In Defense of Modifying Older Firearms: My SKS Project

DISCLAIMER: Before any peering eyes of law enforcement get their panties in a bunch, this rifle resides in Pennsylvania and no local or state laws where I reside have been broken.

There’s a large segment of the 2A community that considers modifying older firearms to be sacrilege—dismissed as “bubba-ing.” While I understand the desire to preserve historical examples, I also believe there are situations where modification is not only acceptable, but in the firearm’s best interest.

Case in point: my SKS.

I purchased it cheaply because the original stock had a significant lateral crack running from the trigger group pocket halfway up the barrel channel. The previous owner attempted a repair using fiberglass mesh, but it was neither attractive nor, in my opinion, safe to fire. At that point, originality was already compromised. And ultimately, it comes down to a simple truth: it’s your firearm. Do what you want with it—just do it safely and avoid true “bubba” work like tape, epoxy blobs, or half-baked MacGyver fixes.

The rifle also had a broken spike bayonet, which removed any practical justification for retaining the original 20-inch barrel length. As a result, the barrel was shortened to a legal 16 inches, after which the muzzle was trued, recrowned, and threaded. While the process is easy to describe in hindsight, at the time it was a nerve-wracking experience—cutting down a rifle barrel is not something undertaken lightly, especially on a serviceable firearm.

The barrel was shortened using a standard metal hacksaw, with a round metal guide clamped to the barrel to ensure a straight, even cut. After the cut was completed, a series of files were used to remove any remaining burrs and sharp edges, preparing the muzzle for final finishing.

To true the muzzle face, a 3-inch wooden dowel was used with a centered metal rod acting as a pilot. Circular discs of 800-grit sandpaper were affixed to the end of the dowel, followed by 1200-grit discs for final finishing. Using a drill gun. light and even pressure was applied against the muzzle for approximately 30 minutes, resulting in a smooth, flat surface.

Crowning was performed using brass screws and JB Bore Cleaning Compound. Each screw was used for approximately 10 minutes, with a total of four screws consumed during the process, resulting in a consistent and well-defined crown after roughly 40 minutes of work.

The barrel was then threaded using a threading kit purchased from Carolina Shooters Supply, which included the appropriate pilots and shank. To keep this write-up concise, the threading process itself is not detailed here.

Once all barrel work was completed, the barreled action was finished with an AK-style flash hider and an AK front sight, completing the updated configuration.

Muzzle flattening in progress

For the stock, I initially dropped the rifle into a Tapco Intrafuse stock. Ideally, I would have preferred a Matador Arms Sabertooth MKII, but those are long discontinued and extremely difficult to source. At the time, the Tapco was the most practical option.

Later upgrades included replacing the Tapco buttstock with a Magpul STR and swapping the internal fixed magazine for an aftermarket adapter. This adapter allows the use of modified duckbill magazines by trimming them down to about ¾". A welcome side effect is that the magazines become far more manageable in standard mag pouches.

One of the most important modifications I made was drilling and tapping the receiver to mount a Choate Tool sight base. In my experience, most SKS rail options—dust cover mounts or gas block rails—fail to hold zero reliably. A solid, receiver-mounted optic solution was non-negotiable.

Picture was edited to remove my serial number

With the Magpul STR stock before the optic mount was installed

Future Plans

I hadn’t planned any further changes since finishing the rifle in April 2022, but recent research sparked new ideas. While Hush Holsters makes a high-quality side-folding SKS stock with a great A-Team/Mini-14 vibe, the cost pushed me toward modifying what I already have.

Planned work includes:

• Adapting a Magpul Zhukov AK side-folding stock to the Tapco chassis using a Strike Industries KRISS Vector Picatinny stock adapter. This will involve drilling and tapping the adapter to match the Tapco’s pseudo–buffer tube screw pattern.

• Replacing the Tapco pistol grip with a Magpul AK grip.

• Possibly modifying the Tapco handguard to accept an AK-pattern forend with M-LOK or rail interfaces for easier mounting of accessories such as a foregrip, laser, weapon light, or bipod.

I enjoy working on guns, and this project strikes a balance between function, cost-effectiveness, and personal satisfaction.

Stay tuned.