Saiga vs the SKS

[Harpzcord76 0]

Hello I have wondering which rifle to purchase for awhile. I have a Chinese SKS rifle that is stock on hold for me in very good condition at a local gun shop . I have been shopping around and really like the Saiga sporter rifle in .223 or 7.62x 39 as well . But it seems that no one has it in stock and would have to order it and take several months to get . I'm leaning towards the Saiga cause it will be new and have no probelms . Can any one give me some advice on the topic thanks or even let me know which caliber would be better 7.62 or .223 ,also 16 or 20 inch barrel ? thanks the new F.N.G.

[kresk 10,063]

Check Gilberts and Classic Arms as they usually have the rifles in stock. Consensus seems to be that there is not a great deal of accuracy between the different barrel lengths. Caliber? Your preference, but consider price, availability, possiblity of reloading. They are both meant to be 300 meter battle rifles with effectiveness out to 500m or so.

 

And, welcome to the forum!

[nalioth 405]

Several months to get? I'd find a new gun store.

 

I order direct from Gilberts and they deliver to my local FFL dealer. Takes less than a week.

 

Saigas are great rifles, no matter the caliber.

 

Welcome to the forums.

[ArcFault 4]

This is just opinion, but if I had to choose between an SKS (assuming its in excellent condition) and an unconverted Saiga, I would take the SKS, but thats just me. Now, if the plan is to convert, I would take the Saiga every time. Saigas are lighter than SKSs, the US made triggers are better than any SKS trigger, they are more simple than an SKS, and generally more accurate. Come to think of it, I'm not sure why I would take an SKS over an unconverted Saiga, I just like 'em I guess.

 

As far as chambering is concerned, it depends on what you want to do with it. Both rounds are good, but most states wont let you hunt deer with .223, and as for barrel length, I like 16".

[Harpzcord76 0]

Thanks guys I'll try those places . In Maryland I have to fill out paperwork that is required to purchase a hand gun .Because it is a regulated firearm what is the process do i find a ffl dealer first and then order from Gilberts or classic arms that seems like the most logical . I have never purchased a firearm online or done a transfer . What is a good price for a transfer ?

[Harpzcord76 0]

No sweat Arcfault that is why i posted this I want opinions as well thanks . I mainly want this for going to the range and plinking but also plan on doing some reloading in the future as I have heard ammo is getting kind of thin on certain calibers.

[longhunter-CO 0]

If you are running a SKS then I would get a 7.62 Saiga. That way you hit the gun show/gun shop and you are looking for one item. Buy it cheap and stack it deep!

[kresk 10,063]

Thanks guys I'll try those places . In Maryland I have to fill out paperwork that is required to purchase a hand gun .Because it is a regulated firearm what is the process do i find a ffl dealer first and then order from Gilberts or classic arms that seems like the most logical . I have never purchased a firearm online or done a transfer . What is a good price for a transfer ?

FFL's generally seem to charge $15-$30 for a transfer nowadays.

[soberups 1]

I own both...an unconverted Saiga 16" in 7.62x39 and a Yugo 59/66 SKS. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

The Saiga is shorter, lighter, and has a better trigger. It has a detachable mag and, with mods for 922 compliance, is easier to set up as a high capacity weapon with a pistol grip. It is an AK, with the legendary AK durability and parts availability. It is a bit easier to take down for cleaning. It is also easier to mount a scope to.

The SKS is cheaper and a bit more accurate. It also uses stripper clips, which are WAY cheaper than detachable magazines (24 clips for less than $10). The Saiga uses a detatchable mag that is expensive and limited to 10 rounds. It will not accept standard AK mags without modification, which then compels a conversion to comply with 922r. With the SKS, you can preload 200 rounds or more into stripper clips and keep the gun running almost as fast as with detachable mags.The SKS's have a blued finish, while the finish on the Saiga looks like something a 3rd grader did with a can of spray paint. Wood vs synthetic stocks are a matter of personal taste but the stock on my Saiga looks cheap and constantly loosens up when I fire it, whereas I was able to sand and finish the stock on my SKS with linseed oil to make a very attractive rifle.

If you want a gun to convert, and are willing to invest more $$ in, buy the Saiga. If you want a cheap shooter, the SKS is better in some respects. As far as calibers go, 7.62x39 is WAAAAY cheaper to buy in bulk than .223, and is also legal for deer where the .223 isnt.

