I'm looking for a new target rifle and seeing as how the sks is highly customizable and I can get one fairly cheap at my (or any for that matter) local pawn shop I'm considering that. My question is, I see clips for sale online, but the SKS has a fixed clip, how do I convert an sks to removable clips? Also, how hard is it to change out stocks?
The SKS...
- Thread starter tBlake08
- Start date
Yes, SKS's are cheap, my friend bought his for 170 [+/-] w/ a folding stock, scope, bayonett, and grenade launcher mount already attached. The only problem he has with it is that every time he racks the bolt, it fires the chambered round. I'm not sure if he got that fixed yet.
I bought my AK47 new for 330. Yes, it was a little more, but I know what the gun has been through, and I think it is a better base weapon for high end accessories.
But, the big question is, how much you want to pay.
Back to my friend's SKS - he has detachable magazines, although I am not exactly sure how you would go about converting it. I've also heard that you can make the SKS accept regular AK mags. I haven't personally witnessed this though.
I bought my AK47 new for 330. Yes, it was a little more, but I know what the gun has been through, and I think it is a better base weapon for high end accessories.
But, the big question is, how much you want to pay.
Back to my friend's SKS - he has detachable magazines, although I am not exactly sure how you would go about converting it. I've also heard that you can make the SKS accept regular AK mags. I haven't personally witnessed this though.
Harry Bonar
New member
SKS as "target rifle."
Dear Sir;
Please forget an SKS as a "target rifle."
Get a 308 in a Remington, glass bed it, float the bbl, put a good scope on it and it just might shoot flies at 100 yds.
Harry B.
Dear Sir;
Please forget an SKS as a "target rifle."
Get a 308 in a Remington, glass bed it, float the bbl, put a good scope on it and it just might shoot flies at 100 yds.
Harry B.
It's good to have and SKS and 500 rounds of ammo in your garage. Left basically stock, it works well and can hit an 18x18" square about as far out as you can identify a man with the naked eye. It will do this every time if you are a decent shooter.
Perfect for homland defense - but not a target rifle.
-tINY
Your friend has a VERY dangerous slamfire condition probably caused by either fouling or cosmoline in the firing pin channel and needs to clean it. The bolt when shaken should have the firing pin rattle around freely.
Complete cleaning and disassembly instructions can be found @ http://www.surplusrifle.com/sks/index.asp as well as a VERY good article on cosmoline removal. ( http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/cosmoline/index.asp )
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Back to original poster, you can remove the fixed 10-round mag by field stripping and detaching the trigger group. The fixed mag then can be removed easily. The removable mags that use the duckbill style, then use the fixed rod to interlock and the magazine catch to work the removable part.
Again http://www.surplusrifle.com/sks/index.asp is what you want.
Also, the SKS makes a very good deer rifle, even if the game warden looks at you oddly. And ammo is cheap.
I have a Chinese version that I bought new at a gun show several years back. In it's stock configuration, it has never given me a problem.
I've tried the detachable Zytel 30 round mags, they wouldn't feed. I wanted to use it for deer hunting, so I tried fitting a 5 round mag (we have capacity restrictions in Michigan.) It wouldn't feed. A couple years later, I tried with another, higher quality 5 round mag. It wouldn't feed.
Almost 1000 rounds of East German steel case through the stock mag without a problem.
I installed a Choate Dragunov style stock and a scope mount receiver cover, but ended up going back to stock and installing a Williams rear peep sight that I like very much. This rifle, horrible trigger and all will put a full mag inside 8" at 100 yards, when I do my part. That's good enough for neighborhood defense and deer hunting (dang 5 round mags!)
+1 on the firing pin. Don't use any oil or grease on the pin. Keep it dry and clean. It should rattle in the bolt.
The SKS can be a heck of a lot of fun, but would only be a target rifle in the sense that you can shoot targets with it. No good if you are shooting for score.
Regards and good shooting.
I've tried the detachable Zytel 30 round mags, they wouldn't feed. I wanted to use it for deer hunting, so I tried fitting a 5 round mag (we have capacity restrictions in Michigan.) It wouldn't feed. A couple years later, I tried with another, higher quality 5 round mag. It wouldn't feed.
Almost 1000 rounds of East German steel case through the stock mag without a problem.
I installed a Choate Dragunov style stock and a scope mount receiver cover, but ended up going back to stock and installing a Williams rear peep sight that I like very much. This rifle, horrible trigger and all will put a full mag inside 8" at 100 yards, when I do my part. That's good enough for neighborhood defense and deer hunting (dang 5 round mags!)
+1 on the firing pin. Don't use any oil or grease on the pin. Keep it dry and clean. It should rattle in the bolt.
The SKS can be a heck of a lot of fun, but would only be a target rifle in the sense that you can shoot targets with it. No good if you are shooting for score.
Regards and good shooting.
