Long-barrelled AK vs SKS

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

All other differences aside--Should one expect much difference in the ballistic performace of 7.62x39 from SKS as opposed to a long-barrelled AK?

 

[MCgunner]

Probably not. There's only 100 fps or so between my 16" paratrooper and my 20" rifle. However, I'll take the added accuracy (well, maybe that would be the reduced inaccuracy) of the SKS over the AK any day. The AK is a fun toy I guess, but pretty useless to me. The SKS makes a fair to middlin' short range hunting rifle, proper ergos, and accurate enough out to maybe 200 yards which is the limit of the round, anyway. I've never wanted an AK.

 

[buck00]

Do you mean accuracy? This is a common post and thread. You can search it and find a lot of chatter about this (usually under AK vs SKS vs RPK).

Some of the SKS-worshippers boast SKS rifles are vastly more accurate than AKs (long barrel or not), but I would argue the difference is minimal. And accuracy is a relative concept. Accuracy for an M1A or AR in some MOA-emphasis target shoot is totally different than "man sized target at combat distance." It depends on what degree of accuracy you are attempting.


I think SKS rifles are great. They also come in handy for parades and formal occasions.

 

[briansmithwins]

I have a SKS and a RPK clone (AES-10B) Either one shoots 2MOA groups with iron sights. You couldn't tell the groups apart if you didn't know which rifle was being used.

BSW

 

[ByAnyMeans]

I don't believe there is any difference in velocity to make a difference. The reported improved accuracy with an sks over an ak is possible but it would depend upon the ak. My converted saiga shoots as good as any sks I have come across and if you add optics it could easily be a 200 yard deer rilfe when zeroed in with winchester or federal ammo. YMMV

 

[Plink]

The crappy ammo that most folks shoot through these guns is a big part of why they've earned reputations as being so inaccurate. Improve the aiming system and trigger, and shoot high quality ammo, and they aren't so bad afterall. Most AKs and SKSes have the potential to be more accurate than most FALs, which bugs me to no end since I love FALs.

 

[MCgunner]

I think SKS rifles are great. They also come in handy for parades and formal occasions.

Well, truth be told, accuracy wise, AK or SKS are both POSs. I much prefer 1 MOA or less in a useful rifle. That puts me 2 inches either way at 400 yards, my personal hunting limit, and I'll be well in the deer's vitals at that range if I do my part.

I hunt animals with my rifles, different biomes, mountains to brush to senderos to rugged desert country. If I'm where I can get a long shot, I want a rifle that can do it. I've never shot a human and don't intend to start.

Now, my SKS are mostly range toys. I mean, for 75 bucks, why not? The ammo is cheap, too, and you don't have to chase the "brass", which is steel, anyway, and will break a decapper pin being berdan primed. It's just a fun gun to shoot and was cheap. I've set it up with a scope, though, for short range hunting in brush, 5 round mag, camo stock, kinda neat. I have a paratrooper I play with some, too, but don't hunt with. That one cost me 115 bucks new in box. Again, so cheap, why not? They ain't target accurate, but they shoot minute of milk bottle.

 

[Ash]

"I think SKS rifles are great. They also come in handy for parades and formal occasions."

Yeah, but they make you walk funny...

Ash

 

[roscoe]

One reason the SKS can be more accurate than the AK is that you can put on a great peep sight from Tech-Sight, which also almost doubles the sight radius.

 

[Ifishsum]

That particular advantage may be short lived (from tech-sights.com):

COMING SOON!!
AK RIFLE SIGHTING SYSTEM

 

[Zouave Rifle]

Being a target shooter, I prefer the SKS, but it's not due to better accuracy; it's due to the last shot bolt hold open feature and ease of access to the loading/ejection port. The trigger is better on the AK.

 

[BattleChimp Potemkin]

Longer Barrel=less rigidity.

The Sagia guys know this already. From what I have heard, the shorter barrel Sagias have better accuracy (slightly) than the longer barrels due to the rigidity of the shorter barrels, less vibration.

 

[Ash]

Ah, but on the AES-10b, the longer barrel is also heavier and so may be more rigid than a Saiga barrel.

Ash

 

[jdc1244]

All other differences aside

The length of the barrel is really not the issue. The differences play a greater overall role than barrel length. The Simonov design – where the gas piston is not connected to the bolt carrier - is inherently more accurate than the Kalashnikov design.

 

[Ash]

Yeah, but that assumes all things being equal. A rotating bolt is inherently more accurate than a tipping one. The AK has a rotating bolt and the SKS a tipping one. There are lots of variables since the only thing they have in common is caliber and quality of sights.

Ash