Hunting with SKS & Open Sight

T

thunderbird101

New member
I just began hunting and went on my first hunting trip this past weekend. Saw plenty of deer, but never when I was in the tree stand or had my rifle!

Anyhow, I have a Yugo SKS that I hunt with that has an open sight. I have not had a chance to do a lot of target shooting with it and do not know its limitations. The SKS is not known for accuracy, but does it make a decent deer rifle? At about what range would you trust it with to shoot a deer?

Finally, are there hunting rounds in 7.62x39? I've never seen any myself.

Thanks!
 
if what you have is an sks then it is a decent deer rifle. i can shoot mine mod (minute of deer) out to 200 yds. most good ammo shops carry hunting ammo in that caliber.
 
Remington makes soft-point ammo in 7.62x39. It is fine for deer. I would keep my shots under 100 yards. My Norinco is plenty accurate for deer at that distance. The Tech-sights peep sight is a great accuracy improvement over the original iron sights.
 
Anyhow, I have a Yugo SKS that I hunt with that has an open sight. I have not had a chance to do a lot of target shooting with it and do not know its limitations.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I've got to say this first.

I hope you aren't taking this rifle hunting. If you haven't shot it much and if you aren't sure it's on, shooting a deer with it doesn't show much respect for your game.

As a deer rifle, a SKS would make a fine deer gun. With open sights I'd certainly keep my shots under 100 yards (with my eyes likely much less).
 
+1 kreyzhorse

Hunters have no business using a weapon they have not fully sighted in and practiced with. If you don't know its limitations, you should practice more before you take it hunting.
 
+1 again. Get to know the rifle very well before applying it to something other than paper. To go along with this, don't go buy a couple boxes of Yugo FMJ's to get acquainted for hunting. You have to know how it groups and where with the loads you intend to use. Other than that, it should make a fine deer rifle.
 
Thank you for the replies!

As for taking it hunting without familiarity, I agree and greatly respect the criticism! I just recently got my hunting license last month and have no experience! I am more or less being mentored by a friend. I will be doin a lot of target shooting next week to familiarize myself with the SKS.

On a sidenote, would it be possible to equip the SKS w/ a decent scope? Please remember, I am a complete novice and have no qualms about admitting it! :D
 
Yup, an SKS can take a side-mount scope--they make them within a reasonable $ range. BUT, if you're going to keep shots within 100yds or so, it's almost more trouble than it's worth. Depending on where you're hunting, it could be to your benefit NOT to scope it. Anything but open terrain and fields and you'll do better to leave it open-sight.

BTW---what bullets are you using for hunting?
 
I have only been hunting once (never took any shots) but so far I only have Yugo surplus ammo. I need to invest in some hunting rounds I believe. Any suggestions on what type?
 
thunderbird101...

... it's very refreshing to encounter people who take criticism in a positive way, and who will admit when they are weak in a given area.

As others have said, you can find soft-point hunting ammo, and you should definitely use that, not FMJ. Some places, FMJ is illegal for hunting. Even where it's legal, it's not really considered ethical.

Good luck,

M
 
Big Bill....

I looked at the BSA Scope that you provided the link for. I know next to nothing about scopes!!!!! The sale price is currently $39.00, which seems like a pretty darn good deal! I know this is not a top notch scope (i am a starving college student, so not looking for top notch right now!) is this a decent scope that will last more than a few years?

Thanks for all who have provided helpful feedback!
 
As a general rule we won't shoot farther than we can hit a paper plate with whatever shooting position we are using. If all you can do is 50 yards offhand than that's your offhand limit. Maybe it's 100 yards with a simple rest. Maybe it's 200 yards with a solid rest. Only you and your gun can answer this question.

LK
 
BSA 'scope...

Thunderbird 101--I cannot recommend a BSA 'scope for any kind of shooting at live targets. Had one suddenly go bad with no warning (it was fine for sighting in) and as a result a wounded deer hobbled away on 3 legs, to be lost and (I assume) take a great while dying. No animal deserves that. Yes, I'm a better shot than that.

I know, I know, an N of 1 is far too small to be of statistical significance. But it's enough for me.

As a starving college student you have young eyes. They'll be fine with the SKS's iron sights, I should think. An alternative that is very well regarded is the Tech-Sight mentioned above. Very easy to install, BTW. And not too terribly costly.

Good on you planning to practice up with the rifle before going afield with it. Many of us here have first-hand experience with being starving college students.

Good luck hunting, and enjoy. :)
 
+1 to the Tech Sights. I have the rear sight and the fine front post. My SKS will shoot 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards with lacquered steel case ammo, which is about the best grouping I'm capable of with iron sights of any type. I could only manage 5-6" groups with the stock SKS sights, so the Tech Sights were well worth it in my opinion. Based on what I've seen 7.62x39 do to pigs, I would have no reservations using a soft-point bullet on deer.
-Dan
 
I looked at the BSA Scope that you provided the link for. I know next to nothing about scopes!!!!! The sale price is currently $39.00, which seems like a pretty darn good deal! I know this is not a top notch scope (i am a starving college student, so not looking for top notch right now!) is this a decent scope that will last more than a few years?

Thanks for all who have provided helpful feedback!
Click to expand...
I used to have three SKS' and two of these scopes. Now I only have one SKS and no scopes. So, today I ordered this same scope I've recommended to you. It's a heck of a good buy, and the two scopes I bought before are working GREAT! It's easy to install and works just fine. So, IMHO, for $40 you can't go wrong.
 
for $40 you can't go wrong.
Click to expand...
Well, I will agree that it's cheap enough..however, it's cheap enough. I could never maintain a solid zero w/ that style of dust cover mount. You would be better off w/ the 100yd thing on open sites,,IMHO.
elkman06
 
Whether scope or iron sights, I've always figured that my limits for the various field positions were the distance at which I could very reliably hit the end of a beer can.

For unsupported offhand, not very far. A good rest of some sort, much farther out.

Once any rifle is sighted in from the benchrest with sandbags, that--to me--is the end of using the benchrest. After that, practicing enough to get "all married up" with the rifle should be done from field positions. After all, a benchrest is a wee tad heavy to tote along on a hunt. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top