Is an SKS REALLY this accurate?!?!

[Mosin-Marauder]

I was extremely surprised to see such a group from an SKS. Now he might be an experienced shooter, but even this seems a little hard to believe. I've seen modern hunting rifles that don't shoot this well at 100 yards. I'll let you fellas decide if this is real/fake.

Skip to 4:00 to see the actual shots.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...3-kCrMjZh49kxw

[Garycw]

Looks real and I think believable too. Even with the surplus ammo and open sights. I'm not that great of a shot, but I'd say its doable with a good SKS.

[Mosin-Marauder]

It just looks like he's wiggling to much. Look how much his muzzle is moving before his shot.

[MrBorland]

Originally Posted by Mosin-Marauder

It just looks like he's wiggling to much.

That's what I was thinking. His position doesn't look particularly stable, and he doesn't have a precise aiming point, but he may have exceptionally good hand/eye coordination and fast reflexes to time the shot correctly. Timing a shot like that's not normally recommended for best accuracy.

But he may have also tried a dozen or so other times and is showing you his best or the one where he got luckiest. Tough to say.

As to the accuracy of an SKS, I'd have to punt and say "dunno".

[Mosin-Marauder]

It just seems hard to believe. The first group I got even similar to this was yesterday when I was bagged down at 30 yards. And it was a 1 inch 2 shot group.

[Bill DeShivs]

1 inch groups at 100 yards is not unusual. It's just good accuracy.
You guys need to practice.

[HKFan9]

1 inch groups at 100 yards is not unusual. It's just good accuracy.
You guys need to practice.

I couldn't even get my SKS to print like that clamped in a rest with an hydraulic trigger, than again the whole reason I used that set up was because the thing was so beat up I was afraid to shoot it at first.

That said the video looks fake. Watch how much he shakes and wobbles before the shots, and he jerks and flinches before the shot breaks.

Not saying it CANT be done... but based on how much he is moving, I doubt that grouping came from that shot string.

[MrBorland]

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

1 inch groups at 100 yards is not unusual. It's just good accuracy.

No doubt, but the OP seems to be asking whether the video is representative of what one can do with an SKS. I defer to others about the inherent accuracy of the SKS, but I'm just pointing out that we see 3 shots from a relatively unstable position, so there's not much to go on. Could've been luck, skill, or cherry picking.

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

You guys need to practice.

That's good advice for anyone.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

1 inch groups at 100 yards is not unusual.

Out of an SKS it sure is.

[Mosin-Marauder]

I was getting ready to say...

[kraigwy]

1 inch groups at 100 yards is not unusual

Except when verified.

The targets used in the CMP's Modern Military Match, in which the SKS can be used, has an X-10 Ring that's 3.5 Minutes, or 3.5 inches at 100 yards or 7 inches if fired at 200 yards.

Seems if 1 inch groups were possible out of a SKS, (or any other surplus rifle) you'd see some "cleaned" or perfect scores (300/300), except you don't. The scores are listed on the CMP website, and 300/300 would be a record.

When comes to the internet, "Trust but Verify" as stated by one of our Great Presidents.

[amd6547]

I believe it is within the realm of possibility. I am having a hard time believing that group was fired using the shooters technique, unless it was by pure dumb luck.

[jimbob86]

It's not a 1 inch group.

A quarter will cover the centers of a 1 inch group.

Either he has the world's tiniest hands (the only thing in the frame for reference), or that group is bigger than 1 inch.

That said, if that group was shot from there, and the distance was as stated, 97 yards ..... that's pretty dang good for an SKS.

So good I'd suspect it was Fantastic...... check the root of that word out.....

Not saying it could not be done ..... but if the guy is really that good, he might look into gearing up and get a bit of coaching and go win at Camp Perry or somewheres .....

[1stmar]

Very difficult to gauge distance from any camera angle let alone that one. Could be 50 yards. If it was 100 yards I'd say look at Bart's posts about when enough factors cancel each other out or all come together once. That looks like factors canceling each other out, ie the inaccuracy of an sks canceling out the poor shooting position and technique. Is he holding a pool queue?

[Mosin-Marauder]

At first it looked like he was trying to get his NPOA, but that method is only viable for Standing, not kneeling or siting, especially with a support. Even if he was he's moving it to the right the majority of the time.

[jimbob86]

I would not spend any time worrying about what some random youtuber says he can do. You know what it is you can do, and what you want to do. Compete against yourself.

[Slamfire]

I do not believe that either a Chinese military SKS or the ammunition is capable of consistent MOA or sub MOA groups. I bought several when they were $79.00 and none of mine ever shot ten groups that tight.

