III. Firearm Information by Type
D. Rifles
2. Models and Manufacturers
b. Self-Loading Rifles
191. SKS
1. SKS FAQ
by Bob Horn (bob.horn@chrysalis.org)
(Almost) Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the SKS
bob.horn@chrysalis.org
Last Revised January 10, 1995
------------------------------
Subject: 1. Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. History
3. Specifications, Simonov SL Rifle (SKS)
4. Disassembly and Cleaning
5. Operation
6. How Safe is the SKS?
7. Legal Stuff (USA)
8. OK, I'm Sold. What Should I Look For?
9. Russian vs. Chinese
------------------------------
Subject: 2. History
The 7.62x39 Cartridge
---------------------
The Second World War saw many changes in military tactics and
technology. Use of motorized infantry support allowed for rapid
movement on the battlefield, in sharp contrast to the stalemated trench
warfare of the Great War. In response, both sides produced and deployed
large numbers of pistol-caliber submachine guns. The practical range of
these weapons was limited to close ranges, however, and beyond 100 yards
or so all armies relied upon rifles and machine guns firing cartridges
dating from the last decades of the 19th century or the first of the
20th.
While the First World War had confirmed the need for infantry weapons
accurate and deadly at ranges of 1000 yards and beyond, in the European
and Asian theaters of World War II most engagements occurred within 350
yards. The pressure on designers was to produce a weapon that combined
the long-range lethality of "full-power" cartridges fired from rifles
and machine guns with the massed, rapid fire of the submachine gun.
Late in the war, the Germans introduced a new class of weapon: the
Sturmgewehr; storm, or assault, rifle. This weapon fired a
substantially shortened 7.92mm cartridge (7.92x33mm), designated the
PP43. Capable of propelling a 125 grain projectile to a nominal muzzle
velocity of 2100fps, the 7.92 Kurz was far more effective than the
standard 9mm Parabellum pistol cartridge used in submachine guns by the
Wehrmacht, although not as lethal as the longer range 7.92mm round fired
by the Mauser K98 rifle. Besieged with supply problems from the outset
of the war, the German army formulated a plan in 1944/45 to replace all
existing bolt-action and self-loading rifles with the MP43/44, StG 44
series of selective-fire rifles. The plan was thwarted by Allied land
and air offenses on the German production and supply system, however the
German experiments had a profound impact on the postwar thinking of
American, British, Belgian, Soviet, Spanish, and Swiss small arms
designers.
The Soviets made greater use of the submachine gun than any other
country during the Second World War. Infantry massed with large armored
units found the PPSh41 and PPS43 submachine guns extremely effective.
Out of this experience came the requirement for an Avtomat, an assault
rifle. N.M. Elizarov and B.V. Semin developed an intermediate cartridge,
the M43 7.62x39mm for this purpose.
The Simonov SL Rifle (SKS)
--------------------------
Ironically, perhaps, the first weapon chambered for the M43 cartridge
was not a selective-fire assault rifle but a self-loading carbine, the
Simonov-designed Samozaridnya Karabina Simonova Obrazets 1945g, or
SKS45.
Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov was one of the last old guard Russian
designers. Born in 1894, his first job upon leaving elementary school
was in a foundry. In 1915 he attended a technician's course and was
employed in 1917 in the assembly of the Federov-designed
Avtomaticheskaya Vintovka Federova, 1916g (Federov 1916 Automatic
Rifle). After the Communist Party came into power he studied at the
Moscow Polytechnic, leaving in 1924 to work at the Tula Arsenal. By
1926 he was an inspector of quality control at the Arsenal, and in 1927
he worked in the Design and Development Department under Federov. During
World War II he designed a self-loading antitank rifle, the 14.5x114mm
PTRS, scaled-down versions of which became the 7.62x54R SKS41 and
7.62x39 SKS45.
Although a bit of an anachronism, the SKS45 had broad appeal, and was
adopted by many Communist Bloc nations, including East Germany
(Karabiner-S), North Korea (Type 63 Carbine), Yugoslavia (M59/66 Rifle),
and the PRC (Type 56 Carbine). Other nations using, but not
manufacturing, the SKS included Afghanistan; Albania; Congo, People's
Republic; Indonesia; Iraq; Laos; Lebanon (paramilitary forces);
Mongolia; Morocco; United Arab Republic (Egypt); Socialist Republic of
Vietnam; and Yemen, People's Democratic Republic.
