Marlin 336C debicle

[James86]

They had some Norinco SKS's at Cabela's in LaVista yesterday, they were pretty tempting and they even used detachable mags. I am trying to hold myself to getting a lighter/cheaper to feed bolt action first (probably Savage) I want to get something in the SKS's genre (AR, AK, SKS) it is easy to dicker back and forth on which one is better. For every good area one gun has, it also has a weakness that another gun shines in and vice versa.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!!!!

Owning a WASR-10 (AK derivative) as well as an SKS, they are NOT the same category..... like comparing an M1 to an AR - different principles in design. One is a carbine and the other is an assault rifle. The AK is a helluva lot smaller than the SKS, and the SKS has a longer barrel and better accuracy. Besides, depending on state laws, you cant have a large capacity magazine anyways, so unless you want to be able to store your rifle in a pond and still have it operable, SKS > AK. I love the SKS, but the AK is basically the "I dont care what shitty ammo I feed it" plinker. First firearm was an 8mm Mauser, so getting a .22LR plinker wouldn't seem right to me...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!!!!

Owning a WASR-10 (AK derivative) as well as an SKS, they are NOT the same category..... like comparing an M1 to an AR - different principles in design. One is a carbine and the other is an assault rifle. The AK is a helluva lot smaller than the SKS, and the SKS has a longer barrel and better accuracy. Besides, depending on state laws, you cant have a large capacity magazine anyways, so unless you want to be able to store your rifle in a pond and still have it operable, SKS > AK. I love the SKS, but the AK is basically the "I dont care what shitty ammo I feed it" plinker. First firearm was an 8mm Mauser, so getting a .22LR plinker wouldn't seem right to me...

To me they are in the same "military type gun to mess around with and maybe hunt with" category.

No rules about big mags but I don't see myself needing/wanting them often... basically non-issue. The internal mag SKS has about double the capacity of anything else I have aside from my .22 which it would tie. They had three or four of them up at Cabela's with detachable mags too if I wanted to go that route.

The big strike against the SKS to me is the stock. The rear grip is too flat for me (much like a Mauser) and while yes there are aftermarket stocks for it, all the ones that I otherwise like so far have the "Tacticool" rails all over them.

AK+
reliable
deer hunting legal round
tons of stuff available
sorta accurate
easy to mount a scope (which I think would increase accuracy)
neat looking
detachable mag (I wouldn't be terribly opposed to even a 10rd Wasr)

AK-
Kinda pricey per accuracy
short sight radius
quality is hit or miss
cruddy stock sights
heavy

SKS+
cheap
longish barrel
longer sight radius
deer hunting legal round
some stuff available
more than sorta accurate
decent reliablity
don't have to worry about detachable mag messing things up

SKS-
uncomfortable stock
same cruddy sights as AK
heavy
not as much stuff out there
quality is hit or miss
harder to mount scope
looks like a break action bb gun with a bayonet

AR+
accurate
light
comfortable
available new
tons of stuff available
detachable mag

AR-
very pricey
more complicated/picky
not deer hunting legal unless you pony up even more money for the 7.62x51 variant (which would then blow the other two away for accuracy)

Basically there inlies my delima. I ain't in a hurry so I ain't too worried about it though.

 

[James86]

I get what you mean about the stock, I guess I just prefer the classic military stocks. I never thought I'd like a pistol grip on a rifle but it grew on me.

 

[88_Eddie]

i have a norinco SKS, got it for $125 about 7 years ago. the price has gone up because they stopped making them (or so someone told me at a gun shop). a prized SKS would be finding a russian one, those are the best quality with the norinco's behind them. the rest of them are hit or miss and i wouldnt waste my money on them.

it's a fun gun to shoot, but i wouldnt recomend them, unless it was just something you wanted to hang on your wall and add to your collection.
-the factory wooden stock has a LOP that is way too short unless you're a 4'-8" chinaman.
-on top of that, all of the weight is in your non trigger pulling hand, it's extremely unbalanced.
-there are some accessories for them, a lot more than when i first got mine, but nothing close to an AK or AR.
-using the factory mag with stripper clips is the way to go, the detachable ones take a lot of filing to get them to feed right.

