SKS accuracy

To un-stir the pot....... All of the Garands I have been around shoot a lot better than sks's. They are on a whole different level of accuracy than the com-block stuff. The ammo is typically better too (That's good for 1").

For the front sight post, I thought, what the heck, it's like, a buck. Not often you get an upgrade that good for a buck.

Chucking the front sight post in a drill and narrowing it down on a metal file is so easy that it makes spending the $5 +$2 shipping seem ridiculous.

..... i think im just going to start ignoring things that go against my personal experience, thanks for the feed back guys

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That's a good policy on most things.

i have always wondered what kind of accuracy these got. does anyone know what kind of accuracy the sks that take the ak mags get? i think they also have shorter barrels.

The Chinese SKS I have shoots at 3 MOA @ 100 yards, using Wolf 123gr hollow point rounds. I think that's good for this rifle. It used to shoot really wide.

One common problem with the Chinese SKS is the loose, as in very loose, stock/receiver fit. It really needs to be bedded. It's not the easiest stock I've ever bedded.

Also did a trigger rework. And this trigger group is not recommended as one's first trigger job.

Added a barrel strut to the barrel. It has also helped.

So, there are improvements that can help the accuracy of the SKS.

I have a 54' Russian Tula ready for pick up. I have a Murray's pin and set of Williams fire sights in the gun closet waiting for the new arrival.

Depending on the trigger pull I may ask Ben Murray to take a look at it.

I hear at the local range, the winners of the high power rifle competitions are allways the same. Some good ol' boys with pre-ban AR's who have sunk small fortunes in working them over.

I am a fan of heavy rifles and open sights. I'm thinking it just may be possible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. I think it would be a kick to win a local match with this relitively inexpensive SKS.

Can anyone tell me what ammo works best for them and add any suggestions to make this old rifle accurate as can be?

3moa is about as "accurate" as you can realistically hope for. Mine isnt quite that good, but at 100yds, its within Minute-of-vitals.

If you are gonna scope it at all, get the Choate reciever side-mount. You might as well send the trigger off before you even shoot it. I have polished all i can on mine without mailing it off to Murray's, and I still shoot with my middle finger, just for the extra strength.

When i bought my SKS I followed simple guidelines. Get a Russian SKS and do not change out the stock or add things to it. It shoots about three inch groups at one hundred yards. Someone made a good point about the fit of guns. I had a Citori I just could not shoot well. My gunclub friends loved it. I could never shoot a pre 64 Model 70 well and I have no idea why.

I've got a '51 Tula that has taken a great many whitetails. Odd thing about my SKS is that if I run premium ammo (read: winchester, remington, hornady, whatever) through it, I can't hit a barn door from inside the barn. But run some crappy wolf 154grn SP's in it, and the thing shoots a 2.5" group @ 100. Still haven't figured that one out.

This is great...Locally I have a buddy who is going to recon some data from the range to see where we need to be.

BRad- No scope at this meet, just irons, that's why I purchased the Williams Firesights. I'll need to clean my eyglasses for this one..

Jeff, Thanks for the information and the Link. Are you happy with Tom's trigger? Can you tell me what he did for you and the results?

Ben's name comes up just about anytime I have a SKS discussion.

Ben does indeed do trigger work. We are discussing a Hammer,Sear and Trigger including complete tuning. He also want's me to take a good look at the crown. Nice and knowlegable gentleman. www.MurraysGuns.com for those who are wondering.

Frogo- Now that's interesting. Just reverse of my other milsurps. Mabie it's a communist trait? It needs to work hard and be fed cheaply?

The Wolf 154 is working the best so far? Steel or brass case?
Anyone shoot the Silver Bear ammo? Other ammo results?

One time I was shooting this old Norinco SKS my brother had at a steel silouhette range. The guy next to me was shooting a FAL and challenged me to an informal contest on the steel pigs at 300 yards. He didn't hit any. I knocked three in a row down, then stopped while I was ahead.

Personally, I like the SKS better than the AK. I can actually hit stuff with an SKS, whereas with an AK, not so much. They're not match accurate, but they're "accurate enough."

Good call Jeff... My bad...

Murray's claim to fame is more about the firing pin AFAIK isn't it? It's Kivaari that is known for doing a great job on trigger fixes.

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AK and SKSs excel in as close range weapon. A paper plate is 9 inches across. If you can hit that well at 100 yds you are doing quite good. A human torso is around 12 inchese side to siide on average.

I had a chinese paratrooper sks "just smaller than a normal one with a norinco 3x9 and I would get different results from wolf ammo some close some not so tight If you really want tight groups reload but with all the ammo in the world for it out there you should be able to find something and stick with it.

You're not alone. 100 yd. results with Wolf ammo:



35W

Alot of people complain about accuracy from the Norinco version of the SKS. Mine's always been pretty damn good, not sure on the specifics but I'm comfortable with it out to around 75 yards or so. I'm sure there are some others that can hit targets well at 100 yards all day but I'm not one of them.

Well I picked up my SKS over the weekend and gave it a good cleaning.

My wife and I have not been able to take it to the range yet, but we are looking forward to it.

On a dry fire, the trigger travel is more like the Friday evening commute. It has a black bolt, an artic stock and the numbers match minus the magazine.

