Yea or Nay on Yugo Zastava SKS circa 1970?

[Will Beararms]

Looking at one of these to keep as a plinker. What do you think about them? They seem to be built like a tank and probably something that would work well with all the cheap steel cased 7.62 x 39 ammo on the market right now.

Thanks for your input.

 

[breeze]

I bought a Yugo M70B1 in an AK and sold my others. Great rifle IMO.

 

[Mrgunsngear]

They're great guns and I don't see the prices going down any time soon. Go for it.

 

[Will Beararms]

Thanks for the input. Our family has a place out in the country we are all supposed to do our best to get to in the event of a natural emergency or financial meltdown that emanated from the events after Hurricane Katrina and how it impacted us. I am thinking the Yugo SKS would be a good all purpose ranch tool. My FIL already has an older Chinese model bought during the passing of the 1994 it's a crime bill for heck.....maybe $100.00? This one is 3.5 times that but the best price I have found all things considered.

 

[stu925]

I bought my SKS about a month ago, price was $345 out the door. Mine is a numbers matching 1974 but looked almost new with a bright shiny bore. I suspect it was unissued when the previous owner bought it and I doubt he shot it much. I like the gun, it's fun to shoot but I haven't put many rounds through it yet. I have just enough rounds through it to function test it, functioning of the rifle was flawless. I just bought a bunch (400 rounds) of Wolf Military Classic for it from AIM for $4.39/box so ammo is cheap which was one of the reasons I bought it. I will eventually buy a couple of spam can of ammo for it just to have it on hand.

Stu

 

[Mrgunsngear]

I got mine (norinco, matching serial numbers) from an elderly woman who said her husband died and had it 'for at least 30 years' for $350 including 500 rounds of ammo. I told her she could get more selling the ammo but she said she didn't want to deal with it. Worked out for both of us then

She said she didn't think it was ever fired, and I agree. It was a non-military gun by the markings and it was loaded with cosmoline and 3 in 1 oil. 0 wear marks anywhere. I'm very happy with the accuracy/reliability/maintenance of the gun.

 

[Technosavant]

I bought my Yugo SKS when they were plentiful (bought it then for $140, I would expect the price on a similar one nowadays to be at least 3x that). The serial number dates it to 1974, and it was either never issued or fully rearsenaled at some point because it really was practically brand new (with free cosmoline, even!).

They're great guns. Fairly accurate and very reliable, but with so-so weight and handling characteristics. As a ranch gun, it would be plenty capable and hit hard enough to deal with all kinds of four and two legged varmints out to a few hundred yards. You'll do yourself a favor if you get a bunch of SKS stripper clips so you can have some spare ammo ready to go.