[Harpzcord76 0]

Thanks soberups that helps a lot. Are those stripper clips available ? I have heard that you can modify the SKS to accept ak mags both I don't really think I want to go that route . Maryland laws say that no hi cap mags and i want to stay in complaince with the law .

[soberups 1]

Thanks soberups that helps a lot. Are those stripper clips available ? I have heard that you can modify the SKS to accept ak mags both I don't really think I want to go that route . Maryland laws say that no hi cap mags and i want to stay in complaince with the law .

SKS's can theoretically be modified to accept AK mags but my understanding is that its not cost effective. You can also buy 20 or 30 round detachable "duckbill" mags for the SKS, but they are very prone to jamming and violate 922r unless you buy a bunch of other compliance parts.

If you live in a state that limits you to 10 rounds no matter what, the SKS might be a better choice. Stripper clips are legal and available everywhere, but the stock 10 rd magazine for your Saiga runs $25 or $30 and you only get one with the rifle. Not trying to dis on the Saiga...I own one and like it...but the SKS is a nice little gun for cheap.

[ArcFault 4]

SKS's can theoretically be modified to accept AK mags but my understanding is that its not cost effective. You can also buy 20 or 30 round detachable "duckbill" mags for the SKS, but they are very prone to jamming and violate 922r unless you buy a bunch of other compliance parts.

If you live in a state that limits you to 10 rounds no matter what, the SKS might be a better choice. Stripper clips are legal and available everywhere, but the stock 10 rd magazine for your Saiga runs $25 or $30 and you only get one with the rifle. Not trying to dis on the Saiga...I own one and like it...but the SKS is a nice little gun for cheap.

 

+1 to that, I've modded them and I've kept them stock and keeping an SKS stock is the way to go.

 

Bummer on the ten round limit Harpz. In light of that I'm inclined to agree with soberups, I have never been disapointed in a single SKS that I have bought. If you decide to go that route just make sure you know what you are buying, with the SKS you are usually looking at a used rifle, so make sure its in good shape. Also, China made their later SKS's with stamped receivers and trigger groups, while these do work fine, they really aren't as nice as the milled models. I have one with a stamped trigger group and while the SKS is not known for having an outstanding trigger, the stamped one is definitely the worst, gritty, heavy and vague.

 

So, take your time and do some research, unless you think you are looking at the deal of a lifetime I can assure you that there will be another one. Besides, the rule is that you will always find a better deal once you have signed the papers and handed over the cash.

[yellow12 0]

A couple years back I bought an sks for $125, loved that rifle very accurate, one day my wife and I was working in the yard my wife in the back me in the front, I heard a dog growling and barking, when I ran around back a stray dog was attempting to attack my wife, we managed to get in the house, I grabbed my sks 7x62x39, which held ten rounds, when I returned to the back yard, the dog was still there shot him once in the left shoulder knocked him flat, he jumped up vbarking and yelping in pain, I then begin shooting him until he was dead took the other nine shots, when I looked at the dog closer 7 shots had hit the dog and went through him in several places, from the shoulders down his side, granted I was shooting FMJ surplus, I have heard stories time and time again about the 7x62 not being any good ballistacally, well to end the story the next day I gave the sks to my son, and got a saiga in the 223 from gilberts, no more 7x62x39 for me.

[mccumber1916 1]

A couple years back I bought an sks for $125, loved that rifle very accurate, one day my wife and I was working in the yard my wife in the back me in the front, I heard a dog growling and barking, when I ran around back a stray dog was attempting to attack my wife, we managed to get in the house, I grabbed my sks 7x62x39, which held ten rounds, when I returned to the back yard, the dog was still there shot him once in the left shoulder knocked him flat, he jumped up vbarking and yelping in pain, I then begin shooting him until he was dead took the other nine shots, when I looked at the dog closer 7 shots had hit the dog and went through him in several places, from the shoulders down his side, granted I was shooting FMJ surplus, I have heard stories time and time again about the 7x62 not being any good ballistacally, well to end the story the next day I gave the sks to my son, and got a saiga in the 223 from gilberts, no more 7x62x39 for me.

 

at the distance... i think the 223 would do the same

[soberups 1]

...I returned to the back yard, the dog was still there shot him once in the left shoulder knocked him flat, he jumped up vbarking and yelping in pain, I then begin shooting him until he was dead took the other nine shots, when I looked at the dog closer 7 shots had hit the dog and went through him in several places, from the shoulders down his side, granted I was shooting FMJ surplus...