The Communist Chinese, apparently not anticipating the need to engage in
the sort of massive, armored infantry conflicts envisaged for potential
European conflicts, were especially enthusiastic about the SKS. Besides
the basic Type 56 carbine, they adopted an SKS-derived rotating bolt
selective-fire assault rifle, the Type 68/72. These are readily
identified by the presence of a selector switch on the right side of the
rifle, forward of the trigger, and by a gas regulator knob extending
from the forward part of the gas cylinder. As of 1980, PLA member Tang
Wenlie was said to have developed an improved version of the Type 72
rifle utilizing fewer moving parts than its predecessors.
Sources: Jane's Infantry Weapons, 1975
Small Arms of the World, 1983
------------------------------
Subject: 3. Specifications, Simonov SL Rifle (SKS)
Cartridge: 7.62x39
Method of operation: Gas
Method of locking: Tilting block
Method of fire: Self loading
Method of feed: 10-round internal box magazine
Weight, unloaded: 8lb 8oz (3.85kg)
Length: 40.2 in (1,021mm)
Barrel: 20.5 in (521mm)
Rifling: 4 grooves, RH
Sights: Foresight: Post
Rearsight: Tangent notch
Muzzle velocity: 2,410 ft/sec (735 m/sec)
Rate of fire: 20 rounds/min
Range, maximum effective: 433 yds (400m)
Status: No longer used except for
ceremonial purposes
------------------------------
Subject: 4. Disassembly and Cleaning
As many of these rifles come packed in heavy grease, a good cleaning is
necessary before the rifle can be used. The following describes one
procedure for cleaning a new, "gooped" rifle, but the information is
applicable to general cleaning and maintenance.
Complete cleaning requires that the rifle be disassembled to an extent.
All reassembly is in reverse order.
Needless to say, you should first make certain that the rifle is
unloaded: Pull the magazine catch back to swing the magazine open.
Retract the bolt, inspect the chamber, and allow the bolt to return to
battery.
A cleaning kit, consisting of a cleaning rod, drift, brush, and jag, is
typically supplied with these rifles. The cleaning rod fits in a recess
under the barrel. The other components fit in a tube, which also
doubles as a wrench for the brush and jag, which has a combination
"lid"/cleaning rod guide. This tube fits in a recess in the buttstock
which is accessible via a spring-loaded trapdoor. To remove the kit,
simply push in on the trapdoor and the tube, held under spring tension,
will pop out. This will most likely result in minor injury the first
couple of times you try, but the technique for safely removing the
cleaning kit is quickly learned (unfortunately, it isn't readily
described).
Field strip the rifle by rotating the receiver cover pin on the right
rear of the receiver to the vertical position and pulling it out as far
as possible. The receiver cover can now be pulled to the rear and off
the rifle. Retract the bolt and lift the bolt carrier and bolt off the
action.
The recoil spring is held captive by a guide rod. Simply pull it out of
the bolt carrier. To disassemble the recoil spring assembly, compress
the unsupported (bunched up) end of the spring slightly and remove the
split washer holding it in place. The spring can now be removed and the
two halves of the recoil spring guide separated. When reassembling the
bolt assembly the unsupported end of the recoil spring goes inside the
bolt carrier.
Disassemble the gas system by rotating the gas cylinder tube retaining
pin, located on the right side of the rifle in front of the rear sight,
up so that the attached lever is a bit short of vertical (about 45
degrees). The retaining pin lever has a small hole that accomodates the
cleaning kit's drift to make this easier. Lift the rear of the upper
handguard free. Depending on how tightly your rifle is fitted you may
have to jiggle the gas cylinder a bit to get it loose. The gas cylinder
and attached handguard can then be pulled back and off the rifle. The
piston will drop from the gas cylinder. At this point, the op-rod
(tappet) can be removed by rotating the retaining pin forward until it
comes free. It is held under pressure by a return spring, so be careful
not to let it fly away and/or into any of the more sensitive bits of
your anatomy.
Disassemble the bolt by driving out the pin that runs through the bolt,
holding the extractor and firing pin in place. Remove firing pin,
extractor, and extractor spring. Take note of the orientation of the
firing pin, since I'm told they can sometimes be installed upside-down,
leaving the pin stuck in a protruding position.
