Why is the SKS so Underated, Plenty for hunting

[armoredman]

MistWolf, yes, that changed about two years ago. The only magazine restriction is the 3 rounds for shotgun when hunting federally regulated waterfowl. That's it. All other magazine and firearm restrictions are gone, mostly for hunter down by the border, in case they become the hunted.

 

[nathan]

The handy SKS that feels really light is the Norinco made with the slimmer profile stock. But the most accurate in my collection is the Yugo M59/66 with a heavier barrel.
SKS is not superaccurate for a hunting rifle but it's part of the allure. It will put deersized game if you do your part within its parameters.

 

[mljdeckard]

I don't think the 30-30 is particularly great either. It was the first cartridge designed around smokeless powder, and meant to be effective out to the range most people can see with the naked eye.

If I had a shot with an SKS I would take the shot, but I wouldn't plan my hunt around it. It's more like, the rifle I leave at the camp with my wife, just in case.

 

[illinoisburt]

The SKS really isnt a bad rifle. Accuracy is ok, they are completely reliable and easy to maintain and feed. Back when a new Norinco set me back $89 with accessories and another $35 bought a Choate monte carlo stock (not to mention $70 for 1000 rounds of ammo) they made perfect sense as THE all season truck gun. Wish I had bought couple extras but frankly no one cared much for them at the time. At today's prices, the SKS is more curiousity than serious camp rifle contenter. Much as I enjoy the one I kept and have no plans to part with, I would not buy another. There are just too many much better choices for the money.

(Recently bought a new 770 package for $199 in 30-06. It aint smooth, but after retorquing all the screws and locktite on the mounts it is a solid MOA rifle with the factory scope. You just cannot get a better deal for a brand new loaner/back-up.)

 

[MistWolf]

MistWolf, yes, that changed about two years ago. The only magazine restriction is the 3 rounds for shotgun when hunting federally regulated waterfowl. That's it. All other magazine and firearm restrictions are gone, mostly for hunter down by the border, in case they become the hunted.

That's good to know. It was kind of a bummer chasing jackrabbits with the AR or M14 with only a 5 round mag

 

[Ar180shooter]

Even if so that doesn't matter nearly as much as you'd think.
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-185447.html

The deer I killed at a lasered 278yds was with a .308" bullet in a .310" bore.

That really depends on how tight the bore is. If it's oversized for whatever reason, and you're using an undersized bullet, you can see a significant decrease in accuracy. It's also interesting to note the significant loss of velocity you documented when using undersized bullets (assuming they were using the same powder charge and bullet weight).

I also find the Russian SKS's tend to be much more accurate than Chinese models (only owned the two different makes, so can't comment on Yugos from personal experience).

 

[Ar180shooter]

Not everywhere, sir - Arizona has no magazine limit for hunting. Perhaps a forward "scout" type mount would be best?
The only SKS I had that was accurate was the Yugo. The most fun was the Norinco Paratrooper, also known as a Cowboy Companion. Sold that one for a song, dagnabbit.
Fun guns, but as military rifles they were obsolete when issued. They were excellent guerrilla rifles, idiot proof, and with a fixed mag, one less entry point for gunk or lost magazines.
I like the cartridge, been handloading for it for years, including cast bullets,



I must be doing something wrong, though - I can ring a 14" gong at 200 yards with irons off the bench, but I haven't really tried at 300 - can't SEE a target that size that far away with irons.

Very interesting, using cast boolits. What kind of muzzle velocities are you pushing them at and have you experienced any leading issues? Sounds like you're getting decent results for accuracy though.

 

[Davek1977]

Videos on Youtube show the cheap Russian softpoints for hunting because of their bi-metal construction are worthless.

I think the deer I shot I killed with them on various occasions would beg to differ. The 154 gr SP loading simply leveled the deer I shot with it, no tracking involved. Many members here also report great success with that loading, killing hogs and deer with ease. At 4.99-7.99 a box, its considerably cheaper than any .308 Winchester loading. Some things you learn from real-world experience, not watching Youtube. My real world experience is that the 762x39, even when fed with cheap Russian ammo, can be a completely effective deer rifle if the shooter does his part.

 

[Bexar]

I think the deer I shot I killed with them on various occasions would beg to differ. The 154 gr SP loading simply leveled the deer I shot with it, no tracking involved. Many members here also report great success with that loading, killing hogs and deer with ease. At 4.99-7.99 a box, its considerably cheaper than any .308 Winchester loading. Some things you learn from real-world experience, not watching Youtube. My real world experience is that the 762x39, even when fed with cheap Russian ammo, can be a completely effective deer rifle if the shooter does his part.

You're a man...hunt with whatever you want. This man is going to hunt with quality ammo from a quality manufacturer.

