SKS Accuracy... Dang...

[meanmrmustard]

For me, the Tech Sights need no introduction. I bought them for my Ruger 10/22, and I absolutely love them. However, even the Tech Sights won't tighten 12"+ groups down to 6" or smaller. LOL... I don't want to purchase the tech sights for a 12MOA rifle. If some of these other things can give me some reasonable assurance that my SKS can get to decent form, then I'll certainly get the sights.

Tightened mine. Guess thats just me then. Found that I could focus more on the front sight rather than trying to line up a notch in the rear.

Immediately more accurate, but my SKS has been MUCH better than 12 MOA from the get go. Tech sights made it tighter, and better long range.

But, you knew that.

 

[MCgunner]

I tested the trigger with a fishing scale, not the most scientific method but hey, it's what i got. the initial draw was about 5.5lbs, followed by 1.5lbs in the dead spot, and picks up at 6.5lbs right before it fires. Not what you call consistent but it's pedictable.

Well, it helps to be a good DA revolver shooter when you fire these things. Crappy ain't the word for the trigger on my Carbine, but I picked out my rifle for its trigger, one of the crisp ones. I used to order these things (had an FFL) and put them on football pots at work. I found that about 1 out of 10 had a decent trigger. These were all Norincos. I KEPT one of the ones that had the good trigger and it's a pretty good shooter. Actually, even the paratrooper is a good shooter once you get used to the DA trigger pull. Both will group Norinco or Wolf surplus into 3" at 100 yards. They're not ammo picky at all, though they do seem to prefer 154 Wolf soft point, shaves about a half inch off those groups. I have fired and killed two deer with my own reloads, but never bought any of the commercial ammo.

 

[jim243]

that jumping to 12" groups is way too large to just be an ammo problem

Actually it is an ammo problem. The SKS was made with .310, .311 & .312 barrels. You need to know what your barrel is to get the right ammo or just try out a lot.

When I first got my Yugo I tried Wolf 7.62x39 and was getting 6 inch groups with open sights at 50 yards (12 inch at 100). Change over to my handloads using 125 grain .310 bullets and started getting 2 inch groups at 50 yards.

Once you find the right ammo, keep using it.
Jim

 

[MCgunner]

My handloads shot 3.5" at 100 yards with a .308" bullet out of my .311" Norinco, specifically the now discontinued Sierra Pro Hunter .308" 135 grain pistol bullet designed for hunting with .30-30 and .30 Herret Contenders. I used that bullet on two deer, worked great. One was a neck/frontal shot at 80 yards. I don't buy it being an ammo problem either when it's shooting 12MOA. I'd toss it and try something else, myself, or get it looked over by a good riflesmith, if you can find one that'll work on it.

I've never fired the SKS that wouldn't shoot at LEAST 4MOA at 100 yards, but all I've ever fired were Norincos. They were plentiful and cheap 20 years ago.

 

[frankenstein406]

I'm pretty sure the stock rear sight moving side to side is one of the problems, but 300 yards with irons on a man size target is pretty good.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

Tightened mine. Guess thats just me then.

I know it will help the groups; it did with my 10/22. I'm just saying that I'm very skeptical that they can make up the difference between 12MOA or greater groups and 6MOA or smaller groups.

 

[newfalguy101]

Try Wolf 154gr softpoints.

 

[Dr T]

There were some manufacturing issues with some of the Norincos.

I have a pre-Norinco Chinese SKS that will shoot about 2 to 3 inches at 100 yards with ball.

 

[Ignition Override]

The fully-adjustable version of the Tech Sights on my Norinco SKS made it much more accurate.
Removing the original rear leaf sight only required a bit of muscle.

The day my Norinco somehow gets worn out, it will be replaced with another SKS. End of story.

 

[trueg50]

The fully-adjustable version of the Tech Sights on my Norinco SKS made it much more accurate.
Removing the original rear leaf sight only required a bit of muscle.

The day my Norinco somehow gets worn out, it will be replaced with another SKS. End of story.

Look at what we go through to clean and maintain our SKS.. then imagine what the NVA were doing. Given how well my SKS shoots, it is my go-to rifle!

Bob Dunlap was discussing a vietnamese SKS that was captured, and on the gas rod the first ring was half gone, and the rest of the rings were scalloped, yet it still shot fine.. now how many rifles made today could survive that? Granted I will never ever intentionally treat a rifle like that, but it is capable of taking a licking and keep on ticking.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

I took the SKS apart to clean it, though I haven't actually cleaned it yet. I checked all of the parts; and while I'm not expert, I don't believe any of them are broken or majorly damaged. The rear sight does not move or wobble in any way, nor does the stock. I also don't see any obvious damage on the crown. The rifling looks OK, too, but then again I'm not expert. I can see it clearly, and that's all I have to go on.

How do I measure the bore to know if the ammo I'm using is large enough for optimal accuracy? The difference between .308 and .311 seems awfully small to measure accurately...