With the bolt assembly removed, remove the trigger group by first
putting the safety "on" (up) and pressing the dimpled "button" behind
the trigger with a bullet tip or punch until the trigger group comes
loose. This will most likely require the application of a considerable
amount of pressure, so be persistent. When you reinstall the trigger
group, again make certain the safety is in the "on" position or you'll
never get it pressed back in place. Also, a large C-clamp may be useful
for pressing the trigger group back home.
With the trigger group removed, you can remove the magazine and lift the
action up and forward, free of the stock.
It's not a bad idea to at least partially disassemble the trigger group,
although you can adequately clean it without doing so. Place the safety
in the "off" (down) position. Cover the hammer with the cleaning kit
"tube" for a better handhold. Press down on the disconnector until it
lines up with the sear (this is visible through a hole in the side of
the trigger group), pull the trigger, and ease the hammer down. You can
now remove the hammer and mainspring by pressing the hammer backward out
of it's supports and off the trigger group.
Soak the bolt, trigger group, and related parts in an oily solvent like
kerosene, Ed's Red, etc. Diesel can also be used (and works very well),
but you should take care to lightly oil any metal that's been cleaned
thus.
You can clean out the inside of the bolt pretty well with a pipe
cleaner. A few pipe cleaners and an old toothbrush will make short work
of the trigger group.
Grease or oil the trigger group and reassemble. I suggest a little moly
grease for sliding bearing surfaces and Dexron II ATF for axial
bearings.
Before reassembling the bolt, wipe a _thin_ coat of oil (I use straight
Dexron II ATF) on the interior of the bolt (using a pipe cleaner) and on
the firing pin. Once the bolt is reassembled, you should be able to
shake it and hear the firing pin rattle about without any sticking.
It's a good idea, before chambering the first round in the magazine, to
reach in and feel for a protruding firing pin. If it requires more than
the slightest pressure to press the pin back in, disassemble, clean, and
oil the bolt as described above. Bolt disassembly and cleaning should
also be a fairly regular part of your cleaning regimen, especially after
firing ANY Chinese or East European ammunition. If the rifle has been
in storage for any length of time you should field strip and apply the
"shake test" to the bolt before going afield.
The cleaning procedures described above work well for small parts. The
barrelled action is most easily cleaned (once the grease is pushed out
of the barrel) by taking it to the local coin operated carwash and
blasting it out with detergent. Rinse well with very hot water and oil.
Clean the bore in the usual manner (go ahead and get some more cleaning
patches...you'll need them).
An old trick that sometimes works well for small, intricate parts and
assemblies (works great for typewriters and adding machines) is a
mixture of extremely hot water and detergent (it probably wouldn't hurt
to throw in a little TSP), applied with a pump-up garden sprayer.
Wipe off the stock and hang it up in the sun for a couple of days,
wiping down occasionally, to sweat out as much of the grease as
possible.
------------------------------
Subject: 5. Operation
To load the rifle, the cocking handle to the right of the bolt carrier
is retracted. If the magazine is empty, the bolt will be held open.
Ammunition comes in 10-round stripper clips which are placed in the clip
guides in the front of the bolt carrier and the ammunition pressed into
the magazine. The magazine may also be loaded or topped off, if
necessary, by pressing individual rounds into place. With the magazine
loaded, the bolt is pulled slightly back and allowed to fly forward,
stripping and chambering the first round. As noted under "Disassembly
and Cleaning," it's a good idea to get into the habit of reaching into
the action and feeling for a stuck, protruding firing pin before
chambering the first round.
The safety is located to the right and along the rear of the trigger
guard. Pressing the safety forward and up places the rifle in the
"safe" condition.
Pulling the trigger releases the hammer which drives the firing pin into
the cartridge primer. Some of the gas driving the bullet forward is
diverted through a port in the barrel where it impinges on the piston
head, driving the piston backward. The piston bears against the op-rod
(tappet) which strikes the bolt carrier. After about 8mm of free
travel, during which gas pressure drops, the bolt carrier lifts the rear
end of the bolt out of engagement with the receiver. The bolt assembly
now travels back as a unit, extracting the spent cartridge and cocking
the hammer. The extractor holds the spent cartridge against the bolt
face until it contacts the ejector which throws the case out a port on
the right of the receiver. The return spring then drives the bolt
assembly forward, stripping and chambering a fresh round.
