12guagecody
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anyone using there sks as an appleseed rifle? if so are you using tech sights? i just find the sights on mine very crude for the types of targets at the appleseed shoots
sks as an appleseed rifle?
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velocette
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12 guage;
I've seen several folks using an SKS at an Appleseed event. It would acquit itself well. Its recoil is mild, ammo is cheap and it is sufficiently accurate to do the job effectively. Set up with aperture sights (tech) it would be fine. The stock sights are barely adequate as you note.
Is it the BEST rifle for Appleseed? There is no BEST rifle. If its your only rifle, if its your Go To rifle, then yes it is an excellent choice. Learn to shoot the one you've got. (love the one your with?) I did my two Appleseeds with a scoped .22 semi auto and a scoped .308 semi auto. The 308 cost a LOT more to feed. Both got me well into rifleman territory. The .22 was easier to shoot well, especially in the timed stages.
(But the .308 educated me on rapid fire recoil control)
Upgrading an SKS with tech sights would probably be one of the best improvements to that rifle that you could do, whether you use it in an Appleseed or not.
Roger
I've seen several folks using an SKS at an Appleseed event. It would acquit itself well. Its recoil is mild, ammo is cheap and it is sufficiently accurate to do the job effectively. Set up with aperture sights (tech) it would be fine. The stock sights are barely adequate as you note.
Is it the BEST rifle for Appleseed? There is no BEST rifle. If its your only rifle, if its your Go To rifle, then yes it is an excellent choice. Learn to shoot the one you've got. (love the one your with?) I did my two Appleseeds with a scoped .22 semi auto and a scoped .308 semi auto. The 308 cost a LOT more to feed. Both got me well into rifleman territory. The .22 was easier to shoot well, especially in the timed stages.
(But the .308 educated me on rapid fire recoil control)
Upgrading an SKS with tech sights would probably be one of the best improvements to that rifle that you could do, whether you use it in an Appleseed or not.
Roger
epijunkie67
Member
HOLY DIVER
Member
thinking of sending 17yo stepson to a appleseed shot and was thinking of sending him with my sks reason it works never had a failure but i do question its accuracy allthough he is learning and the rifle is prob more accurate than he is
Smokey Joe
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SKS and "accuracy"...
Having been to a couple of Appleseeds myself (and shot Rifleman @ my first) and having some experience with the SKS, I'd have to say that an SKS would not be my first choice for an Appleseed. FWIW, the Appleseeders with SKS's whom I have observed, didn't shoot so well--this may be a skill question, but partly it could be the fault of the rifle.
Now, it depends much on a couple of personal factors. There are SKS's and SKS's--If you have had yours to the range, been practicing, and know that it'll shoot well for you, then go for it. Lacking that kind of experience, and/or having a different rifle with adjustable peep sights, or a 'scope, I'd go with the non-SKS rifle. If you aren't an experienced centerfire rifle shooter, and have an autoloading .22 with peep sights or a 'scope, THAT would be what to bring.
Removable magazines are VERY handy--bring at least two if your rifle uses them. The SKS non-removable magazine, you can feed from stripper clips, and that is about as fast as changing mags--IF you have the stripper clips.
Centerfire rifles are more costly to feed, and an Appleseed does burn up quite a bit of ammo.
You ALMOST MUST have a sling on yr rifle; w/o one, you will still learn a lot but you will miss out on much. If your rifle has sling attachments, the Appleseed people will probably have a sling you can borrow or buy.
Now, having said all that, an Appleseed is very much a "Bring what you got, shoot what you brung" event. If what you have is an SKS, bring it.
Having been to a couple of Appleseeds myself (and shot Rifleman @ my first) and having some experience with the SKS, I'd have to say that an SKS would not be my first choice for an Appleseed. FWIW, the Appleseeders with SKS's whom I have observed, didn't shoot so well--this may be a skill question, but partly it could be the fault of the rifle.
Now, it depends much on a couple of personal factors. There are SKS's and SKS's--If you have had yours to the range, been practicing, and know that it'll shoot well for you, then go for it. Lacking that kind of experience, and/or having a different rifle with adjustable peep sights, or a 'scope, I'd go with the non-SKS rifle. If you aren't an experienced centerfire rifle shooter, and have an autoloading .22 with peep sights or a 'scope, THAT would be what to bring.
