Good "first" rifles?

[Hodgie]

Classic has norincos for @ 300, but if you want to modernize it for detachable mags, modern stock, etc you'd have over$400 in it quickly. Price would be a push IMHO, unless you want to keep it stock and just clean it up. I guess it depends on what the op wants.

Classic has beaters at $300.00 that often have cracked stocks and require internal repairs, ask me how I know this?
You are correct you would have way more into it if you "modernized" it and then you would find that it sucks hard since it wannest meant to be a modern rifle.

Tapco is also going out of production on mag's and parts for the SKS so whats out there is out there and mag's are drying up. There are other ways to properly convert the rifles to take AR x39 mags that work very well but it's costly and requires fitting and other modification. You could find a SKS D or M that takes AK mags for around $700.00 but they often run like shit as well since they weren't meant to run AK mags.

Almost every Chinese SKS I see for sale on this site including the Bubbas are listed at $400.00 plus.