My SKS Collection (Show and Tell)

[@jerdog333]

Great video and great collection! The most impressive part of the video is that you have that awesome SKS collection, a job, and a girlfriend! Usually you can only have 2 of those three. Well done sir!

[@Triangle26]

🙏

[@shibby67]

Awesome collection. I just picked up my first one. It’s a factory 26 stamped 1969 with the serial # in the 200,000’s. All numbers matching, looks to be in great condition and got it for $530 CDN ($395 US) Time to strip some cosmoline!

[@Triangle26]

Awesome, congrats. I bet there’s a great rifle under all that goop!

[@akrounds]

Nice collection. I have 1 Russian sks and 3 Chinese sks.

[@Whitetail_Armory]

great collection!

[@lucky-rowe2623]

You had me when you smelled the SKS 6:51 and said "You can smell the history" --> Subscribed!

[@FayazAhmad-yl6spFZ]

His face become like SKS.😂

[@bullseyedixon5660]

great collection

[@seanbaker9796]

I love going back to your older videos to refresh my memory. A couple subjects i think you should do a deeper dive into... Correct slings for Russian and Chinese sks Carbines as well as alternatives that may have been used. Also a deeper dive into the Sino-Banian imports. What are some uses for the Chinese type 56 in Albania? Why they got them. And how we were able to import them. Also how important this import batch from Albania was because we are not normally able to get type 56 into the country anymore. I think these would make some good videos.

[@crankygunreviews]

I love the stock on that Ishevsk 1954 model- the wood looks amazing

[@WhyPhi]

My Russian sks (1950 all matching) was the first rifle I ever bought and I love it. I also have a “paratrooper” model that I think is more fun but certainly not a collector. It’s in good shape but someone refinished the stock, and non matching magazine.

[@paititi]

That you think of each as an animate object, with feelings, is the mark of an expert’s expert, obviously borne of deep and extensive experience. Your SKS videos are greatly appreciated.

[@MrVegasTube]

Has any other firearm granted its owner such joy to possess? SKS is truely a joy to own.

[@Triangle26]

Agreed.

[@texaspatriot9159]

My favorite rifle

[@WhattAreYouSaying]

Man, that's a lot of SKS's...Awesome collection! I only have 2. One Soviet Tula SKS made in 1956 and one Chinese factory [0138] SKS made in 1972.

[@Triangle26]

Nice! Great rifles to have. I'd love to have a post '55 Soviet in my collection, I think those are some of the best out there.

[@dwayneelizondomountaindewh6073]

such a great collection. lots of jealousy and joy for you.

[@echohunter4199]

When I saw the thumbnail my first thought was “he has to be single” lol. Glad you do have a lady in your life. I’m pretty sure that most of the weapons in your collection were acquired through trades or you bought them at dirt cheap prices. I only have around 12 large bore caliber rifles, most are battle rifles and I have one Yugo SKS that I picked up at a great price and it was in near new condition aside from the crappy original stock. Took me a lot of work to repair the stock damage and stain it to a deep red color with one thin layer of black stain to where it looks very nice. I installed the aftermarket firing pin and spring as well as parkerizing the bolt and bolt carrier all black. I did that because it was my preference but if need be, I can easily remove it and I keep my battle rifles completely original with no permanent civilian mods.

[@DYLANKNAPP94]

It’s pretty common to have a hobby snd a life outside of work a d also have 1 or more hobbies lol

[@mailmannb7970]

Been watching some of your SKS videos! Have to say, very nice collection! It cant be easy to get that many variations in the US. Well Done!

[@Triangle26]

Thank you sir!

[@robhicks2117]

Thank you for the history lesson featuring the many types of SKS rifles and it is nice to see it coming from a man who has actual hands on experience with these rifles. 👍

[@00Papyrus]

Man, that collection is amazing. The Izzy refurb. you did is great. Picked up a commercial Chinese SKS last night and feel the same about the production quality. It'll probably get the axe first. Thanks for sharing brother! Don't let that izzu go!