Removable magazines are VERY handy--bring at least two if your rifle uses them. The SKS non-removable magazine, you can feed from stripper clips, and that is about as fast as changing mags--IF you have the stripper clips.
Centerfire rifles are more costly to feed, and an Appleseed does burn up quite a bit of ammo.
You ALMOST MUST have a sling on yr rifle; w/o one, you will still learn a lot but you will miss out on much. If your rifle has sling attachments, the Appleseed people will probably have a sling you can borrow or buy.
Now, having said all that, an Appleseed is very much a "Bring what you got, shoot what you brung" event. If what you have is an SKS, bring it.
newfalguy101
Member
Might I suggest trying a variety of different brands of ammo in your SKS, HOLY DIVER, you may pleasantly suprised how accurate your SKS can be with ammo it likes.
Try the Wolf 154gr SP.
One of the reasons SKS's get a knock on their accracy is that most people use the cheapest junk they can find ( I do it also ), use GOOD ammo and it just might suprise you.
Try the Wolf 154gr SP.
One of the reasons SKS's get a knock on their accracy is that most people use the cheapest junk they can find ( I do it also ), use GOOD ammo and it just might suprise you.
BobOfTheFuture
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I have a Yugo with a Tech sight rear ap. It is pretty damned accurate, even with Wolf. I am sure it will be better with good ammo.
I dig it. I just recently got it running properly, it needed a new gas valve.
On top of all of this I would suggest a thinner front post, then, have at it.
Get good with your strippers, and mark and seperate the easy to load ones. Bring ONLY those clips.
I am planning to attend my first Appleseed with this rifle once Ive got cash for ammo.
I dig it. I just recently got it running properly, it needed a new gas valve.
On top of all of this I would suggest a thinner front post, then, have at it.
Get good with your strippers, and mark and seperate the easy to load ones. Bring ONLY those clips.
I am planning to attend my first Appleseed with this rifle once Ive got cash for ammo.
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12guagecody
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to reach rifleman status you have to qualify on the army target right? my question is with that target you are supposed to do mag changes in certain places, so how will that work with an sks? yesterday i took out some appleseed targets i was given at the gun show for practice, i hit three rounds on every silhouette at 20 yards with factory sights. i didn't know you could use a scope for apple seed i thought it was all for iron sights
You would need stripper clips.
If you need to do a mag change you can release the rounds from the magazine through the bottom and load up 8 rounds with the clip.
Since it isn't a competition, optics are allowed at AS. In my opinion, you'll get more out of it with irons, but some people have eye issues, or just don't agree with me on that, and use optics.
The targets used to score are scaled to present silhouettes simulating 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards when set up at 25 meters. They have 3 scoring rings for 3,4, or 5 points. You can buy them from the Appleseed store if you want to practice with them on your own.
If you need to do a mag change you can release the rounds from the magazine through the bottom and load up 8 rounds with the clip.
Since it isn't a competition, optics are allowed at AS. In my opinion, you'll get more out of it with irons, but some people have eye issues, or just don't agree with me on that, and use optics.
The targets used to score are scaled to present silhouettes simulating 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards when set up at 25 meters. They have 3 scoring rings for 3,4, or 5 points. You can buy them from the Appleseed store if you want to practice with them on your own.
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henschman
Member
You can do just fine with an SKS just the way they came from Josef or Mao. They are easier to get tighter groups with than an AK because of the longer sight radius, and the longer barrel helps on the KD range if you actually shoot out to 400 yards with it.
However, it does help a lot to put Tech Sights on them. I agree that it is the single best upgrade you can do to that rifle.
You can get by fine with the factory sling, but it is even better if you set the rifle up to use a GI web sling. The factory one can't be used as a loop sling, and it attaches to the side instead of the bottom, which makes you tend to cant sideways when using a hasty sling... which you tend to cant with anyway from prone and seated.
