Stock vs Modified SKS

TRaTSeRiF

TRaTSeRiF

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
19   0   0
Location
Centre of the Universe
My first rifle is a bone-stock 1952 Russian. Last night I got to shoot it and one that had a Tapco stock and TS-100 sight. Wow what a difference. Yeah, some purists out there will flame me for daring to go against the original Simonov design, but the differences were drastic.

1) Stock open irons were BRUTAL in the lighting conditions at the range. Using a black marker helped a bit, but I was still slow to acquire the target and the groups were looser than a prom queen on roofies. Even when firing with little to no pause between rounds (not rapid, but measured fast firing), I was getting tighter groups with the Tech sight.

2) Using a stock that would fit a human being as opposed to using a stock designed for stunted, underfed peons was liberating. The rifle was a lot more comfortable to handle and aim. Bonus points for the vertical grip.

So yeah, gents.. You can post pics of Orthodox priests saying prayers to keep Tapcos off your red rifles and you're certainly within your rights, but from a pure usability perspective, it's a no contest situation. Assuming you're a full-sized male specimen (over 5'6"), you have to ask yourself whether you wanna look at it or you wanna shoot it.
 
Been there, done it, and wouldn't do it again. I had awesome results with the irons, and don't mind the short LOP.

Next SKS will remain bones stock.

Likely a nice laminate. ;)

Only thing I might consider is a BC scout mount, and a red dot.
 
To each his own. I was able to get reasonably accurate shots with the stock irons if I took forever and a half to line them up since the "rear" sight is way forwards, making for a pistol-like LOP. Tech just made it a million times easier and significantly quicker. It's a much better design for the rifle, true to the spirit of the design - cheap, easy to use, easy to maintain standard issue.

Also, being 5'9", the laminate was just WAY too short. I wasn't exaggerating when I said that it was designed for stunted, malnourished peons, probably in the 5'4" range.
 
Kept my 2 Russions stock but Tapco'd my two kids rifles so they could shoot them and adjust the length as they grew older. Worked out great for me, especially now that my oldest is 6'5"

Moral of the story is to buy a whole bunch and do whatever you want to them.:)
 
TANK1867 said:
Kept my 2 Russions stock but Tapco'd my two kids rifles so they could shoot them and adjust the length as they grew older. Worked out great for me, especially now that my oldest is 6'5"

Moral of the story is to buy a whole bunch and do whatever you want to them.:)
Click to expand...
Good point. In any case an officially refurbished (spraypainted) Tula isn't what I'd call a collector piece and I didn't buy it to admire it. I bought it to shoot it. The laminate can stay in the garage. The price of another buys me a stock and a sight, so the only thing remaining would be a red dot ;)

Edit: The reason I made the OP was that there was strong resistance from some members here to making this rifle more shooter-friendly and people who bought certain accessories faced derisive comments. I am exactly the target audience for Mr. Simonov (other than having 5" and 50-80lbs on them) - new shooter, very little training. One problem was a design issue (sight) and the other one is a sizing issue, but there are 2 very real problems with this rifle. Those who choose to correct them shouldn't face negativity.
 
You can buy the chinese commercial model sks and have no bad feelings about modding it. Besides adding better sights to the sks makes a big difference in how well you can shoot it. I say mod the rifle till it is exactly what you want. At around 200 bucks right now the SKS is a screaming deal on an outstanding rifle.
 
mg4201 said:
You can buy the chinese commercial model sks and have no bad feelings about modding it. Besides adding better sights to the sks makes a big difference in how well you can shoot it. I say mod the rifle till it is exactly what you want. At around 200 bucks right now the SKS is a screaming deal on an outstanding rifle.
Click to expand...
Mine isn't a collector's piece either.. The armory used some sort of a spray paint coat (pretty durable, but ruins the collector's value). In any case, neither the stock nor the sights require any permanent mods to it. The XCR mag mod, might, though ;)
 
Every SKS is not a precious snowflake.

But having said that I had a SKS that I bubba'd and after chasing down parts its finally back to original. Its way better left as is. Its your rifle. Its your $200 rifle. Do what ever you want with your rifle. Just don't post pics in milsurp of a bubba'd anything and not expect to get flamed. Post em here and its all good.
 
I've been known to flame a member or two over what they have done to their Milsurp firearms, but hey in the end it's yours and you can do whatever you want to it.

I think that if one is seriously considering using their SKS a lot, especially for hunting, and the stock change makes it more bearable and more accurate, then go for it..... You can always swap the original stock back whenever you desire the authentic look. :)
 
rdelliott said:
Why not just buy a CZ858 if you wanna go all Call of Duty?
Click to expand...
Who said anything about going all Call of Duty? Was I discussing lasers and ACOG's and coffee-makers? When I got mine, I started shooting it with an open mind, but the puny stock and the factory irons left a lot to be desired compared to the other SKS I tried last night.

I just want a rifle that's usable by a full-sized human (adjustable stock) and reasonably easy to aim (rear-mounted peep). I want to shoot it and not just have it sit on my wall so I can admire the lovely laminate craftsmanship. I can get that with an SKS for half of what an 858 would cost me. It's not like mine was used for liberation of Vietnam from the Americans or had some other historic value. Newsflash: There are millions on the market and mine was already Bubba'd (or Boris'd) in Tula Oblast.

My original post was to raise a debate on this topic because there are a couple of design issues with the SKS that would make life difficult for your typical North American shooter. Those can be fixed easily and cheaply, but whenever someone dares to mention the idea of technical solutions to the design flaws, they get attacked for butchering their rare specimen, a true work of art, a museum piece.
 
TRaTSeRiF said:
Mine isn't a collector's piece either.. The armory used some sort of a spray paint coat (pretty durable, but ruins the collector's value). In any case, neither the stock nor the sights require any permanent mods to it. The XCR mag mod, might, though ;)
Click to expand...

Let me know how the mag mod goes, I am really interested. No matter what anyone says; its your rifle, you make it what you want it to be. machines exist to be improved. If simonov could have had great sights on the sks, he would have.
 
Like the tapco much better, wouldn't,t even take a stock rifle out to shoot, way to uncomfortable.
Really like my Timbersmith laminated thumb hole though.
All my Russians are modded and they,ll never be stock again
 
TRaTSeRiF,

I'm picking up my fist sks this weekend and will not be hesitating to change the stock. I was looking at the tapco myself, but was wondering if the stock mag works with thus stock or does that also have to be upgraded?

I see that tapco also make a blocked 20rnd mag which is what I was also thinking, opinions and suggestions welcome.

If someone has a sks in the tapco stock, could you post a pic?

ET
 
I'll pay a going price for a stock rifle, but I won't pay anything for a molested one. You f#cked it, you keep it.
 
B281BB32-6106-418E-A63D-1EC45EC0261F-776-000001270DC0883C.jpg

48B99FB2-A869-4E85-AFB2-507A14E9BE6C-776-00000127088594EA.jpg


Who care what these old fashioned people think we should do with OUR guns, I love my tapco sks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom