SKS magazine question

[Dragon 5 Actual]

Note I am not too familiar with SKSs but have a project build I want to do on one and want a harder hitting rifle than my AR.
This is probably an easy one but I think the stock SKS has an onboard magazine, right? How hard is it to convert to accept detachable magazines?
Thanks

[mack]

Used to see a lot of conversions to accept AK mags but I don't know if it can still be done legally. Maybe others here can advise. There are conversion mags though that look and function like 30rd. AK mags.

[Art]

Short answer: Yes there are conversion modifications available.

Longer answer: The conversion modification kits exist, and they are legal in most states, but the aftermarket ones can be problematic. The Chinese actually built two SKS based rifles set up for the AK magazine system which I believe were the Type 84 and Type 68 (selective fire) but I don't think either were actually imported into this country.

Some SKS rifles, especially the Russian ones have become quite collectable so I'd be careful about any modification that can't be easily reversed.

I infer you have an SKS you are thinking of converting but AK clones are still available at reasonable prices.

[joem]

It's easy done. But the results are problematic at best. There are also chicom 20 & 30 round mags that are made for the SKS but the one I have doesn't work worth a hoot. And the 30 rounders stick out the bottom way too far. I put my SKS back the way it was designed cause it works.

[John Sukey]

One would ask why you need an extended magazine in an SKS unless you are planning on robbing a bank or getting into a fire fight with the cops.

[4F4Nam]

One would ask why you need an extended magazine in an SKS unless you are planning on robbing a bank or getting into a fire fight with the cops.

Gee, John, that is right out of the gun-grabbers handbook.................................... "You don't NEED that!"

Ed

[John Sukey]

Not really, I own an SKS. I just don't see the need for an extended magazine unless one feels it necessary to see how much empty brass I can litter the range with.
If I want to play "rock and roll" I have my STEN, Bren, Lewis, and Vickers!

[4F4Nam]

John, I know what you are saying, but you should know what I mean. Someone could just as well ask you "why do you NEED automatic machine guns?" That's where I'm coming from. We all know it is a matter of wants not needs. But the standard anti-gunner question is always about NEEDS.

Ed

[kcw]

John, I know what you are saying, but you should know what I mean. Someone could just as well ask you "why do you NEED automatic machine guns?" That's where I'm coming from. We all know it is a matter of wants not needs. But the standard anti-gunner question is always about NEEDS.

Ed

Exactly! Oh, how I'd love to be able to have the right to examine the life style of those who try to inflict their "needs" standard upon others! Do you "need" that 4,000 sq. ft house ; why can't you survive with 800? Do you "need" that BMW, when a "plain Jane" Chevy will get you everywhere you want to go ? Would there even be an America or an American culture if the possession of personal resources, deemed to be beyond some minimum level, required the permission of some societal oversight committee?! I live a generally minimalist lifestyle, WELL under my "means", because I truly enjoy the simplicity and economic efficiency of not keeping up with the Jones'. Too me it represents freedom! I do sometimes look at the far more lavish lifestyles of others (which is pretty EVERYONE else) and think, "Why do you so burden yourself with such nonsense?". But, then I reconsider and think, "What the heck, if that floats your boat then why should I care?".

[Duane Hansen]

Exactly! Oh, how I'd love to be able to have the right to examine the life style of those who try to inflict their "needs" standard upon others! Do you "need" that 4,000 sq. ft house ; why can't you survive with 800? Do you "need" that BMW, when a "plain Jane" Chevy will get you everywhere you want to go ? Would there even be an America or an American culture if the possession of personal resources, deemed to be beyond some minimum level, required the permission of some societal oversight committee?! I live a generally minimalist lifestyle, WELL under my "means", because I truly enjoy the simplicity and economic efficiency of not keeping up with the Jones'. Too me it represents freedom! I do sometimes look at the far more lavish lifestyles of others (which is pretty EVERYONE else) and think, "Why do you so burden yourself with such nonsense?". But, then I reconsider and think, "What the heck, if that floats your boat then why should I care?".

Well said!!

[p246]

I bought one with an extended mag cheap....because it wouldn't run. I returned it back to stock. Unless someone can steer you to a good vendor my limited experience says stay away from them.

