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Are the days of cheap SKS’s gone for good?

14K views 119 replies 56 participants last post by  vintovka 
#1 ·
Hey everybody, I’m new to the milsurp game and am just getting started even looking into old pieces to pick up. My interests lie with old combloc firearms, so naturally I thought I would pick up an SKS. It’s real painful seeing prices like $75 and $100 not that many years ago when it seems like the going rate is $300 and up nowadays. My question is, can I ever expect prices to get lower over time or should I just go ahead and start collecting now?
 
#82 ·
In this day and age, I would consider that cheap for two Russians...even heavy refurbs.
Six years ago I bought a Yugo from a consignor who was dumping his investment in them. He did quite well for a return on the investment. A little more patience and it could have doubled over what I paid. I don't know what Cherry's originally sold for, but it was when Yugos were everywhere, so I am guessing a slight premium over dirt cheap. I paid less than a beat up current import sells for, and I felt like I overspent!

As long as some desk jockey doesn't convince the powers that be to make them illegal, I am quite happy with them outpacing inflation. The good deals are getting few and far between anymore though. I sure am glad I started collecting them over 20 years ago.
 
#83 ·
If you live near downtown Portland and see smoke an SKS at any price might sound really good. This is the thinking that may be driving prices nationwide. Most all gun prices are up and business seems brisk. FWIW making anything illegal just increases demand and price. Hang on folks its gonna be a bumpy ride.
 
#85 ·
Caution,,,if you auction anything put a reserve on it. Don’t get low balled by bidders trying to steal it. If your bidding look out for the shill. They will bump the price up on you. It could be a sellers buddy.
 
#87 ·
It has been 25 years ago that SKS rifkes were $75 to $100.

AK rifles have surged in price recently.
SKS rifkes seem to track behind the AK prices.

The recent Albanian/Chinese well used are about the least expensive in several years.

Prices in firearms trend down only occasionally.
Over the past several years the AR15 was the best value semi auto firearm.
Those prices have gone up about 20% to 25% recently.
 
#89 ·
Ugh Albys. Cleaned 10 of them never again. Cosmo filled about a 1/3 of 5 a gallon bucket ( used a heat gun and suspended them from door jamb. Did result in a near 10x payback which was best part. I called several friends and told them about these when first advertised, many of which bought in and made $$ those who did not still do the a-s kick dance.
 
#93 ·
In this day and age $300-400 will still get you an SKS. That's still not too too bad. Of course we all want 1980s-1990s prices again ESPECIALLY for us who bought at that time and look back wishing $100 SKSs were still out there to be had! Compared to the costs of other things that have risen since the late 80s, you can still cash in on these now so the answer to your thread is "No". If you wait too long, the answer to your thread is "Yes".
 
#95 ·
Blue, this is what i'm seeing across the local shows and pawnshops. There are still nice deals out there to find, but it is getting harder and harder...It took me some time to locate decent Yugo SKS M59/66 at "normal" price and I still had to fix broken safety on it.
 
#102 ·
It seems just last year the good condition Chinese guns (not the current Chinese imports from Albania) were going for $400 in my area and the same guns today people are now asking $500-$550. There are still some deals though, I was able to snag an all matching very nice condition Romanian for $500 a couple of months ago. I can't believe what Russians are now going for, i'm seeing some crazy prices for common Tula years.
 
#111 ·
Its not just SKS prices, its everything. Lousy box of Kroger Oatmeal packets went from a buck to a buck and a half in less than 18 months and isn't stopping there. Contractors won't even show up for less than $1000/day around here and are so busy they are working 7 days a week. The ammo buying panic continues un abated and the nasties on the corner make everyone want to buy a gun. In short the combination of an inflationary spiral and panic buying may permanently drive prices upward -- again.
 
#112 ·
I'd rather have my money in guns than sitting in the bank.
The tiny interest you get on your money sitting in savings will likely not outpace the current growing inflation.

This has been an insane year.
BLM riots
Murder hornets
Covid
Election coming up

and just to spice things up, NC just had it's biggest earthquake in over 100 years this morning up near us.. whole house shook for a good 4 seconds. Thankfully no noticed damage.
No telling what tomorrow will bring.

Guns are very liquid when it comes to needing to get funds fast. So for me personally, I'd rather have my money in something outpacing current inflation, yet still a huge demand so I can get out of them quickly if I needed to.


Above is not financial advice, purely my personal opinion.
 
#113 ·
Was talking to a gun store owner yesterday. Telling him I’m selling everything I can live without gun wise and saving my ammo stash. Going to hold the cash until the bubble bursts and people start selling the guns the really don’t want but think they need. I’ve seen a lot of people buying guns over the past few months who appear to never have handled a gun.

When things settle down there is going to be a glut of guns going cheap when folks need a furnace, roof, or a car. That gun the bought this year and never used will be the first thing to go.

The store owner agrees and is going to save a large some of cash for buy backs next year. His used gun inventory always swells between January an April.

Don’t think the surplus market will see as big a contraction as the non surplus used market. But you would think that AK & SKS prices will retract some what when the bottom drops out of ARs, 45s, 9mm, tactical shotguns, and the like.
 
#116 ·
Was rather exciting, first earthquake ive ever been through. I thought it was a tornado or some weird weather event initially but no wind when we ran outside.

Where in NC are you?
 
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#118 ·
as long as I've been colleting, 27+ years, every surplus rifle/pistol has increased tremendously in price, and will continue to increase. you can forget about ever buying cheap milsurplus firearms, "like it's 1999"...to take a song lyrics from PRINCE :laugh:
 
#119 ·
I picked up 4 SKS's back in the 90's, two Russian and two Chinese. One Chinese is a so called paratrooper with a folding stock but it has two mismatched numbers. The other three have matching numbers all round. The para. one is what I carry on my ATV machine in case I meet up with a bear who doesn't want to get out of my path. I came across a black bear just this morning but he / she took off into the bush as soon as it saw me. I know a SKS round might not do much against a black or grizzly bear if it tried to challenge me, but it would be better than throwing rocks. The para. is very easy to pack on the ATV.

If I remember correctly I paid $125 each for the Russian pieces and about $80 each for the Chinese pieces back in the mid 90's.
 
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