Harry Bonar
New member
Sks
Dear Shooter:
Didn't mean al all to bash an SKS - I've got two - one has a spring retracting firing pin (1950 date on it - Russian). This eliminates "slam fires."
However, my 1954 dated one doesn't have it. I think a special primer (mil-spec) is made for the M43 (7.62X39) cartridge by one or more company.
I've thought about modifying one to use a firing pin retracting spring??
Also have an AK47 with Russian range finding, lighted reticle, sniper scope and a 75 rd. drum magazine.
The Ak's and SKS's were military rifles and very, very seldom will you find one that is "target accurate" - yes, you'll get 2 to 3 inch groups out of the best of them at 100yds. but very few. You've got the barrel hooked too many incumbrances! But, yes, you could find one that had its harmonics right and shoot 3/4 inch groups with it!
I fear that the same thing is true with the Ruger, "mini's" they will give about the same accuracy.
The ARs' are a different story - get one tuned properly and look out - my Bushmaster Varmiter shoots dime size groups at 100 yds.
Good shooting Harry B.
Dear Shooter:
Didn't mean al all to bash an SKS - I've got two - one has a spring retracting firing pin (1950 date on it - Russian). This eliminates "slam fires."
However, my 1954 dated one doesn't have it. I think a special primer (mil-spec) is made for the M43 (7.62X39) cartridge by one or more company.
I've thought about modifying one to use a firing pin retracting spring??
Also have an AK47 with Russian range finding, lighted reticle, sniper scope and a 75 rd. drum magazine.
The Ak's and SKS's were military rifles and very, very seldom will you find one that is "target accurate" - yes, you'll get 2 to 3 inch groups out of the best of them at 100yds. but very few. You've got the barrel hooked too many incumbrances! But, yes, you could find one that had its harmonics right and shoot 3/4 inch groups with it!
I fear that the same thing is true with the Ruger, "mini's" they will give about the same accuracy.
The ARs' are a different story - get one tuned properly and look out - my Bushmaster Varmiter shoots dime size groups at 100 yds.
Good shooting Harry B.
There are target rifles and rifles for shooting targets. The SKS is the latter. Fun to shoot, but not accurate enough for formal target shooting. No amount of customization is going to help make it any more accurate.
The SKS was designed to be issued to illiterate conscripts who could fight with it after minimal training. That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one though. Not everybody is looking to go to the Nationals and shooting just because it's fun isn't a bad thing. You're not seeing 'clips' though. You're seeing magazines.
JoshB, you're buddy's rifle is dangerous and needs attention. Possibly just a bath, especially the bolt, but tell him no more shooting until it's fixed.
"...at 100 yards 8 out of 10 times..." That's ok for fun, but not good enough for formal target shooting or milsurp matches. Try some different ammo.
The SKS was designed to be issued to illiterate conscripts who could fight with it after minimal training. That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one though. Not everybody is looking to go to the Nationals and shooting just because it's fun isn't a bad thing. You're not seeing 'clips' though. You're seeing magazines.
JoshB, you're buddy's rifle is dangerous and needs attention. Possibly just a bath, especially the bolt, but tell him no more shooting until it's fixed.
"...at 100 yards 8 out of 10 times..." That's ok for fun, but not good enough for formal target shooting or milsurp matches. Try some different ammo.
I talked w/ my buddy and he got the "slamfire" problem fixed. He stripped the whole thing down, scrubbed everything and hasn't had a problem since.
If "shooting targets" and having a good time at the range is all you want, I would definately go w/ the SKS or an AK. If accuracy is an issue and you don't shoot in competitions, how accurate do you need it? I would reccomend a 1911 for self defence, but even if you had the SKS for home security, how often would you be shooting a guy past 15yds? If you want something more accurate than an SKS/AK, get a sniper rifle!
If "shooting targets" and having a good time at the range is all you want, I would definately go w/ the SKS or an AK. If accuracy is an issue and you don't shoot in competitions, how accurate do you need it? I would reccomend a 1911 for self defence, but even if you had the SKS for home security, how often would you be shooting a guy past 15yds? If you want something more accurate than an SKS/AK, get a sniper rifle!
If accuracy is what you want, why wouldn't you get a 50cal sniper rifle w/ a good scope so you could pick off targets at 1000+m?
Now I will say that all of my guns are specifically for self defence and that I have no need to pick off either targets or personnel at that distance. At the same time, I wouldn't mind owning one if I had that kind of $ to spare and accuracy was more of an issue to me at long ranges.
What I don't get is why the members here would be against sniper rifles?
Now I will say that all of my guns are specifically for self defence and that I have no need to pick off either targets or personnel at that distance. At the same time, I wouldn't mind owning one if I had that kind of $ to spare and accuracy was more of an issue to me at long ranges.
What I don't get is why the members here would be against sniper rifles?