all I want for X-mas is a SKS
- Thread starter rkr
- Start date
Great rifles, if you like them for what they are. Just don't fall into the trap of spending a fortune trying to mod them into something they're not (trust me, I've been there and done that...) If you're going to mod one, a Kwikrail for an optic is about the only useful mod I'd suggest. And even that will reduce your ability to use stripper clips...
Great bush gun.
Get an ugly one you can beat the crap out of and not lose sleep over.
Comes with a cleaning kit inside the butt stock should you need to service it away from camp.
Bayonet has plenty of "creative" uses (cooking weenies over your lunch fire... rifle stand... extremely unstable monopod...).
Adapters are available from site sponsors to mount a scope should you want to go that route.
Power is on par more or less with a 30-30. A little less recoil than your typical 94 though, as its semi and a tad heavier.
Now for ammo... you can get a crate of corrosive for what works out to about 15 cents a round, or a box of soft points for closer to a buck fifty per round. I've heard it rumored that the soft points can have some feeding issues, being more round nosed than the FMJ the rifle was designed for... but rumors are, well, rumors. Either way, I decided to go the "Mexican match" route and just pulled a bunch of the surplus FMJs, weighed and averaged the powder back into the cases, and seated some poly tipped hornady SSTs back in the cases. No need to crimp, as the unfired steel cases are very tight. Bingo bango. Rounds with better flight and terminal ballistics than the soft points, at less than a third of the cost, and something you can do without reloading equipment, aside from a pulling hammer and a powder scale.
Get an ugly one you can beat the crap out of and not lose sleep over.
Comes with a cleaning kit inside the butt stock should you need to service it away from camp.
Bayonet has plenty of "creative" uses (cooking weenies over your lunch fire... rifle stand... extremely unstable monopod...).
Adapters are available from site sponsors to mount a scope should you want to go that route.
Power is on par more or less with a 30-30. A little less recoil than your typical 94 though, as its semi and a tad heavier.
Now for ammo... you can get a crate of corrosive for what works out to about 15 cents a round, or a box of soft points for closer to a buck fifty per round. I've heard it rumored that the soft points can have some feeding issues, being more round nosed than the FMJ the rifle was designed for... but rumors are, well, rumors. Either way, I decided to go the "Mexican match" route and just pulled a bunch of the surplus FMJs, weighed and averaged the powder back into the cases, and seated some poly tipped hornady SSTs back in the cases. No need to crimp, as the unfired steel cases are very tight. Bingo bango. Rounds with better flight and terminal ballistics than the soft points, at less than a third of the cost, and something you can do without reloading equipment, aside from a pulling hammer and a powder scale.
Still alive
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rainy mosquito infested part of BC
It ain't a rumour. Soft points don't work well in SKSs. I tried the Federal Fusion JSP.
The bolt would drive the round into the ramp and it'll nose dive. Was going to try the SKS for bear but after testing with the JSP, I decided to go with my 7mm instead!
is it worth the money?
its a tough as nails reliable semi auto that shoots a 30 calibre round for 200 bucks!!!
if you dont shoot corrosive crap then you dont even need to clean it that often
perfect trunk gun that you dont have to treat like its the crown jewels
emmm yah its worth the money! A gun that goes bang that isnt a high maintenance b!tch and doesnt blow up in your face!
Where can you find a semi auto that shoots 762x39 for 200$? where? nowhere!
its a tough as nails reliable semi auto that shoots a 30 calibre round for 200 bucks!!!
if you dont shoot corrosive crap then you dont even need to clean it that often
perfect trunk gun that you dont have to treat like its the crown jewels
emmm yah its worth the money! A gun that goes bang that isnt a high maintenance b!tch and doesnt blow up in your face!
Where can you find a semi auto that shoots 762x39 for 200$? where? nowhere!
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Sellier & Bellot soft points seem to function just fine in my SKS. Bought a box to give them a test and didn't have any issues
You buy a crate of absurdly cheap ammo and the rifle is effectively free. You can hunt at close range, and your Zombpocalypse gun questions are all answered.
For a purely hunting perspective a used bolt gun in a common caliber would probably be more functional.
For a purely hunting perspective a used bolt gun in a common caliber would probably be more functional.
Still alive
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rainy mosquito infested part of BC
Maybe it was just mine. I had a Mosin 91/30 that wouldn't feed and cycle either. Ended up returning it. Go figure!
X2 for me
Bubba Yugga
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Midwestern Ontario
If you dimple/chamfer the chamber lip at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions, you'll help the round noses feed up and in.
For hunting, I've found the original magazine the best for reliable feed of soft points.
The duckbill mags and AR conversion are better suited for FMJ plinking.
Hollow points feed rather well and are good for coyote sized game.
For hunting, I've found the original magazine the best for reliable feed of soft points.
The duckbill mags and AR conversion are better suited for FMJ plinking.
Hollow points feed rather well and are good for coyote sized game.
- Location
- West Quebec
Good advice for what it is..if you want more look elsewhere
I carried a 56 Tula this year for deer hunting with iron sights. The rifle rifle was great to carry through the bush. Was relatively light (had a 44' k98yugo for moose) and easy to sling. Plus it held up great no marks or dings from use (had true oil coating following cleanup).
