The Lowly SKS

[Brother in Arms]

I thought I'd do a small thread on this semi-forgotten firearm. That was eclipsed by the ubiqoutous Kalashinkov. Despite that fact they are all over the world and in the hands of poor armys and civillians everywhere. They would definitly play a part in the Twilight war. I am going to cover several variants that would show up.





SKS 45
USSR
The standard SKS rifle used by the Soviet army until replaced by the AK-47 in 1949. Russian SKS's can be distinquished by there excellent fit and finish. They are deeply blued and often times have a reddish or brownish laquered stocks birch stocks, as well as beutifully Laminted wood stocks. All where made in the late 1940's-50's and had 20" barrels that were chrome lined and had flip out Blade type Bayonets.



Type-56
China
China has produced more SKS's than any other country and they number in the several millions. The Soviets lent assitance to set up factorys in china and by the mid 1950's they were in Production. Initially they copied the Russian design but with a few minor changes. The Chinese rifles can be distinquished by there orange colored to yellow laquered wood stocks. Which are made from a softer hardwood found in asia. The earliest rifles has blade bayonets like the Soviet type. But most had the Crusiform spike bayonet similiar to that on the M44 rifle. These rifles originally had 20" chrome lined barrels also later for the commercial market in the 1980 and 90's they made 16" "paratrooper" models and even detachable box magazine models that took AK magazines. Called the type-D and Type-M. As far as I know though only the standard Type-56 was used by the chinese military. The Majority of these rifles being in the hands of the civilian militias or home gaurds. Most of these rifless have been exported from China and are far flung across the globe. Many of which turned up in Africa, Asai and of course the U.S. Infact they are one of the more common military surplus rifles found here especially in the 1990's.


M59, M59/66 and M59/66A1
Yugo Slavia
Initially the yugoslavians made an almost exact copy of the Soviet SKS other that the rifle was stocked in beachwood and made at ZASTVA rifle factory. Then the more common models being the M59/66 was made which had an additional gas cuttoff valve and grenade launching spigot attached to the muzzle of the rifle. None of these rifles where chrome lined and the model M59/66 had phospor night nights and a ported grenade launcher. The M59/66 tritium night sights and a non ported grenade launcher. All could use standard22mm grenade used by NATO. Most of the M59/66 where updated to the 59/66a1 configuration but both types where in use.


M56
Romania
Almost identical to the soviet rifles and were made at CUGIR. These have beech hardwood stocks. For years it was unknown the romanians made the SKS they where thought to be soviet made.


July 10 rifle
Albania
A strange SKS looking something like the chinese version with spike bayonet but with extended hand gard whith huge cooling vents. It has two buttstock traps and a cocking handle like an AK. Very uncommonly seen.


East Germany, North Korea and Vietnam also made the SKS in there own versions that are unlikely to turn up.



I just thought id give you a little information on the variations on the most commonly encoutered types. Of course in Europe the Russian SKS and Yugo SKS will be the most common. Infact the Yugo SKS was used heavily during the balkan war often as rifle grenade launching device as well as a DMR or short range sniper rifle. Im sure you would be finding the SKS in the hands or maruaders as well as villagers anyone who couldn't get an AK.

Brother in Arms