 

[Davek1977]

I didn't say my "friends" share my opinion. I said there are many members here who swear by the load for hogs and deer. Its not my "opinion" that the round is proven deer killer. It has been proven by myself as well as other members here. Saying the 154 gr Tula load is an adequate deer load is a far gry from saying one should hunt grizzlies with .22 ratshot. The 7.62x39 has adequate energy to humanely harvest game, and is is a legal option in every jurisdiction that allows rifles to be used on deer. It mirrors the ballistics of a round often claimed to have killed more deer than any other, the 30-30 Winchester. Suggesting its a viable deer rifle, even with Russian ammo, is hardly in the realm of suggesting one head to the Alaskan wilderness with a .36 revolver hoping to bag a bear. One would be considered stupid by anyone who understood ballistics and what it takes to anchor a bear-sized critter reliably to make the attempt with a .36 cal cap and ball revolver, whereas the debate about whether this particular load is effective or not leaves much more room for debate. Lets compare apples to apples, not apples to coconuts. Saying that hunting bears with rat shot is like hunting deer with 154 gr Russian soft points is laughable, and only serves as useless hyperbole that offers nothing relevant to the conversation.

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161532

you can also find videos showing the opposite of your claims...a yoube video doesn't end a debate on much of anything definitively.

 

[Bexar]

Like I said...you hunt with whatever load you want to...I really don't care. I'd be happy to hunt with a 7.62X39 and using an SKS...AKS...AR-platfotm , Mini-30 or Bolt gun. I just won't do it with poorly constructed inconsistent ammo. But like I said...you hunt with whatever you want to hunt with. It's none of my business.

 

[Panzerschwein]

They are overpriced for what you get these days.

A decent stamped AK can be had for just about the same money as a good condition SKS can be found, and has all the benefits of being... well an AK.

As for hunting, there are much handier and more accurate options out there for again, basically the same price. It wasn't always this way, but since the price on them has gone up so much in the past 5 or so years, as with the price of ammo, the SKS to me has pretty much been relegated to military collectible status. It simply doesn't do the job as well as other rifles for the same or less money.

Now those Mosin Nagants however, those are pretty much what the SKS was 20 years ago: a very cheap but rugged rifle, with plentiful cheap surplus ammo. But the 7.62x54mmR rounds the Mosins fire are more appropriate for hunting most game and is very flat shooting, unlike 7.62x39mm.

 

[Davek1977]

Like I said...you hunt with whatever load you want to...I really don't care. I'd be happy to hunt with a 7.62X39 and using an SKS...AKS...AR-platfotm , Mini-30 or Bolt gun. I just won't do it with poorly constructed inconsistent ammo. But like I said...you hunt with whatever you want to hunt with. It's none of my business.

I just feel its fair to share my own personal experience as opposed to someone's youtube video. I too respect the animals I hunt, and would never use a round I wasn't confident in. My experience thus far is that the 7.62x39 SKS, when loaded with Tula 154 grain softpoints, has killed deer just as dead as my 7mm Mag using 160 gr. Nosler Partitions. If you put the bullet in the vitals, both do their job with boring regularity. Deer fall over dead.

 

[Davek1977]

A decent stamped AK can be had for just about the same money as a good condition SKS can be found, and has all the benefits of being... well an AK.

I own both an AK and an SKS. I can't think of a hutning situation where I'd rather have my AK. As a battle rifle, the AK is certainly superior in some ways, with detachable magazines, a shorter barrel, etc. However, ten rounds is certain more than adaquate for any deer hunting I may do, and much prefer the ergonomics of my SKS as opposed to the AK. The longer barrel increases sight radius, making the SKS easier to shoot accurately, and at least in my examples, my SKS is more accurate all around than my AK. Too....have you ever tried to QUIETLY disengage the safety on an AK-pattern rifle in a hunting situation? With the SKS, flipping the safety to the fire position can be done quickly, quietly, and discretely. I can still regularly find ammo for under $5 a box, making it BY FAR the cheapest centerfire I own to feed with factory ammo, so while no longer 10 cents a pop, it is a VERY economical round by today's standards.

An SKS isn't an AK, true.....but for what I use them for, I wouldn't WANT my SKS to be an AK. Two different guns that get used far differently in my case, despite sharing a chambering.



Also, something I just remembered....the US 7.62x39 loads tend to use a more sensitive primer than those found in Russian cartridges. Using these rounds can increase the chances of a slamfire if the firing pin gets gummed up or doesn't free-float properly.

 

[natman]

It's a gun. It fires bullets. If one happens it hit a deer in a reasonably good spot, the deer will probably die.

If that's your idea of a good hunting rifle, then I guess it is one.

However, when compared to bolt action rifles available at very reasonable prices the SKS comes up far short.

It's nowhere near as accurate. It's heavy. Scope mounting is a joke. It's nowhere near as powerful. Saying it's almost as powerful as a 30-30 is not the glowing recommendation some people seem to think it is.

The SKS isn't underrated. As a hunting rifle it has the reputation it deserves.

Get a Marlin X7, Ruger American, Savage Axis, etc. in 308/7mm-08/30-06/270, etc. Put a decent scope on it. You'll have a vastly superior hunting rifle than any SKS.

