SKS questions(help me choose my first rifle)

[DerpSchnitzel]

I'm currently doing research to figure out what the heck rifle I wanna buy here within the next year. At the moment I'm leaning pretty heavily toward the SKS. I've never heard anything bad about them, and they're still relatively cheap-ish(I'm seeing some in the $300-$400 range online, which sure beats the $850+ I'm seeing for a Ruger Mini-14 or Mini-30). My main hangup is the lack of a removable magazine. Now I know there are some that came outta China after the ban with thumbhole stocks that take AK magazines, and I know about the duckbill magazines. I don't like the thumbhole, and I feel like the duckbill will make the magazines difficult/awkward to store and maneuver in and out of a magazine pouch. I'm also not exactly a gunsmith, so I don't know how much modification I wanna attempt(and this will be my first and most likely only rifle(at least for a while, I'm not trying to build an arsenal), so I don't wanna break it trying to modify it).

So all that said, my question is what is the cheapest/easiest/most hassle-free way to have an SKS take a removable magazine without the thumbhole stock or the duck bills? Does an aftermarket stock exist that allows me to just slap the internals into it and use AK magazines, or am I gonna have to do some kind of modification myself?

I'm gonna put my total budget at around $500, which is the current price of a PSA PA-15, which I don't REALLY want(EVERYONE has ARs, and I prefer steel and wood), but I'll get it if I can't find a viable alternative in a similar price range. Is $500 doable for what I want? How difficult is the conversion? Should I just give up my obsessive search, increase my budget, or just buy the damn AR? What I really want is something with an M1 action: M1 carbine, M1A, M1 Garand, Mini-14/Mini-30, etc, but I'm a bit concerned about magazine availability/cost and accuracy/heat issues with the Minis. The Garand has no removable magazine, the M1 carbine would probably bore me after a while, and they're all too expensive for me. An AK would be nice too, but they're running about as high as the Minis these days.

Just like any other firearm I would ever purchase unless something in my life changes drastically, this will primarily be a "toy" I'll take to the range to shoot some paper targets and maybe the occasional watermelon or water jug. However, I do still want it to be viable in a self defense scenario should I ever need it to be. At the same time though, I also have a 20 gauge and a 9mm pistol I'll probably go for first because I'd prefer not shooting my intruder/attacker AND the neighbors. I also have no delusions of being Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom Berenger. I just want a budget friendly practical rifle that can hit a target consistently at maybe 50-100 yards.

I'm also open to the idea of a PCC, but I know nothing about them or what kinda range or accuracy they're capable of.

I'm really kicking myself for not buying a Saiga about 5 years ago when you could still import them...

[Hoppy]

I still regret not getting an sks back when I had my c&r license. Never bothered me that it didn't have a detachable magazine. I would think it's still a good choice.
One option would be to build yourself and AR and put some wood furniture on. Do a search to see pictures. You could chose an upper in 5.56 or something like .458 and have a unique rifle.

Just some thoughts and welcome, that's a great screen name. Btw my first rifle was a Marlin lever action .357, still one of my favorites.

[DerpSchnitzel]

I still regret not getting an sks back when I had my c&r license. Never bothered me that it didn't have a detachable magazine. I would think it's still a good choice.
One option would be to build yourself and AR and put some wood furniture on. Do a search to see pictures. You could chose an upper in 5.56 or something like .458 and have a unique rifle.

Just some thoughts and welcome, that's a great screen name. Btw my first rifle was a Marlin lever action .357, still one of my favorites.

Thanks! An AR with wood furniture, there's an idea... I just did some looking around, and I'm seeing some REALLY nice guns, but that furniture costs about as much as my pistol. I might have to take a stab at making some myself.

[chauncey]

If you get an SKS and want it to be reliable, keep the original fixed magazine configuration. Everything else is a "maybe it will work".

I am not an AR fan but the PSA AR-15s are the best entry level semi-auto rifle on the market right now.

If you can get into the $1k range and dont want an AR, the PTR rifles are a great value, especially if you want a 308 semi-auto. Try to spend the extra funds to get a receiver with rail. It helps a lot in attaching a modern optic.

[DerpSchnitzel]

If you get an SKS and want it to be reliable, keep the original fixed magazine configuration. Everything else is a "maybe it will work.
I am not an AR fan but the PSA AR-15s are the best entry level semi-auto rifle on the market right now."

Just got the exact same advice on the SKS from a military buddy whose always owned a ton of guns. He's also the one who steered me toward a PSA in the first place. Maybe I'll just get the damn AR. It's certainly not my least favorite rifle...

[Berncly]

I'm currently doing research to figure out what the heck rifle I wanna buy here within the next year. At the moment I'm leaning pretty heavily toward the SKS. I've never heard anything bad about them, and they're still relatively cheap-ish(I'm seeing some in the $300-$400 range online, which sure beats the $850+ I'm seeing for a Ruger Mini-14 or Mini-30). My main hangup is the lack of a removable magazine. Now I know there are some that came outta China after the ban with thumbhole stocks that take AK magazines, and I know about the duckbill magazines. I don't like the thumbhole, and I feel like the duckbill will make the magazines difficult/awkward to store and maneuver in and out of a magazine pouch. I'm also not exactly a gunsmith, so I don't know how much modification I wanna attempt(and this will be my first and most likely only rifle(at least for a while, I'm not trying to build an arsenal), so I don't wanna break it trying to modify it).

