Accuracy of the SKS

[Smaug]

First off, let me tell you that I know the SKS was not designed to be super-accurate. I know it was designed as a super-reliable combat rifle. If some clown posts that "it is a combat rifle and not meant to be that accurate" I'm going to light off on him, hehehe.

I'm curious though: what kind of groups can I expect from a bench at 100 yards? (I have a Yugoslavian SKS on the way)

I'm going to have a receiver cover scope, a 4x32. If that doesn't work too well, I will bit the bullet and drill and tap the receiver for a proper mount. I have read at Surplusrifle.com that the receiver cover mounted scopes don't work that well, but his targets from the solid-mounted scope didn't look any better to me...

How will the accuracy of Wolf bulk ammo compare to good handloads which I may press?

If it groups 3-4" at 100 yd with Wolf, I would think I could squeeze 2" with handloads. Does that sound reasonable or is the SKS just not up to the task?

 

[BamBam-31]

The SKS is usually up to the task. I recently shot a five shot 1.5" group at 100 yds. off a bench w/ American Eagle ammo (usually average 2" groups). Some say that the AE bullet is too small for a Commie-designed barrel, but it shoots great out of my Yugo. Most Yugo's I've seen are in good to great condition, so they should shoot similarly. I used iron sights.

From what I've read, cover-mounted scopes don't hold zero. The cover shifts around a bit, and that translates into big shifts down range. I'd leave the SKS w/ iron sights, but that's just me. One thing that helped me a lot was changing out the rear sight to a peep sight. I really like the Williams peep, but the Mojo is also another quality aftermarket sight. Both are easier to shoot with than the stock sight, IMHO.

Wolf ammo's great to plink with, but it's usually not very accurate. I think a lot of AK's and SKS's get an undeserved reputation for inaccuracy because they're fed a strict diet of Wolf ammo. Aside from their .22 and 7.62x54 calibers, Wolf ammo hasn't been too accurate for me.

Do a search. There's lots of threads on SKS's.

 

[Snowdog]

A couple days after purchasing my Norinco type 56 (for $90 NIB) I managed to squeeze out a group slightly under two inches at 100 yards using iron sights and 124gr Norinco FMJ ammunition. Though I generally use my SKS as a "fun plinker" at ranges closer to 25 yards, I wouldn't be surprised if I encountered that kind of accuracy again should I try.

Even though I believe in general the SKS is typically capable of combat-acceptable 4" groups at 100 yards, I suppose with a scope and decent ammunition these groups could be expected to shink by half.

 

[Archie]

As you said, Smaug...

the SKS is typically not fitted to be a sniper or competition grade rifle. Part of the problem is the chambers had to be generous enough to allow use of any Warsaw Pact 7.62x39 ammo from any nation. The standards were 'generous' to say the least.

So.. If you want to handload for this, take chamber measurements and load to your own specifications. Don't worry too much about someone else's book, even if they are an expert.

Or, try several brands of ammo (like Bam-Bam 31 obviously did) and see what store-bought or surplus ammo works best in your rifle. (If you have my luck, it's the most expensive brand available....)

Last, practise with the rifle. I have a suspicion many SKS rifles are inaccurate because the operators jam 10 rounds into the magazine and then blast away rapid fire at whatever seems available.
No rifle, not even an SKS can be made to shoot poorer by application of sight picture, stance, breathing control and trigger control. Just a thought.

 

[WonderNine]

I've averaged about 3" groups at 100 yards with a Yugo SKS using Silver Bear "effect" ammo.

I could probably do better with a cold barrel taking more time. The trigger hampers accuracy a little. When the barrel warms up (100 rounds in a few minutes) it's more like 5" groups.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I bedded the action and gave my Yugo a trigger job. The other posters are correct in saying that if you settle down and aim, as opposed to general target hosing, you can get into the 1-3" range rather than the 3-5" range at 100yds. My Yugo is now consistantly getting 2-3" with Wolf 154gr SP ammo. That is probably as good as it will get with my old fogey eyesight.

ZM

 

[Norton]

The only thing that I've ever used in my Yugo is Wolf and I can pretty consistently do 3-5" groups at 100 yards.......and I don't consider myself a great shot.....

 

[railroader]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=54&t=56018 Here's some 762 X 39 ammo tests you can look at. I am personally using Barnaul FMJ right now and it seems pretty accurate.
One thing that will help accuracy is a trigger job. Some sks's can have heavy gritty triggers which can hinder accuracy. I did a home trigger job on all my sks's. Mark

 

[Ben Shepherd]

I read somewhere a while ago that a lot of the reason that commie SKS ammo is inacurate is the slug design. That the slug has the boat tail and ogive desgined in such a way that the slug is shaped more like a football than a traditional boat tail on a taget slug design. The premise was that the bullet kind of wobbled down the barrel due to having only a small portion at the center of the slug contacting the rifling.

So I went home and pulled one apart. Sure enough they don't have much surface area that's actually bore diameter. So I guess this is a possible problem.

The issue is I have just never gotten around to working up some handloads with a standard slug design to test this theory.

And I don't worry about it too much, my Yugos will all go 3" at 100 yards on surplus anyway.

 

[albanian]

The Yugo SKSs tend to be better than average shooters compared to other SKSs. I don't know if that is because they are often heavier or if it is because they are most often in excellent condition or for some other reason.

What I have found is, with a decent sighting system (scope, red-dot, ect), my Yugo SKSs can shoot very well. I was surprised at how well they shot once I put a scope on one of them. I have a bunch of Yugos and SKSs from several other nations as well. I have not scoped any other SKS but with iron sights, my Yugos always seemed to be very accurate. I am more of a plinker where SKSs are concerned but I have shot paper at 25 yards with several of them. With a red dot on my Yugo, I can get 1/2" with no problem. This would be 2" groups at 100 yards but it really doesn't work out that way. I have not shot paper at 100 yards yet but I would not be surprised if I can get 3" groups with little problem. I shoot Wolf ammo in all my SKSs so better ammo might helps things a bit. I am happy with Wolf in 7.62mm but I don't buy it in any other caliber because of some problems I have had.

I think a good shooting Yugo with good sights and the right ammo could give 2" groups with not a lot of messing around. 3-4" is about what I get with iron sights and Wolf ammo at 100yards. I can hit pop cans most of the time and they are 3-4". I would take 2" groups out of any rifle considering that I am not the best shot in the world.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Bedded SKS ???

Zeke—How the bleep do you bed the action on an SKS? Half of the action is above the magazine, and the other half is above the trigger asembly! How did you do it?

I bedded the short section of barrel on mine that I could; would be interested in bedding the action if possible. Could you post a pic or diagram?

Thanx in advance.