SKS_Fiend
Member
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2021
- Messages
- 11
By the way, welcome the THR.
I have had a few that were very accurate, and if you resist the urge to modify them, they are incredibly reliable.
The .30 Short Russian is a pitiful cartridge past about 200 yards.
Too much bullet drop and bleeds energy tremendously. It's an extremely inefficient cartridge.
The .308 Winchester is in another league entirely. No comparison. Range is tripled, stopping power is much better, and it is useful for hunting as well as combat.
The SKS is cheaper. That is the ONLY benefit it has over an M14.
In comparison the 2 rifles share very few commonalities, gas operation and trigger group removal takedown are all I'm coming up with.
As one being better than the other, it's of course, subjective. The cheaper 7.62x39 while reasonably effective at ranges 0-----300, and that's being generous, is no match for the full size battle rifle 7.62x51 out to 600 plus. The ideas behind both rifles are substantial different as well, while both are usefull for a particular purpose neither really fits that overall usefulness exactly.
I own several of each and while one goes bang quite reliably, I find the stock to short, the sights antiquated and the loading system, while fairly effective rather backwards relative to a magazine fed rifle. Being quite durable and robust and built for a very average user lens itself well and is a positive.
Likewise the ammunition cost. As usual though one gets what one pays for, I reload and it's nearly as cheap for me to craft accurate ammunition than to purchase hit or miss steel case beridan primed stuff.
So all in all if your a fiend for the sks party on, their may be folks with a little different view.
Welcome to THR
It respectfully disagree. As someone who shoots both .308 Win and 7.62x39 pretty regularly I have quite a bit of experience with both. For the ranges that MOST people shoot or hunt , the 7.62x39 is a decent performer. We could make the same argument between .308 Win and .300 WM but as in the x39 discussion we’re just talking about two drastically different cartridges. The truth is, both the M14 and the SKS were outdated designs relative to the tactics employed in their nations Military at the time they originally went into service. Both found more success later in life.
The M14 went on to serve as a DMR/sniper up to the present day by the worlds greatest military power (USA).
The SKS is used by honor guards in strictly non combat ceremonial roles unless we’re counting the poorest most ill equipped 3rd world militaries in the world.
I’m aware of the use of the M14 in modern/present day and not discounting its viability. I don’t put as much faith in “being used by the US military” as a reason it is somehow exceptional as you do. I’ve been closely involved in the military my whole life and have witness the dysfunction that occurs, particularly at the level where decisions are made in regards to weapons programs. The primary reason the M14 exists in US military service today has very little to do with it being exceptional but much more to do with a failure to plan adequately for fighting in places like Afghanistan. You’re also seemingly ignoring one of the primary pillars of your debate, the cartridge. The AK platform, has likely delivered more death than any other small arms platform, and a great deal of that was done with the 7.62x39 cartridge.
You claimed the SKS found more success later in life. How?
Back in the 90's, you could, and many did buy a case of 10 or 12 SKS's in a big green box, with all the accessories for each, for what you could buy a basic M1A for.You claimed the SKS found more success later in life. How?
i cant say for a 16, but my 18" .308 runs 150@2500, (cheap factory Tulammo) 125@28-2900. That's a starting load with H-335. I think I could get a 150 up to about 2750 pretty easily with a different powder.If you go by the two rifles pictured, I would think the 308 isnt all that much hotter than the 7.62x39. Whats the velocity of the 308 out of a 16" barrel?
i cant say for a 16, but my 18" .308 runs 150@2500, (cheap factory Tulammo) 125@28-2900. That's a starting load with H-110. I think I could get a 150 up to about 2750 pretty easily with a different powder.
For contrast, most factory 7.62x39 runs 122gr@2300.
This is a joke, right ?
I hope.