Using an SKS as a combat weapon

[B.D. Turner]

Those of you using an SKS as your main go to weapon. In the event that you are in a situation where you fire five shots would you top off your enblock mag or wait to use the stripper clip and load all ten at one time. This is one problem I saw with the sks and the M1 in a tactical situation. I know that there are large cap mags but they are slow to change or don't work too good.

 

[Dionysusigma]

Out of habit, I (would) wait until the last round is fired off before reloading so's I don't have a bunch of clips with only one or two rounds hanging off 'em.

Granted, I usually've got another clip waiting in my off-hand, so it's never really a problem anyway.

 

[Roadwild17]

get an sks-d or -m they take ak-47 mags from the factory and the way I understand it, are very reliable.

 

[Kentucky]

get an sks-d or -m they take ak-47 mags from the factory and the way I understand it, are very reliable.

I thought this was an interesting idea so I did a quick search on Gunbroker. These seem to run $350-400 each, about the same price as an AK. Why pay that much for an SKS when you can get an AK for about the same price?

 

[Retro]

I once had a Yugo SKS that misfed so much on soft-point 7.62 x 36, that if I was ever caught in combat situations, I would probably engage the bayonet and do a "bon-sai charge" with it, and my chance of surviving would probably be greater than trying to fix the misfeed.

I don't think you can top off a SKS because you cannot lock back the bolt... at least not in a Yugo SKS. You would have to manually hold the bolt back and then top off, which is cumbersome and not practical.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I think the thing I don't understand about this question is how would you reload an SKS that was partially empty? I'm no expert but I can't see how you'd get the bolt to lock back so you could load from a stripper when there are still rounds in the magazine.

edit: Whups, retro hit my point while I was typing.

 

[Kor]

It's been about 3 years since I owned an SKS, but I think you can flip the rifle belly-up, pop the magazine-latch, and drop some loose rounds into the bottom of the magazine to top-off. IIRC, you can only get a total of about 8 rounds in from the bottom of the magazine before it becomes too hard to compress the follower properly and re-latch the magazine.

 

[BoySetsTheFire]

Just for the record, the SKS was never a front-line battle weapon. It was designed as a weapon for second-line soldiers that did not see combat at the front. Battle setting on the front sight is 300 meters. At that range, you should have time to feed the magazine from the bottom.

If it's your main to go weapon in a non-military setting, 1 or 2 rounds should be plenty.

 

[Simonovfan]

This is easy. You can either hit the mag release and drop the remaining rounds and then slap it shut and shove a stripper in. OR, pull the bolt back and shove a stripper in until it doesn't want to feed and then pull it out and release the bolt. OR, Drop the mag and slap in another 30 rdr. Oooops, I forgot, those are illegal.

[/URL][/IMG]

Just remember, the Garand, had to empty it's clip before it could reload also.

That's why I have a Saiga .223 coming in on Friday.

 

[Caseless]

Keep firing until bolt locks back. Reload. If bad guy is already too close for comfort, use the bayonet.

 

[possum]

i would sugest that you practice reloads and practice some more until you get it down pat. to reload the sks with rds still in it, you would have to release the mag from the bottom, close it back and then load up 10rds. but then you have usable ammo on the ground wasted and if you were in that type of situation you probally wouldn't have time to pick up the ammo and you would end up loosing alot of ammo after the variois engagements.

 

[gunny1022]

Retro-----see why you had problems with SKS. The SKS fires the 7.62 X 39.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Ok, we'll pick on Retro

In looking for what Gunny1022 was talking about, came across

do a "bon-sai charge"

This involves using the SKS bayonet to attack little dwarfed and twisted decorative trees?

Anyway, topping off is not that hard, just hold the bolt back and add rounds. It isn't that hard. If you have time, it's always preferable to top off the magazine in the rifle, not wait until you run out at a possibly inconvenient time.

 

[Stiletto Null]

One of my favorite things to do with an SKS is to load up with the stripper clip, then pull rearward as I drag it out. You get this neat sssssCLACK sound as it scrapes out of the clip guide and the bolt group returns to battery, and it's one less major hand movement.

 

[Joe Demko]

Just for the record, the SKS was never a front-line battle weapon. It was designed as a weapon for second-line soldiers that did not see combat at the front.

Cite?

 

[Lonestar.45]

Just for the record, the SKS was never a front-line battle weapon. It was designed as a weapon for second-line soldiers that did not see combat at the front.

That is untrue. It was designed as a front line weapon, and was adopted as the front line weapon by the USSR in 1949. It continued in that role until 1955 when production was halted in favor of the AK.

http://www.sff.net/people/sanders/sks.html

 

[tugnutski]

Go buy some TAPCO 20 Round mags and shoot like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7gxXHfeAho

 

[possum]

One of my favorite things to do with an SKS is to load up with the stripper clip, then pull rearward as I drag it out. You get this neat sssssCLACK sound as it scrapes out of the clip guide and the bolt group returns to battery, and it's one less major hand movement.

see what i mean with practice you will get to know your weapon and you will learn little tricks like this that make life easier. man i love the knowledge on this website!

 

[plexreticle]

SKS loads pretty quick with stripper clips.

 

[BoySetsTheFire]

JoeDemko, sorry - the SKS was actually developed as a front line weapon. I misread. The citation is from "The SKS carbine" by Kehayer and Poyer. The SKS finally entered production in 1949 in Tula. But it was to remain a front line weapon for only a short time before it was replaced by the AK47 in 1951.

After 1951, it was produced as a second line weapon. However, you are correct - it was originally designed as a front line weapon.

 

[Anteater1717]

"I once had a Yugo SKS that misfed so much on soft-point 7.62 x 36, that if I was ever caught in combat situations, I would probably engage the bayonet and do a "bon-sai charge" with it, and my chance of surviving would probably be greater than trying to fix the misfeed." Retro

7.62X36 is why your misfeading use 7.62X39 and your problems will go away