I'm thinking about getting one of the yugo ones that are being advertised as unissued. Anybody get one yet?

Also, is the standard magazine removeable or fixed in with a pin? All the ones I've shot have had large cap mags so I've never really shot one with the standard magazine. How many rounds does it hold?

I own a Chinese version but a lot of the Yugo's have been showing up at the range. I suggest you just assume all the foreign cheap ammo you buy is corrosive primed, regardless of what it says on the box. Clean the rifle thoroughly following a shooting session and you won't have a problem. I've read that the Yugos are the only SKS rifles that did not have chrome bores, all the more reason for the thoroughly clean things.


The standard mag holds ten cartridges. Some of the large-cap detachable set-ups work, some don't. I find the stripper clips work real good with the standard magazine.

I've had one for about a year now, excellent little toy for the range. It has a fixed magazine, hinged at the bottom, holds ten rounds. I've modified mine with a red dot and a cheekpiece since I have trouble seeing with the iron sights.

I had a 10 round SKS for a while. If you put your ammo in the stripper clips you can reload the rifle really fast. The SKS was more accurate than any "AK 47" that I have shot.
However I have killed 2 deer with an "AK 47".

The Yugos are a nice little addition to the collection. The high cap magazines are junk for the most part. If you want the extra rounds, look around for an SKS model using the AK magazine. Otherwise, you're better off using stripper clips to feed the magazine.

I bought my shooter grade SKS for $80. Great deal on a great little gun.

I ordered a spring loaded firing pin from Murray's gunsmithing http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm to eliminate slamfires and sent my trigger group to Kivaari http://www.mnmpublishing.com/kivaari/index.asp To improve the crappy as-issued trigger. Kivaari's triggers are excellent. No creep and glass smooth. I also bedded the action and removed some unneeded weight.

BTW adding a hi-cap mag to a M59/66 Yugo SKS is a 922r violation. Stick with strippers and 10 rounds, it's just as fast and much more reliable.

ZM

Info on the Yugo.

The main difference between the typical SKS carbines and the Yugoslav versions is that the bores of the Yugo versions were not chrome plated. The reason for this is because Yugoslavia has no significant native chromium ore deposits.
Fact: gun powder is dirty when fired. Twentieth century semi-auto military barrels are usually chrome-lined with some exceptions. This is a fix that allows the firearm to function while using some pretty dirty and corrosive gun powders, in some pretty crappy climatic conditions, in extended firing sessions, while not cleaning it as regularly as not having people shoot at you allows. Chrome-lined barrels also allow you to have maladjusted gas systems and still function well. Extreme gas pressure can cause early extraction of the case before bore pressures have reduced enough to allow the cartridge case to contract and be released from the walls of the chamber. Chrome-lined barrels allow the case to be extracted easily even if this condition exist. Another simple solution to this problem that was solved in the FN-49 and SVT-40 is a fluted bore. This allows the case to cool quicker, but I diverge from the intended subject matter.

I have been asked - does not having a chrome-lined barrel make the Yugo SKS less desirable.

I usually answer with the following question: Do you plan on spending unending amounts of time in the jungle without cleaning your rifle for thousands of rounds? If the answer is - NO. Then you will probably not have any problems with the Yugo as long as you properly clean the bore between shootings. Now, if you are planning on purchasing one and going directly into combat with it, then ask the folks that carried the M-16 in Vietnam whether a chrome-lined bore and barrel are preferable.

The only downside I have found with a non-chrome-lined semi-auto barrel is that they are not as easy to clean. The chrome-lined bores come clean really quick with probably less than half the effort, patches, and solvent. This is pretty much the extent of the complaint I would ever register about the Yugo SKS. Does it prevent me from liking the Yugo SKS and owning more than one? Heck, no! I think it is a great little carbine and I laugh out loud when I type the words little carbine, when referencing the 59/66, because I really do not consider the 59/66 a carbine because of its overall length.

Overall the Yugo SKS is a superior specimen that is still available for a pittance and in great abundance. I recommend everyone should have at least one.

I have Russian, Romainian, Yugo M59, Yugo M59/66 and a Chicom SKS and all function as designed. They probably average 3-6" at 100yds with iron sights off the bench and my son (who has good eyes) can hit a 24" sq plate at 200 yds everytime off hand. They are cheap to shoot and work every time you squeeze the trigger....everyone should have a gaggle of them at the current prices!!!!! Go NOW and buy one!!!!

Lowrider,

I have what you have and have had the same experience. But do you have an Albanian too? Mine has a new stock (the original seemed to have been a snack for a beaver), however the other parts are matching. I like it best just because it is different.

Eric

The SKS has a 10-round magazine, and you have to take the barrelled-action out of the stock to remove the magazine. However, there is no pin removal needed to do this. I have used an after-market, Cabela's detachable 5-round magazine in mine, and it was so unsatisfactory that I put the original magazine back in!

I picked up a Yugo last year for just over 100 bucks, factor in that price, and what it costs to shoot it, ITS A BLAST.

Dislike, I really have no need for the grenade launcher, my gunsmith has played around with PVC pipe and making some fake grenades, me I would have rather saved the weight, cause I doubt I will ever use it.

Concerning the Yugo manufacture, I would rather have a 52-53 Tula, make no bones about it, but they cost a lot more, but my opinion is they are made better also, you pay for what you get, and for the price these are really good rifles.

A trick on ammo, I buy the Cheetah stuff it costs a little more, but its non corrosive, and your groups will go to half, its a lot more accurate, and still cheap.

If your interested, go buy one, and shoot it, if you don't like it ( which will be weird ), the worst your going to be out is $20-$25 and a couple of boxes of ammo. if you decide to sell it.

I was thinking about selling mine to replace it with something nicer and my youngest immediately intervened and didn't want me to sell it, they are a fun rifle. More reliable than a Mini-14, just as accurate, and 20% the cost, not many downsides.

Note I wouldn't pay for the screwed up California versions though they both cost a lot more, and there is no gain, just more Kalifornia crap.

Edit: I don't think I would want to fiddle with changing or upgrading to take magazines. There has been a lot of bad, and a few good conversions on these rifles to mags. These were designed right from the start, don't fiddle with them, if you want a mag rifle save your dollars towards a purchase of an AK.

I have a pre-ban Norinco with a Butler Creek stock. I don't like the stock and wondered if anyone can offer advise on a better sporter style stock.

Jeff