SKS - inherently innaccurate? 6mm Wildcat idea?

M

MatthewVanitas

New member
Greetings all,
I know the SKS doesn't have a stellar reputation for accuracy, though not so poor as the AK. I was wondering: why is this?

Consider that they usually arrive here with mass-produced military barrels, often beat up Commie surplus or Norinco junk. Most people only shoot cheap surplus or Wolf ammo in them, generally using only the issued open sights or cheap scopes on cheap mounts, and then they call the SKS innaccurate. Is it really, or would an SKS receiver with a decent barrel (.308 bore, rather that .311, so you can handload good quality ammo), good aperture sights ($60 from Lyman), and a couple easy handloads produce a decent light rifle? Considering that you can buy an beater SKS under $200, and an AR-15 runs $750 or better, I'd find it hard to believe you couldn't do some impressive things for less than $550.

I was feeling bored today, and comparing measurements and stats for various types of cartridges. I don't have my Cartridges of the World with me at the moment, but when I was looking through it, it seemed possible that a 7.62x39 case could be necked down to 6mm to create a creature much akin to the 6mm BR Remington. As I recall, the cartridge diameters, length, overall length, and the like had relatively similar measurements. Speaking utterly in theory, it _seems_ possible to wildcat it on decent boxer primed ammo, just for kicks. Just mess with the neck and shoulder, and it should end up being similar, though I think somewhat less case capacity, maybe offset a bit by using the smaller grainage 6mm bullets. The muzzle energy should come out ahead of the 5.56 NATO, so it's not the worst of loads out there.

Just throwing the idea out, any constructive comments much appreciated. I just happen to really enjoy the SKS, and was hoping something more interesting could be done with it.
-LCpl Matthew Boris
 
Economical?

The problem with the 7.62 x 39 is in the barrel, stock and action. The round itself is very accurate when chambered in a good-barreled bolt gun like C.E. Harris of the American Rifleman did. It also performs great using his custom designed bullet.

Rebarreling military style rifles its chambered in does not sound very economical. First of all, a good barrel is about $150.00. Professional gunsmithing toinstall and headspace it is at least another $100.00. A custom wildcat reamer, headspace gauge and dies for reloading add another $200.

Unless you can just drop in a barrel, this it getting quite expensive.

AR15's on the other hand can be rebarreled by any nimrod wielding a barrel wrench and the headspacing is a snap with the proper bolt.

Just wait, hope and pray President George Walker Bush does not renew the assault weapons ban and AR15's will be under $600.00, adjusted to 1994 dollars. Even the 1:7 military barrels shoot well. Mine (a genuine FN) does under 1/2 MOA with handloads, 1 MOA with Q3131.
 
Its been done

The Russian made the .220 Russian target round based on the 7.62x39. Two Americans took this case and made the 6mm PPC(Pindell Palmisano cartridgs sp?). It has been the most accurate cartridge in the world for about the last thirty years.
 
Nothing new under the sun, eh?

Well, that solves the wildcat portion of the question. I assume these target cartridges were only used in target rifles though, correct? No use in modified SKS or the like?

Is everyone pretty much in agreement with Keith J that the SKS receiver is just fundamentally innaccurate?

Thanks much for the info Nic,

-MKB
 
I must admit that SKSs are not real tack drivers, however, they were never designed to be match rifles. My 54 Tula can shot three inch groups at a 100 yards using WOLF Ammo and, to me, one can't ask for much better considering what the rifle was designed for. I will confess that using NORINCO in my SKS will have my target looking like I have been using a shotgun. Overall, less the NORINCO ordeal, I am happy with my SKS and maybe a bit lucky.
 
My point exactly

That's kind of what I'm getting at: you're getting 3-inch groups with a military surplus rifle, using cheap, grimy plinking ammo out of the former Bloc.

I'm just asking whether it's truly a design fault, or whether it's just the fact that everybody is using slipshod barrels with junk ammo. Not that they aren't still fun in that application, just asking if they're capable of better under proper circumstances.
 
With proper ammunition, yes they are capable of better. Note, I'm talking about putting that SKS on a decent benchrest, and feeding it Winchester, Remington, Federal, PMC, or Lapua. You can tweak things even further, by doing some trigger mods, judicious action bedding, muzzle recrowning, or go full-out and modify one by removing the front sight base, bedding it in a heavy thumbhole target stock, drilling and tapping the receiver for a solid side scope mount, and so forth. A gunsmith friend did just that, just to see what he could obtain for results. Commercial boxer-primed 7.62x39 in that FrankenSKS gave him 1.5" 100 yard groups.

I got a wild hair to test out the accuracy of my Bulgarian milled AK, and built some true match-grade handloads, even moly-coating the 123gr FMJ Winchester bullets, hand-weighing each powder charge, Federal 210 Match primers, the whole nine yards. My reward was a 2" five-shot group at 100 yards.

But the FrankenSKS totally defeated the purpose, and design intent, for that weapon. Very similar to expecting MOA accuracy out of a Mini-14 or Mini-30.
 
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