Optics on a SKS

[Ganderite]

My iron sight rifle groups 3" to 4" at 50 yards. I have several SKS rifles, and that is a typical group. Note that I measure a group as 10 shots - not 3.

Today I shot my Russian with a Bushnell red dot. I have the same sight on a 858 that I used in CQB competition and each time I used it I was surprised at how fast and accurate it is. Almost as good as a scope, but faster and much better peripheral vison because t works perfectly with both eyes open.

The SKS shot corrosive milsurp and commercial non-corrosive ammo well. It looks like the milsurp has a few flyers.

The red dot mounts on the place where the rear sight used to be. A good solid location. Much better than on the wobbly receiver cover.

The SKS flings brass violently in all directions. It will blow the rear lens out of an optic. (Don't ask how I know this.) The solution is to file the rear of the ejection port square. See my rifle. This simple mod allows the brass to eject sideways.

 

[old303]

The back of that optic looks a lot like a puppy was chewing at it.

There really ought to be a competition for hitting targets to the shooter's right with brass out of an SKS; it certainly throws it with far more enthusiasm than any other firearm I can recall seeing.

 

[Ganderite]

Before the ejection port mode, the brass blew the end off that optic.

 

[FreedomIsn'tFree]

I have a Choate receiver mount, drilled and tapped, on my Chinese and it is the best option I've found for SKS optics. I also have a shell deflector that hooks around the rear sight to protect the scope. With the 3x9 scope and silver box Norc ammo I have got 2.5" groups at 100 yards.

 

[Snider shooter]

The first scope I put on my sks was a red dot mounted on the gas tube cover. At first I really liked it. It was far enough forward that I didn’t have any issues with getting hit or any other damage. I kept thinking of a scope with some magnification. I decided to buy a couple of cheap Cabella’s six shooter scopes, supposed to be guaranteed. I figured I would put one to the test, break it and take it back for a new one. 30-30 Contender pistol with full power loads would be a good test. Hasn’t broken yet with 320 rounds fired. My second one was still in the box. I decided to put it on my sks. I would say about 800 to 1000 rounds of my reloads and about 300 surplus with that scope on. I like having the scope mounted out front, fast and easy to see through.

 

[collector67]

The back of that optic looks a lot like a puppy was chewing at it.

There really ought to be a competition for hitting targets to the shooter's right with brass out of an SKS; it certainly throws it with far more enthusiasm than any other firearm I can recall seeing.

My AG42B is way more “enthusiastic “ than any of my SKS’s.

 

[Deathrawt]

I bought a Russian made rail that is similar to the magwedge one
Got a Russian scope from Corwin and it works really good on the sks

 

[Steiner]

Ganderite...what mount is that? Seems most sources for mounts have dried up.

 

[Ganderite]

Ganderite...what mount is that? Seems most sources for mounts have dried up.

The label on the side of it says bctactical Made in canada, as I recall.

 

[gristle111]

I have the Bad ACE Tactical sks mount. It works great. its a bit longer than the one mentioned. Which is supposed to help deflect ejected shells. Has a slot for the rounds to feed through if using stripper clips..haven't had any shells hit my red dot. few 100 rounds thru it. Hold zero so far to.. seems rock solid.

 

[rhino519]

try to source Bulgarian ammo, I tried Russian, Chinese, Czech and Bulgarian, by far it groups half the size of the others and thats with iron sites

 

[J.Hancock]

Rumor has it you can tune 7.62x39 hand loads just as good as anything else lol.

 

[Steiner]

I have the Bad ACE Tactical sks mount. It works great. its a bit longer than the one mentioned. Which is supposed to help deflect ejected shells. Has a slot for the rounds to feed through if using stripper clips..haven't had any shells hit my red dot. few 100 rounds thru it. Hold zero so far to.. seems rock solid.

Yes, it seems like that is the only option left on the market.

 

[Sir Plus]

After experimenting I have concluded that the only good permanent ways to scope an SKS were receiver drill mounts (choate) and rear sight mounts (I don’t think they make the bctactical anymore but it’s good)

Your groups are a bit on the large side, maybe your rifles would benefit from stock shimming.

 

[grelmar]

After experimenting I have concluded that the only good permanent ways to scope an SKS were receiver drill mounts (choate) and rear sight mounts (I don’t think they make the bctactical anymore but it’s good)

Your groups are a bit on the large side, maybe your rifles would benefit from stock shimming.