You shot him in the shoulder and KNOCKED HIM DOWN. Mission accomplished.Shooting an animal, or person, isnt like what you see in the movies. Any FMJ round will drill right thru a target and not expand unless it hits bone. Death is never instantaneous, If you want instant death, shoot in the head. I have shot 200 lb deer thru the heart and both lungs with a 30.06...which hits WAY harder than any 7.62x39 or .223...and the deer ran almost 100 yards before dropping. It was a perfect shot, the bullet went in and out with good expansion, but the deer just took a few seconds to figure out that it was dead. By your logic, I need to dump the 30.06 for something more powerful...but millions of dead deer, elk, bears and enemy combatants would beg to disagree.

Edited August 27, 2007 by soberups

[ArcFault 4]

What they said.

 

Both rounds are killers. Given that distance I would rather have the .30 caliber. Load either rifle with SP ammo and the results would have been different, I doubt that the chambering was an issue there.

[Willie D 2]

I like shooting my Yugo SKS a bit more than my (not yet converted) Saiga but I would recommend either. I would really like to get an unissued 59/66 in blond wood while they are still available. If i could get a Chinese one with a 20 round star mag or something I might be interested but their regular SKSs don't interest me that much from a collector's standpoint.

[yellow12 0]

...I returned to the back yard, the dog was still there shot him once in the left shoulder knocked him flat, he jumped up vbarking and yelping in pain, I then begin shooting him until he was dead took the other nine shots, when I looked at the dog closer 7 shots had hit the dog and went through him in several places, from the shoulders down his side, granted I was shooting FMJ surplus...

You shot him in the shoulder and KNOCKED HIM DOWN. Mission accomplished.Shooting an animal, or person, isnt like what you see in the movies. Any FMJ round will drill right thru a target and not expand unless it hits bone. Death is never instantaneous, If you want instant death, shoot in the head. I have shot 200 lb deer thru the heart and both lungs with a 30.06...which hits WAY harder than any 7.62x39 or .223...and the deer ran almost 100 yards before dropping. It was a perfect shot, the bullet went in and out with good expansion, but the deer just took a few seconds to figure out that it was dead. By your logic, I need to dump the 30.06 for something more powerful...but millions of dead deer, elk, bears and enemy combatants would beg to disagree.

What comparing a 30.06 to a 7x62x39 I have saw people hit the sks ak fire, anyone hunting bear with a 7x62x39 has got to be out of there mind.

Edited August 27, 2007 by novice12

[mr. fudd 0]

...I returned to the back yard, the dog was still there shot him once in the left shoulder knocked him flat, he jumped up vbarking and yelping in pain, I then begin shooting him until he was dead took the other nine shots, when I looked at the dog closer 7 shots had hit the dog and went through him in several places, from the shoulders down his side, granted I was shooting FMJ surplus...

You shot him in the shoulder and KNOCKED HIM DOWN. Mission accomplished.Shooting an animal, or person, isnt like what you see in the movies. Any FMJ round will drill right thru a target and not expand unless it hits bone. Death is never instantaneous, If you want instant death, shoot in the head. I have shot 200 lb deer thru the heart and both lungs with a 30.06...which hits WAY harder than any 7.62x39 or .223...and the deer ran almost 100 yards before dropping. It was a perfect shot, the bullet went in and out with good expansion, but the deer just took a few seconds to figure out that it was dead. By your logic, I need to dump the 30.06 for something more powerful...but millions of dead deer, elk, bears and enemy combatants would beg to disagree.

What comparing a 30.06 to a 7x62x39 I have saw people hit the sks ak fire, anyone hunting bear with a 7x62x39 has got to be out of there mind.

 

I have killed a bear with a MAK90 and it went right down. Of course I was using a soft tip expanding bullet and not Wolf or Golden Tiger. The 7.62x39 is about the same as a 30-30 ballistically, and that's plenty to deal with 200 lb. black bears. Now that I have an S308, I'd use that instead, but otherwise I found the AK to be the perfect weapon for hunting bears in thick cover. It's short, handy, fires an adequate cartridge and is super reliable. Accuracy wasn't much of an issue as I was stalking them in heavy cover, (near the feed barrels put out by the Rainier Timber Company to prevent damage to their seedlings), and no shot would have been at more than 50 yards.

 

It was one of the most exciting hunting experiences I have ever had. There's nothing like scrambling down a small trail to a feed barrel with thick vegetation on all sides and seeing signs all around you of bear activity.

