Firearm of the week: Russian SKS
Last week we learned there was a competition between Tokarev and Simonov for semi-automatic battlefield rifles. Stalin favored semi-automatic rifles and wanted to replace the Mosin Nagant 91/30 bolt action. Tokarev won the competition with his SVT-40 which we reviewed last week. The SVT-40 was short lived as the Nazi’s rolled over the Soviet Union in the early days of the war. The Russians could not keep up with manufacturing and went back to making the 91/30.
Toward the end of the war the Soviets adopted the SKS or Soviet semi-automatic rifle. It was maybe the first rifle chambered in the popular 7.62x39 round. This rifle was designed in 1945 by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov. SKS stands for Samozaryadnyj Karabin sistemy Simonova, self-loading carbine of the Simonov system.
Interestingly, the Soviets phased this rifle out quickly in favor of the AK-47. We will review the AK-47 next week. The SKS was exported and produced by many of the former Eastern Bloc nations, China, East Germany and North Korea. For a few hundred dollars you can own one of these. The 7.62x39 round is inexpensive and readily available.
The SKS was shorter and lighter than the SVT-40 with a more manageable cartridge. The AK-47 is smaller still, but being select fire made it a preferred weapon.
SKS rifles are plentiful and there are lots of stock and magazine options. Mine is Russian made at their Tula Arsenal. Most of the ones I see on the market are from eastern European countries.
Keep your powder dry, Big Mullet
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