I was going to ask if he had done this yet. The biggest accuracy improvement I got out of my SKS was from shimming the heel of the receiver to prevent the "back and forth" movement against the recoil lug. Makes the rifle a bit cantankerous to try and remove the action from the stock for cleaning, so I stopped shooting corrosive out of it.

Come to think of it, I haven't shot that rifle in a few years. I should dig it out of the back of the cabinet this spring, if spring ever gets around to coming.

 

[Murray 3-D]

There are many decent optic mounting solutions on the market for the SKS these days. As previously mentioned the drill / tap mounts are the most robust and repeatable. However they do involve permanently modifying the gun.

My main SKS sports a Russian molot rail with a NPZ PO 3-9x24mm SVD optic clamped to it. A POSP shell deflector has been bolted to the optic arms. I also did the ejection port mod and have observed the same improvements. The rifle is bedded with JB weld in a custom laminate stock. I also drilled larger holes in the gas tube to reduce how hard the action cycles. Hoping that would aid in accuracy.

In the end all that work didnt yield any notable accuracy improvements over other fine tuned SKS rifles. But the gun is sure pleasant and unique to shoot! The base rifle was a refurbished tula that had gawd knows how many rounds already fired through it. And the crown isnt in the best of shape. It wouldve been interesting to have used a mint condition Norinco or Russian as the base for this project and then seen the accuracy results. But that old refurb was chosen cus of its sentimental value to me.

 

[45ACPKING]

There are many decent optic mounting solutions on the market for the SKS these days. As previously mentioned the drill / tap mounts are the most robust and repeatable. However they do involve permanently modifying the gun.

My main SKS sports a Russian molot rail with a NPZ PO 3-9x24mm SVD optic clamped to it. A POSP shell deflector has been bolted to the optic arms. I also did the ejection port mod and have observed the same improvements. The rifle is bedded with JB weld in a custom laminate stock. I also drilled larger holes in the gas tube to reduce how hard the action cycles. Hoping that would aid in accuracy.

In the end all that work didnt yield any notable accuracy improvements over other fine tuned SKS rifles. But the gun is sure pleasant and unique to shoot! The base rifle was a refurbished tula that had gawd knows how many rounds already fired through it. And the crown isnt in the best of shape. It wouldve been interesting to have used a mint condition Norinco or Russian as the base for this project and then seen the accuracy results. But that old refurb was chosen cus of its sentimental value to me.

I really like that dragunov style stock. IIRC that is a custom unit you made yourself? I've seen it posted before.
I would love to cast a mold of that stock and make a couple in composite hehehe

 

[Murray 3-D]

Yah i made it last summer.

 

[Ganderite]

Those groups are about half the size of mine. Your 100 groups are same as my 50 yard groups.

I have bedded my actions, but did not make the gas tube cut. I think I will. Can't hurt.

 

[Sir Plus]

I was going to ask if he had done this yet. The biggest accuracy improvement I got out of my SKS was from shimming the heel of the receiver to prevent the "back and forth" movement against the recoil lug. Makes the rifle a bit cantankerous to try and remove the action from the stock for cleaning, so I stopped shooting corrosive out of it.

Come to think of it, I haven't shot that rifle in a few years. I should dig it out of the back of the cabinet this spring, if spring ever gets around to coming.

Im not sure why you need to remove the stock after shooting corrosive
I have never needed to do anything else than cleaning the gas system and run a few patches of ballistol in the bore
If you don’t want to take off your stock, wax everything that’s under the wood and forget about it.

Those groups are about half the size of mine. Your 100 groups are same as my 50 yard groups.

I have bedded my actions, but did not make the gas tube cut. I think I will. Can't hurt.

Im curious about how you bed your rifles. Don’t forget about the forend tip. It’s not easy to have good contact at the tang AND in the front AND at the "recoil lug"
If I ever have time to bed another SKS maybe I’ll make a post about it. They are very finicky rifles and the stock to action fit is their biggest shortcoming. A bit like Lee Enfields except few people are willing to put the time into it.

For me a stock SKS has to shoot 6" at 100 with surplus ammo at worse. I can tolerate switching to ammo of a different country. When I say stock it doesn’t mean no shims.

For a bedded SKS with a scope and with commercial ammo, it’s 3" at 100 at the worse