I Have Joined the SKS Club - Merged Threads

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

I've not been here for a while, so I figure I'll introduce you to the latest lady in my life, an SKS. This is a merging of three threads from my board.

I got this SKS...


Here's the SKS. It looked good on the outside, just a little surface rust. A couple dry patches revealed a bore that shined better than most I've seen, on any gun.

I loaded it up with the ammo I found, something called Hotshot that comes in commercial boxes packaged in "SPAM" cans of 700. It weighs 123 grains and is made in Romania. The package advertises that it's non-corrosive.

I immediately tested it. Though it's FMJ, it blew up a water filled gallon jug in an impressive manner from 50 yards. I'm beginning to think there's something to bullets which tumble...

After I got done shooting it, I brought it inside and cleaned it. Take down was extremely simple. I'd never messed with one before and it took me all of five minutes to field strip it.

I cleaned it up, and gave it a go again.


50 yards, standing, unsupported... 6/10.

I have to mention here that the sights are a lot like a Mosin's, only a bit finer. Regardless, this gun just fits me. I don't have to work to see the sights.


Here's the second string of 10, standing, unsupported. 7/10.

I do have to admit to having a strange trigger preference. This trigger is long and mushy, and it's a lot like the slug guns I grew up shooting. That and the fit would explain the groups.

I plan to enjoy this immensely. Stripper clips add to the fun!

I sighted in my SKS for Wolf hollowpoint in the black box. While some say it's not as good as the bullet used in the Military Classic, I am questioning this. According to the water jugs they perform admirably.

Anyway, this isn't a terminal ballistics test.

I needed to get sighted in at 50 to 100 yards. Going prone, I found that I needed to move the impact to the right and up some. That was strange as it shot differently while standing. I figure prone with the rifle resting on its forearm is the more stable of the two platforms, so that's what I used as my final sight in.

I'm not a fan of how far I had to drift the front sight, but it works.


This is what I came up with at 50 yards. There are extra holes on there because I ran out of repair stickers and this was my last target.

Shots were taken by taking a deep breath, then another, then another - then squeezing the round off after I'd exhaled the third breath.

As I said, ammo was Wolf 122gr HP in the black box. Not the most accurate, but I won't shoot US made ammo until I get a spring loaded firing pin, due to the softer primers.

I received my rear tech sight for my SKS.


After fitting it, this is how it looks. I'm tempted to just drill and tap to put it on permanently.

After taking it out and shooting it, it became obvious that something wasn't right: It was hitting way too low. I adjusted my front sight all the way down, and it was still hitting about a foot low at 50 yards.


I filed down the front sight.

You'll notice I reduced the hood to two half circles as well. I'd been wanting to do this anyway because the hood was a bit lopsided and gave it a strange look.

I took out the front sight and put a taper on it, then painted it white for fast acquisition. I've tried smoked sights and they just don't work as well for me when it comes to rapid shooting.


This is what the sight picture looks like now. I'm not ecstatic about how low the front sight appears in the picture.

Though the front sight does appear low, it is not needed for close in shooting.

I might order the conversion kit and fine sight Tech-sights offers. The conversion kit will allow me to adjust the impact height from the back while retaining a normal length front sight.

After more range time, I'm able to tell you how this rear sight does, but first, a disclaimer: I did some fine sighting in, and put a lot of rounds downrange before I shot this target to do so.

I ended up bottoming out my front sight again, and so I'm shooting just a bit low, about 1/4-1/2". My hold was in the middle of the target's bullseye. This should give me right around an inch low at 100 yards according to the ballistics calculator at handloads.com, and about 9 - 11" low at 200 yards. This is with a guessed BC of .25 and a velocity of 2396fps.

On to the shooting:


This was my best target with the stock military sights. It should be noted that I can go back to them any time.

Not bad at all, and certainly minute-of-coyote. However, I don't have the best vision - not bad enough for glasses when driving, but certainly not 20/20.


This was today's best, about 2" with one flier.

As mentioned above, this group was fired when I was fatigued. The two separate cloverleaf group are probably due to the fact that I came off the rifle once and shifted my sight picture slightly when I came back on. I didn't realize it at the time - I was laying on asphalt in direct sunlight, shooting into the shade.

Those last four fliers are likely the result of fighting the trigger for the last few shots. The pull on this carbine is heavy, and several years ago I snapped my trigger finger at the knuckle. I literally could not pull back smoothly on the last few shots, and ended up jerking. I'm surprised they didn't fly out further.

As I think back through the guns I've owned, I'm realizing that these are the first peep sights I've ever had, unless you want to count an AR-15 lookalike BB gun. I'm finding that I really do like them. They line up as quickly as a 'scope but seem to be much more rugged than optics.

If I can get this issue with the sight height resolved with the company, I'll be very happy with with the sights and the company that made them.

[sui-juris]

Nice write up. I got a Cetme recently and still prefer the SKS to that...

[Ram Rod]

Real nice. Some of the SKS are real tack drivers. I had a Russian for a couple years before trading on an AK. Good shooter though---one of those $69.95 SKS back in the day.

[pgrass101]

Nice to see you back Josh,

SKS's are a great SHTF rifle

[snowdoctor]

respectable groups, and a great looking firearm...congrats...hope you have alot of fun with it.
once you get used to the stripper clips, they are kind of fun!

[Joshua M. Smith]

Stripper clips... are faster than mag changes, methinks.

Josh <><

[Colin]

Like the rear sight, might have to think about that one. Here is mine

[Joshua M. Smith]

Nice! :)

[V8]

That is a nice write up. Now I'm starting to miss my sks.

[Joshua M. Smith]

How'd it shoot at 100 yards?