Simonov SKS

Silhouette (Visual Identification)

Simonov SKS
Category Rifles & Carbines
Operating system Gas operated, tilting bolt
Cartridge
Length 1020 mm
Feeding Box magazine

SKS is a self-loading Carabine. It utilizes a short-stroke gas piston with its own return spring, and a tilting bolt locking, where a bolt tips down to lock onto the floor of the receiver. Charging handle is attached to the right side of the bolt carrier and moves when gun is fired. Safety switch is located inside the trigger guard. The early model 50 weapons are shorter and are usually found without the bayonet. The SKS was an extremely reliable, simple constructed weapon with two unique distinguishing characteristics: a permanently attached folding bayonet, and a hinged non-detachable magazine. However, it was incapable of fully automatic fire and limited by its ten round magazine capacity, and was rendered obsolescent by the introduction of the AK-47 in the 1950s. The SKS was only briefly a standard infantry weapon in front-line units of the Soviet Armed Forces before being replaced by the AK-47 . The weapon was in service with several armed forces, both regular and irregular, and it can be found in many countries in Asia and Africa. The SKS remains popular on the civilian market as a hunting and marksmanship arm in many countries, including the United States and Canada.

Global distribution map

Weapon prevalence origin Country of origin licensed Licensed production unauthorized Production without a license
X
Scale dependend aggregation of production sites

The Simonov SKS is found in 80 countries

This map is a reflection of data on global distribution and production provided primarily by the BwVC. It is not exhaustive. If you would like to add to or amend the data, please click here.


Global distribution list

The data on global distribution and production is provided primarily by the BwVC, but also from national and regional focal points on SALW control; data published by think tanks, international organizations and experts; and/or data provided by individual researchers on SALW. It is not exhaustive. If you would like to add to or amend the data, please click here.

Origin Country of origin
Production Licensed production
Non-Licensed Production Production without a licence
G Government: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is held by Governmental agencies.
N Non-Government: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is held by non-Governmental armed groups.
U Unspecified: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is found in the country, but do not specify whether it is held by Governmental agencies or non-Governmental armed groups.

It is entirely possible to have a combination of tags beside each country. For example, if country X is tagged with a G and a U, it means that at least one source of data identifies Governmental agencies as holders of weapon type Y, and at least one other source confirms the presence of the weapon in country X without specifying who holds it.

Afghanistan (AFG)
G
Albania (ALB)
O
G
Algeria (DZA)
G
Angola (AGO)
G
Armenia (ARM)
U
Australia (AUS)
N
Azerbaijan (AZE)
U
Bangladesh (BGD)
G
Belarus (BLR)
G
Benin (BEN)
G
U
Bulgaria (BGR)
G
Cambodia (KHM)
G
Cameroon (CMR)
U
Canada (CAN)
N
Cape Verde (CPV)
G
U
China (CHN)
O
G
Comoros (COM)
G
Croatia (HRV)
G
Cuba (CUB)
G
G
Egypt (EGY)
O
G
G
Ethiopia (ETH)
G
N
G
Georgia (GEO)
U
Germany (DEU)
U
Guinea (GIN)
G
U
Guyana (GUY)
G
Hungary (HUN)
G
India (IND)
U
Indonesia (IDN)
U
Iraq (IRQ)
G
Jordan (JOR)
U
Kazakhstan (KAZ)
G
Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)
G
Laos (LAO)
G
Libya (LBY)
G
Madagascar (MDG)
U
Mali (MLI)
G
N
Malta (MLT)
U
Mauritania (MRT)
N
Mauritius (MUS)
U
Moldova (MDA)
G
Mongolia (MNG)
G
Montenegro (MNE)
U
Mozambique (MOZ)
G
U
Namibia (NAM)
U
Nepal (NPL)
U
Nigeria (NGA)
U
North Korea (PRK)
O
G
Oman (OMN)
G
Palestine (PSE)
G
Poland (POL)
O
G
Romania (ROU)
O
G
Russia (RUS)
O
G
Rwanda (RWA)
G
G
Serbia (SRB)
O
G
Seychelles (SYC)
G
Sierra Leone (SLE)
G
Slovenia (SVN)
G
Somalia (SOM)
U
South Sudan (SSD)
U
Sri Lanka (LKA)
G
Sudan (SDN)
G
Syria (SYR)
G
Tajikistan (TJK)
G
Tanzania (TZA)
G
Turkmenistan (TKM)
G
Uganda (UGA)
G
Ukraine (UKR)
G
N
Uzbekistan (UZB)
G
Vietnam (VNM)
G
Yemen (YEM)
G
Zimbabwe (ZWE)
G

Visual Identification (Silhouette)

Simonov SKS (9)