Simonov SKS

China: Type 56

Overview

Simonov SKS

Right side view of Soviet produced SKS with folding blade bayonet.
Source: Swedish Army Museum - © GNU Attribution Share Alike license

Origin

Soviet Union

Type

Self-loading rifle

Entered service

1949

Status

Obsolete

Development

1945 - 1949

Developer

Soviet Union
Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov

Production

1949 - 1955 (SKS in the USSR)
1965 - 1971 (Type 56 in China)

Producer

Soviet Union - Izhmash
Soviet Union - TOZ

Number produced

About 15 million SKS and comparable models have been produced.

Designations

Type 56 (Chinese production)
Karabiner S (East Germany)
karabin samopowtarzalny Simonova / ksS (Poland)
M59 (Yugoslavia)
Type 1 (Vietnam)

Description

Introduction

The SKS is an early Cold War era self loading rifle of Soviet origin. It was developed during the later stages of World War 2 as a lighter and more compact alternative to the Mosin-Nagant and SVT-40 rifles. Eventually the SKS got replaced by the AKM. Still, millions of SKS were produced and it was a common weapon in all nations using Soviet small arms.

Design

The SKS combines design features from the AVS-36 and SVT-40 self-loading rifles. The SKS has a conventional carbine layout. Externally it looks like a shortened SVT-40 rifle. The stock and furniture are made out of wood. It uses a short stroke gas piston and a tilting bolt. The SKS is fitted with a folding blade or spike bayonet.

Firepower

The SKS is a semi-automatic rifle. It fires the intermediate power 7.62x39mm round from a fixed 10 round magazine. It is reloaded using 10 round stripper clips. Practical effective range is about 300 meters. The SKS is not able to launch rifle grenades.

Users

The first user of the SKS was the USSR. When it became apparent that in practice the AK-47 was a more potent weapon and in its stamped receiver AKM form could be produced a low enough cost. Many SKS rifles were exported or produced in states with ties to the USSR. China produced large numbers of their SKS, the Type 56. Today most SKS are obsolete or relegated to second line units. In many armies the AK-47 series of assault rifles replaced the SKS.

Details

Facts SKS

General

Origin

Soviet Union

Type

Self-loading rifle

Caliber

Caliber

7.62x39mm Soviet

Feed system

10 round fixed magazine

10 round stripper clips

Barrel length

521 mm

Rifling

4 grooves, right hand twist

Muzzle velocity

735 m/s

Operation

Action

Gas operated, short stroke gas piston

Locking

Tilting bolt

Fire selector

0 - 1

Rate of fire

Semi-automatic

Dimensions

Stock type

Fixed

Length

1.021 mm

1.26 m with bayonet

Weight

3.8 kg

Sights

Mechanical

Iron sights, hooded post front and tangent notch rear

Range adjustment

100 to 1.000 m

Accessories

Bayonet

Yes

Variants

Type 56

PLA Navy with Type 56 rifles in 2000.
Source: US Navy - © public domain

List of foreign production models

Type 56

Chinese production model. Early models have a Soviet style blade bayonet. Later models have a spike bayonet.

M59

Yugoslav production model. Direct copy of the SKS.

M59/66

Yugoslav variant with ability to launch NATO standard rifle grenades. Features a different muzzle and folding leaf sight.

M56

Romanian production model. Similar to late production Soviet SKS.

Type 1

Vietnamese production model, similar to Soviet SKS and Chinese Type 56.

Type 63

North Korean production model. Several styles of bayonet were produced. A grenade launching variant was also developed.

Karabiner S

East German production model. Very similar to the Soviet model.

10th of July

Albanian production model, produced from 1967 to 1878. Similar to late model Type 56 with spike bayonet mixed with some features found on Type 63 rifles.