modify it, make sure you keep it legal.

As far as a comparison with an AK, you really have got to hold both. Personally, I can't stand AK's as they just don't fit me. Sure I could put a new stock on it, but we are talking about more $$. I would choose the SKS any day even knowing they are not designed as well as the AKs.
 
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Willie D

New member
I've got a Yugo and Saiga and they both have their merits. At the range I prefer the Yugo.

The Saiga is no frills, no BS. High caps after conversion. Trigger better but sights not as good as SKS. Recoil is more harsh.

The Yugo is more accurate, more solid, a piece of history and feels more like a proper rifle. Reloading is faster. Heavier and a bit more cumbersome. The gas valve is only a problem if the rifle is more worn out and replacements are available. Cosmoline cleanup is fun! :barf:
 
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U.S.SFC_RET

New member
I have the chinese chrome lined barrel. I have an sks coming in and the only regret is I didn't get the yugo sooner like 18 months ago. They were 50 -60 bucks cheaper right off of the shelf. Nowadays when I go to the gunshows those things are climbing towards 300.00 and I am not kidding.
Solidly built and I sorely wish I picked up a few but what am I saying? Hind sight is 20-20 after all. Better geth them now I suppose.
 
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cimarronvalley

New member
Yugo SKS and Saiga

I just purchased a new-unissued Yugo SKS 66, a Saiga sporter 7.62x39, a Saiga sporter 223, and an Oly Arms AR-15 A1 for 199, 245, 225, and 589 respectively. I got them before the prices went up and up they went within 3 weeks after I got mine, they increased between 64-150 dollars.

I don't know how anybody can knock the Yugo. Mine is beautiful with matching #s and shoots less than 2" 5 round groups with open sights off rest at 110m. A lot better than the Saiga sights. I'm going to mount scopes on the Saiga's and see if that helps.
 
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ISC

Moderator
The SKS has the same sights as an AK. Other than sight radius, what's the difference? How can a yugo's sights be better than a Saiga?
 
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SoldiersSon

New member
The gun shop I used to frequent had a nice Yugo SKS behind the counter...with a $500 price tag, and yes, that's in US Dollars.
 
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