r/canadaguns • u/RSRigal • May 28 '26
Buy recommendations Is SKS still worth it at this price point?
$1200 for a French tickler seems pretty egregious. Are SKSs still worth it at this value or are there alternatives at better value points?
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u/Erix90 May 28 '26
1200 is fucking nuts. Look elsewhere for one you can find them cheaper.
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u/gspotcowboy May 28 '26
If that's all in (i.e. he's buying second hand because they're all out of stock) its not much more than when I was shopping around a couple months ago. Would have been about 1050 with tax and shipping
Yes it's ridiculous compared to prices even 2 years ago but it's all relative 🤷♂️
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u/spicymeatmemes May 28 '26
I mean, yes and no. It's still a 75+ year old gun that was made for up to 400 yd shots pretty much.
Blasting and making noise? There are probably still a few options out there.
Accuracy? There are definitely better options out there.
Still a great rifle nonetheless but these prices are only bloated like this because of our laws. Should be a $250 maybe $300 rifle.
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u/black_covfefe_please May 28 '26
I was agreeing with you till the price. Just the reliability alone puts it WAY over $300 in values.
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u/spicymeatmemes May 28 '26
Its just because of what's available now. Rose coloured glasses aside, it was worth what it was actually worth back when the market was more accessible.
It's a sellers market now with how limited our options are.
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u/black_covfefe_please May 28 '26
The only reason the SKS sold for $300 was because the market was saturate.
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u/spicymeatmemes May 28 '26
You could get an SKS for $300 because that was what it was worth when there was any sort of competition.
$300 SKS or a $600 AR? How about a semi auto 12ga with AR features and 10rd mags for $250? Or even a glock for $400-500. Shit, Deagles were sub $2k.
Now that its one of the only options left, the price gets skyrocketed.
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u/LumberjackCDN Gold'n Loan Outfitters & Pawn May 28 '26
Eh south of the border theyve been commanding similar prices (though this is due to scarcity due to american import laws regarding products from communist countries, see cuban cigars for a similar idea.)
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u/spicymeatmemes May 28 '26
The states are an entirely different discussion
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u/LumberjackCDN Gold'n Loan Outfitters & Pawn May 28 '26
Yes, merely commenting on the value there, since they had lots of selection too
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u/gyates93 May 29 '26
A milled steel semi auto centrefire rifle with a decent set of irons that is generally quite reliable and can make pie plate accuracy with decent ammo would probably cost way more than an SKS currently costs if manufactured and sold today.
Understand we're missing those cheap prices when they were super plentiful, but I think at ~$1000 a good condition SKS is still worth having.
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u/mischling2543 May 30 '26
2 years ago? Hell I bought one at Cabela's of all places in September 2025 for $650
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u/BrotherLefthand May 28 '26
If you're after a semi-auto plinker, the henry homesteaders scratches a little of that itch.
$1200 for an SKS is way beyond value. Surplus ammo is becoming rare. Non-corrosive is becoming expensive. You're better off investing in another platform.
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u/Rogan403 May 28 '26
No no no. If there's 4 digits before the decimal point then it's too expensive unless it's comes with a bunch of extra accessories and/or ammo but still even at that price there better be something exceptional about it to be worth it.
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u/NEUMANN-METALWORKS Neumann Metalworks May 28 '26
Where are you seeing SKS for 1200? Maybe rare Russian ones.
Maplegun is your friend
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u/LumberjackCDN Gold'n Loan Outfitters & Pawn May 28 '26
North Sylva's last costing for them before they sold out was 900 bucks so im sure if a retailer had any left them they'd be listing them for 1050ish and if hes an HST province you get to 1200 from there pretty easily.
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u/Iokua_CDN May 28 '26
Good quality Chinese sks rifles are going from 800-900. All you are missing is the plastic ribbed piece, so I still think 1200 is ridiculous. Just buy a normal Chinese sks
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u/LumberjackCDN Gold'n Loan Outfitters & Pawn May 28 '26
Yes on the used market. Im talking as a dealer lol. All the last costs for them were 900. The distributor has none left though and ive heard but cant confirm, that no more are coming.
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u/Iokua_CDN May 28 '26
These sks rifles from dealers though.
Plenty of even cheaper ones in ATI stocks, but there are also 800 dollar ones from dealers. Tendra and the Ammo source are 820 and 830 respectfully. Lanz has a few for 800, reliable gun has some for 800 but they are refurbished, or their all matching for 840. 840-850 you got even more from dealers, though at that points it's splitting hairs, as with some tax and possibly shipping you are over 900.
