Thank you for that heads up, but I am at best an SKS kind of guy.
I am the only one I know who is an enthusiast for the Moisin-Nagant.
Durable and idiot proof are big pluses for me.
I think if I had to choose between my AK and my SKS, which
is a former military carbine, I’d have to go with the SKS.
I’m kinda fond of the old SKS and Mosins too.
If you are not familiar with “Gunboards”, then go to:
http://www.gunboards.com/forums/
And check it out. Lots of good stuff on lots of military, antique & collectible guns as well as a good gunsmithing forum. I lurk there a lot.
I wish the SKS had a bolt hold open catch other than the mag follower - would make it easier to load with a clip I think.
Have a Yugo that I rigged a 30 rd. TAPCO duckbill to and it works pretty well. The sights leave some to be desired however.
I notice mention of the old 7.62 X 25mm / .30 Tokarev round for some of these super-pistols; that is, IMHO, one of the most under appreciated rounds going, and often overlooked because it’s so old. It goes back to the C-1896 Mauser “Broomhandle” pistol/carbine, only slightly modified by the Russians for the TT-33 Tokarev pistol which they abandoned during the Cold war for the 9X18mm Makarov because the .30 Tok was “too powerful”. Apparently the KGB and Russian Mafia (not sure how much difference there is) still fancy the TOK as a very effective close range killer that can defeat most soft body armor.
At around 1650FPS for an 85-90gr. bullet it gives around 550 ft.Lbs of ME and penetrates like an icepick.
I don’t know if there is much that this fancy 5.7 FN round can do that the old .30 TOK can’t do darn near as well if not better.
If you have an FFL (C&R included) you can score a Romanian or Polish Tokarev for around $200 these days, and corrosive milsurp ammo is still a relative bargain. Just flush it out after firing and it’s good.
Commercial ammo is also available for it.
The TOK is a lot of pistol for the bux. I’m not sure I’d carry it as my primary street piece (although I have) due to the funky aftermarket safety (they were not originally made with a safety at all). It would make a dandy woods gun though. People take feral hogs down with the X25 and I’m confident that it would penetrate a bear’s skull if you hit it square on. There are not many handguns that will penetrate a kevlar helmet, but tests have shown that a 7.62X25 will, out of a Czech CZ-52 pistol.