There is actually a post on the Appleseed forum called "SKS Liberty Training Rifle" or something along those lines where a guy named Longshot optimized an SKS for Appleseed. He used a Tapco stock and put an M-14 front swivel on it, and put a set of Tech Sights on it. I can't remember if he went with the factory mag or removeable ones... you can do fine with either. If you get removeables, the 20-round ones are generally best because they are easier to get prone with. If you keep the factory mag, be sure to have some stripper clips. Oh, and SKS's aren't really known for having great triggers, so you may benefit from a trigger job.
There is a lot of good advice on here, like sorting out the stripper clips that work the best, etc.
The main thing is to just show up. You will learn way more than you think you will. I had been shooting all my life before I went to one and I was blown away by some of the relatively simple fundamentals that I either didn't know, or wasn't consistently doing. The simple and concise way in which they taught it all was great. I was just a rifle owner before, but now I'm a Rifleman.
If you go and like what you see, give some thought to volunteering as an Instructor in Training once you've shot Expert. It is a lot of fun and it is a great cause.
However, it does help a lot to put Tech Sights on them. I agree that it is the single best upgrade you can do to that rifle.
You can get by fine with the factory sling, but it is even better if you set the rifle up to use a GI web sling. The factory one can't be used as a loop sling, and it attaches to the side instead of the bottom, which makes you tend to cant sideways when using a hasty sling... which you tend to cant with anyway from prone and seated.
There is actually a post on the Appleseed forum called "SKS Liberty Training Rifle" or something along those lines where a guy named Longshot optimized an SKS for Appleseed. He used a Tapco stock and put an M-14 front swivel on it, and put a set of Tech Sights on it. I can't remember if he went with the factory mag or removeable ones... you can do fine with either. If you get removeables, the 20-round ones are generally best because they are easier to get prone with. If you keep the factory mag, be sure to have some stripper clips. Oh, and SKS's aren't really known for having great triggers, so you may benefit from a trigger job.
There is a lot of good advice on here, like sorting out the stripper clips that work the best, etc.
The main thing is to just show up. You will learn way more than you think you will. I had been shooting all my life before I went to one and I was blown away by some of the relatively simple fundamentals that I either didn't know, or wasn't consistently doing. The simple and concise way in which they taught it all was great. I was just a rifle owner before, but now I'm a Rifleman.
If you go and like what you see, give some thought to volunteering as an Instructor in Training once you've shot Expert. It is a lot of fun and it is a great cause.
Food for thought:
Tech Sights: $75 Shipped.
Ammo for SKS: ~$150 in these parts.
Total: ~$225
OR
Marlin 795, tech sights, sling, ammo, 2nd mag: ~$200
(and you have another rifle at the end of it all!)
(and the 795 sling attachment will be able to do a loop sling no problem, whereas the SKS will be tricky, if not impossible to do a loop sling correctly).
I'd do the 795 route, primarily for two main reasons:
1) having an extra gun at the end.
2) being able to do the loop sling correctly.
Appleseed instruction is geared around the loop sling. To not be able to sling up properly is to miss out on half the instruction.
Tech Sights: $75 Shipped.
Ammo for SKS: ~$150 in these parts.
Total: ~$225
OR
Marlin 795, tech sights, sling, ammo, 2nd mag: ~$200
(and you have another rifle at the end of it all!)
(and the 795 sling attachment will be able to do a loop sling no problem, whereas the SKS will be tricky, if not impossible to do a loop sling correctly).
I'd do the 795 route, primarily for two main reasons:
1) having an extra gun at the end.
2) being able to do the loop sling correctly.
Appleseed instruction is geared around the loop sling. To not be able to sling up properly is to miss out on half the instruction.
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To put things in perspective for you, I actually took my Mosin-Nagant 91/30 with me to my first Appleseed for the second day of shooting. (I also took my .22LR Savage MKII bolt-action to shoot the first day.) It was tough to get all of those timed shots off. But I'm glad I did it. I didn't qualify at Rifleman with my Mosin, but I sure learned quite a bit about my rifle and my potential as a shooter using that rifle. I learned to reload it quickly (without stripper clips, no less...), and still did manage a couple good scores with it. I think I even posted around 190 with it one round, which I was VERY happy with. I still have no idea how I managed that.
In any case, my point is that even if you don't do that well with your SKS, or think it may not be an ideal rifle, you'll certainly learn a lot about how it handles and shoots. Nowhere else are you going to put that much ammo downrange with that gun in one sitting. It's definitely worth it!