So all that said, my question is what is the cheapest/easiest/most hassle-free way to have an SKS take a removable magazine without the thumbhole stock or the duck bills? Does an aftermarket stock exist that allows me to just slap the internals into it and use AK magazines, or am I gonna have to do some kind of modification myself?

I'm gonna put my total budget at around $500, which is the current price of a PSA PA-15, which I don't REALLY want(EVERYONE has ARs, and I prefer steel and wood), but I'll get it if I can't find a viable alternative in a similar price range. Is $500 doable for what I want? How difficult is the conversion? Should I just give up my obsessive search, increase my budget, or just buy the damn AR? What I really want is something with an M1 action: M1 carbine, M1A, M1 Garand, Mini-14/Mini-30, etc, but I'm a bit concerned about magazine availability/cost and accuracy/heat issues with the Minis. The Garand has no removable magazine, the M1 carbine would probably bore me after a while, and they're all too expensive for me. An AK would be nice too, but they're running about as high as the Minis these days.

Just like any other firearm I would ever purchase unless something in my life changes drastically, this will primarily be a "toy" I'll take to the range to shoot some paper targets and maybe the occasional watermelon or water jug. However, I do still want it to be viable in a self defense scenario should I ever need it to be. At the same time though, I also have a 20 gauge and a 9mm pistol I'll probably go for first because I'd prefer not shooting my intruder/attacker AND the neighbors. I also have no delusions of being Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom Berenger. I just want a budget friendly practical rifle that can hit a target consistently at maybe 50-100 yards.

I'm also open to the idea of a PCC, but I know nothing about them or what kinda range or accuracy they're capable of.

I'm really kicking myself for not buying a Saiga about 5 years ago when you could still import them...

Just buy the damn AR.
And please don't use Liberal buzzwords like "arsenal" and the half dozen others you mentioned.

[DerpSchnitzel]

Just buy the damn AR.
And please don't use Liberal buzzwords like "arsenal" and the half dozen others you mentioned.

...wait, what? What other "buzzwords?" I don't mean anything by the term arsenal, I just know quite a few gun owners with like 50 guns. There's nothing wrong with that, and hell, I'd love to have that myself, I just can't afford it. And I've seen a lot of "what gun should I buy" discussions get responses like "Just buy them all." That, and sometimes people go into great detail about the accuracy of a particular weapon like they need to hit a needle a mile away on a regular basis, or they'll talk about firepower like they're taking their rifle to a literal war, or maybe they just live in REALLY bad neighborhoods or something.

I was just saying I don't need to go into all that noise. I just like guns and think they're fun to shoot. I'm certainly no "liberal." I wouldn't necessarily call myself a "conservative" either, but I'm not really here to discuss politics.

[Berncly]

...wait, what? What other "buzzwords?" I don't mean anything by the term arsenal, I just know quite a few gun owners with like 50 guns. There's nothing wrong with that, and hell, I'd love to have that myself, I just can't afford it. And I've seen a lot of "what gun should I buy" discussions get responses like "Just buy them all." That, and sometimes people go into great detail about the accuracy of a particular weapon like they need to hit a needle a mile away on a regular basis, or they'll talk about firepower like they're taking their rifle to a literal war, or maybe they just live in REALLY bad neighborhoods or something.

I was just saying I don't need to go into all that noise. I just like guns and think they're fun to shoot. I'm certainly no "liberal." I wouldn't necessarily call myself a "conservative" either, but I'm not really here to discuss politics.

You're too immersed in the culture speak to understand my post.
I didn't call you a Liberal but since you mention it, it is impossible to "like" guns and not be political if you expect to be able to keep them.

[DerpSchnitzel]

You're too immersed in the culture speak to understand my post.
I didn't call you a Liberal but since you mention it, it is impossible to "like" guns and not be political if you expect to be able to keep them.

No it's cool, I got it. I'm not apolitical, but I'm not here right now to discuss politics. Obviously I care about politicians wanting to take them away, and I've noticed many of them trying to slip things thru during the plandemic panic which concerns me, but it's business as usual.

[Berncly]

No it's cool, I got it. I'm not apolitical, but I'm not here right now to discuss politics. Obviously I care about politicians wanting to take them away, and I've noticed many of them trying to slip things thru during the plandemic panic which concerns me, but it's business as usual.

In that case please don't take offense when I tell you that you throw around language that is inserted into popular culture to demonize guns and gun owners.
The fact that you are unaware of it is an indication of how successfully Liberals have used pop culture to demonize the 2A.

Many here are extremely aware of this slow burn pop culture anti 2A brainwashing, and don't like seeing that language used here unknowingly or otherwise.
You can help protect the 2A by becoming aware of this issue yourself and refraining from using Liberal infused anti 2A terminology.

Having said that, if you like the SKS have at it, nothing wrong with it.
But at this moment in time, the AR is the best deal for the money.