Going gun shopping

kamagong said:
Who needs a bayonet? That's what khukuris are for. :D

I really want a Springfield M1A. It's not a smart decision though. For the same price as this gun I can pick up a Yugo SKS, Remington 870, and Springfied Loaded 1911, plus some ammo. Why get one gun when you can get three? QUOTE]

Why? A wise man once said, "Beware of the man with one gun. He probably knows how to use it."

I believe it was Jeff Cooper who wrote about the wisdom of buying the best firearm you can afford instead of buying a bunch of inferior guns.

I still work part time for a gunsmith and we often have people walk in with armfulls of cheap guns that have broken. The sad thing is that many of them can't be fixed. Either parts are no longer available or the cost of repairs is 3 times what the gun is worth. Having said that, we have never had a broken SKS come in. They are cheap and ugly, but they are also rugged, reliable and there are tons of parts for them.

As a few others have already said, you should probably consider a good quality .22 as your first firearm. The ammo is cheap and there is nothing like shooting to make you a skilled shot. If you really want a semi-auto, the Ruger 10-22 is hard to beat. If you were to buy a bolt action, look at the CZ American line of .22s. They are really nice rifles for the money.
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SKS's are great.

I have 3. A Russian an Albanian, and a Yugo M59. I like the looks of the Alby the most but the Yugo is the best shooter I believe.

Ammo is not that expensive (used to be dirt cheap) and they are fun.

Like Munk said don't Bubba it up with add ons it's a good gun as is as long as it's not too worn out.

One thing I think is TOTALLY worth the $$ as an accessory is a trigger job from Kivarri.

My Alby has a good stock trigger, the M59's wasn't bad but the Russian was horrendous. I got trigger jobs on both my Russian and the Yugo and it dramatically improved the grouping. Maybe by like a third or something.

Here are a couple decent SKS threads

http://ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40673

http://ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40148

Here's Survivors SKS forum lots of good info there:

http://www.sksboards.com/forum/index.php

Here's Kivarrii the guy who does the trigger upgrades

http://www.kivaari.com/
 
munk said:
I bought AR's, Ak's, and Sk's rather than get what I wanted- an M1A
My experience does not have to be yours. I'm not saying do one thing or another; but the man who owns only one gun,and uses it, it to be respected, because most likely he knows how to use it.
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I plan on eventually getting four guns, maybe five. SKS, Remington 870, Springfield 1911, Springfield M1A, and a Winchester 94, if I can find one that is. I probably should start with the Remington because I've gone clay shooting and have some familiarity with shotguns. It would be a good first choice. But they're widely available and are always on sale at Big 5. I think that I should snatch up a SKS before supplies dry up and prices increase more than they have already. Crossroads of the West is having a gunshow at the Cow Palace in January, I'm going and hope that I have several specimens to choose from.

I understand the wisdom in getting one gun and getting to know it well. I plan on doing that with any gun I buy. I want extras though. Call me paranoid, but I want several guns in a SHTF scenario. I'll keep the M1A and the 1911, and my girl can have the Remington since she's gone clay shooting with me and knows how to use a scattergun. My brother or any other unarmed family member can use the SKS. If something bad happens before I can get the M1A, at least I'll have an SKS and won't have to rely solely on my khuks.
 
I consider the SKS and AK the throw away guns one uses to clear the street before driving off in the truck.

They are also perfect guns for possible police confiscation: if you lose one, you can always get another.

An M1A is a personal choice, one for me meaning pull it from my cold dead fingers.
(I'll have a good .41 by my side too)

munk
 
I really wanted to get a 4" Model 57/657 (.41) or 25 (.45 Colt), but the prices were too high, and the ammo certainly ain't cheap!

I want to be able to do a lot of shooting when I finally get the hell out of here, so I've ordered a 4 5/8" Blackhawk convertible in .357/9mm.

$433 plus tax, new. Somehow, seems a very "munkish" acquisition!

John
 
Anytime you get a nearly indestructable single action revolver, chambered for the potent 357 and the Nato Nine, you get the nod at the munk compound. You may even get an interview with the alien we've stashed in the basement, but I'm not promising.



munk
 
A new member humbly chimes in here with a suggestion to consider a lever action rifle in one of the common pistol class cartridges of calibers .357, .44 Magnum and .45 Long Colt. Munk's potent .357 magnum can exceed 1800 fps when fired from an 18+ inch barrel. Most modern reproduction models of the 1892 Winchester will fire inexpensive .38 Specials for plinking/practice also. That they lack the "evil assault rifle" look could be a plus in CA during possible Big Brother circumstances.

For all your lever gun needs needs please checkout: http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/default.asp?CAT_ID=1

I've been considering saving up for one of Puma's stainless lever models but after discovering HI last night and then this forum my must have purchasing priorties have taken a sudden turn. :D

I am seeing but yet more feeling here a company and forum with a heart and soul and am still in awe yet.

Best wishes to all.
 
Thanks Pal.

I've got a lot of catching up to do...going deep back in posts still.

This is truly astounding work by all and the "high tech" ex-ironworker/welder in me is still stunned.
 