[@Triangle26]

Thanks, friend!

[@JJW3]

Great collection! I'm up to 5 SKS's now. I want to add a "French Tickler" as my next example. So far I've got a: 1954 Tula SKS-45, 1959 "A-block" letter series Type 56 /26\ in a "jungle stock", 1966 Sino-Albanian Type 56 /26\, 1968 Type 56 /636\, and a 1974 Type 56 [0138] .

[@shaoqi012]

The1956 Chinese SKS has the nicest stock I've ever seen from all Chinese ones. Amazing condition!

[@crankygunreviews]

Great collection! If you tried to buy all those today, it would cost a small fortune… however, I don’t think anyone who buys and sells guns cares about the money- I know it’s probably the last thing I think about when I’m looking at cool pews

[@redlion7578]

Awesome video of an SKS collection. I have a Norinco type 56 and now just got my second one, a Yugo SKS. Both are great rifles.

[@wipperwil]

I have a 1979 Factory 26 I just got from Cabelas in Canada. Feb 2023. Cleaned it all up and had to shine off some rust too… Haven’t been able to go shoot it yet. Beautiful piece for sure.

[@Triangle26]

Awesome. It’s not all too often that I look at the Canadian market enviously, but this is one of those times!

[@robertcassick8614]

Great video! I have a 73 m59/66A1 Yugo and love it!

[@richvest7212]

I agree with you on Yugoslavia sks

[@isucc3817]

love these rifles. shot ~3k rounds through my type 56 and ive never had a malfunction except for one day when i had the recoil spring in backwards. the gas system makes the recoil impulse so slow and manageable. great first gun, sucks that supply is dwindling.

[@scottbuckley6578]

And hear i am in Canada happy with my referb 52 Russian with a worn out bore that still shoots straight. Sweet collection man

[@scottbuckley6578]

But I'm sure my barrel is a 50 51 year cuz it's not crome lined but it's a referb I didn't know much about firearms when I bought it

[@DYLANKNAPP94]

Grab at least a Chinese sks before they skyrocket, you’ll find a good bore :)

[@scottbuckley6578]

@DYLANJJK94 just got a 54 Russian for 250 bucks not matching numbers

[@noobsmoke79]

Found your channel after I got back into SKS’s - I really like your content so far and I’m super jealous of your amazing collection 😅

[@shelbyrobbins7535]

Great looking collection!

[@sterayd]

That last ghost gun reminds me of one I call my Franken gun it was a bubba arsenal twenty-six that didn't have the original stock missing a bayonet, so I had a Russian parts kit and now it has a Russian stock, hand guard, dust cover, bayonet and sling. It isn't collectable but a great shooter that I don't need to worry about being bumped around and looks as good as it functions .

[@gardennovice7896]

Beautiful collection of sks

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

Watching you sniff the Chinese wood that had been in questionable places was so worth watching the video! That said, there was some good information here for sure. Not long ago we had entire crates of Russian SKS coming in basically brand new from the Ukraine and I got to handle several hundred but always passed on the 1949 models as I "wasn't a collector." Now I look at the initial $150 CAD investment I would have made and shake my head. Even with the current political situation in Canada a 1949 Russian is still minimum $1500 these days, no idea what my 1954 Izhevsk is worth-it was also $150 back in the day.

[@Triangle26]

Funny how that works. We've all got those stories of turning up our noses at price tags, only to wait a few years and watch a zero get added to them.

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

@@Triangle26 oh no, I wanted to buy them all. I just knew I wasn't going to shoot them and thought I wasn't a collector so I passed. Big mistake on my part! The transition 1950s are cool as well.

[@VOYTEyttv]

Nice collection. Great channel. Thanks from Beautiful British Columbia

[@Triangle26]

Thanks a ton 🙏 Played in some hockey tournaments in BC as a kid, did some kayaking and such while I was out there. Great memories - a beautiful place indeed.

