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Accurizing a SKS

32K views 37 replies 18 participants last post by  Cyrano  
#1 ·
In your opinion, what would be the first mod you would make to a stock SKS to increase accuracy?
 
#2 ·
Probably buy a rifle known for accuracy and throw the SKS in the trash. :09:

Just kidding. I love my SKS, but I've never considered it an extremely highly accurate rifle. I don't consider myself to be the best shooter in the world, but I do believe that I shoot more consistently than my SKS can.

The problem with the SKS is that it's relatively crudely made and very mass produced. If you've ever taken one apart and put it back together, you'll find that the parts sometimes sort of just fall in, rather "snap" together like a high precision rifle.

I've also heard that the barrel of the SKS has been known to physically move with respect to the stock when fired. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I'm sure it hurts accuracy. I've seen slow motion videos of the AK-47 being fired, and it looks like the gun is going to fall apart at times. I think this "looseness" is what makes these weapons so reliable, but at the same time prevents them from being "tack drivers".

But, good accuracy is a personal opinion. I can shoot semi rapidly and create 3 inch groups at 50 yards off hand with military surplus ammo. If we were talking about a military grade sniper rifle with a bull floating barrel, then this probably would be a bad group, but for a rifle that always fires, hitting a torso every time at 50 yards is about all you can ask for, in my opinion anyway.
 
#3 ·
I agree with Bravo. But the first thing I would do is get the trigger fixed up. There is a guy that fixes SKS trigger groups for a very really good price. I think you can find him on the surplusrifle forums.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Change the front sight pin to a TechSight pin its about half the size of the original front post about $7 including shipping. If you can't shoot iron sights well go with a scout mount type mount that replaces the rear sight or a drill and tap side receiver mount like a Choate mount. I just did the front post and shoot my reloads everything else is stock like it came out of the create.
SKS Scope Mounts : Scout Scopes
SKS Scope Mount by Choate

And most important shoot some good quality.
Image
 
#5 ·
i did a sporter job on one of my yugo sks's.(scope, ati montecarlo stock.changed the gas cylinder front bracket, removed grende launcher, barrel sling holder.changed iron sights) it is a good deer rifle but about 3'' at 50 yds is all i could get out of it. my daughter got it down to 2''. so i gave it to her. she is deadly on u.p. deer with it. an sks is not a tack driver but they are more than adaquet as a woods deer rifle
 
#6 ·
Res45, that's really impressive for an SKS. I think the ammo that we usually fire out of our SKS hurts the accuracy. I recently bought a box of 123gr SP Federal Ammo this year for deer hunting (I think this year I'm going to try to take a deer with my SKS), and I'm hoping that it holds better groups than my Wolf ammo.
 
#8 ·
Wolf sucks in my YUGO I never shoot it anymore, Golden Tiger FMJ and Brown Bear SP ammo shoot 10 shot 2" groups at 50 Yds. As far as trigger jobs go I'm sure they will help allot I just got used to feeling where the breaking point is at on mine. You definitely want to put a good quality scope on it and a compact one if you want to use stripper clips with it. I have read that the Federal ammo is pretty good stuff.
 
#11 ·
Thanks guys! Im not lookin' for a tackdriver, or I wouldn't be lookin' at a SKS.
But normally, people on the boards have tried about everything out there and the new technology lends itself to improving on the original design.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Probably buy a rifle known for accuracy and throw the SKS in the trash. :09:
Just kidding. I love my SKS, but I've never considered it an extremely highly accurate rifle. I don't consider myself to be the best shooter in the world, but I do believe that I shoot more consistently than my SKS can.
The problem with the SKS is that it's relatively crudely made and very mass produced. If you've ever taken one apart and put it back together, you'll find that the parts sometimes sort of just fall in, rather "snap" together like a high precision rifle.
I've also heard that the barrel of the SKS has been known to physically move with respect to the stock when fired. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I'm sure it hurts accuracy. I've seen slow motion videos of the AK-47 being fired, and it looks like the gun is going to fall apart at times. I think this "looseness" is what makes these weapons so reliable, but at the same time prevents them from being "tack drivers".
But, good accuracy is a personal opinion. I can shoot semi rapidly and create 3 inch groups at 50 yards off hand with military surplus ammo. If we were talking about a military grade sniper rifle with a bull floating barrel, then this probably would be a bad group, but for a rifle that always fires, hitting a torso every time at 50 yards is about all you can ask for, in my opinion anyway.
That's a big ditto here!

