SKS TYPE 56 or AR 15

[Lead ball 54]

Q. SKS 56 or AR 15 both stock 20" barrels out of those which do you prefer and why

[Alchase]

Q. SKS 56 or AR 15 both stock 20" barrels out of those which do you prefer and why

I had two SKSs, back we they first came available. They were fun plinkers, but not quality weapons by any means. I am sure back in the 50s and 60s, they were decant for the times. To compare the to a modern AR-15, not even in the same ballpark. They were $200 plinking guns.
The 7.62 x39 is a decent round though.

[Lead ball 54]

Okay I know there not as cool and pretty but what about function and durability

[Alchase]

They shoot when they are supposed to, though I would not call them accurate. Consider them a predecessor to the AK, which they are. There might even be some aftermarket parts by now that can help with the accuracy. And you have choices of much better ammo now as to when I had mine. Back then we only had the surplus Russian dirty crap ammo.

For the prices SKSs are going for now, you are in the ballpark of AR-15s.

[Dan-o]

I have 3 SKS's and I can't make them jam no matter what.   

They're all iron sights and I really can't speak to accuracy other than they are not noticably inaccurate.   

I've bought 7 or so AR-15's.   
I have had issues with cheap ARs, but not with good components.

I say:   Cheap SKS's always shoot.   Good ARs always shoot. So stay away from cheap ARs.

Beyond that, it might depend on what you want to do with it.
I do think it's much easier to accurize an AR.

[Lead ball 54]

What I want is a throw in the truck camping plinker with pie plate accuracy out to 150 to 200 yards with a good tech peep sight that mounts to the back of the dust cover I have heard the Chinese type 56s are good ones to get but I have never considered an SKS so my knowledge is very limited so the more help I get the better

[Dan-o]

Well, you could probably drag the SKS behind your truck the whole way to camp and it would still work.

It might be the better choice for a beater/plinker.

[HillHound]

I have a triangle arms Chinese sks in 7.62x39 I’ve had for 20+ years and I love it. Even with pulling the internal clip and using 30 round mags it never jams. It will put all 30 on a plate at 100 yards but havnt tried much further cause it has open sights

[Dan-o]

I have a triangle arms Chinese sks in 7.62x39 I’ve had for 20+ years and I love it. Even with pulling the internal clip and using 30 round mags it never jams. It will put all 30 on a plate at 100 yards but havnt tried much further cause it has open sights

Good point.

Changing over to 30 round duck bill mags is easy with a dremel tool.   You can look it up on you tube.

I tried it on one and it was totally better than the original magazine so I converted all of mine to 30 round duckbill mags.

[birdshooter1189]

AR15 100%.

My dad has an SKS.  We put a scope on it by getting a rear top plate that had a rail on it, but the whole piece rattles a bit.  Terrible accuracy because the scope was always wabbling.

I got a 20" AR15 upper in 7.62x39 from Model-1-sales.com.  It shoots 1" groups at 100 yds very consistently for me with either cheap wolf steal cased 124gr HP or with reloaded 125gr V-max's.

If I were to start over I'd probably go with a bear creek arsenal 16" upper in 7.62x39 or 223 with a side-charging bolt.

[Lead ball 54]

Ya a nice AR -15 would be nice but money is an issue only have 400.00 to spend on gun and ammo so is there any one SKS that is better and is there any to avoid thanks