Maybe a silly SKS question

[socalbowhunter]

After buying a few of the recently released Chinese SKS rifles, I began to think.

Why haven't SKS's been cloned? Why doesn't a manufacturer manufacture new SKS's?

Seems like the newly manufactured AK's and M1 Carbines sell pretty well, so why not an SKS?

Is there a law against it? Copyright? Trademark?

I probably should have asked this in the Rifle subforum, but I figure the C&R guys will know the right answer.

[Mad-B-Man]

Molot is making new SKSes, along with new Mosin Nagants. Initially they were rumored to be built on old receivers, but that apparently is false.

I don't know the SKS price, but IIRC, the mosin nagants are over 1K USD in price

[C&Rtrader]

they are surplus guns.

Surplus = supply is greater than demand. The purchase price costs less than the price to make a new one.

wish new ones were that cheap!

[mosinnagantm9130]

It would cost too much compared to the already available supply.

[E Michael]

To answer your questions its because people suck :-D

[SKSer45]

Actually China made brand new SKS' well into the 90's to fit our American market. These "clones" of type 56 were cheap and flooded the states in great numbers. What killed production was the Bush/Clinton import bans. China no longer needed to produce them since their #1 market had shut the doors.

Canada and New Zealand get all their left overs now especially their m21's which are pretty much BNIB Cloned type 56s. If the ban ever gets lifted who knows...but it is all wishful thinking.

[Lead Waster]

Also, why not just an AR-15 in 7.62x39??

[bohoki]

why spend $1000 on a new sks when you could have an old one from some armory

[Marcus von W.]

That's an old SKS from the 1950's that has been rebuilt. The stock and scope mount on the top cover look like crap to a die-hard C&R purist like myself, but I do like that magazine. I wonder if it is a detachable AK or AK-style mag, or a fixed one like the Chinese 20 round "Red Star" mags or the aftermarket extended SKS mags.

Molot is making new SKSes, along with new Mosin Nagants. Initially they were rumored to be built on old receivers, but that apparently is false.

I don't know the SKS price, but IIRC, the mosin nagants are over 1K USD in price

[zhyla]

I wouldn't say the new-production M1 carbines sell well, certainly not compared to an AK.

It's hard to imagine a way in which the SKS can compete with the AK in the civilian market. The gigantic steel receiver is expensive to make. Saiga AK's come in a variety of calibers and barrel lengths.

I like my SKS as a collectible and do shoot it, but it wouldn't be my go-to rifle since it sits next to a very serviceable AK.

[MrTokarev]

Also, why not just an AR-15 in 7.62x39??

From what I've read, the AR rifles built for 7.62x39 have all had issues with their magazines (ar mags modified to accept the cartridge).

In the latest issue of AR-15, they discuss a new rifle from RRA called the LAR-47 that has a receiver built specifically use AK mags. The magazine (the paper one ) indicated that it functions pretty well and they would start working on a piston version (the one they have currently is built with a standard DI upper).

The price hasn't made me want one more than an SKS or AK yet though. Still a neat gun.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=558

[SKSer45]

From what I've read, the AR rifles built for 7.62x39 have all had issues with their magazines (ar mags modified to accept the cartridge).

In the latest issue of AR-15, they discuss a new rifle from RRA called the LAR-47 that has a receiver built specifically use AK mags. The magazine (the paper one ) indicated that it functions pretty well and they would start working on a piston version (the one they have currently is built with a standard DI upper).

The price hasn't made me want one more than an SKS or AK yet though. Still a neat gun.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.c...ategory_id=558

wow look at thing lol. I would wait on the reviews and testing on that....does look pretty cool but damn that is a hefty price tag.