I have a very nice Soviet SKS (1954 model) that I would like to restock into a sporter stock so that it is more Hawaii hunting friendly. I have looked at the Advanced Technology (ATI) SKS Monte Carlo Stock , Butler Creek SKS Sporter Rifle Stock, and the Ram-Line SKS Sporter Rifle Stock. Is one any better than the other? I am a tall person with a length of pull in the 14 ½ inch range. Any recommendations? Thanks for the help.

Thanks for all the help guys! Im sure that their must be one other sacrilegious person that has dreamed of removing the short as s#*% stock and replacing it with something mort hunter friendly.

I don't have a sporter stock on mine, but I did put a plastic stock on one for a friend. I don't know who made it, it was a very cheap folding buttstock model, most likely ATI.
I'm a big guy, 6'4", long neck and arms, and this stock fit me well. I didn't shoot the rifle, and the owner has never shot it.

Taking the wood upper handguard off of the gas tube was not fun. I never got that pin driven out. I partially drilled it, thn bent the sheet metal away.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/sks/index.asp

Check out the SKS articles on the right.

the Advanced Technology stock i got was a complete piece of crap. dimensionally, it was way wrong for holding in my shoulder. the one i bought was a traditional looking stock, not the folder. the folder i have works just fine, it is the ATI model. i now have a Butler Creek stock.....can't be beat.

Thanks Guys
This is the kind of info that I was looking for. Its good to know about ATI stock. I was strongly considering it. Bill, what was it about the ATI that you didn’t like? Also could you tell me what you like about the Bulter Creek stock? Also do you use your SKS for hunting? Thank you very much for the help.

Hauptjager...

the ATI stock that i disliked was the stock shaped like a traditional rifle stock. the problem was in the grip area of the stock, where my hand holds it. the stock i had had very little separation between the grip area and the comb. i imagine that the grip was just way too thick. anyway, my hand was holding the stock as if it were essentially a straight stock. however, the trigger was located as though the stock had a properly shaped grip area. this made the trigger way too far away from my finger.

the best analogy i can give you is this. take a normal rifle with a stock that has a curved grip area. tape a 1 inch dowel rod on the top of the stock where your thumb overlaps the grip. you will see that now, your thumb cannot close downward enough to rotate your hand into position to reach the trigger.

alternatively, the Butler Creek stock is dimensioned just like any other factory rifle stock. it is very comfortable to hold and shoot with.

i have never used my SKS to hunt. although i see no reason why you couldn't or shouldn't use it so. i think it would make a pretty nice compact deer rifle for closer ranges. i believe the 7.62x39 is in the .30-30 class of cartridges. my Hornady reloading manual indicates that you can get a 123 grain bullet up to 2300 fps and a 150 grain bullet up to 2000 fps. that oughta get you a close-in hunting rifle for deer. personally, i would keep the range pretty close.

good luck to ya....

I have a original '54 Russian (NOT rearsenaled) SKS myself.... I would't think of "RANBOing" it.

If your's is origanal too, reconcider. They are enjoyable to shoot because of the heavy stock.

Of course if it's not origional...it doesn't matter much.