SKS Rifle

Samozariadnyia Karabina Simonova (SKS)

Picture: Simonov SKS Rifle

The Simonov SKS is a Russian carbine developed in 1946. It is a gas operated, self-loading, semi-automatic rifle. The rifle is chambered for the 7.62 mm cartridge which it takes from a 10 round box magazine.

The SKS, (the SKS45), was designed by the famous Sergei Simonov. The Russian SKS were produced originally in the Tula Arsenel in 1949 through the mid 1950's. The Soviets Army replaced the Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifles with the SKS rifle. The SKS was eventually replaced by the AK-47 rifle (Avtomat Kalashnikov).

The SKS is the basis for the famous AK weapon series. Kalishnikov borrowed many of the features of the SKS45 for the AK47 rifle.

Picture: SKS Rifle with high capacity magazine and bayonet.

The Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle was developed in the mid 1950's by copying the Russian SKS design in Chinese factories. Production of the Chinese variant started in 1956 with the assistance of the Soviet engineers. Chinese have manufactured many varieties of the Russian SKS. SKS-derived selective-fire assault rifle, the Type 68/72 was a Chinese creation. The Type 68/72 is identifiable by the selector switch on the right side of the rifle. Other models include selective-fire models and paratrooper short barreled models.

Pic: Yugoslavian SKS rifle with grenade launcher and bayonet

Yugoslavia manufactured SKS rifles were called the M59/66 Rifle. Production of the Yugoslavian model began in 1959.

North Korean SKS.

North Korean models were called the Type 63 Carbine and production began in 1963.

Russian SKS Types from Tula and Izhevsk Arsenals.

Albanian SKS Types.

The Albanian Simonov model has a unique extended stock that goes to the gas block. The Albanian SKS handguard is extended compared to other models and has a hook-style bolt handle.

Romanian Type 56 Cugir SKS Types.

Chinese SKS Types.

Yugoslavian SKS Types.

There are three types of Yugoslavian SKS milled receiver rifles, the M59, the M59/66, and the M59/66A1. The M59 rifle has a stripper guide and a blade bayonet. The M59/66 rifle was manufactured from 1966 to 1970 at the Zastava factory. It differs from the M59 by the addition of a grenade launcher fitted to the barrel, a flip up grenade sight, and a rubber recoil pad fitted to the butt stock. The last version, the M59/66A1, had phosphor or tritium night sights and minor variations to the grenade launcher sight.

There is much disinformation spread by certain anti-gun rights groups regarding the SKS rifle. The SKS is NOT an "Assault Rifle". They use this term falsely. The SKS rifle is defined as a Curio & Relic rifle according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regulation 27 CFR 178.11.

What is a Curio & Relic?

(a) Firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, but not including replicas thereof;

(b) Firearms which are certified by the curator of a municipal, State, or Federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; and

(c) Any other firearms which derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association with some historical figure, period, or event. Proof of qualification of a particular firearm under this category may be established by evidence of present value and evidence that like firearms are not available except as collector's items, or that the value of like firearms available in ordinary commercial channels is substantially less.

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