[dogtag]

I don't understand all the complicated answers.
You can buy 20 and 30 round mags.
You remove trigger group and insert new mag and re-install trigger group.
Illegal in California. Don't know about elsewhere.

[dogtag]

Forgot to say, remove fixed mag, although that's kinda obvious.

[Johan412th]

I'm with Art on the russian sks, leave it stock. As for the norinco... Have fun with it. My personal experience is the 20 round tapco mags are your best and most affordable bet.

[Dragon 5 Actual]

OK, I have a bullpup stock on my sks that prohibits loading using a clip. So is it just a matter of removing the onboard magazine and inserting a removable or is there something else I need to do. I am aware a lot of people do not like the removable magazines but who makes the most reliable ones these days?

As to why I did this, its my hobby, I enjoy converting and modifying rifles purely to do it. In this case I have to because loading it round by round is a pain, especially when I know there is a way to just change magazines. I do not ask people why they need sports cars or why they put those annoying mufflers on their "race" cars that make them sound like cheap gas powered weed-eaters. Dont ask why I like to modify rifles to make them more than they were. Oh an for the record, I never had the original stock, I traded for it with an aftermarket svd stock on it.

[Art]

If you have and SVD type stock you should be able to load your carbine using the 10 round "stripper clips" that the rifle was designed to use. Since you want to modify here are a couple of videos. As was said above the basic SKS was never designed to use any kind of detachable magazine and virtually every aftermarket modification I've ever seen had at least some problems. The old boy in the second video talks about how trouble free the old aftermarket SKS specific sheet steel detachable magazines are but his experience is not the one everyone has and even he says that removing the magazine requires manipulation I wouldn't want to fool with.

After you get finished I'd like to know how yours works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1gzY5dSS1I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U57YJYKjaVk

[Dragon 5 Actual]

Thanks for the info.
No, the original stock on it when I traded for the rifle was an old ugly and cheap SVD stock. Funny enough, the store I got it from actually takes in a lot of bubba'd guns and returns them to their semi-original states when they have time to do the work. They hadn't gotten around to this one yet. I have a CBRPS bullpup stock I picked up to put on an SKS so I pulled the crappy looking stock off and put the new one on. But the new stock isn't designed for clip use, and I will agree that's a design flaw as I would prefer to use the clips, but I love the look of the rifle, which is half the point of converting guns.

[AZshooter]

What you DO need is a handful of stripper clips. You can charge from a stripper into the stock mag easily as quickly as you can swap out a mag. A bag full of ammo on strippers weighs less and takes up less space than the same amount of ammo in mags.

And then, if you crave the "EVIL Factor", a buncha ammo on strippers laid out on the bench at the range looks intimidating to the more sporty occasional shooters.

[NuJudge]

The Chinese made and exported to the US substantial quantities of a SKS that took AK magazines, the SKS-D, which worked well:
http://chinesesks.weebly.com/d.html

There were substantial quantities of 20-round non-detachable magazines made in China and exported to the US. These usually work well when used to replace the standard 10-round magazine.
https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/chinese-20-round-fixed-magazine.89826/

There were a lot of detachable and non-detachable magazines made here in the US, most of which did not work very well.

I have to say I am quite comfortable with an SKS and a pouch of loaded chargers.

[Tom in N.J.]

SKS rifles with detachable magazines are banned in New Jersey.

[Mark in Ottawa]

Here is a link to a company that sells removable magazines that, if I understand correctly, can be fitted to an SKS with a fixed mag. I believe that you simply remove the fixed mag entirely and this removable version fits in instead. See https://www.tradeexcanada.com/content/sks-archangel-polymer-magazine-535rd-lever-release and another version at https://www.tradeexcanada.com/content/baur-arms-sks-305-rd-magazine.

Note that the reference to the pinning or riveting to 5 rounds is because here in Canada, centre fire rifles (other than 22s) are limited to 5 rounds. I expect that you can get these items in the USA without their being pinned to 5 rounds

[tanker trash]

Just build an upper for your AR in 7.62x39. a barrel, bolt head and magazine are all that's different.

[Tom in N.J.]

SKS rifles with detachable magazines are banned in New Jersey. (Since 1991).