SKS-Poor man's AR15, or European boondoggle?

moonshine44

moonshine44

Well-known member
Okay, so I'm sitting here at work bored out of my skull, and I just had to ask: does anybody hunt dogs with an SKS? I just bought a Yugo in immaculate condition a couple of weeks ago, just for giggles, and I got to thinking that maybe it might make a pretty decent close range coyote gun. I'm planning on changing out the stock, and adding a red dot scope, and taking it calling. I've never shot a coyote with something like that before... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
I aquired mine probably 13 years ago and shot it once from a bench. Bought the sight adjusting tool and such. Well, first time out I tried to shoot it for groups then figured to adjust the group to the center of the bull. Come to the conclusion, what's the point in adjusting the sights 'caused I figured it was made to be a spray and pray weapon. Been a safe queen ever since.
 
European equivelant of the Mini-14. Minute of broad side of a barn accuracy. Probably the most accurate shotgun you'll ever own. Seriously though, sell it and some other hunting stuff you've got laying around and get an AR15.
Trashcan
 
the sks might not be the most accurate gun out there but i dont think i have any trouble hitting a dog under 100 yards with mine.
 
Been there done that. I put an SKS in a Draganov stock,
put on a fairly decent scope, and proceeded to just get
a better look at my crappy groups, with the scope /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I even tried hand loading ammo for it, and that helped
make it about a 4 or 5 MOA rifle. My sons love loading
up a 30 round mag, and just ripping the Be Geesus out
of the target mound...That is about all it is good for.
I was going to sell it, and my youngest one came up with
the cash. Now he has something to impress his commando
wannabe buddies /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It is a noise maker, and a slug launcher,
but that is about as close to a real hunting rifle, as
mine would get. FWIW, I had a Mini-14, too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have learned my lesson, and now own two AR-15s, and
that will probably grow, since two of them, seem to
make babies /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Squeeze
 
Don't blame Europe for that thing, they had nothing to do with it (there are enough things they can be blamed for); the Russians are the ones to blame. Still havn't gotten a "group" (that I will admit to) with mine. Tried reloading for it, won't do that again (too hard on brass). Maybe I should get rid of it. Then again it is fun to rip loose with something that I don't have that much invested in and don't care if I mess up the barrel on.
 
The first thing is to find hunting ammo that is suitable for predators. I think that a couple of folks make soft points for hunting. Don't think anyone would be shooting that military FMJ/HP FMJ loads at predators. The only way to find out is to shoot it to see what type of groups it will do.
 
I disagree with you guys. I own two 1953 Russian SKSs that are in great condition. One was arsenal refurbished, the other was not. They both shoot 2-3" groups at 100 yards with the right ammo. With iron sights.

My favorite ammo for these rifles is Ulyanovsk 8M3 "effect" 124gr HP ammo in the white/blue boxes. It has a decent sized hollow point with a large hollow air chamber up front inside the bullet. This bullet fragments like crazy at 50 yards just like a varmint bullet into tiny pieces. At 100 yards it frags ok but not as much. At 150 even less due to the lower velocity. The HP does not ever mushroom, instead it tears open and starts tumbling and fragmenting. Good stuff! It's much cleaner than Wolf too, and more accurate in my rifles. I have two cases of it. I have not shot any yotes with it yet but it blows up rabbits just fine. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on coyotes out to 100 yards or a little more with a scope.

I've been told the new Wolf Military Classic ammo is made with the same bullet as the Uly 8M3.
 
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If you're after great accuracy, the AR is the way to go.

But the SKS is plenty accurate for game inside 150 yards, and the 7.62x39 cartridge is much more devastating than the .223 rem.

When you seek to make a semi-auto more accurate, you diminish it's reliability. Ask any soldier who has used the M-16 in Iraq (or in 'Nam, for that matter). They have a tendency not to work. Bad juju when the target is shooting back at you. Or for that matter, when the target can actually eat you if your rifle fails.

Reliability-wise in the real world the SKS and AK-47 are miles ahead of the AR-15. Now, the AR lovers will tell you how reliable their rifles have been...

...but give the commies their due here: the 7.62x39 rifles shoot a much more powerful cartridge from a much much more reliable platform. Argue, piddle, bicker, snivel--the facts will not change. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Dan
 
Dito to what 788 said, they might look like a goat stake but when the crunch comes they are like the enigizer bunny they just keep going and going. Very similar to a 30-30 balistics wise with a better bullet shape.
 
First off, only an upper level employee of the U.S. Government can make a "boondoggle" happen, as I understand the definition.....e.g. some contractor builds a system for deployment in Hawaii and the govt engineer in charge decides that every one of his personal friends involved in the project has to go to Hawaii and "modify" on it onsite...of course that three hour mod will take two weeks...your tax dollars at work!!!!
The SKS's that I worked on all had loose stocks and some glass bedding to make them tight also made them pretty damn accurate for a carbine designed for 100yds. Maybe there's something new out there but in those days the problem was no good way to mount a scope.
Not too many boondoggles happen at Ice Station Zebra.
 
The SKS and the AK47 are so much more powerful than the 5.56 mm NATO cartridge....that when the Russians saw the performance of the 5.56 in Viet Nam they switched over their rifles to a 5.56 cartridge.

The Russians consider the 5.56 to be a more effective anti personnel round than the 7.62x39 used in the SKS and AK47.
 
My question is now this after seeing conflicting answers. Is there a big difference in quality and accuracy between those that are Russian and the other Chinese variants such as Norinco etc? I heard years ago that AK's and SK's from either are fine unless you shoot the heck out of them. Then the Russian models are more durable. Is that true and is there an accuracy difference? Just trying to see both sides.
 
I had both Russian and Chinese SKS. The Russian had better fit and finish particularly in the stock. At the range their accuracy with issue sight were about the same but I think the limiting factor was with the issue sight. This was long before scope mounts were readily available for the SKS. They both actually shot just as good with issue battle sight as my Ruger No.1 in 257 Bob with a 6X scope. I sold both SKS's for a profit when the ban came in and never got a chance to test shoot them with scopes to be able to tell the difference between the two.
 
Quote:
What in the world is a boondoggle?




Definiton: (noun)-An unnecessary or wasteful project or activity.




The AK's and SKS's were not built with accuracy in mind. They were built cheap (stamped) with loose tolerances. both of which are big advantages during war time.

They were made to throw as much lead down range as possible, as cheaply as possible. Throw them down in the mud, pick them up and rip off a full mag with the cheapest bult ammo around.

When shooting at someone at under 50 yards, accuracy isn't your primary concern ( I would guess although I have never been in that situation).
 
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