The SKS is a fixture of the Canadian firearms market as well as a popular rifle worldwide. This may be surprising as most of us don’t immediately think of 1940’s military rifles as a mainstream part of the firearms world. Today we look at why the SKS enjoys popularity well beyond other rifles of the period.
History
In 1945 Sergie Simonov designed the SKS as an entrant in the Soviet carbine program. At the time the Soviet military brass wanted a submachine gun, a carbine, and a light machine gun all chambered for their new 7.62×39 cartridge. This program ultimately led to the development of the AK-47, SKS, and the RPD to fill each respective role.
Initially, the SKS served a relatively brief stint as the primary rifle of the Soviet military but the Soviets soon realized that the select-fire AKM could satisfy both the submachine gun and carbine roles. However, Soviet manufacture of SKS’ continued because of quality-control issues producing the stamped AKM. Also, the Soviets licensed out the design of the SKS to many of their satellite states. China, Yugoslavia, and North Korea all manufactured their own copies of the SKS. This continued until Soviet production of the SKS ceased in 1958.
Specifications
The SKS weighs in at 8.5lbs and is chambered in 7.62×39 with a 20 inch barrel. It is a semi-automatic design using a short stroke gas piston and a tilting bolt operating system. The SKS features a fixed 10 round magazine which feeds from stripper clips. The gun also has a folding bayonet. For maintenance, a cleaning kit and cleaning rod are stored in the buttstock and under the barrel respectively. The last shot bolt hold open readies to rifle to accept another stripper clip and get back to shooting.
While many aftermarket stocks and accessories exist, the original design used a traditional laminate or hardwood stock. The original rifles had no provision for adding an optic. The rifles are outfitted with basic adjustable iron sights that are identical those commonly found on AK pattern rifles. The trigger on an SKS is typical of a military rifle. It pulls with some take up and a bit of creep before breaking cleanly around the 6lb range.
Strengths
If one had to describe the SKS with a single word the first one that springs to mind is ‘rugged’. The gun is constructed almost entirely of milled parts, which makes it an incredibly tough. This translates to a rifle that feels solid in the hand, albeit with a bit of a rattle. The SKS prioritizes durability, which is evident in the manufacturing processes selected.
Another desirable attribute of the rifle is its reliability. The short stroke gas piston system keep gas and crud out of the action and the open top design ensures reliable ejection. Most SKS’ are near 100 percent reliable, even with hard military primers or old ammunition. The short stroke gas piston system also helps to minimize cleaning after using corrosive ammunition.
Thirdly, the ammunition is another strength of the SKS. The 7.62 Soviet cartridge is widely available and very affordable for a centerfire rifle cartridge due to the volume of military surplus corrosive ammunition on the market. While the cleaning regime that corrosive ammunition requires may dissuade some, having the cheap ammunition as an option is certainly a desirable. There are also relatively inexpensive non-corrosive offerings from Barnaul, as well as more expensive hunting ammunition offered by many different manufacturers.
Finally, because the design allows disassembly with only a cartridge, maintenance of the SKS is a breeze. Between the cleaning kit which doubles as a bore guide, and the cleaning rod, you can maintain your SKS with nothing else except a patch and some oil. The gun requires no tools and is simple to clean. This is even more relevant because if you are shooting corrosive ammo you will need to be cleaning the rifle regularly.
Weaknesses
For all that there is to love about the SKS, it is a 1940’s design and is beginning to show its age. By modern standards 8.5lbs is pretty stout for an intermediate caliber carbine without and optic. The safety, while it functions fine, is a pull down lever beside the trigger guard, which introduces potential to accidentally bump the trigger. Also, the fixed box magazine is less desirable to a detachable alternative.
An intriguing quirk of the design is the free floating firing pin in the bolt. This leaves the SKS susceptible to slamfires when dirty, or if something gets jammed in the firing pin channel. The most common slamfire is a quick double tap, where two rounds are fired by a single trigger pull. Interestingly, the Soviet manufactured SKS from 1950 and earlier have a spring loaded firing pin to avoid this issue. In 1951 the Soviets dropped the feature, presumably to improve the economy of manufacture.
Finally the most significant flaw with the SKS is its accuracy. The SKS is designed to hit man-sized targets at 300 yards, which is not a high standard of accuracy. Depending on the particular rifle and the quality of ammunition one should expect 3-5 MOA from an SKS. This is acceptable for recreational shooting but can prove frustrating off of a bench. Combined with the crude iron sights, this accuracy is also likely too poor for hunting past 100 yards.
Competition
The competition in the semi-automatic intermediate cartridge market varies greatly with where one lives. In the USA there are many budget AR and AK models on the market that are likely more practical rifles. However, in Canada, there really isn’t any competition at the price point. At the time of writing the rifle costs around $500 CAD which is half the price of other available semiautos. This alone is likely responsible for much of the popularity of the rifle. Even compared to the rifles at the $1000 price point on the Canadian market, the SKS is a more proven and reliable design.
Closing Thoughts
While it is certainly a dated design, the SKS still has its merits, particularly given the legal complications similar rifles face in Canada. For Americans the AR and AK are better options for those uninterested in collecting, in Canada the story is different. Although the 7.62×39 is an appropriate medium game cartridge, it is difficult to recommend the SKS as a hunting rifle given its accuracy and the multitude of cheap bolt action rifles, like the Ruger American, that are available.
Despite this, the SKS is a cheap, well-made, reliable shooter that has a place in the homes of collectors and recreational shooters around the world. If you want to own a piece of history or enjoy blasting targets at the range, maybe its time to add an SKS to your safe.