On a side note, I went through a good 300+ rounds in my Mosin. So, another $60-$70 in ammo, on top of the price of attending. Just keep that in mind if you're aiming to keep your budget down.
Mosin at the Appleseed:
In any case, my point is that even if you don't do that well with your SKS, or think it may not be an ideal rifle, you'll certainly learn a lot about how it handles and shoots. Nowhere else are you going to put that much ammo downrange with that gun in one sitting. It's definitely worth it!
On a side note, I went through a good 300+ rounds in my Mosin. So, another $60-$70 in ammo, on top of the price of attending. Just keep that in mind if you're aiming to keep your budget down.
Mosin at the Appleseed:
snake284
Member
That's what i heard too. You don't want to mess with Fred, he'll shoot circles around you. Would love to meet him someday.
But I would think an SKS with improved sights would be a fantastic choice, as long as it wasn't a jamamatic. I had two SKSs back in the 90s. I sold over a hundred of em. The two I kept would shoot and didn't jam. I wish I still had at least one of those rifles. They were Chinese Norincos. They were crude by American or European standards, but they were very functional and accurate enough.
But I would think an SKS with improved sights would be a fantastic choice, as long as it wasn't a jamamatic. I had two SKSs back in the 90s. I sold over a hundred of em. The two I kept would shoot and didn't jam. I wish I still had at least one of those rifles. They were Chinese Norincos. They were crude by American or European standards, but they were very functional and accurate enough.
snake284
Member
One more note here, I have only participated in one Appleseed shoot. But I'm going back. My buddy from Corpus Christi known in Appleseed as "Pops" made Rifleman last year and he has inspired me to go back and do it. In fact, I recently purchased a Ruger 10-22 Carbine for that occasion. I gave my grandson my Steven's Model 62 for Christmas. It just wasn't accurate enough for Appleseed. Plus it did jam now and then. I think I can make rifleman with the 10/22 as it's more accurate and seldom if ever jams. Now all I need is practice.
I had diabetes and the meds were making me gain weight steadily from May, 2005 until June, 2009 when I went to a weight loss surgeon. My weight on that first visit was 372 pounds. I was not in physical condidtion to shoot in Appleseed. So I have put it off until I lose more weight. I had Gastric Bypass surgery in March, 2010. I had already lost 50 pounds before the surgery and now have lost about another 100 pounds since. I am down to 220 or so and I think I can start practicing position shooting for Appleseed now. I'm not sure when Pops will have another Appleseed shoot in Corpus, but I'm going to begin to get ready for it now.
For anyone that doesn't know about Appleseed, it is a wonderful program. It is great for kids, but it is also great for adults. The best thing about it is it teaches History as well as Riflery. First they hold a safety meeting. Safety is paramount at Appleseed. Then they will usually have the first history lesson of the day, which is usually about what happened on April 18-19, 1775 in and around Boston and Lexington-Concorde. Then they have the first of range instruction and shooting. This goes on like this for the first day as people learn the ropes of the shooting drills. Then on the second day they begin serious shooting and trying to make Rifleman. That is the ultimate goal. When you have made Rifleman, then you will may be asked to help instruct.
I love Appleseed. I love th concept. It is American as apple Pie. However, I don't put what they are doing above what the NRA is doing either. I think they should work hand in hand and both really need to recongnize each other. A little friendly competition is great, but I have seen some members of both bad mouth the other organization. This is counter productive. We need to join hands to both save the country and protect the Second Amendment. Both organizations have an important duty to perform and we don't need to argue or put each other down. Very Important!
I had diabetes and the meds were making me gain weight steadily from May, 2005 until June, 2009 when I went to a weight loss surgeon. My weight on that first visit was 372 pounds. I was not in physical condidtion to shoot in Appleseed. So I have put it off until I lose more weight. I had Gastric Bypass surgery in March, 2010. I had already lost 50 pounds before the surgery and now have lost about another 100 pounds since. I am down to 220 or so and I think I can start practicing position shooting for Appleseed now. I'm not sure when Pops will have another Appleseed shoot in Corpus, but I'm going to begin to get ready for it now.