[mr. fudd 0]

I own both...an unconverted Saiga 16" in 7.62x39 and a Yugo 59/66 SKS. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

The Saiga is shorter, lighter, and has a better trigger. It has a detachable mag and, with mods for 922 compliance, is easier to set up as a high capacity weapon with a pistol grip. It is an AK, with the legendary AK durability and parts availability. It is a bit easier to take down for cleaning. It is also easier to mount a scope to.

The SKS is cheaper and a bit more accurate. It also uses stripper clips, which are WAY cheaper than detachable magazines (24 clips for less than $10). The Saiga uses a detatchable mag that is expensive and limited to 10 rounds. It will not accept standard AK mags without modification, which then compels a conversion to comply with 922r. With the SKS, you can preload 200 rounds or more into stripper clips and keep the gun running almost as fast as with detachable mags.The SKS's have a blued finish, while the finish on the Saiga looks like something a 3rd grader did with a can of spray paint. Wood vs synthetic stocks are a matter of personal taste but the stock on my Saiga looks cheap and constantly loosens up when I fire it, whereas I was able to sand and finish the stock on my SKS with linseed oil to make a very attractive rifle.

If you want a gun to convert, and are willing to invest more $$ in, buy the Saiga. If you want a cheap shooter, the SKS is better in some respects. As far as calibers go, 7.62x39 is WAAAAY cheaper to buy in bulk than .223, and is also legal for deer where the .223 isnt.

 

Big +1 to that. SKS's are fantastic rifles for the price and everyone ought to pick up at least one while they're still cheap. They won't be forever. One thing that should be mentioned however is that it's relatively easy to mount a scope to an AK and to do it well. There are top cover mounts available for SKS's, but they aren't very solid, mount the scope too far to the rear and the scope tends to get battered by brass since the SKS ejects upward. If you do get an SKS, just keep it stock. It's a great rifle in that configuration and the "improvements" that people make to them are, IMO, of very dubious value.

[Bad Bob 0]

Hello I have wondering which rifle to purchase for awhile. I have a Chinese SKS rifle that is stock on hold for me in very good condition at a local gun shop . I have been shopping around and really like the Saiga sporter rifle in .223 or 7.62x 39 as well . But it seems that no one has it in stock and would have to order it and take several months to get . I'm leaning towards the Saiga cause it will be new and have no probelms . Can any one give me some advice on the topic thanks or even let me know which caliber would be better 7.62 or .223 ,also 16 or 20 inch barrel ? thanks the new F.N.G.

FWIW, I had a buddy (many years ago) who bought a Chicom SKS - it was a great deal at the time, and the rifle functioned without a problem. Based on his experience, I bought one - and it was the only 'unsafe-from-the-factory' firearm I ever purchased. I discovered that my Chicom SKS (NOT my buddy's) would fire under certain circumstances, if I had the firearm cocked, and simply released the safety! That was NOT acceptable to me. In my opinion, the quality of Chicom SKSs varies from excellent to suicidal. If you can tell the difference - FOR SURE - buy one.

 

I also passed on a stock Chicom AK, because the mag release was absolutely frozen in the 'closed' position,' with a standard AK mag in place. An easy fix - but why should the buyer have to fix it?

 

Bottom line: don't buy problems, whatever you buy. In my opinion (based on my limited experience), a Saiga will NOT present you with safety or basic functionality problems. I think (based on my personal experiences) that Russian quality control is MUCH, MUCH better than Chicom quality control...

 

Obviously, your mileage may vary, don't buy junk, if you buy a 'GOOD piece of junk,' please don't feel obliged to tell me, just post your experiences here, etc., etc...

 

(By the way, the Chicom 20-rd mag I bought for the SKS was also a complete piece of crap. It would make an average door-stop, but that's about it. Be very, very careful with Chicom hardware. Caveat emptor... )

[soberups 1]

If an SKS is in your future you might consider getting one of the "unissued" Yugo M59/66 versions. They are on Gunbroker for around $200-$225. I paid $219 for one that had been arenal refurbished, unfired, with matching serial#s. Most are still packed in cosmoline, which requires a thorough disassemply and cleaning before firing, which is an excellent way to become familiar with the weapon. I am very happy with mine, it even came with the original sling, cleaning kit and magazine pouch. Even has a bayonet. The Yugo's have a milled reciever and are of better quality than many of the Chinese ones.