Spectre said:
I really wanted to get a 4" Model 57/657 (.41) or 25 (.45 Colt), but the prices were too high, and the ammo certainly ain't cheap!

I want to be able to do a lot of shooting when I finally get the hell out of here, so I've ordered a 4 5/8" Blackhawk convertible in .357/9mm.

$433 plus tax, new. Somehow, seems a very "munkish" acquisition!

John
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I have a Blackhawk .45LC / .45 ACP. It's pretty cool but doesn't seem to shoot as tight as my .30M1 model.
 
Look at the .22 cheap shooting and a whole lot of fun. Since rimfire cartidges are shoot once, choice of action is not so important. Semi-auto is a nice for plinking and rodent control. If you are into handguns there is a lot to choose from. I prefer revolvers over semi-autos because I don't have to look all over the floor of the shooting range, or the dirt of the forest to pick up the empty cartidges. This is an issue since I like to reload the empties afterwards.
 
I like levers. I own three. The original assault rifle.
A good friend used to go the Winchester 44 mag route. He traded it off for Ruger Deerfield and never looked back.



munk
 
Aim Surplus has Yugo SKS's for $149 plus shipping plus the FFL transfer fee (on your end).

Not sure if this one'll fly with CA regulations though.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Yugoslavian_Model_59_66_7_62x39_SKS_Rifle.html

sksexc.gif
 
hollow, what barrel length is your .45?

(edit: never mind, I saw it was a big 'ole hawlaig with a 7 1/2" barrel)
 
Hoglegs are good. So are shorties. I like them all. There is nothing like being in the desert, or maybe the Brazos, and shooting long yards at distant rocks, no one around, no one to complain. Those hoglegs are great, and don't seem as big when in the wide open spaces.

munk
 
kamagong said:
Gun ownership and the ability to protect oneself is one of those things that I am now taking more seriously. However I have very little knowledge in this field, so I am asking you guys for advice.
kamagong
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kamagong,

It’s just my opinion and I hope I’m not opening a can-o-worms and these guys have given you some great advise about the SKS. It is a tough dependable design that is the most used firearm in the world and the ammo can be bought in bulk at virtually any gun show.

However, it is NOT a good self/home defense weapon if you live in close proximity to other people or have other family, i.e. children or other hanger-ons, in other parts of the house. The SKS fires a high-powered, high velocity round that will go through the burglar, three walls and kill your next door neighbor as he lay sleeping.:eek: The M1-A in all it’s variants has the same problem. It fires a 30-06 round that will knock down a bull elk at 300 yards and stick in the tree behind it.

The most effective home defense weapons are large caliber, low velocity guns that deliver maximum impact energy with un-complicated operation. The point to self-defense is to stop the bad guy by shocking as many body functions at one time as possible. Shotguns, double action revolvers like a .357 loaded with .38 specials hollow points (to keep mussel flash and sound levels down...don’t want to be deaf and blind while in a gun fight because of firing a gun in a dark house) or double action automatics (9mm, 10mm, .41cal .45APC, I like the .50cal Desert Eagle$$$) so all you have to do is flip the safety and squeeze the trigger.

Every gun collection should contain an SKS and M-1, A1 and they are great fun. But…for home defense, look elsewhere and get some professional instruction in self defense and gun safety!;)

Just my opinion.:foot:

chiger
 
What Chiger said, yep.

Anyone, usually, who claims to have never had a gun go off "accidently" hasn't handled them enough to be considered an expert (whatever that might mean).

My Uncles taught me that years ago and combined with their story of their Dad's 10 gauge double blasting both barrels through the roof when one of them was sure it wasn't loaded even after checking it a half an hour earlier...yikes.
 
The M1A fires a .308 round. With proper ammo selection, like Hornady's TAP or whatever, you could do anything with this rifle- hunt, and yes, as long a instrument as it is, even defend your home.

Most defensive gun encounters do not result in shots fired, but in weapon presented. I can't think of a more intimadating sight than a M1A with a 20 round mag.

While I too favor a hangun of a relatively large projectile moving at modest velocities of approx 1300 fps and under, a shotgun is great, a lever is great, and yes, even the SKS and M1A and AR series are more than acceptable. It has to do with ammo selection.

If I lived in an apartment, I don't think my neighbor behind the wall would appreciate the hard cast bullet from a 44 or 454 Casul revolver finding him in the kitchen.

munk
 
side note:

I lived in the LA area during the riots. Does anyone here live in a large urban area, prone to 'civil' disturbance, or even natural disaster? A 'self defense' arm has bigger roles to play in our modern world. If you wanted to stop looters after hurricane Andrew or Katrina, or the LA riots, and you only owned one arm, I would much prefer a SKS to a 9 mill semi auto.

The SKS is a handy carbine. You can easily get Wolf soft point ammo that will do what needs to be done in livingroom or street.


munk
 
Munk,

Your right…many M1 Garand rifles were modified to accept .308-caliber ammo, to meet NATO specs after Korean War I think. Even so, 308 is one bad mo-ho. I love the .308 and have an old Spanish military bolt action and .303 British. Both are very cool and effective tools.

I also like the .30 carbine as a close quarters urban fire arm. Small, high capacity and accurate at 100 yards!

chiger
 
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