For anyone that doesn't know about Appleseed, it is a wonderful program. It is great for kids, but it is also great for adults. The best thing about it is it teaches History as well as Riflery. First they hold a safety meeting. Safety is paramount at Appleseed. Then they will usually have the first history lesson of the day, which is usually about what happened on April 18-19, 1775 in and around Boston and Lexington-Concorde. Then they have the first of range instruction and shooting. This goes on like this for the first day as people learn the ropes of the shooting drills. Then on the second day they begin serious shooting and trying to make Rifleman. That is the ultimate goal. When you have made Rifleman, then you will may be asked to help instruct.
I love Appleseed. I love th concept. It is American as apple Pie. However, I don't put what they are doing above what the NRA is doing either. I think they should work hand in hand and both really need to recongnize each other. A little friendly competition is great, but I have seen some members of both bad mouth the other organization. This is counter productive. We need to join hands to both save the country and protect the Second Amendment. Both organizations have an important duty to perform and we don't need to argue or put each other down. Very Important!
12guagecody
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I also have a 10/22 that i shoot really well, that will probably be my first choice to take with me
Chainsaw2
Member
Does anyone make a peep sight for the SKS that fits into the existing rear sight so the standard elevation method can be used?
If not, then does the Tech sight return to zero once the rifle has been cleaned and rassembled?
Thanks!
jim
If not, then does the Tech sight return to zero once the rifle has been cleaned and rassembled?
Thanks!
jim
JR47
Member
Sounds just like any other rifle to me.
The SKS will work just fine once Tech Sights have been applied. They make the rifle much easier to shoot. Ammo around here runs $4.35/20 rounds of non-corrosive.
Yes, a .22 is easier to shoot. However, are you after the badge, or the experience of learning to shoot a rifle? Gamesmen tend towards the .22 rifles. You won't be using it in the case of trouble if there is a center-fire rifle handy.
12guagecody
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i want the badge for sure, if you shoot with a 22 can you get the badge or does it have to be centerfire?
henschman
Member
We don't care what you use to do it with... if you shoot Expert on the Army Qual. Test, we will give you a patch.
It's definitely not an equipment race. If you can't do it with a plain old Tech Sighted 10/22, you probably couldn't do it with a custom target rifle either. Very few people are in the category where a different rifle will give them just enough points to score Expert.
As for SKS tech sights, yes, they do return to zero after disassembly/reassembly of the rifle. They are attached to the receiver rather than the dust cover. And yes, someone does make an aperture sight for the standard tangent sight... they are called Mojo sights. However, they kind of miss the point of an aperture sight. An aperture sight gives you the advantages it does because the rear aperture is close to your eye, so you hardly know it's there. It just becomes a blur around your field of view. It is natural for your eye to center the front sight in the greatest point of light, which is the middle of the aperture... which is why an aperture sight is quicker to get sight alignment and sight picture with.
A rear aperture that is in the same place as the factory tangent sight is no quicker or more precise to align than a notch sight. A few people say those Mojo sights help them, but I personally think it's a gimmick.
It's definitely not an equipment race. If you can't do it with a plain old Tech Sighted 10/22, you probably couldn't do it with a custom target rifle either. Very few people are in the category where a different rifle will give them just enough points to score Expert.
As for SKS tech sights, yes, they do return to zero after disassembly/reassembly of the rifle. They are attached to the receiver rather than the dust cover. And yes, someone does make an aperture sight for the standard tangent sight... they are called Mojo sights. However, they kind of miss the point of an aperture sight. An aperture sight gives you the advantages it does because the rear aperture is close to your eye, so you hardly know it's there. It just becomes a blur around your field of view. It is natural for your eye to center the front sight in the greatest point of light, which is the middle of the aperture... which is why an aperture sight is quicker to get sight alignment and sight picture with.
A rear aperture that is in the same place as the factory tangent sight is no quicker or more precise to align than a notch sight. A few people say those Mojo sights help them, but I personally think it's a gimmick.
Chainsaw2
Member
Thanks! One final question I didn't think of earlier. Does the front sight with that post inside a ring cause eye or sight clutter when used with a rear peep sight?
jim
jim
12guagecody
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so you can become a rifleman with a scope?
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