But there still are sks rifles for around 800 from dealers, is my point.
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u/LumberjackCDN Gold'n Loan Outfitters & Pawn May 28 '26
I was never a huge sks fan but im pretty sure once north sylva is out of them thats it and we'll be seeing a US style collectors market for them eventually.
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u/NeoNova9 May 28 '26
Fuck no. But you do you if 1200$ is nothing to you then why not. Can always sell it again .
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u/WonkyTusky May 28 '26
At that point id rather save more money and then buy a lever action in .357 or a straight pull like the mra renegade. 223 is still cheap
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u/Iokua_CDN May 28 '26
So, as my other comment mentions, actual sks price is 730 for a crap one in an ATI stock, to 800 for a Chinese sks, up to 850-900 for a really good quality almost new Chinese sks. So that's the price you need to consider. Not 1200.
Now at 730-900, what else can you get instead???
A variety of decent bolt actions. Cz 600 alpha even can be in 7.62 x39. Lots of good options, far easier to mount a scope, and usually 1moa accuracy. But maybe you want something a little more fast shooting than a bolt action.
A 357 lever action. My main example with be the Citadel Levtac as it's frequently on sale for 800-850. Other lever actions might be close too with different stocks and such, but the Citadel I know is available, is rossi made quality, and also has a rail. 357 and 38 special is cheap. The irons on the Citadel do great, and the rail is perfect for a red dot. Very fun, pretty fast shooting, much smaller and compact than an Sks, with 8 in the tube, but not semi auto.
A used European Bar in 3006. These come in from Intersurplus for 800 bucks. Much more fire power than an sks but also pricier ammo and harder to reload, and less aftermarket. Pretty cool though and worth mentioning as an option.
Henry Homesteader is currently like 1200, but if you wait for a big sale like black friday, I saw these going for 1k. So that's a consideration, an sks for 800 now, or wait and get the Homesteader for 1k later.
Same idea, a 223 Celik Chimera was on sale last black Friday for 1k. I'm sure they will go for that again. 1k for Turkish quality, but pistol mags, 223, and easy scope mounting. Something to consider.
Going the semi route, grabbing a semi auto Shotgun. Tons of options and variety of quality, a used European or American shotgun or a new good quality Turkish shotgun would be in the price range of an Sks. Slugs I see for 1buck a Slug so pricier Than the sks ammo, but also cheaper birdshot. 5 round magazine and slower to reload than the sks but a ton of firepower when shooting slugs or buckshot at close range. Also further range than you would think.
So that's the competition. With all those options, it's easy to find an alternative to the sks, however I think the sks is still useful and worth considering. A dead reliable semi auto with cheap ammo and a robust aftermarket is hard to beat.
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u/AlonzoMosely88 May 28 '26
Not a chance in hell I would spend that kind of money on an SKS. For that kind of money I would rather save a little longer and build a nice precision rig in a more capable chambering.
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u/BowFella May 28 '26
The least comfortable and most innaccurate rifles I've owned. Granted it's still cheaper than any other center fire semi auto rifle available and 7.62x39 is cheap. But that's about it. If you're going to make any decent modifications then you might as well throw in an extra $200-300 and get a useble rifle like an Alcor or a browning BAR mk1 or Mk2. Hell I've seen browning bar Mk2s go for the same price as a chinese SKS.
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u/3e_Design May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
compared to what? If I had to build a SKS with materials, machining, etc, I would need to retail it at about 1600.
years ago, SKS rifles coming into this country were being sold for the value of the scrap metal. My wholesale cost used to be $53 from Marstar. Consider this: my $53 was nowhere near what Marstar paid including frieght from europe.
Years before Russia invaded Ukraine (where most of the Russian sks rifles were sourced) pro russian rebels started to seize them for themselves. That is when the value went from scrap metal to weapon system and the prices rose. suddenly there was demand and no new supply.
If you are patient, you can find them from 900 to 1000. try townpost.
Are they worth $1000? yes they are, it is unmatched by our current legal offerings.
but with retail places charging 800 to 1000, 1200 is currently too steep of a price.
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u/drpestilence May 28 '26
I'm going to get down voted for this but I don't think it was worth it at the 200 price point. Exception being of course if you like collecting milsup
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May 28 '26
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u/Crispysnipez May 28 '26
Can you find a reliable semi auto alternative thats shoots cheap ammo for less than $1200?
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u/GonZo_626 May 28 '26
They were never worth the $500 people were paying, but if people are paying that much, I guess they consider them worth it. Glad to say I got mine back when they were around $200.