I have some inexpensive Yugo Mil-Surp. ammo to start things off. When I can, I'll pick up a few boxes of some others to see how it works.

Frogo- Now that's interesting. Just reverse of my other milsurps. Mabie it's a communist trait? It needs to work hard and be fed cheaply?

The Wolf 154 is working the best so far? Steel or brass case?
Anyone shoot the Silver Bear ammo? Other ammo results?

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I know, makes no sense right? I handload for all my guns except the SKS cause After 2 years of trying I couldn't get a handload that was as accurate as the Wolf ammo so i said to hell with it.

yeah, the wolf 154 gives me the best performance, and it's steel cased. I'm a gunsmith, and have been through that gun from stem to stern and cannot for the life of me figure out why it acts like it does. I tried the .308 bullets, .311 bullets, and .312 bullets with hundreds of combinations of powder type and quantity, and still the Wolf ALWAYS shot better. That 'work hard, and feed cheaply' comment just might be right on the money.

Thanks Gents.

I have a grab bag of ammo comming,including some wolf.
The sight came in the mail as well as the adjustment tool.

Thanks for the information and I'll report back with some results as soon as I can get to the range!

I have a Norinco SKS that shoots about 4" with the wolf or surplus chi-com ammo, but once I started reloading using Hornady 123gr FMJ the groups shrunk to a consistent 2". The rifle is bone stock except I removed the bayonet. Ammo makes a huge difference in my norinco. The trigger is stiff, but it has no creep in it at all.

I went to take my bayonet off to put it in the gun case and found that the back of the screw had ben peened. Now to remove it I will need to drill it out and find a replacement screw. Anyone else find this on theirs? I would assume Brownells may have the screw.

Also I have been looking at the Williams sight. The front apereture looks too large for me and my target shooting abilities. I'll give them a call and see what they can do.

Well, I made it to the range. Mrs. Skyhorse was coming down with a cold and it was a
windy cold day so she did not have allot of patience. I did manage to get her scope set on
her Mini-14. Here is another rifle that get badmouthed. Hers is right there.

I set the SKS in my cheapie rest and took a few shots with the Yugo milsurp ammo. The
pattern is about 4” to the left and low. I adjusted the front sight for elevation and it is right
on, but the windage adjustment was frozen.

I brought it back to the shop and soaked it in some nutbreaker. I was able to free it up and
now need to get back to the range.

I sent the William’s fire sight back to them. For me the aperture was too large and the
front fire optic was larger than the bullseye. William’s is a fine company and I own some
of their other products. This sight just did not fit me well. I am concentrating on the
original sights, getting them adjusted and possibly milling the top to make it a tad smaller.

I have looked at other aperture sights that mount on the back cover, but my eyesight
prefers a blade further up the sight plane.

Another revision I am looking at is a butt pad that is removable and screws in to the
original butt plate. Making this rifle another 1” plus will make it more comfortable for me
to shoot.

This rifle fired well and made a good pattern. Most people either love or hate the SKS, I
am in favor of it. I can see no reason it can not be more accurate than my abilities.

I am hoping that Mr.Broc Luno can join me some afternoon and give me some tips and
improve my shooting skills. He and others on this forum have tought me so much. Many
thanks gentlemen!

Well, I made it to the range. Mrs. Skyhorse was coming down with a cold and it was a
windy cold day so she did not have allot of patience. I did manage to get her scope set on
her Mini-14. Here is another rifle that get badmouthed. Hers is right there.

I set the SKS in my cheapie rest and took a few shots with the Yugo milsurp ammo. The
pattern is about 4” to the left and low. I adjusted the front sight for elevation and it is right
on, but the windage adjustment was frozen.

I brought it back to the shop and soaked it in some nutbreaker. I was able to free it up and
now need to get back to the range.

I sent the William’s fire sight back to them. For me the aperture was too large and the
front fire optic was larger than the bullseye. William’s is a fine company and I own some
of their other products. This sight just did not fit me well. I am concentrating on the
original sights, getting them adjusted and possibly milling the top to make it a tad smaller.

I have looked at other aperture sights that mount on the back cover, but my eyesight
prefers a blade further up the sight plane.

Another revision I am looking at is a butt pad that is removable and screws in to the
original butt plate. Making this rifle another 1” plus will make it more comfortable for me
to shoot.

This rifle fired well and made a good pattern. Most people either love or hate the SKS, I
am in favor of it. I can see no reason it can not be more accurate than my abilities.

I am hoping that Mr.Broc Luno can join me some afternoon and give me some tips and
improve my shooting skills. He and others on this forum have tought me so much. Many
thanks gentlemen!

My personal opinion is that the use of the term Minute Of Angle, with a Battle Rifle, is fairly useless. I think the Sovietski Karabineski Simonovski is a damn fine weapon from the standpoint that it does exactly what it was designed for. Intermediate range/ antipersonel/ rugged as hell. Accuracy varies widely, but an SKS that wont group inside your hat at 100yd is still a very practical WEAPON at 250 ...Arshins or meters or yards. 3 Line', .30 cal,10 shots, semiauto, Damn ,wheres my checkbook I'm gonna go get another one!