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I picked up a SKS (Chinese) today through a trade and, as expected, the stock is dinged up. I started searching for replacement stock online and mentioned to the wife that I was going to replace the stock with new wood. She was flabbergasted that I was going to do that. I wasn't going to throw away the old stock, just put new wood stock on it (no bubba builds here). She thinks I should keep it for it's characteristics (dents, dings, scratches) because I don't know where the rifle came from and that's part of its history.

So what are y'alls thoughts?

Well, other than completely agreeing with your wife, the only thing I can think of is why spend money, if it's not broken? A ding or 2 adds character to a historic weapon.

To me, most of the appeal of owning a milsurp is the history. There are other, newer firearms that will do the same thing, with the same or a similar caliber. I've got an old Martini Cadet in .32-20, that shoots softer than a .22, and still has the armory proofs. Not a very "exciting" rifle to shoot, but when I handle it I wonder about the soldiers who used it and trained with it. I have a higher regard for the rifle, for the sake of those troops who've handled it.

Keep the original. Preserve the history.
You should see how the Taleb fancy-up their AKs with colored plastic wrapping.
Very showy. Makes one wonder.

it's an SKS .... it was MADE that way

surv

buy 3


keep one as god intended, the other as you will, and the third gets the rough ranch treatment.

Since the "soldier" that carried that rifle was more than likely to have been a sworn enemy of the US, I don't give a rip about that rifle's history. If it were a Garand or a M1 Carbine, then I would keep it as is but not on this one.

Replace the stock and make it yours.

+1. Keep the old so nothing is lost and then make it look good.

I would change the stock if it bother YOU. If you don't mind, then spend the money on something else. I would save that money and buy a ghost ring rear sight for it instead. I think the nicks and dings give some character and don't mind them on a milsurp gun as long its not all torn up.

pbwalker wrote:I picked up a SKS (Chinese) today through a trade and, as expected, the stock is dinged up. I started searching for replacement stock online and mentioned to the wife that I was going to replace the stock with new wood. She was flabbergasted that I was going to do that. I wasn't going to throw away the old stock, just put new wood stock on it (no bubba builds here). She thinks I should keep it for it's characteristics (dents, dings, scratches) because I don't know where the rifle came from and that's part of its history.

So what are y'alls thoughts?

Is the rifle going to be mainly for "show and tell", or do you plan to take it for long walks to the range to go play catch???

I could go either way on the issue of what to do with the stock of personality...

I might actually be happy with the way it is...

Whatever floats-your-boat. It is your gun.

A Chinese SKS is a cheap gun by design - it doesn't have one iota of the cachet of an M1 Garand or any of a number of other milsurp rifles.

That's not a criticism, there's nothing wrong with cheap guns as long as they're durable and functional, qualities the SKS certainly has, but the fact remains that it is a cheap gun.

Spending money to dress it up is kind of like sending an old H&R or Iver Johnson revolver out to be tuned and engraved . . . sort of silly, IMHO.

I'd just keep it as a knockabout rifle to keep in the trunk or behind the seat in a pickup, ready to use, and nothing to worry about if it were to pick up another nick or two.

TDDude wrote:Since the "soldier" that carried that rifle was more than likely to have been a sworn enemy of the US, I don't give a rip about that rifle's history. If it were a Garand or a M1 Carbine, then I would keep it as is but not on this one.

Replace the stock and make it yours.

the soldier who carried that rifle was most likely a draftee who's main concern was how his family was going to eat and couldn't give a rip either about us or his own government.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'm probably just going to save my $12.95 and keep the existing stock.

It's a cool rifle...Chinese Military (not Norinco) and I've got to do a bit of research on this new family addition!

bdickens wrote:

TDDude wrote:Since the "soldier" that carried that rifle was more than likely to have been a sworn enemy of the US, I don't give a rip about that rifle's history. If it were a Garand or a M1 Carbine, then I would keep it as is but not on this one.

Replace the stock and make it yours.

the soldier who carried that rifle was most likely a draftee who's main concern was how his family was going to eat and couldn't give a rip either about us or his own government.

That may be true and how unfortunate for his situation. I still don't care.

What did Patton say on winning a war? ...... Something about not being the one who dies for his country....