[@rocklickranch2804]

I Love the SKS even though I only own one. It’s a shorty and I believe they were called “Cowboy Carbines” back in the 80’s. I know it’s a rifle that’s been modified by some company but it’s super accurate and handy.

[@Spikernaut]

SKS is a cool rifle not one I’ve seen people collect the way you do witch is awesome and your knowledge of the platform is amazing keep up the great work.

[@austinporter6701]

I think since these were so cheap for so long people took them for granted. There clearly a well built firearm robust unique and just strong as nails. And now im thinking the price is only going to go up

[@keithheinz1724]

Do it and do it now. Keep up this work. I'm still kicking myself for not owning any.

[@CanadaQKG]

when you show to the camera that shininess part on the stock and smelled it, perfect shows how much you love it

[@Toolness1]

Very nice, I have two "ghosts" one a 1956 in the 56,000's and one 1957 in 101,000. Also have a commercial Chinese. Then I have an unissued Yugo 59/66A1 w/ arsenal log book and a very nice one that was either hardly used or a refurb when I got it that serves as my Yugo shooter. The unissued one stays in the cosmo.

[@Triangle26]

Awesome!

[@death-to-dogma6142]

Glad to know I'm not the only one who likes to smell my milsurp rifles.

[@Triangle26]

Lol, you are definitely not alone.

[@jonathonwilliamson9879]

AJ, that is a beautiful collection of SKS history. And you saved what I was waiting on for last. Last But Certainly Not Least. The 56/57 Triangle 26 before the Triangle 26 was a thing. I like the term HYBRID that you put on it, as it was made in China with Russian parts.. Thanks for the vast knowledge and great video. Keep em coming

[@britishbulldog8966]

Medium luck for your near and future videos. Looking forward to future other pretty stuff. Full marks Mister Man, full marks. The day is yours.

[@nlomas]

I've never been into prepping but if I did this would have been a great rifle to buy on mass. I saw another video that said back in the day these were $100 each and came with 1000 rounds. You could probably get even more of a discount on 30 and then upgrade them with polymer furniture kits with pistol grips and extended mags. A bargain!

[@notsofast60]

Loved the video, and learned alot. Up here in Canada, i was able to buy and sell quite a few russian skss. Around 8-10 years ago, an unissued chinese and russian sks went for around $200. So i made a few bulk buys and got my friends into them. I’m a big fan of the izhevsk or izzy models. Now they have tripled in value. Wish i had just kept those bulk buys. Oh well, who knew?

[@Triangle26]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A familiar story here, I’m afraid. I got into surplus around 2012, and in my region of the States it was $3-400 for a Soviet, half that for the Chinese. I did well for a kid fresh out of high school, but what I wouldn’t give to take a little time travel shopping trip today!

[@sssIX86]

Its nice you have an Albanian in your collection and i always hear conflicting thoughts about it but i personally bias aside thats its made where im from

[@frankyg2384]

I have a 1950 Tula refurb I think because it's chrome lined and the stock is force matched, it has the spring loaded firing pin. I love it.

[@Triangle26]

Awesome!

[@dalanwanbdiska6542]

I had 7 sks over the few years of gun collecting. Sold or traded away. Now i have a single sks in original configuration so ill be keeping this one now till the day i die. The stock is pure red color and has 1952 marked on the back of the buttstock. The receiver top cover had 1950r on it but i swapped it to a 1954r tula star. The sks has a blade bayonet and a long barrel lug. I was thinking of swapping out my iron sights for a night battle sights, i know were to order some. I have another stock thats painted all black and i think im going to refinish it with some kind of cherry stain and use tung\ teek oil for the protection. I bedded the first Russia sks that i got and it worked wonders for the group. Instead of a big circle around the targets. The bedding helps keep the receiver from moving left and right. My bro has a chinese type 56 with long bayonet and its kinda orange in color, Norinco i think. My first sks was a 1954 tula in green tapco furniture.

