comparison - sks - ak

i read nanooke's post about sks rifles with interest (and the replies of course) because i am planning to buy either an sks or an ak-47 for a 'fun gun' plinker. cheap guns, cheap ammo. i have no first-hand experience with either one so was wondering if someone who owns both would care to give a comparison. pros & cons. what's good about one/bad about the other etc. is one in fact a better rifle overall.

I have one of each and I like them both. Posibly because the SKS has a slightly longer barrel than the AK, it is about an inch more accurate at 200 meters. (4' vs 5' I modified the rear sight on the SKS to have a deeper groove like on the AK rear sight. Both are very reliable and user friendly. The SKS is usually a little cheaper.

> ...

# # i read nanooke's post about sks rifles with interest (and the replies of # course) because i am planning to buy either an sks or an ak-47 for a # 'fun gun' plinker. cheap guns, cheap ammo. i have no first-hand # experience with either one so was wondering if someone who owns both # would care to give a comparison. pros & cons. what's good about one/bad # about the other etc. is one in fact a better rifle overall. # The standard SKS has a longer barrel and slightly better velocity/accuracy than the AK. Ammo feed for the standard SKS is a bit more forgiving too but aftermarket detachable mags loose that. While the AK is, in several respects simpler and more reliable than the SKS, my personal feeling, for a gun to keep for decades as a fun plinker/small game gun, the SKS would be a better choice. As a combat arm, the AK, even without full auto, would have a slight edge with the mags and somewhat better battle handiness.

If you can afford it, buy both. They really are cut from the same cloth. The upside of an AK is the detachable magazine. But with a little practice, you can pop a stripper clip of ten rounds faster than you can change a AK mag. It is not like an AMerican style mag that just slids up from the bottom. The AK has a lip on the mag that must be caught on a groove and the mag sort of levered up to lock in. Clumsy until you get use to it. The weak spot for both weapons are the sights.

If you are not sure and want to save a buck or two, get the SKS. I would go to the range and wander around. Find some one shooting these guns. Tell them you are trying to make up your mind about which to get. If you are nice and offer to pay for the ammo, someone my let you pop a couple of rounds through thier rifle so you can feel it.

> ...

AK-47 uses removable mags (up to 75 rounds, i believe)

SKS has fixed mag (most of them anyway) and is much cheaper (maybe $150 if you look around).

other than that, they are pretty comparable.

for the price, it's worth getting at least one of them just as a plinker.

andy b.

> ...

# is one in fact a better rifle overall.

Hard to say.

The SKS is certainly a better value; they are much less expensive than the AK-47. But they are kind of ugly and rather heavy.

One advantage of the SKS is because they don't have pistol grips and the military versions have fixed magazines, they don't qualify as 'assault weapons' either at the Federal or California level, so they are not as strictly regulated.

SKS - little more accurate, cheaper, better looking rifle, more ergonomic. AK - great bullet hose. Best overall - Unless full-auto is an option, SKS by far.

# i read nanooke's post about sks rifles with interest (and the replies of # course) because i am planning to buy either an sks or an ak-47 for a # 'fun gun' plinker. cheap guns, cheap ammo. i have no first-hand # experience with either one so was wondering if someone who owns both # would care to give a comparison. pros & cons. what's good about one/bad # about the other etc. is one in fact a better rifle overall.

It is like comparing the M1 Garand, and the M14. It is your preference.

> ... of > ... one/bad > ...

#i read nanooke's post about sks rifles with interest (and the replies of #course) because i am planning to buy either an sks or an ak-47 for a #'fun gun' plinker. cheap guns, cheap ammo. i have no first-hand #experience with either one so was wondering if someone who owns both #would care to give a comparison. pros & cons. what's good about one/bad #about the other etc. is one in fact a better rifle overall.

I have several of both and I like them about equally. Which is better would best be determined by your need. I prefer the SKS for plinking. It's a little more accurate, with an extended butt pad it fits and shoulders better, etc. I think I like it because it's more of a traditional rifle, albeit a bit too short.

The AK's main benefit is the removeable magazines. It's more of a battle-type gun than the SKS, but they just don't shoulder and fire as accurately to me. Having just installed a Red Star Arms trigger in my Romanian AK, I found it made a huge difference though. Now it shoots a lot better than before and is easier to hit with. I do trigger jobs on my SKS's so they're much closer functionally now.

Neither one are terribly accurate, but both are exceptionally reliable and easy to clean. If you can afford both, get both. You won't be disappointed.

I have a paratrooper SKS which accepts the AK-47 mags.....still not very accurate......but a great fun gun....even the missus likes it...she got a deer with it! lol

> ...