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u/AngryToasterOven97 May 28 '26
its all about perspective. I didn’t buy one for a long time because they were dirt cheap and I had guns that did the same thing but better. Then those guns got banned so I bought an sks. at the time 680 seemed steep for something I used to see sold for far less. now that would be considered a good price. I have one so I don’t feel the need to rush out and buy another for double. But if someone told me I could buy a handgun today if I paid triple what they cost a few years ago id do it in a heartbeat. Never seems worth it until the option is taken from you.
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u/Minimum_Judgment8401 May 28 '26
In my opinion if you want a sks save up the funds and get the sks d or wait for the new set of non restricted or look on gun post for a good deal
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u/Flat-Dark-Earth Big Bore Specialist May 28 '26
It’s still the best value semi under $1000.
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u/FD4L May 28 '26
Ya. Surplus ammo can still be found relatively cheap. It can be used to hunt deer. The aftermarket support is better than many other rifles out there. And its a satisfying and reliable semi-auto rifle. It still costs less than new to market turkish guns and many chinese sks' have never really been used.
Theyre a very solid option under $1000. Being bitter that they cost $100 in 2003 dosent mean anything now. Lots of people could have bought a house for 300k in 2019 and now the same one is 800+. Shit sucks everywhere, a more expensive sks is small potatoes.
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u/cernegiant May 28 '26
I regret not getting a SKS when they were cheap and came with a buttload of ammo.
Objectively the gun isn't worth $1200. It's not accurate or reliable enough to justify that price point.
But the choice for semi autos is sparse now and may be getting sparser. The SKS will be the last semi auto banned in Canada. That doesn't mean it will never be banned.
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u/Rewindonemoretime May 28 '26
1200 bucks. Wow. I thought mine were expensive at 570 a piece a couple years ago.
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u/Iokua_CDN May 28 '26
730 for an ATI stock sks or 800 for a Chinese wood stock.
Those are your best prices other than a used deal or something.
That is the price you need to think about when deciding whether to buy it or not l. 1200 is ridiculous
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u/Enough_Challenge7264 May 28 '26
Considering importers are paying $10 or $15 per, yea $1200 is nuts. Someone needs to be embarrassed.
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u/PrestigiousStatus711 May 28 '26
Holy Fuck! I feel bad for the new people in this sport. SKS used to be that cheap gun you got to shoot cheap surplus. I remember the marstar crate my buddies and I split was less than half the current price of a SKS.
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u/PteSoupSandwich The 10/22 Dude May 28 '26
You just have to look around to find deals ...
My LGS has a Russian for $599 🤷
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u/pooshlinger May 28 '26
Ive seen chinese going for like 800 but thats what i paid for my tula a year ago. Id def buy another but 1200 is steep for a russian…
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u/Spyrothedragon9972 May 28 '26
No. It's a piece of shit. It's a cope rifle. They were fine for $250. Shoot literally any modern, well designed, and manufactured semi auto rifle and you'll realize how shit the SKS is.
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u/TarkovSundays May 28 '26
what modern well designed manufactured semi auto is the on the market at this point besides a .22. If your looking for a reliable semi auto this is the last one unless your willing to pay for a valmet or makasai
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u/MasterScore8739 May 28 '26
As much as I enjoyed shooting the SKS while I had it, anything over ~500ish for an average one is an absolute scheme.
The biggest attraction to them was always the low price and cheap ammo. For the 900+ people are asking, you can get some pretty decent rifles that’ll shoot cheap ammo.
I know it’s not the exact same, but at that price I’d rather pick up some of the 22 options. At least then you can easily customize them and there’s ample parts and current support for them.
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u/NL1839 May 28 '26
Personally if they were free it still wouldn’t be worth it to me. I’m probably the weird one here but they’ve never appealed to me, even in the days when they were practically giving them away
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u/DoYouGetSarcasm May 28 '26
Not for 1200, not in my opinion. Unless you really want one and you're just throwing lead down range without care for good accuracy.
I hate it when people say but once cry once, save your money and buy something that costs way more... But if hunting is in any way your interest: new Browning BARs can be had for not to much more. Look around you might find mk3s for as low as 1500 plus tax. The mark 4 is coming out so the mk3s are on sale. I see the mk4 Hunter on sale for 1750.
It's almost 1000 dollars more with a rail/rings/scope, so it's isn't a no-brainer. But that's how much 1200 is over priced for a used/surplus/cosmoloned sks, it's almost time to move into a modern new rifle.