SKS Modernization project!

[Stainer]

So I have always been fascinated by the awesomeness that is the SKS. I have owned 3 different SKS's and decided that with all the junk looking SKS's out there, why not bring one back to life in a much more modern style. I get it, there are a lot of people who are going to be like "oh the wood original stock looks best" or "why don't you just leave it alone" or "blah blah blah, I suck cause I don't like change!" (okay probably not so much on the last one). Don't get me wrong, I like the original look too, that is why I still own an original SKS, but I am always up for some change, and I think this is going to be a good one.

Plus, If you start with an already bubba'd up SKS that has a crappy stock or other junk parts, you are making the rifle better anyways.

Last September, in some random googling of SKS stuff, I ran across some bullpup stocks. I did a lot of researching and basically found that if I was willing to wait a little bit (ended up being 11 months), I could have arguably the best bullpup stock on the market. That being the Bullpup stock from Shernic Gun Works. After more research and more research, I finally decided to go with it. I bought the whole shebang, the bullpup kit with the tri-rails and extended mag release.

Fast forward to last monday, I received an email from SGworks that my stock would be shipping on Friday and offering a new product. They had long since heard complaints from customers about a sling point, so they made one. They offered it to me so that I could have it added to my shipment and save on separate shipping. I went ahead and got it. The following Monday, yesterday, I got the notice from in my mailbox that it was at the post office for signature confirmation. Went and picked it up and here is what I got:

I have heard a lot of stories stating that this stock takes a lot of time, generally 5 hours, to assemble and properly fit to an SKS. With that in mind, I will be setting aside a full day to make sure that I can get it all together.

My goal is to get it assembled and check the lengths. Once I have it figured out how much I can cut off the barrel, I will have it chopped and threaded so that I can add a noise reduction device (suppressor) to the end of it.

This won't be the best, most tactical, rifle in the world, but it should be pretty awesome! I will update as I progress.

 

[Quad]

Congrats on your purchase. I look forward to seeing the pics after it's done.

I have a Norinco that was in a beat up stock, plus it wasn't #'s matching, so I "tacticooled" it with an ATI folding stock. I had fun doing it, so it was worth it to me.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Looks like a fun project! I'll be interested to see it in the bullpup configuration!

 

[theweakerbrother]

Tagged to watch what you do. I'm an SKS modernized skeptic.

 

[bigmedicine]

Great intro to your project - can't wait to see results.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Tag as well. Before I got into AR's I was into SKS's and had considered bull-pup.

 

[Rocket]

I am left handed. Most bullpups wont work for me. Looking forward to seeing yours though.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

I really hope you like it. I just never could get comfortable with a bulllpup.

 

[Cavman]

Iam already jeleous. Gonna follow this pretty close

 

[sgreen3]

Im an SKS fan myself. Im gonna have to get another one now, lol. Cant wait to see the finished product!!!!!!

 

[Stainer]

Thanks guys, I am looking forward to getting this thing put together. If you have looked at my other thread, I have been trying to find a way to cut/thread my rifle. Basically what I am gathering is, first, it is best if you have an SKS with a barrel that thread's into the receiver and, second, it is best to take the barrel out of the receiver to have it threaded. I have an SKS in the safe that is pressed in and I am set to buy one in two days, my hope is that it is a thread in barrel. If not, I'm going to have to think of something else. I have seen some more primitive ways, but I'm trying to avoid that.

 

[Stainer]

Stage 1 and 2 of my SKS Modernization project have been complete. So how about some updates.

I made a deal with BSUrugger who is a friend of mine and acquired his Chinese SKS that has been completely bubba'd up. It wasn't terrible, just a duracoat job that we spontaneously did on it that wasn't 100%. Here is what it looked like before.

First steps were to strip it down and remove the unnecessary parts. I took off the rear per the directions and removed the stock, box magazine, trigger assembly, bayonet, and cleaning rod. This is what it looked like.

SGworks recommends that you remove the front hand guard, not only for 922r compliance as it reduces your part count, but because it helps dissipate the heat. If you have ever tried removing one of these, it can be a real pain. I bent one of my punches trying to get the rivet out and this is what it looked like after 30 minutes of pounding.

So since I didn't want to ruin anymore tools, I said screw it. I don't ever plan on putting this thing back into original form so I took out a chisel and broke the handguard into pieces. Problem solved.

From there it was as simple as following SGworks' instructional video. I had to file in pretty much everywhere that thy said that I would have to. Little bit of patience and some good files and this was an easy task. The first problem I ran into was putting the trigger assembly back onto the rifle. It wouldn't fit. So I started filing.

After I got the trigger assembly in and working I put the trigger linkage on. Adjusting the trigger linkage was really easy and took maybe 5 minutes tops. Just remember that you cannot test your trigger linkage unless you put the bolt carrier group in the rifle.