After the last round in the magazine has been fired, a stud on the
magazine follower pushes up a bolt retaining catch which holds the bolt
open.
Sights
------
The range is set by depressing the rear sight slide catch and moving the
sight along the leaf until the leading edge of the sight is lined up
with the line corresponding with the desired range (in meters). The
rearmost position of the sight (marked "U" or "III") is a battle sight
setting which covers all ranges to 300 meters for a man-sized target.
The front sight can be adjusted to zero the rifle. To do this, a
special wrench or combination tool (available from many dealers) is
required. The wrench is placed over the front sight post, which is
moved up to lower the point of impact and vice versa. The front sight
is drift adjustable for windage. Many combination tools provide a
"clamp" arrangement for windage adjustments.
------------------------------
Subject: 6. How Safe is the SKS?
Recently, the SKS has received some unfavorable press in the United
States (most likely the result of a couple of lawsuits filed in the
state of California) as being unusually prone to accidental discharge or
cyclic operation.
It is this writer's opinion that the vast majority of these incidents
can be traced to improper reloading technique or poor maintenance.
Protruding primers, too soft primers (i.e. large pistol primers
substituted for rifle primers) or a sticky firing pin can lead to
slamfires. A sear that is stuck in the forward position can also cause
the rifle to go uncontrollably full auto.
Following the procedures described under "Disassembly and Maintenance"
for cleaning the bolt and trigger group should be sufficient for
avoiding most such problems. Nevertheless, things can still go wrong,
and the following should be Standard Operating Procedure when first
firing ANY self-loading firearm:
Load one round in the magazine.
With the gun firmly supported and pointing in a safe direction
allow the bolt to fly forward chambering the round.
Fire the round.
Repeat with two rounds in the magazine, then three, then a full
magazine. If there are no accidental discharges, the rifle can
probably be considered safe.
Some rifles have longer firing pins than others. It has been reported
that grinding a longer-than-necessary firing pin to a shorter length can
lower the possibility of slamfires.
Some rifles with defective trigger groups were imported into the U.S. by
Century International Arms. If you have a Century rifle (identified by
the importer's mark, CAI, on the receiver) and suspect it may be
defective, you should have the rifle checked out by a gunsmith or
contact:
Century International Arms, Inc.
P.O. Box 714
St. Albans, VT 05478
Tel: (802) 527-1252
Fax: (802) 527-0470
Customer Service: (800) 527-1252
Compuserve: 76260,115 (76260.115@compuserve.com)
And If the Worst Happens?
-------------------------
If your rifle should suddenly go cyclic, the most important thing to
remember is: DON'T PANIC! Try to keep the rifle under control and
pointed in a safe direction until it stops firing. So far as this
writer knows, all of the injuries or deaths related to this sort of
failure have been the result of shooters losing control of or dropping
their rifles.
------------------------------
Subject: 7. Legal Stuff (USA)
In 1989, President George Bush banned the importation of "nonsporting"
rifles, based on a list of cosmetic features. In 1990, the ban was
expanded by Congress to include the manufacture of a non-importable gun
using imported parts. This has been interpreted by the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) to include modifications to an
existing rifle.
The May, 1994 _American Rifleman_ magazine featured an article on the
subject which quoted Edward M. Owen, Jr., chief of the BATF Firearms
Technology Branch, as writing:
"On Nov. 29, 1990, the Congress enacted Title 18 (of the United States
Code), Chapter 44, Section 922(r) which states 'it shall be unlawful for
any person to assemble from imported parts any semi-automatic rifle or
any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from
importation under Section 925(d)(3)...'"
"As indicated the section became effective on Nov. 29, 1990. Therefore,
any assembly, performed after the effective date of the section, which
creates a semi-automatic rifle that is prohibited from importation would
be a violation of Section 922(r), IRRESPECTIVE OF THE DATE THAT THE
FIREARM WAS IMPORTED. [Emphasis mine. This contradicts the common
belief that rifles imported prior to 11-29-90 are immune from this
legislation. -- B.H.]
