Where Have All the SKS's Gone?

[insider]

Over 30 years has passed since the Chinese SKS was imported in large numbers, many collectors bought them cheap!
People are getting old and many states are banning the SKS, the market is seeing an uptick in SKS's coming out of old collections.
Prices are high for pristine all matching copies. Spare parts are getting scarce and expensive too.
What say the Hive? 

[JimmyJamesKY]

Prince 50 & PAX bought them all up! 

Just kidding of course, but those guys could team up and start an SKS museum!  Glad I got mine when I did, even though I was late to the game.

I'd still like to have a nice Russian, but can't afford one right now.  Last gun related item I bought was a new charging handle for my PSA AR-15.  The OEM one was leaving metal flakes on top of the receiver, and just feels flimsy.  I'm embarrassed to say when the last time I was at the range.

SKS' are still out there, you can find a deal here and there if you check out pawn shops and flea markets, depending on where you live.

[joe66]

I still see them in the pawn shops occasionally.

[PAX]

Funny JJ. I've sold more than I've bought recently, 17 gone, 3 came in. Moved all the dupes, mismatched or parts-built guns, a couple Albanians and a Romy. The market is crazy, a lot of folks with "one of" have been letting theirs go for fair prices, mostly because of the ammo cost, no cheap Chinese or Ukrainian coming in. I kinda quit jumping on every inexpensive Chinese rifle that I came across but still look in all the various forum marketplaces for euro rifles or Paratroopers. PAX

[LESchwartz]

Funny JJ. I've sold more than I've bought recently, 17 gone, 3 came in. Moved all the dupes, mismatched or parts-built guns, a couple Albanians and a Romy. The market is crazy, a lot of folks with "one of" have been letting theirs go for fair prices, mostly because of the ammo cost, no cheap Chinese or Ukrainian coming in. I kinda quit jumping on every inexpensive Chinese rifle that I came across but still look in all the various forum marketplaces for euro rifles or Paratroopers. PAX

This is a great reminder:  Buy it cheap and stack it deep!  I was big into AK-74 rifles until cheap mil-surp was banned.  After that every trip to the range was painful, because of the cost.

Right now I'm sitting on a huge stash of 7.62x39 . . . as they say, "never again".

Larry

[JimmyJamesKY]

Funny JJ.

I meant no offense, my intent was to compliment your collection, especially some of your "clone" pieces.  I admire your work.

[PAX]

Thanks man, I wasn't taken back. In the olden days I was scarfing them up as fast as I could afford, barreled actions and parts lots too. Used to be a lot of bits and pieces around. When Lkermit got sick, I had just picked up 3 rifles from him. When he passed his wife and son sold me enough stuff to assemble 5 more complete rifles, 2 scrubbed, the rest mixers, and I had enough left over to get a couple SARCO barreled actions built just within a few years ago. It's been enjoyable and rewarding and got me out from under VWs. Guns take up less room and don't smell like 90 wt. PAX

[LESchwartz]

Lkermit

There's a name I haven't heard in about seven years . . . RIP

Larry

[PAX]

Lkermit

There's a name I haven't heard in about seven years . . . RIP

Larry

I picked up all his SKS parts except his bull pup stocks. I think he had 4 or 5, each a little different. A few of the trigger groups had holes for the modified trigger mechanism. Yes, RIP my man, PAX