Breaking in a SKS barrel. Is it Necessary?

Isnt a break-in procedure on a surplus (fired plenty already during service) an oxymoron?

Yes, I am aware of new Chinese. I'm referring to the Russian ones.
 
I suppose that since most Russians consider Uzbeks to be an infestation, that you just might be able to consider an SKS as a varmint rifle.
 
Bowie said:
I am also of the opinion that no break-in is necessary on any rifle. I personally believe the concept was invented by unscrupulous barrel makers who try and use the "improper break-in" excuse to explain why their barrels don't shoot.
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I think you got it nailed. Similar to breaking in the engine in your car.
 
tootall said:
Isnt a break-in procedure on a surplus (fired plenty already during service) an oxymoron?

Yes, I am aware of new Chinese. I'm referring to the Russian ones.
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I am pretty sure my Russian SKS has not been fired. (other then factory fired). Everything looks new. The bluing is all there and no wear on the receiver from the bolt carrier. Machined edges are crisp and sharp. The stock has almost zero dents or scratches. No case marks on the bolt, the extractor edge has a clean edge. All numbers match with no signs of forcing... except for the electro pencil on the rear sight, but plate, gas piston, underside of the gas tube. This raises an other question.
 
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Accuracy and sks are 2 words that don't go together. At 50 yards I'm seeing 8-9" groups and at 100 about 24+" groups at least. The target board is 18x18 and I can hit it about 3-4 times out of 10
 
Here are 2 25 m groups from a 1953 tula. No break in. Using American eagle ammunition.
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BeaverMeat said:
Keep abusing your cheap SKS's as it will drive up the value of mine.
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I bought my first SKS around 1994 from Century Int'l Arms. Came with a cleaning kit, oil bottle, sling, and chest rig for $86. I bought a refurbed Tula with numbers matching laminate stock and upper handguard from WSS last year for $157, and a Chinese military last week for $150. That's less than double in almost 20 years. These are not investment grade firearms.

hometownhero said:
Accuracy and sks are 2 words that don't go together. At 50 yards I'm seeing 8-9" groups and at 100 about 24+" groups at least. The target board is 18x18 and I can hit it about 3-4 times out of 10
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You really should learn to read the entire thread before hitting reply, otherwise you might've spared yourself the embarassment of Ganderite's post proving you're just a terrible shot.
 
AK said:
I bought my first SKS around 1994 from Century Int'l Arms. Came with a cleaning kit, oil bottle, sling, and chest rig for $86. I bought a refurbed Tula with numbers matching laminate stock and upper handguard from WSS last year for $157, and a Chinese military last week for $150. That's less than double in almost 20 years. These are not investment grade firearms.


You really should learn to read the entire thread before hitting reply, otherwise you might've spared yourself the embarassment of Ganderite's post proving you're just a terrible shot.
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Can't be that ba when all my other center fire guns group an inch or less at 100 and 22's under .5 at 50 easy. Maybe my sks just sucks who knows and who cares. It's a cheap a$$ plinker.
 
AK said:
These are not investment grade firearms..
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I think many LE owners said the exact same thing 20 years ago. "Hot dang this would make a good hunting rifle. Let's just cut the barrel, shorten the stock and add some tasteful checkering"

I know the SKS is really not good for anything else other than just a plinker. But there will be a time down the road when many SKS rifles have been shot-out, abused, modified to the point where an untouched example is few and far between... and I will sell it for roughly the same inflated price that I bought it for.
 
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BeaverMeat said:
I think many LE owners said the exact same thing 20 years ago. "Hot dang this would make a good hunting rifle. Let's just cut the barrel, shorten the stock and add some tasteful checkering"

I know the SKS is really not good for anything else other than just a plinker. But there will be a time down the road when many SKS rifles have been shot-out, abused, modified to the point where an untouched example is few and far between... and I will sell it for roughly the same inflated price that I bought it for.
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Keep in mind that for every one of these rifles that's out there getting abused, most of us have 1 or 2 that we keep pristine. The SKS is the Beanie Baby of the rifle world.
 
Zesty said:
Keep in mind that for every one of these rifles that's out there getting abused, most of us have 1 or 2 that we keep pristine. The SKS is the Beanie Baby of the rifle world.
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Yup, I do that with my Chinese SKS. I have one that I shoot a lot and use pretty rough, and one that I barely touch.

These things'll command a decent price one day.
 
I am so tired of people saying that these are crap ( not accurate , a "cheap" rifle) I wonder if these people realize that these ARE military surplus. Just to make myself clear these are designed to kill a man at distance 100,200 etc meters. These were designed to go into battle and have no problems. So to those uneducated people think before typing.
I would not worry about breaking in the barrel due to the fact these are meant to go into battle right away.
 
I think this whole stigma of the SKS being cheap and junky comes from the Chinese/Norinco commercial SKSes. Which were more readily available. People must have assumed when the Russian and Yugos came on the market that they were also a cheap and junky rifle. I haven't been able to find a pristine Yugo M59. As many people bought them, and shot the crap out of them. So I am getting on this Russian SKS bandwagon because I missed out on the Yugos.
 
I have been building rifles as a smith for 28 years and with any gun a clean dry bore is very important
I do not believe in barrel break in just clean before you shoot and after. I have had the best results
with Wipe out foam bore cleaner but be careful on wood finish it does not like it, also copper or brass
it eats it, so oil the jags and wash the brushes. they will not live long. I have borescoped after cleaning
and used the cleaner (wipe out) until nor copper is left. if you do not have a borescope just let the cleaner
sit for a couple hrs I have even left over night with muzzel down to see a blue stain on a rag I put on the end of the muzzel
I borescoped again and no dammage to steel. and boy do the guns shoot, I hav had a 40% increase in accuracy since
using wipe out. Chrome line bores do not require break in the material is super hard . but keep it clean . take care guys
 
Just like someone else posted; Have two guys and a crate of ammo- load and shoot until all gone or wood starts burning or plastic melts. Flush with gasoline, air hose dry and rifle is accurised,blue printed and all that other fancy stuff.
 
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