This is a classic case of two different approaches that is the basis of so many arguments on gun forums. If you look at the requirements for a hunting rifle and make a rational decision, you'll pick a bolt action.

The only way you'll pick an SKS is if you have one already and try to rationalize that it's a good hunting rifle.

 

[musicman10_1]

Is that really true with respect to the SKS being the most used deer rifle in Wisconsin and Minn? (see post 17) With all of the hunting rifle choices available I just cannot imagine that the SKS is the most used rifle in the deer woods in those places.

I don't live there and so I'm genuinely asking and not trying to be argumentative.

 

[nathan]

For short distance brush hunting less than 75 yds , the SKS will do just fine. Again , hunter must know its range limitation and must practice well to hit game with open sights

 

[silicosys4]

Hmm...Underrated?
At $400 or so for an sks these days...
Limited to 200 yards, small to medium size game, no good options for optics, imprecise iron sights, poor accuracy, and a cartridge that, when loaded with quality hunting ammunition, is no cheaper than any other centerfire rifle cartridge to shoot?
Overrated is more like it, considering for the money you can find bolt guns that are much more accurate, have a longer range, and are chambered in more effective, cheaper calibers.
If I were looking to get a hunting gun, I'd feel my money were much better spent elsewhere.

 

[Cee Zee]

There are a lot of SKS's floating around out in the wild musicman. They were bought up by the millions back in the 90's and there has been a decent supply since then at fairly reasonable prices. I paid $250 for one about 3 years ago. Adjusting for inflation that isn't that much more than I paid for my first one back in 1992. $160 would have been closer to the same price rate but still that isn't a bad price. Also it would be like paying $160 for one back in 1992. That isn't as good as we had it in the 90's but it isn't bad either.

Still an AR would cost you $1200-$1500 back in 1992. The price of those has gone down. You can't get one for $250 but you can still get an SKS for about that price or slightly higher like this Norinco for $269. That's an early Chicom model which means all milled parts too BTW. No it isn't as good of a deal as the ones we bought back before Clinton's import ban. But it isn't a bad deal for what you get IMO. Not bad at all.

As far as hunting goes, I don't know that a really good round has been developed. But people hunted and killed deer long before we had hollow point bullets to make things work better. You have to be more careful about shot placement but within a given range the SKS can still be an effective deer rifle. Others have mentioned hogs. I don't see a problem with a semi-auto that handles well for taking on a pack of feral pigs. It seems like a good idea to me. Yes a more accurate gun would be nice and a more powerful round might be too. But people hunt hogs with less.

 

[txcookie]

IMO the cartridge is fine. The rifle itself is not

 

[Cee Zee]

IMO the cartridge is fine. The rifle itself is not

I think the opposite is true. There has never really been a good hollow point design for the 7.62 x 39 IMO. The round was developed as a battle round which means no HP's of course. And no company has really made a good cartridge that expands as it should AFAIK. That's what I hear about all the American made rounds anyway. None of them are up to the level of other caliber cartridges.

 

[armoredman]

Hornady makes a good 123 grain soft point bullet. There are other designs that should work well for hunting bullets.
AR180Shooter, once I found a lead alloy mix that worked well, (a little harder than Lyman No 2), I have had zero leading. I mostly hunt targets, s I don't worry about stopping power of a solid cast bullet. Last time I checked, most of my cast loads are stepping out about 1800 FPS, not really blazing away. I am experimenting with new loads, so maybe I'll have more data later.
As for accuracy, I'll give you both extremes;

The decent, (for me);





And the hilariously bad. It was one of those days...but in retrospect, pretty darn funny, so I made it into a video.

http://youtu.be/O4W2j2FBKs8

Sorry for the thread hijack.

I'll reiterate that if it was all I had, I'd use a Yugo SKS for a short range hunting rifle with no problem.

 

[kimberkid]

Yep, back when you could get one for $86, and a lot of ammo for $50, they were a good do anything truck gun. At today's prices, I would much rather have a Savage Axis or Ruger American in a better caliber. It will be cheaper, more ergonomic, and more accurate.

I remember those days well and owned several back then, I believe it was SOG that had the solid stock model for $65 if you bought 5 or more ... then a couple years after that I saw the Russian laminated ones bringing $200, I grabbed one just to put in yet safe ... I don't think I've ever shot it, I have a $100 beat up Yugo that I bought shortly after that just for the truck.

 

[toivo]

So does the Mosin Nagant, but that puts food on the table for thousands and thousands of Americans every year and Tens of thousands of people around the world. It was designed for combat a hundred years ago and still going strong today.

One hundred and twenty-five years ago: first military trials were in 1889.

 

[Hullraiser]

In Florida they're used a lot for feral hogs. The bayo is a added bonus.
I like them for a variety of reasons and have several. They're worth every penny whether $86 in 1990 or $400 in 2014. In 2034 people may be saying I can remember when you could find for under $500?