"In answer to your specific questions, the following modifications to an
SKS-type rifle would not be a violation of Section 922(r):
"Replace the existing stock and handguard with a non-folding wooden or
synthetic stock having either a Monte Carlo or thumbhole design.
"Attach a muzzle-mounted recoil compensator, provided that the device is
not also designed as a flash suppressor.
"Replace the standard-configuration stock with a Monte Carlo or
thumbhole style stock and replace the fixed magazine with a detachable
magazine. This modification may be done provided that the bayonet mount
is completely removed from the rifle.
"Replace the existing 10-round fixed magazine with a fixed magazine of
larger capacity.
"Replace the existing 10-round fixed magazine with a fixed five-round
magazine, or install a block in the well of the 10-round fixed to limit
its capacity to five rounds.
"Replace the existing receiver cover with a cover having telescopic
sight bases and/or rings.
"Replace the front and/or rear sight or install an ambidextrous safety."
This is probably NOT the last word on the subject. Please take note of
R.F.'s comments that follow.
In May of 1994, facing criticism over the renewal of Most Favored Nation
trading status for the PRC, President Bill Clinton banned the
importation of "munitions" from China under the Arms Export Act.
"Munitions" is defined in the July 22, 1993 Federal Register as all
firearms except "non-combat" shotguns and black powder guns, and all
ammunition and components except for shotgun shells.
------------------------------
Subject: 8. OK, I'm Sold. What Should I Look For?
From: Rain.Face@f418.n161.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Rain Face)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: SKS FAQ/LEGALITIES
Date: 3 Feb 1994 09:29:53 -0500
> What things should a generally uninformed (on this subject) shopper
> like myself look for?
Well, decent price, to begin with. The panic seems to be abating and
the prices are dropping back to the pre-Brady level. I am considering
going to the San Mateo Gun Show this weekend to check out the stock and
prices, but may not due to being a bit ill.
Anyway, I wouldn't pay more than $100 for _any_ Chinese SKS. Period.
As far as QC goes, the most common things I see are sight assemblies and
gas ports that are way off-axis. To make the thing hit the target, the
entire front sight assembly has to be loosened and moved on the barrel,
as in its improperly-installed position, there's no way the front sight
can be adjusted enough to compensate. Refitting the front sight
assembly is a pain in the butt and beyond the abilities of most non
gunsmiths. Fortunately, you can pretty much eyeball this if you're
careful - just carefully look down the barrel from either end and see if
the front sight seems to be twisted appreciably to the right or left.
If it looks pretty square, it'll be OK.
On the other hand, there's nothing you can do with a misaligned gas port
but live with it. It's not that big of a thing, but it's disgusting to
think about. At least it's not as serious in an SKS as it is in an AK.
The other thing is oversized bores. The nominal groove diameter is
.311," but I have encountered barrels that slugged out as large as .316"
which won't _hurt_ anything or make the weapon unsafe, but will prevent
the rifle from having decent accuracy. It's not easy to judge a good
bore without slugging [taking a soft lead "slug" of a slightly larger
diameter than the bore and driving it down the barrel with a strong
cleaning rod or wooden dowel, then measuring the diameter with a
micrometer], and usually you can't slug a bunch of SKSs at a gunstore or
show. I guess the next best thing is to just take a fresh 7.62 bullet
and see how far down it goes into the muzzles of several rifles and take
the one that looks tightest. Probably most of them will be ok, but one
will be noticeably larger in land diameter. Don't get that one.
Avoid examples that are nothing but a mass of sharp edges from
unfinished machining and stamping, though fine finish is never
encountered in Chinese examples anyway. This is a matter of degree,
though I have seen examples that were literally dangerous to pick up due
to sharp, unpolished edges and burrs all over the rifle.
There is much hoopla about so-called "screwed-in" and "pinned" barrels,
but this is of no practical consequence, as ALL barrels in SKSs are
indeed threaded into the receivers, but earlier weapons had the barrel
secured with a two-sided locknut. Later examples were secured by
cheaper pins. If you know where to look, you can see the difference
immediately.
There is also much said - with more practical basis - about "milled" and
"stamped" steel. The difference is that earlier SKSs had their metal
parts machined from blocks of steel. Later varieties had some
assemblies replaced with sheetmetal stampings. Look at the trigger
guard and see if it is sheetmetal or a machining. A milled weapon is
nicer, though stamped parts will show up in an otherwise milled weapon
and vice-versa.