[@Demonslayer666100]

Awesome video never seen that many. Just last week I got my hands on a Izhevsk sks $620 canadian after tax. It was only cheap because it has a tuna stock missing ,buttplate , rear sling mount and cleaning rod. The rest is in great shape inside and out.

[@Triangle26]

Awesome. Glad you got an Izhevsk - that’s a gem in any SKS collection.

[@boxertomus]

keep up the good work. I love your SKS videos

[@Triangle26]

Thanks so much!

[@VincDuran]

Thanks for the guided tour.

[@jefftarter4703]

Awesome collection!

[@Trevor-Belmont]

Awesome rundown video. The last one is my favorite one also.😉

[@tsarytsin]

Jealous much. I have a Tula and Norinco and also a Cowboys Companion that takes AK mags (my shooter, the other 2 are safe queens). I appreciate your videos and knowledge of the SKS platform. You can send me any of these if you want, especially the Yugo.

[@rodricklillard6256]

Nice...I so want another one

[@jahunterplus2809]

Man that is a nice sks collection

[@factorybear5264]

Thanks for the shout out again brother! I subbed and commented with my other account too.

[@Triangle26]

Thank you 🙏

[@jamescarter4175]

Nice collection!

[@jeremiahhook3001]

I love your videos man

[@Triangle26]

Thanks so much.

[@zKfh43]

Great video!

[@Triangle26]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@darthmartinez]

My Albanian SKS is a 1967 production model that has the heaviest trigger I have ever felt on a surplus rifle.

[@dimamoscow]

Nice video, man!

[@Triangle26]

Thanks friend!

[@Sleeperdude]

I just bought a norinco type 56 at a gun show that has an oval marking 9186. I haven’t heard you talk about that one in any of your videos. Didn’t know if it was rare or collectible?

[@Triangle26]

That's not an arsenal mark I am super familiar with. It's important to be aware that there are over 100 known arsenal marks, and many of them have not been definitively connected to their factory of origin. Your rifle is probably relatively rare, but not necessarily collectible. Well - not any more specifically collectible than any other 1970's Type 56 Carbine, which I would still consider to be very collectible. They are all phenomenal rifles in my experience, and often display unusual combinations of features!

[@Sleeperdude]

@@Triangle26 thank you for replying. I know how tough it is to keep up with comments and editing

[@arunaspaulionis8350]

Very interesting.

[@AdventureswithaaronB]

Absolutely love your stuff, hoping to get one if I could find it for less than 500 bucks

[@Kalash74]

u wont because this guy bought them all

[@Triangle26]

@@Kalash74 🥱 Actually I bought .0001% of them, but you better hurry up all the same. I won’t rest until I own the other 14,999,985 examples floating around.

[@CommieCrusher87]

I love this video.

[@Triangle26]

The feeling is mutual.

[@davy1458]

Back in the 1990s that whole collection would be about 88 dollars worth of sks's.....now it what? Like $15000

[@beelow84]

I had a 56 from 1967. Was mismatched, but it was a treat to shoot. Wonder if it was from the same conflict. I have no idea the origin. Traded that thing for a double stack Makarov and regretted it ever since.

[@Triangle26]

Ouch. I know the feeling of regretting a trade, it seems to come with the territory unfortunately. Never know what we are going to miss until it's gone!

[@beelow84]

@@Triangle26 truer words have never been spoken. Especially since I got rid of that mak almost right away. But, we live and learn. With your wealth of knowledge I can get some more learning out of the way. Lol. Glad I found the channel.

[@williamschmidt4229]

Great collection great video I subed great job

[@Triangle26]

Thank you, I appreciate that!