 

[joeschmoe]

Insert a round into the muzzle end of the barrel. It should be a tight fit. Try inserting various ammo types see which one give you a tight fit. Preferable it won't go all the way into the brass. It should stand out a bit, but accept the whole point. You want tight, but not too tight.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

Insert a round into the muzzle end of the barrel. It should be a tight fit. Try inserting various ammo types see which one give you a tight fit. Preferable it won't go all the way into the brass. It should stand out a bit, but accept the whole point. You want tight, but not too tight.

I have three types of ammo currently in my possession. Tulammo FMJ, Tulammo HP, and some stuff marked NK (backwards Russian N) 1971. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but both of the Tulammo stuff sticks out further than the NK stuff.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

I found one thing that I'm wondering about. Is there supposed to be a "crack" or a hole of some kind at the gas cylinder front bracket? I guess since the piston needs some kind of force to operate, that this could be integral to the gun. When I held up the barrel to the sun, I saw what looked like a crack right around that spot. Is that normal?

The rifle wasn't as dirty as I thought it would be. It was more dirty from former use than recent use. I got it about 6 years ago, and have used it very sparingly (mostly just in the past year). The former owner is a friend of mine, and I imagine he probably cleaned it frequently. So I'm left not any more sure than I was before, except that I ruled some stuff out. Nothing wobbles, including the stock and sights, nothing seems broken. The crown seems OK, etc...

Next time I go I'll be sure to try some different types of ammo and see if these groups can tighten up. I'm also going to go back through this thread and read all of the suggestions and see if I missed anything that I can try right now before I go back to the range.

Thanks for the help,

Therapist

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

What should the bedding of an SKS look like? I honestly didn't see anything that I could call bedding. Is this a path worth pursuing to help tighten up my groups?

 

[T.R.]

A god condition Russian SKS with scope sight will shoot best groups with Winchester soft tip ammo. 2.5 inch groups at 100 yards are common. Cheapy commie ammo shoots into 3.5 to 4.5 groups at 100 yards.

SKS rifles are sturdy and built to last.

TR

 

[pseudonymity]

What should the bedding of an SKS look like? I honestly didn't see anything that I could call bedding. Is this a path worth pursuing to help tighten up my groups?

Mine looks like a canoe carved out of a log with a bent spoon.

I am not sure you can really bed the action effectively, it does not use screws. Just the tension provided by the rear of the trigger group locking up on the rear tang on the receiver.

All the best suggestions are already in here - check the crown, check the bore size, try Tech sights and a Kivaari trigger job.

 

[joeschmoe]

I've never seen inside an SKS, but the idea for any rifle is to understand the barrel/receiver vibrates as it is shot. If it hits the stock unevenly then there will be a deformation in the way it vibrates. Even before you create a new "bedding" you can smooth out high or uneven spots of the stock that might hit the barrel/receiver, unevenly. SKS's aren't known to be finely crafted. So a few minutes closely examining and carving it into cleaner lines where the barrel/receiver touches the stock should help.

Search for some threads on bedding and you'll get tons of ideas on how to do it from simple to exotic.

 

[Desert Dog]

My Yugo SKS is awesomely accurate at 100 yards using Fiocchi FMJ's. I can hold a 5" group on an 8" paper plate at that distance.

That being said, it has the full EBR treatment and the original stock is hanging out in my closet.

 

[HankC]

May wish to check the head space. I have/had 5 or 6 Norinco and Yugo SKSs. Most shoot well and the worst one had loose chamber that will almost take spent casing from my other more accurate SKSs. The accurate ones can shoot US quarter size group at 50 yds while the bad one ( a Norinco) groups 4" at 50 yds. 3 other Norincos are wonderful accurate rifles. They are all factory 26 Norincos!

 

[Swampman]

The_Armed_Therapist
"I found one thing that I'm wondering about. Is there supposed to be a "crack" or a hole of some kind at the gas cylinder front bracket?"

Would it be possible to post a picture with something to indicate the crack or hole that you're referring to?

 

[Ignition Override]

T Armed T:
After you manage to improve the gun's results-whether or not you buy the fully adj. Tech Sight-keep in mind another improvement.

Triggerdoc does some sort of work on SKS sears, though I've never tried his work, and don't know whether he shortens the pull.

My trigger is fairly smooth, but a long pull. Kind of like a Ruger (LC?) 9mm handgun I rented.

 

[tnxdshooter]

To be honest it sounds like a shot out barrel. At the very least a heavily pitted one at that.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

 

[mljdeckard]

Yeah, I dremelled off my bayonet and lug, no change.

Tech-sights+thinner post+Kivaari trigger make it a WHOLE lot better. And yeah, it is entirely possible that it's got a dinged crown, a damaged or worn barrel, a lot of things.

 

[tnxdshooter]

Yeah, I dremelled off my bayonet and lug, no change.

Tech-sights+thinner post+Kivaari trigger make it a WHOLE lot better. And yeah, it is entirely possible that it's got a dinged crown, a damaged or worn barrel, a lot of things.

Yeah,

The kivaari job I had done is about 5 pounds, very smooth, little take up, and minimal reset. It is awesome.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.