So after that was finished, I moved to the new top handguard. This is where the most filing needed to be done. Lots of filing on the wooden bushing and on the plastic itself where the handguard was hitting the rear sight base. This was not in SGworks instructions but sometimes you have to do some custom work to make things work just right. Here is a pic of where I had to file.

Once that was on it was all down hill. The back cover went on smooth with the exception of the main pin having to be pushed against the work bench to get it in. After that, the extended mag release went on smooth, and I'm glad I got it. If you are going to get this kit, you don't need the sling attachment and you don't need the tri-rails, but if you are going to run detachable mags, you NEED the extended mag release. I put on the rear sling point, and DONE!

Here is a pic of the overall length being measured

Here is a size comparison with my original Chinese

Here is a comparison with my other weapons From Left to right the order is as follows:
Chinese SKS, 16" AR-15, SKS Bullpup, Mini-draco SBR

All in all I really enjoyed this part of the project. The only immediate problem I can see is that you cannot see the front site if you are looking down the stock. So red dot and back-ups it is. Here is what it looks like looking down it.

The next steps are to shoot it and ensure it functions then disassemble it and send the barrel off to be chopped and threaded. The crazy part is that once it is cut, it will be just as short as my Draco-mini SBR without the need for a tax stamp. Looking forward getting this completely done. I may do the bolt mod to allow me to drop the mags free with the bolt closed, but we shall see. I will keep you guys posted on this one. Enjoy!

 

[DSmith78]

looks good

 

[BSUrugger]

Here is a comparison with my other weapons From Left to right the order is as follows:
Chinese SKS, 16" AR-15, SKS Bullpup, Mini-draco SBR

Look amazing. Can't wait to see it in person. Also, I think you need to get some big boy weights. Those arms are looking pretty puny.

 

[sgreen3]

Stainer, that thing is SWEET! Nice job, are you going to keep the color of the duracoat? I think it looks pretty cool that color.

 

[vitamink]

That does look good. Do you still plan on cutting down the barrel? I'll bring my SGworks sks and we can shoot/review em.

I see you've only graduated to the purple weights, i'm already on pink and in a few weeks i plan to be at sky blue. I'm glad you take fitness as seriously as i do. Whats the point of having cool guns if you're not strong enough to operate them? Many members can learn from this.

 

[aka-kesler]

Question.. is the durakote just paint? Did you strip the metal first? Looks really nice!! awesme job!!

 

[Nmathew24]

Question.. is the durakote just paint? Did you strip the metal first? Looks really nice!! awesme job!!

^^ Indeed, I would like to do the same to mine. Looks nice!

 

[sgreen3]

Question.. is the durakote just paint? Did you strip the metal first? Looks really nice!! awesme job!!

DuraCoat is a coating that is sprayed on. DuraCoat Firearm Finishes . Surface will need to be preped before spraying on metal surface. Scuffed and then cleaned with a cleaner then the coating can be applied.

 

[Stainer]

Look amazing. Can't wait to see it in person. Also, I think you need to get some big boy weights. Those arms are looking pretty puny.

Thanks rugger, Looking forward to shooting it. The weights aren't for my arms. There are other parts of the body that can lift that weight. Using these size weights also needs some back support.

Stainer, that thing is SWEET! Nice job, are you going to keep the color of the duracoat? I think it looks pretty cool that color.

You know I like the color as well. If the person who traded me the SKS, cough BSUrugger cough, had done a little better job with the duracoat, I might keep it. I think I will probably keep it like it is until I finish it completely, then I will probably touch up the color.

That does look good. Do you still plan on cutting down the barrel? I'll bring my SGworks sks and we can shoot/review em.

Thanks K and yes I do still plan on cutting it down. Looks stupid being that long and will look even stupider(its a word google it jerks) when I take off the front site as it is worthless anyways.

I see you've only graduated to the purple weights, i'm already on pink and in a few weeks i plan to be at sky blue. I'm glad you take fitness as seriously as i do. Whats the point of having cool guns if you're not strong enough to operate them? Many members can learn from this.

A lot of the rest of these posers don't actually understand what it takes to be a Top Tier shooter... we on the other hand are taking our fitness seriously. I'll get the get your purple weights back to you soon so that I can get the pink ones when you're done.

Question.. is the durakote just paint? Did you strip the metal first? Looks really nice!! awesme job!!

That's the easy way to put it. It goes on just like paint and doesn't need to be baked. Metal was stripped with the Tru-strip they send with the kit before being sprayed.

^^ Indeed, I would like to do the same to mine. Looks nice!

And thank you to all for the positive comments, going to shoot it tomm and then if all is well, I will be stripping it back down to send the barrel off. More to come