I looked at my targets, my Russian SKS's were capable of 6 inches at 100 yards, one Chinese, most shots were within 5 inches but there is one out at 8 inches, this all with ball ammuntion. These were ten shot groups.

I am of the opinion that three shot groups are not reliable indicators of a rifle’s accuracy. In one recent publication, (not SWAT magazine!), the gunwriter had written an article about reloading for the Marlin 336 with jacketed and cast bullet loads. He claimed sub MOA groups, I think some were .6 inches at 100 yards, but he only shot three shot groups. You can get outstanding groups with low shot counts but they are statistical aberrations. If this shooter, and the gunwriter, had shot ten shot groups sub MOA with their rifles, that would be a better indication of accuracy of rifle and round, and if they both had shot 20 round rounds sub MOA with their rifles, you would have a higher confidence that the rifles and ammunition were actually capable of producing that level of accuracy.

So, I think the guy shot that group at 100 yards, but the next two targets won't be so great, and if he had shot a 10 or 20 round group, with ball ammunition, he would have been up to the 6 MOA level.

A shooting bud of mine once asked Larry Moore about how many rounds it took to have confidence in a load. Larry replied “about 20,000!”. Larry was a competitive shooter, once won the 1000 yard Wimbleton Cup, and as a Government Employee at Aberdeen Proving Ground, he tested every service rifle for the US Army up to the M16 http://www.gunsmagazine.com/1956issues/G1256.pdf

[1stmar]

Slamfire I'm sure this will be met w skepticism, 36 gr 4064 200gr sierra rn , 5 shots 100 yards into 3/4, marlin 336c with Burris 2 3/4 scout scope. Can it be done regularly ? I know I couldn't but the rifle may be able to. I get the vast majority of my 3 shot groups in the 1 moa range. Great rifle, couldn't resist ...but I agree I doing it routinely with an sks , not likely.

[JD0x0]

Looks a little short for 100 yards to me, but I could be wrong. Still, I'd say it's very plausible for a good example of an SKS to shoot 1.5-2MOA. I've seen AK's group 1.5'' with steel cased ammo, and the general consensus seems to be that generally SKS's are more accurate than AK's.

[Bill DeShivs]

I didn't say it was a 1" group. I said 1" groups at 100 yards are not unusual.

[jeager106]

Bill:
Quote: I didn't say it was a 1" group. I said 1" groups at 100 yards are not unusual. "
Really?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/

I've owned probably 5 SKS rifles, & 3 AK-47s over the years.
These rifles are not built for accuracy beyond hitting a man sized target
at 200 yards. That's the distance most rifle shots were taken in WWII according to studies I've read. Read in many places.
My SKS rifles with a variety of ChiCom & Russian ammo would not group better than 3" at 100 and that was IF the rifle was extraordinary & with a great batch of mil-type ammo.
I watched a t-v comparison between the M-16 & the AK. The show filmed both rifles being fired with hi-speed cameras and the entire AK rifle flexed at the shot.
Those rifles are made to run, & run, & run & are not tack drivers by any stretch.
Most SKS/AK surplus rifles will group 4 to 5 inches at 100 and that's about it.
Any 1 inch group with one of those rifles is a fluke.
Period.
So Bill. How many SKS rifles have you owned that could shoot 1 inch groups at 100 yards????

[Garycw]

It made quick work of the bowling pins and cinder block. It looked like to me while gun was resting on deck railing, he moved it around a little to get a good sight picture with those irons. It was also more like a 1 1/2" group
This is a YUGO I bought off armslist which I've since sold that I could get similar groups with.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

I didn't say it was a 1" group. I said 1" groups at 100 yards are not unusual.

Sophistry.

Heck, <0.25" groups @ 100 yards are not at all "unusual"; they happen at Benchrest matches all the time... but not from SKS rifles fired from field positions.

[James K]

My experience is limited, but I found the Russian guns give pretty good accuracy and probably some would be capable of 1" groups at 100 yards with good ammo. My Chinese and Romanian guns won't do that or even come close, but still I am not going to say none of them would.

Jim

[FrankenMauser]

Apparently I'm in the minority, but, my Russian would do that with (true) surplus ammo or even 'low end' domestic ammo.

But, with the low grade, commercial-production trash that's being imported today, I doubt you could even do that in a lab with a test fixture. We like to give the commies a lot of crap for their perceived low standards during the Cold War, but I really loved the true surplus ammo that was available 15+ years ago. The stuff they started cranking out for the American market, and falsely labeling as 'surplus', never could hold a candle to the real deal.


That's one of the biggest reasons I got rid of my SKS. I absolutely loved the rifle and what it was capable of, but there just wasn't any more affordable ammo available that wasn't absolute garbage.