[@FayazAhmad-yl6spFZ]

The Chinese military SKSs made in 1978 to 1980 with serial number starts from 24 and company 26 are superb, as they were made on most modern machines then 1956 to 1970s technologie. Their barrel crome is better then all SKSs made in Russia and other countries including China SKSs made before 1978. This is why they are more accurate reliable and robust. My son has one the 1979 model in company blueish.

[@Factory_Muff]

Thanks for the shoutout bro

[@dalanwanbdiska6542]

Wow for the paratrooper

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

I only have a "paratrooper" and it's a fun little carbine. Does about 2.5" groups at 100 with tula/wolf and I'm content with that.

[@Triangle26]

Very nice. That’s about what mine does, and I consider that to be above average. I wouldn’t be surprised if the shorter barrels have tighter harmonics. Real fun carbines either way 👍

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

@@Triangle26 I believe so. Less barrel to flex.

[@ed5111]

Wow I have watched a few of your videos today and see you have and love Norinco sks rifles. I have two and need to know if mine are well here are the # 1 is a pinned barrel with a stamped trigger guard # is C - 17XXXXX no arsenal or factory stamp.. # 2 is one just like your sino-Banian you love so much stamp is factory 26 with three Chinese characters then 10XXXXXX I have enjoyed shooting these rifles and love the 7.62 x 39 knockdown power compared to my 556/223 Please let me know what I have here ( I think my #2 is a 1965 but do not know for sure) Thanks again. AND mine are not for sale EVER they will be passed on once I am gone...

[@Triangle26]

Awesome - sounds like you have some great rifles. You are correct about your Sino-Banian, that’s a 1965 just like mine! Rock solid. It’s hard to say exactly what the other is without seeing it, but I can make an educated guess. Probably a non-26 Type 56 Carbine made in 1972, scrubbed of military markings prior to export. The “C” prefix in the serial number is probably not original, and was most likely added by the importer - especially if that importer happened to be China Sports Industries out of Ontario California. Hope that helps!

[@ed5111]

@@Triangle26 Thanks soo much love the SKS it is well built and your videos great job thanks again.

[@ГеоргийКокиашвили]

Lucky u , guy! I wish I had that collection . I have just 1 . It is soviet SKS 1954 )

[@Triangle26]

Thanks friend. Having one is a whole lot better than none. Be careful though, I also started with a 1954 Soviet, and things clearly spiraled out of control fairly quickly.

[@JOEBURNES2006]

it smells like victory!!!!!

[@schwartzritterx5905]

I also have an Albanian SKS and I can attest that its reputation for poor quality control is well earned. I have shimmed mine to remove stock slop, replaced the bolt hold open because the original was cut improperly, allowing enough play to let the bolt jump it when under full recoil impulse (meaning the hold open wouldn't work half the time) and is even more cranky regarding stripper clips than the average SKS due to a poorly milled cut in the bolt carrier to accommodate the clip. That being said, the same rifle is a tack driver. That was the issue with the Albanian rifles. Mine looks and acts like a true beater, but shoots straight. Another Albanian can come out looking good and run worse than a Ford Pinto. Considering only a few thousand of these variants still exist, I am proud to have it despite its obvious flaws.

[@Triangle26]

Awesome. I love tinkering with finicky rifles because in my experience, it’s the best way to develop a nuanced understanding of exactly how each component and assembly works together. Shooting is a lot for fun when you know what’s going on “under the hood”. And absolutely - the Albanians are just so unique in terms of their design elements, and as you say, so few are left. Definitely an example to be proud of.

[@AdventureswithaaronB]

Question, just purchased the triangle 26. Perfect condition but didn’t come with the bayonet. Will any SKS bayonet work for it? Or does it have to be the think pokey one. Idk what it’s called

[@Jamir1983]

Sks Albania è il più bello in assoluto. Si tratta di un pezzo raro e unico che altri cuccioli non c'è l'hanno 😊

[@coreylahey9309]

You need an E. German moon rock. Ive been hanging on to a Norinco imported with the big 20rd mag since highschool

[@maverickpaladin4155]

Really cool collection. That Izhevsk is AMAZING!!! Really impressive refurb work, Mr 26. Of all the ones you have, for me it'd be a toss up between the '79 Factory 26, the M59, and the Izhevsk. Really hard choice between those 3. How do I get some Czech stripper clips from you?