Only issue I missed a deer mind you I missed the deer was 300 yrds across a pond and well the buck gave me 5 broadside shots while he stood there like John Wayne just daring me to reload lol. Was shooting Barnaul SP. I did not like this as a hunting round as my SKS chewed up extracted unfired shells that were chambered. If you go in tree stands/atvs/cross beaver dams you may unload and reload several times per day which used up a round each time with the lead tip roughed up.
What I learned, I need some practise at 300 yrds, sighted at 100 with irons. Also next year I will upgrade my ammunition to S&B SP which is fantastic ammunition, plus I will add a low power scope so next year John Wayne is mine. Will definitely be SKS'ing for next year's deer hunt as well. S&B lead nose SP tips are seemingly harder in texture than Barnaul hopefully will hold up better during chamber extraction.
In the meantime and before you hunt with this rifle practise with it at the range as much as you can, practise on cans etc. These rifles are cheap and higher quality than their price suggests by a large margin. I only only surplus Centre fire rifles rifles and after looking can't justify buying anything new for under $1000 when comparing metal, stock quality, ammunition price etc. Plus the stripper clips when adjusted to hold 5 rounds can be stored in accessible pockets for rapid reloads for the "High volume hunter".
In short get one, be picky and get one that is tight fitting no rattling parts, no rust in working parts and if possible still in Cosmoline. Light exterior rust is easily dealt with G96 eats it up. I used a m38 sling as I didn't want to scratch my stock using the standard SKS sling with metal ends.
Only issue I missed a deer mind you I missed the deer was 300 yrds across a pond and well the buck gave me 5 broadside shots while he stood there like John Wayne just daring me to reload lol. Was shooting Barnaul SP. I did not like this as a hunting round as my SKS chewed up extracted unfired shells that were chambered. If you go in tree stands/atvs/cross beaver dams you may unload and reload several times per day which used up a round each time with the lead tip roughed up.
What I learned, I need some practise at 300 yrds, sighted at 100 with irons. Also next year I will upgrade my ammunition to S&B SP which is fantastic ammunition, plus I will add a low power scope so next year John Wayne is mine. Will definitely be SKS'ing for next year's deer hunt as well. S&B lead nose SP tips are seemingly harder in texture than Barnaul hopefully will hold up better during chamber extraction.
In the meantime and before you hunt with this rifle practise with it at the range as much as you can, practise on cans etc. These rifles are cheap and higher quality than their price suggests by a large margin. I only only surplus Centre fire rifles rifles and after looking can't justify buying anything new for under $1000 when comparing metal, stock quality, ammunition price etc. Plus the stripper clips when adjusted to hold 5 rounds can be stored in accessible pockets for rapid reloads for the "High volume hunter".
In short get one, be picky and get one that is tight fitting no rattling parts, no rust in working parts and if possible still in Cosmoline. Light exterior rust is easily dealt with G96 eats it up. I used a m38 sling as I didn't want to scratch my stock using the standard SKS sling with metal ends.
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Buy atleast two... at a time hahaha.
Just there is so much variety you might not like the first or the second might be better. Can always resell if one doesn't meet your liking they are always wanted by someone just due to the price.
And if it's that's bad it's a great candidate to go do something you like besides keeping it factory. And you don't need to feel bad either.
Just there is so much variety you might not like the first or the second might be better. Can always resell if one doesn't meet your liking they are always wanted by someone just due to the price.
And if it's that's bad it's a great candidate to go do something you like besides keeping it factory. And you don't need to feel bad either.
I also have 3 of these rifles one of them unfired by me yet that I got at Cabelas few months back. If you have 3 $200 ish rifles one will probably shoot strait and if you can only keep one well test driving is fine. Also if your going to Hunt carry the Laminate version, the hardwood (artic birch?) Will mark much more easily.
safehunter
Regular
- Location
- South Western Onterrible
I've run Hornady SST for hunting - No problem feeding ejecting etc.
300 yards is about 2x as far as I'd try at deer IMHO. Both the calibre and the gun lack long distance power and precision. However I believe in "one shot one kill" vs ""High volume hunter". If it's coyotes or varmits then sure test your reach but deer deserve a higher percentage kill shot.
300 yards is about 2x as far as I'd try at deer IMHO. Both the calibre and the gun lack long distance power and precision. However I believe in "one shot one kill" vs ""High volume hunter". If it's coyotes or varmits then sure test your reach but deer deserve a higher percentage kill shot.
Practiced only with iron sight at a 100 then taking shots at game at 300 with unknown POI seems a little cavalier IMO.
The sks is a great rifle... but this was not a great way to use it. And just in my opinion, not an ethical way to use it. I would never try a long shot on a deer without knowing with some level of certainty where my bullet was going to go.
What was your hold over? Was there a cross wind? Drop at that distance is over 2 feet! And a 10mph xwind will drift it a foot and a half! Not to mention that the bullets energy is down to 600ftlbs... sufficient, but accuracy becomes even more important.
I'm frankly relieved that all five shots missed. You and your sks are a wounded animal waiting to happen. Not cool.
