Increase SKS accuracy!

[luke s]

So I was at the range lately and discovered a strange increase in accuracy when shooting my sks.

This a typical SKS pattern:

I decided to toss on one of those replacement receiver covers with see through picatinny rail since I got it with a bunch of other parts, and throw a scope on. The scope was crap and the cover wobbles so naturally it will not hold zero:

But then I shot using iron sights through the receiver cover (which is like looking through a tunnel) and noticed my grouping shrank considerably:

Looking through the receiver cover seems to focus your vision on the iron sights a lot better, I think having a peep sight or tech sight installed would have the same effect.

I took the cover off and replaced it with the original and the "groups" opened up again (like a pattern):

I thought it was really cool, because I have never seen such decent sks accuracy (of course there are flyers all over the place, but I wasnt exactly taking my time, and using surplus ammo)
Maybe this gun is a good candidate for a drill and tap scope mount

 

[dimeN]

the sights are abit coarse aswell... and trigger can be so so ... stock is too short ... there are places to squeeze in some accuracy

if you can figure out why the cover wobbles ? .. i bet putting a scope on it will give you decent results


great firearms at a bargain price ... win win

 

[luke s]

yah there is some trigger improvement to be made for sure, I have done an sks trigger job before so that is next

the cover wobbles because it is loose and not screwed into the receiver, and not really a good design for mounting a scope

 

[mkrnel]

I noticed a huge difference in my SKS groups when I switched out the issue wood stock for a stiff Chinese military red fibreglass one. My groups shrunked by half at least and became nice and tight with no filer's like before. The Chinese fiberglass stock was a super tight fit all round and is very stiff with no flex, while the issue wood stock is a loose fit and flex's more.

 

[dimeN]

are there any pictures of the military fiber stock ? and where didja pick that up

 

[mkrnel]

are there any pictures of the military fiber stock ? and where didja pick that up

Google - chinese sks fiberglass stock and you will see lots of pictures of them. I got mine from Sksman in the states years ago.

 

[HeadDamage]

I suspect that you may need glasses if shooting through the scope mount helped.

 

[dimeN]

hah, i searched before and got zip... but with your search words, found alot of em !! thanks

ticbitesupply com has them for 39 bucks

Google - chinese sks fiberglass stock and you will see lots of pictures of them. I got mine from Sksman in the states years ago.

 

[mkrnel]

That is a fair price, you could not make them for that price! I also put a 1.5" extended rubber butt pad on mine too as they are still short, just like the original wood ones.

 

[mkrnel]

I also added a rear recoil buffer to the inside of the cover as it keeps the recoil spring from moving around which effects accuracy as well, it also stops the bolt carrier from slamming hard against the rear of the cover. They help with accuracy more than to help with recoil and are only about $10

 

[luke s]

cool

 

[rgallant]

How far 25 50 100yds ?

 

[HeadDamage]

What an appropriate name you have. Guess your vision suffered too when you got brain damage.

I was not offering an insult, when you look through an aperture of any sort it tends to sharpen the focus of what is being observed. I wear glasses but I can shoot some peep sights without them because of this effect. I was just suggesting that this might have played a role in the smaller groups.

 

[the11]

I have heard this called "the pinhole effect", and yes it does work. Aperture sights can really work for people whose eyes are no longer as good as they used to be. It is interesting so see the effect looking through the "tunnel" had. Did it seem like you could focus better on the sights and the target? Or was the only difference you could notice the grouping?

I know when I shoot my SKS, my old eyes get tired fairly quickly now. Maybe I should try something like this!

 

[luke s]

I guess it allowed more focus on the sights like a peep would, maybe blocking glare or extra light
im not that old and had laser eye surgery 2 years ago so my vision is pretty good

I just find that military surplus rifle sights arent exactly setup for precision shooting, but rather for military applications and my target would be down if that were the case

I have heard this called "the pinhole effect", and yes it does work. Aperture sights can really work for people whose eyes are no longer as good as they used to be. It is interesting so see the effect looking through the "tunnel" had. Did it seem like you could focus better on the sights and the target? Or was the only difference you could notice the grouping?

I know when I shoot my SKS, my old eyes get tired fairly quickly now. Maybe I should try something like this!

 

[luke s]

well then...... it seemed like an insult, or I was too quick to snap back. apologies

I was not offering an insult, when you look through an aperture of any sort it tends to sharpen the focus of what is being observed. I wear glasses but I can shoot some peep sights without them because of this effect. I was just suggesting that this might have played a role in the smaller groups.

 

[Pocisk]

I have heard this called "the pinhole effect", and yes it does work.

Absolutely, I've been known to hold up my hand and look through a sliver of space between my fingers when I forget my glasses and need to read something in the store. Definitely not the thing to do if you worry about looking crazy, but it works. Also poke a little hole in a piece of paper with a pen or whatever's handy and look through it, no reading glasses needed!

 

[dimeN]

i saw on the biathlon, that the shooters use a sort of blinder to block out distractions .. sounds extreme but it must work

 

[fraserdw]

I have a tech sight and yes, it does make you shoot better. That is the purpose of peep sights. That's why they were adopted in WW2. The peep sight requires one focus of aim; the front post. You place the post on the target and focus on it while looking through the peep. One natural action. With a rear notch, you have to focus on the post, it's relationship to the notch and place it all on the target, very un-natural.

 

[Caleb314]

I'd say that normal from the bench groups, I have some peep sight on mine and have had similar groups. They are much more accurate then people think they are. I'm not saying they are 1" at100 yards good but 2-3" is very doable with ammo it likes.