[@Triangle26]

I really appreciate it - and agree with your assessment. Almost all SKS’s are excellent, but those three are definitely a cut above the rest. Right now you can find my clips on eBay (longtaingoods)or GunBroker(cheetah81). If you decide to make a purchase, make sure to attach a note to the order mentioning you are a friend of the channel and I’ll toss in a few extra.

[@robertfoote3255]

Nice!

[@cartermorey8647]

thanks for the showing! can you tell us the real story behind the sks short barreled "paratrooper" model?

[@Triangle26]

That's a good idea, I'll put it on the list. Thanks!

[@Jimmybats_sportscards]

NICE COLLECTION!!! I have some questions about an SKS I have....It was given to me after my grandpa passed and I want to know more about it. How can I reach out?

[@Triangle26]

[e-mail]

[@rickpope6737]

Would love to see a more detailed show an tell on that ghost. What Russian marks are on it?What to look for in finding one

[@Triangle26]

Roger that. I’ve gotten a couple requests on that now - so I will make that one a priority 👍

[@DYLANKNAPP94]

My first gun is a Chinese SKS for $400cdn I got it at a steal because the wood though not in mint condition it came with a Russian stock, Russian bolt and my mag is having issues so I picked up a Russian internal mag for it. My 1967 triangle 26 had such a nice trigger and lightweight, then i got a 1954 Tula SKS from my roomie and a single barrel break action .410 shotgun, both for $500cdn, with the Russian import ban, that rifle is in mint condition never fired and is worth $600cdn to $800cdn easy.

[@dingdingding4033]

😊

[@robertcassick8614]

Also matching #’s

[@1337skillz95]

Hey I just picked up a milsurp yugo sks canvas sling and was wondering what is the best way to clean stains from the canvas and remove rust from the metal? It's absolutely filthy.

[@Triangle26]

I’m not an expert in restoration, but I can tell you what I do. For canvas: Soak the sling in lukewarm water and diluted dish soap. Scrub with firm bristled nylon brush, applying concentrated dish soap directly to stains. Rinse thoroughly with cool water until soap residue is removed. Air dry. For rusty metal: Apply CLP liberally to affected areas. Scrub aggressively with bronze brush or copper wool, wiping clean with rag - until all rust is removed. If original finish has been lost, conservative touch ups with cold-bluing can restore aesthetics and provide a little protection for the future. Good luck!

[@1337skillz95]

@@Triangle26 Thanks. Also would you mind showing proper yugo sling attachment when you get around to doing the video?

[@Roboutdoors17]

Hey, I was wondering if you could try and help me identify an odd ball sks, My friend has a oval 974 with a 1.2 mil serial number. Love the Channel by the way!

[@HadleyJ.M.-vo7ie]

Hey man as a newbie to Rifles ...can you recommend me a Decent quality SKS on the cheaper end? I either want one of those or I’m gonna end up having to buy an AR as I want to get a rifle before SHTF or the ban. Thanks buddy

[@Triangle26]

Hey man, good questions. I’ve got a whole video on the pros and cons of using an SKS in a serious defensive role that might interest you. It’s called “Is the SKS Obsolete?” The main takeaway of that video is that the SKS is almost never the most practical choice on today’s market. It performs extremely well considering it’s age, and it is *viable* , but that doesn’t make it ideal. If your goal is to be able to protect yourself and your loved ones as effectively as possible, an entry level AR-15 with a red dot, flashlight, and sling is clearly a better choice for just about the same price. If for whatever reason you decide that the SKS is still the right choice for you, look for the cheapest military configuration Chinese Type 56 Carbine you can find. SKS patterns are priced based on rarity, not quality. The Chinese models are phenomenally well valued rifles, and as long as you get one that uses the original parts, it will almost certainly be one of the most dependable rifles you ever own.

[@donjohnson5172]

I keep hearing the term "letter series" when reading and watching stuff on the Chinese rifles. What the heck does it mean? There's just so much conflicting info out there.

[@donjohnson5172]

And I'd really like to talk to you about that commercial/conventional Chinese variant. I'm in the process of buying a rifle that doesn't have an arsenal stamp on it, and no Chinese characters. Serial number is 5 digits everywhere except the receiver itself. All the numbers match (except the original fixed mag, because someone threw it away a long time ago trying to use duckbills). First two digits of the serial on the receiver are 12, then there are five more digits and a D at the very end. This is on the receiver only. The rest of the gun just has 5 digits everywhere else, including the stock. It's a screw in barrel with a spike bayonet. What the heck is this thing? If it's commercial, is that a bad thing? I read stuff about how there were "military rifles and then those cheap commercial guns". But nobody ever actually talks about what makes the commercial undesirable.

[@Triangle26]

In this context, the term “letter rifles” refers to Type 56 Carbines made at Jianshe between 1959 and 1960. For those two years and those two years only, the Chinese adopted a Soviet style, alphanumeric block serialization method. For example, serial number on a letter series rifle would look like *A 1234* rather than *4001234*. Other identifying features of letter series rifles are the presence of a /26\ stamp next to the serial number, NO three character Chinese model designation, and a blade bayonet. There is a lot of debate in the collector community about these rifles. That said - there doesn’t need to be. There are primary source Chinese documents confirming the the letter series was was manufactured in ‘59 and ‘60. It should also be noted that the same term “letter series” is also used by Soviet SKS collectors to refer to a totally different group of rifles (specifically Soviet SKS-45s made between 1956 and 1958, which utilize and alphabetical suffix, in addition the the traditional prefix). Hope that clears things up a bit at least?

[@Triangle26]

@@donjohnson5172Short answer, Commercial conventional is NOT a bad thing. The whole “military good, commercial bad” is and always has been a myth - I hope to have a video on that subject out at some point in the future. Based on your description, I think it is *most likely* that what you are looking at is a commercial conventional carbine made on a sanitized 1967 receiver. It may truly be an originally matching rifle - it may be that some of those matching components were ground and restamped during pre-export assembly. I’ve seen both. Either way - no cause for concern or pause. It may just be a 1967 military rifle that the Chinese ground a few markings off in order to ship to western markets. It may be a Frankenstein of parts - but you can bet your bottom dollar that all those parts were produced to mil spec.

[@donjohnson5172]

@@Triangle26 that's exactly what I needed to hear, thank you! So much conflicting info out there and the few pages I found on SKS boards had great info but they seemed to cover every type of setup besides my own. What really threw me for a loop was what looker to be a commercial rifle that had the first two numbers well below 88. Then that D at the very end of the number made things even more wonky. Couple that with the fact that it appears to be a screw in type barrel, with a U marked rear sight, and stamped trigger group... I didn't know what the heck to think!

[@mchankerhoff853]

That’s some pretty other stuff you have there dude.

[@charlessedlacek5754]

What is your opinion of the sks "sporter"?..bought one at a pawn shop. It takes ak mags from the factory and is shorter than a standard ak. Do you regard that as a true sks?