Probably buy a rifle known for accuracy and throw the SKS in the trash. :09:
Just kidding. I love my SKS, but I've never considered it an extremely highly accurate rifle. I don't consider myself to be the best shooter in the world, but I do believe that I shoot more consistently than my SKS can.
The problem with the SKS is that it's relatively crudely made and very mass produced. If you've ever taken one apart and put it back together, you'll find that the parts sometimes sort of just fall in, rather "snap" together like a high precision rifle.
I've also heard that the barrel of the SKS has been known to physically move with respect to the stock when fired. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I'm sure it hurts accuracy. I've seen slow motion videos of the AK-47 being fired, and it looks like the gun is going to fall apart at times. I think this "looseness" is what makes these weapons so reliable, but at the same time prevents them from being "tack drivers".
But, good accuracy is a personal opinion. I can shoot semi rapidly and create 3 inch groups at 50 yards off hand with military surplus ammo. If we were talking about a military grade sniper rifle with a bull floating barrel, then this probably would be a bad group, but for a rifle that always fires, hitting a torso every time at 50 yards is about all you can ask for, in my opinion anyway.
That's a big ditto here!:biggthumpup:
 
#14 ·
The absolute first thing to do is get good ammo.
My Yugo shoots a six inch group at 100 yards with Wolf, four inches with Ulyanovsk white box ammo, two inches with East German Surplus (no longer available) and 1.5" with Remington and Winchester 123 grain FMJ.
This was with a 6X40 scope on a bipod.
Second thing, I find the barrels can move in the barrel channel, so it really helps to put a 'pressure pad' in the barrel channel to tighten it up. I use either some card stock or thin sticky-backed cork sheet.

These aren't target rifles, but can be improved quite a bit.
 
#15 ·
`I have done everything under the sun just about to mine. It shoots pretty well. I would never consider it to be a tack driver. I also don't think there is anything else I could do to make it much better. But it's alot of fun to shoot and it never fails!! In case you would like to know what I have done to mine. I have a Norinco Chinese SKS it was a Chinese Police issue. I have a Tapco T6 Stock, a Barska 4x20 Scope, on a UTG receiver cover scoupe mount. And my own trigger job. I also have a bipod.
 
#16 ·
We have a a pair of his and hers both are Yugo's and so far they shoot as well as I would expect from this sort of weapon. We mostly shoot Wolf and have had no problems I do prefer the surplus ammo but I'm getting pretty low on that and can't find any more. I've used mine on a few boar hunts and it worked great. I use the hollow point the last time I used FMJ it simply went through the boar and he did not appreciate it. The second round to the head put him out.
These are great, reliable guns that are good to about a 150 yards, at least with my eyes. Some makes are better, some guns prefer certain ammo, it seems with the SKS that each rifle has to be judged on it's own.
 
#17 ·
I've heard of people taking out the gas piston and making it a sorta "bolt action" rifle, and that helps. I think safety would prove that an rumor, however the theory of it would prove it right. The sks does have a pretty easy bolt to operate.

The trigger is about as delicate as a 50 cal, so i think that fixing that would help a lot. My Yugo has the tech sights, and they do help a bit, fix the trigger and you should get a 4-5 MOA gun.

The Russians weren't really known for their accurate weapons.
 
#18 · (Edited)
this is the answer for me
Image


Image


my sks is a fun carbine BUT the sights are crude at best.
with those crosshairs up front and a .062 apeture peep at the rear of the receiver.
you have a longer sight plane .
this is what i am going to do.
make me want to shoot this a little more!
 
#24 ·
Mine was a Swedish M38, 6,5x55. And yes I do know how you feel about your first. She still holds that place in my heart...
But she does share it with my Finn M39 from time to time. Hey, how do you like that Enfield?
i like both of em.
ive been on a cowboy gun kick so havent shot em lately
 
#26 · (Edited)
i was thinking about that on my way home steve.
i think that these are the mostest funnest guns i have!
i am not trying to jam a round up a fly's butt @100 yds. like i do with my target rifles.
all ya gotta do is hit the cowboy gongs! (and it aint that hard) and ya feel like wyatt earp!
YEEHAW! round up the cattle in the cadillac!

i'll tell ya right now though.
DONT just buy one .
ya GOTTA have a PAIR of these lil darlins..
trust me on this one thing.....

any fool can get one cowboy gun.
it takes a very special kinda fool to run out and get two!