Of course, the stocks are usually just hideous, unfit for even firewood,
in my opinion. Try to find one that isn't so ugly it makes your eyes
hurt, then refinish it with a nice polyurethane satin finish. I have
seen some that have been made quite presentable this way. The wood
tends to be extremely soft, so a good polyurethane coating will make the
stock more durable.
The poor wood in the ChiCom SKS and AK stocks was no match for the
climatic conditions in RVN. I personally never saw a trophy with much
left of the stock. My personal favorite was _worm holes_! The cadre
who led the attack on the US Embassy during Tet '68 told an interesting
tale: The weapons for the assault were cached in the basement of a
villa several months prior to the uprising. The day before the attack
the team converged on the villa to retrieve their arms. Unfortunately
for them, the cached AKs and SKSs had had their furniture completely
consumed by _termites_! The assault on the embassy was carried out with
stockless weapons gripped awkwardly with rags.
The SKS stock was replaced in small numbers by a fiberglass replica of
the wooden original. These are referred to as the "red fiberglass" or
"Vietnam" stocks, though they are not really a gaudy red, but a mahogany
color. If I could be positively and officially assured that this stock
wasn't a violation of 922(r), this would be my choice for a replacement,
as they are available for under $20 by mail in _Shotgun News_ and for
not much more at gunshows.
Resist the temptation to refit the SKS you purchase with ANY aftermarket
accessories, as these are being arbitrarily and irregularly designated
violations of 922(r) by individual BATF agents at their personal whims.
There are reports that even the aftermarket US made synthetic hunting
stocks are now being wrongfully considered 922(r) violations. This is
illegal and constitutes nothing but petty harassment of the sort the
BATF has been infamous for for years, but I'm personally not into
courting a $5000.00 fine and a felony conviction just to install some
dumb add-on of really dubious utility in the first place. LEAVE YOUR
SKS THE WAY YOU BOUGHT IT...unless it had the bayonet installed by the
dealer, in which case you had best remove it immediately, as an
installed bayonet is formally and officially a 922(r) violation, making
it good for an immediate confiscation of the weapon and felony
prosecution of the owner.
One point that the overwhelming bulk of gun owners do not realize is the
_extreme seriousness_ of these technical violations. They are used to
the traditional discretionary approach of local police wherein persons
of good character who are in unwitting technical violation of an obscure
law, without criminal intent, are given a friendly warning to correct
the infraction. This situation does not obtain in the case of technical
violations encountered by the BATF.
The BATF exists to accrue a "body count" of petty technical violations
against harmless gunowners who present no threat to BATF personnel or
society at large. Being a "good guy" will not save you from being
treated like a mass murderer by BATF agents. Please read the "BATF
Snitch Speaks" cross-posts for a perfect insider's look at the BATF
mentality. This information is in 100% agreement with my observation of
the BATF over the past twenty years. I have personally never known of
_one_ BATF action that was not the result of calculated entrapment or
enforcement of obscure technical violations against non-criminals.
Personally, I make a point of being scrupulously legal in regard to
Federal Firearms law, and try to make sure I do so by a broad margin. I
have never had trouble with the BATF and I don't want to start now that
they are off their leash and operating completely outside the law with
impunity and the blessings of "Bloody Janet" Reno and the Clintons.
I suggest similar circumspection on the part of all gun owners.
RF
------------------------------
Subject: 9. Russian vs. Chinese
Perhaps no topic has generated more debate among SKS afficianados. This
writer has seen examples of both that ranged from good to downright
awful. The best advice I can offer is "caveat emptor." Try not to buy
any rifle without personally inspecting it first. In dealing with
reputable mail-order distributors, the common US$10-$20 "hand-picked"
fee is probably worthwhile.
In the U.S., the Russian rifles have the benefit of being on the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms' "Curio and Relic" list. This means
that, so long as the rifle is kept in its original condition (i.e. no
folding stocks, flash suppressors, etc.), it MAY be exempt from some of
the more onerous applications of the law.
Some Russian rifles are also better stocked than their Chinese
counterparts. For the casual (or perhaps not so casual) collector
there's also the satisfaction of knowing that you own an "original."
All of this is somewhat moot in the U.S., however, as the importation of
Chinese SKSs has been banned.