[@Triangle26]

So this really comes down to what you mean by "true" SKS. I don't think there is a lot of room of subjectivity on that question - either something is an SKS pattern carbine or it isn't. The Sporter *is* an SKS, there is nothing else it could be. It is impossible to understand the complete story of the SKS without acknowledging the significance of Chinese commercial production in the late '80s and early '90s. When we start talking about collecting however, all of a sudden everything becomes subjective. Some collector's are exclusively interested in rifles with specific military provenance. Some collector's are exclusively interested in commercial oddities. Most people are somewhere in between. Half the fun is getting to decide that for yourself. As for my personal opinion on the Sporter, I've never handled or shot one unfortunately. I generally find myself seeking out military examples, however if I ever had the opportunity to snap up a Sporter for a good price I would do so in a heartbeat. It looks like a ton of fun to shoot, and I would have a great time dissecting it, figuring out exactly how it was made, and comparing it with earlier Chinese military examples.

[@AmandaPanda-nq1do]

Question #2. Thanks for answering last. My 93 sks sportster, the frame is about 1tenth an inch loose from stock. Forward to back. How to secure or is this normal?

[@Triangle26]

It’s fairly common, but definitely worth fixing. The easy fix is temporary shims. I usually use material from aluminum cans. The more permanent fix is epoxy bedding!

[@AmandaPanda-nq1do]

Thankyou for your knowledge, epoxy was my first thought. Coming from you l'm on the right track.

[@AmandaPanda-nq1do]

@@Triangle26 Applied epoxy inside stock where the trigger lock post backs up to. A Little sanding, reassembled and my Sporter is tight and right. Thankyou for your valuable knowledge and support. Happy shooting.

[@toska3528]

I own a 1950, parts matching, Tula SKS.

[@Triangle26]

Nice!

[@SanitysVoid]

How do the night sites on the yugo work? I had one and sold it. Never noticed any night sites or how they worked.

[@daggerg8451]

So are the early Yugoslavians more accurate than the later versions? Beautiful collection by the way

[@Triangle26]

Great question. No, I don’t think that the early Yugos are more accurate than the later versions. I think that the fact that my M59 happens to be my best shooter is a coincidence. I do however think that Yugos, categorically, have the highest accuracy potential of all SKS variants - and that opinion is overwhelming based off my experiences shooting later M59/66A1s.

[@savagecabbage2266]

Where can I get more info on the sino-banian sks? I have one but haven't heard anyone other than a handful of people on reddit mention them

[@Triangle26]

I talk about them a good bit in this video: The “Classic” Debacle: Was Your Rifle in ‘Nam? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWPMkqB5jcaLrbs

[@wazeerijlal1262]

what is the actual price of sks chinese rifle in intl market....?

[@lidijabacic8348]

what wood is that on that m66 yugo. looks like laminate.

[@Triangle26]

It's definitely not laminate, but I can see how the wood grain gives that impression on camera. I'm not really knowledgeable enough about wood to tell for sure, but the general consensus seems to be beech or elm.

[@jamessmith989]

You didn't keep a detachable mag version?

[@Triangle26]

I never owned one to begin with. To be honest, I looked down on them when I was new to the hobby. These days I don’t take things so seriously, and would love to find an SKS-M or Sporter to add to my collection. Who knows if it will ever happen though…

[@Daniel-xq7ny]

Hi. How's the accuracy and function of your 1979 with the plastic handguard? Thanks

[@Triangle26]

Function is excellent, accuracy is not notably good nor bad. That said, accuracy can vary from example to example. Overall my opinion of the 1979's is that they are excellent.

[@Daniel-xq7ny]

@@Triangle26 Another question. Are the SKS less accurate with the bayonet and cleaning rod in place, compared to when removed? Thanks

[@Triangle26]

@@Daniel-xq7ny In theory, yes. The bayonet and cleaning rod (moreso the bayonet) probably have a harmonic dampening effect which should positively effect accuracy. In practice, I've never noticed this to have a functional difference. In other words, removing or adding these features is extremely unlikely to make the difference between hitting or missing a target.

[@Treb1911]

No SKS variant "D or M"?

[@Triangle26]

Nope. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have one, but generally speaking my interest is much more heavily focused on the military variants.