 

[heptofite]

if you want an AK for hunting, get a Izhmash Saiga, it's made on the same lines as the legit russian AKs, and is a legit russian AK, with a sportzerised stock and trigger group.

can get them between 300-600 brand new.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

i have a norinco SKS, got it for $125 about 7 years ago. the price has gone up because they stopped making them (or so someone told me at a gun shop). a prized SKS would be finding a russian one, those are the best quality with the norinco's behind them. the rest of them are hit or miss and i wouldnt waste my money on them.

it's a fun gun to shoot, but i wouldnt recomend them, unless it was just something you wanted to hang on your wall and add to your collection.
-the factory wooden stock has a LOP that is way too short unless you're a 4'-8" chinaman.
-on top of that, all of the weight is in your non trigger pulling hand, it's extremely unbalanced.
-there are some accessories for them, a lot more than when i first got mine, but nothing close to an AK or AR.
-using the factory mag with stripper clips is the way to go, the detachable ones take a lot of filing to get them to feed right.

Playing with them in stores I haven't really had much of a problem with the stock length or weight. I did find an aftermarket telescoping stock set that isn't too bad that would be great birthday/Christmas idea.

I see Cabela's has Romanians on sale for $279, lots of good reviews about them. Milled receiver... there are a lot of people that place them higher than Norincos. I haven't found a bad review on them yet. (for what little good that is, I couldn't find a bad review on the Marlin either)

if you want an AK for hunting, get a Izhmash Saiga, it's made on the same lines as the legit russian AKs, and is a legit russian AK, with a sportzerised stock and trigger group.

can get them between 300-600 brand new.

I don't really want one for just for hunting, I want one that I could take hunting if that makes any sense. Kinda ruling out AK's for the price and what you get.

 

[88_Eddie]

Playing with them in stores I haven't really had much of a problem with the stock length or weight. I did find an aftermarket telescoping stock set that isn't too bad that would be great birthday/Christmas idea.

one kinda like this?

my buddy had one on his norinco, it was nice, very comfortable. cheaper than dirt has some of the best prices i've seen on them. i have the folding stock on mine right now, but i dont really like it. i knew a guy with a russian sks that had a dragnov stock, it wasnt bad either.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, like that. I would fuss for the green one though.

 

[James86]

I actually managed to get ym hands on a Russian SKS and I don't dare tear into it or make it tacticool or some shit. That's what the WASR is for - if I feel like it. The Russians are too nice for me to feel good about throwing plastic shit on it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I actually managed to get ym hands on a Russian SKS and I don't dare tear into it or make it tacticool or some shit. That's what the WASR is for - if I feel like it. The Russians are too nice for me to feel good about throwing plastic shit on it.

I did my Mosin because I didn't want to beat up the pretty wood dragging it through timber looking for deer.

Dunno who I am saving it for, but after however many years old it is I don't want to be the one to screw it up.

And as mentioned before I really don't care for the shape of the factory stocks I have played with. Also as mentioned before I don't want to make it tacticool with laser sights, scopes and flashlights. Just a durable comfortable stock. I would call it more sporterizing than tacticool.

 

[88_Eddie]

I actually managed to get ym hands on a Russian SKS and I don't dare tear into it or make it tacticool or some shit. That's what the WASR is for - if I feel like it. The Russians are too nice for me to feel good about throwing plastic shit on it.

i'm tall, the LOP was so short on my SKS i had to get anotherstock. my nose was resting on my thumb.

the wood wasnt in great shape either, it was a gunshow purchase

 

[James86]

i'm tall, the LOP was so short on my SKS i had to get anotherstock. my nose was resting on my thumb.

the wood wasnt in great shape either, it was a gunshow purchase

I managed to get an unissued, unfired one

I'm about 5'11", but I'm kinda stout, so the SKS is about perfect for my frame.

I'm guessing LOP is length of pull (?), but it feels comparable trigger-to-buttplate distance with my other rifles:

Top was my Belgian FN 24 Mauser clone (my first firearm)
Middle was my Mosin Nagant M44 carbine from 1945
Bottom is my 1953 Russian SKS.

They may be varying lengths overall, but comfort shooting was about the same. I've since sold the top two but kept the SKS, and now have a Yugoslavian Mauser, and a WASR-10 along with the SKS as far as rifles. Someday the WASR may get synthetic furniture, but I can't quite find what I want...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I managed to get an unissued, unfired one

That's a little different... I wouldn't mess with it either. I highly doubt I will stumble apoun one of those though.

I'm about 5'11", but I'm kinda stout, so the SKS is about perfect for my frame.

I'm guessing LOP is length of pull (?), but it feels comparable trigger-to-buttplate distance with my other rifles:

It is kind of hard to tell because you couldn't get the rifles lined up evenly but the Mosin looks a little longer than the SKS. I am 6'-3" and the LOP doesn't really bother me so much as the overall shape of the stock.

 

[88_Eddie]

That's a little different... I wouldn't mess with it either.

i agree, that's a nice lookin sks.

 

[heptofite]

something i heard today "....and the mosin nagant was designed by two drunk russian guys 120 years ago and if it can't kill it, it can't be killed."