Five Reasons Preppers May Want an SKS
Kevin Felts 08.15.17
Since its introduction in 1943, over 15 million SKS rifles were produced by various communist nations. Then the cold War ended and the rifle flooded the American market.
When the SKS was first imported into the United States, prices ranged around $75. In the early to mid 1990s, someone could walk into a gun show with $200 and leave with either two SKS rifles, or a single rifle and a case of Russian hollow point 7.62×39 ammunition.
As with everything else, prices slowly inched upwards. August 2017 prices are in the $300 – $400 range, with Russian made rifles going for over $600.
Let’s talk about some reasons to pick up an SKS when the occasional good deal comes along.
7.62X39
For preppers who stockpile the AK-47, the SKS is an ideal choice. One type of ammunition for two rifles, what more could you want?
With ballistics slightly less than the 30-30 Winchester, the 7.62X39 is effective on small game. This means someone can sit in a deer stand and use surplus ammunition to take a deer or wild pigs.
Idiot Proof
For the most part, the SKS is idiot proof. The bolt has a built in stripper clip feeder, the safety is as simple as it gets, and the bolt has a nice sized handle.
There was a rumor that said, “The SKS was designed to handout to peasants.” Give the peasant a rifle, bandolier, five minutes of training and they should be ready to go.
Attached Magazine
Magazines are consumables, except when they are attached. Not having to stockpile magazines for the SKS saves money in the long run.
There are some SKS-D rifles that have a detachable magazine.
Sure enough someone is going to say, “The SKS will accept duckbill magazines”, and that is true. However, the SKS was designed with a fixed magazine.
Reliability
The SKS is one of the most reliable rifles on the market. As one member posted on Survivalist Boards,
The SKS is on of the most reliable weapons ever made. They are ugly, unergonomic, and unglamorous, BUT, they go bang over and over. Bury it, drag it through the sand, crawl through the mud, don’t clean it and it still goes bang. Get some stripper clips and practice speed loading. You won’t be disappointed.
Heavy
When all else fails, grab the rifle by the end of the barrel and use it as a bat. The stock is made from wood, the receiver and barrel from steel.
Out of all the rifles in my collection, the SKS would probably make the best bat.
Final Thoughts
My rifles are tiered.
The primary go to rifle is the AR-15.
If I survive long enough for the AR to go down, next in line is the AK-47.
When everything else has failed, broken, or whatever happened to them, there is the SKS.
