Range Report: SKS Rifle at 100, 200, 300, and 400 yds

[rjinga]

I made a trip to my gun club today. I don’t know if there’s an official term for the shooting stance, but I sat at the bench, resting both elbows on it as I fired at the paper targets. I was shooting Golden Tiger ammunition. Iron sights; no scope or optic. I tried to aim for the center of the targets.

Rear sight on 100 meter position at 100 yds:


Rear sight on 200 meter position at 200 yds:


Rear sight on 300 meter position at 300 yds:

I obviously need to aim a little lower at this distance. The arrow is pointing toward the bullet hole just above the head that I didn’t get in the photo.

Here’s the link to the video of me shooting at the steel silhouette at 400 yds, using the 400 meter rear sight position. I held on the bottom of the silhouette:
https://youtu.be/D3BNXAEyyl0

[Joe-ker]

Stupid question here. I take it the numbers 1-10 on the SKS sight mean meters. So on my pic is it in the correct position for 300m? I've never played around much more than gangsta plinkin'.....

Oh and nice shooting.

[rjinga]

Yes, I believe it is.

[VoodooMountain]

I’d say that’s pretty good for steel ammo using iron sights in an sks

[rjinga]

Thanks.

[kraigwy]

I'd like to see you compare the SKS/AK 7,62X39 with an AR.

M193 Ball from an AR at 100 yards. 8 Rounds. This is the MR-31 (NRA 600 yard target reduced for 100 yards). This is less that an inch (fired from a prone, sling position).

Granted decent ammo would provide better results.



There is a reason you dont see the 7.62X39 at Rifle Matches.



;

[doofus47]

I think that the 1,2,3 gradations on an SKS are (x100) measured in meters which would put them a bit high when your target is set up to 100 yard increments.

[Joe-ker]

Your no doofus sir as you'd be correct as 100m is 109 yds. So 300 is about 329

But close enough----it's only an SKS

[DMK]

What's interesting about those targets is they show how an error in zero is significantly amplified with distance. (Not to imply that the shooter made any errors here. He did not)

A 100m (109yd) zero at 100yds is trivial. A 300m (329yd) zero at 300yds is significant.

I see folks use the 100m setting and zero at 100yds. That will be way off at the longer range settings.

This is also why I will never zero a rifle at 25yds or 50yds (*Cough* AR15 guys *Cough*). Any error will be insignificant at that close range, but will open up quite a bit at long range.

[ThomasT]

The OP has posted targets before and I had suggested raising the front post because the groups were high at 100 yards. It looks like he is still shooting high and still needs to raise the front post and that should help with the groups he is getting at all ranges.

[David Ozlo]

That's great shooting. I'm a sucker for a SKS.

[Hunter Customs]

That wasn't bad shooting for iron sights, gun and ammo used. One might be surprised how well the SKS will shoot with some good landloads dialed in for the rifle.

[Ignition Override]

Try an SKS with aperture sights, such as Tech Sights (TS 200).

This is more of a valid comparison to other rifles.

[jolly roger]

My Swiss K31 has a simple blade front and blade rear and will shoot dang near MOA at 100 yards when I pay attention. SKS a neat rifle and accurate for combat? Yeah..but accurate accurate? Nope not by a long shot

[jolly roger]

Some of those 300 yard hits would definitely hurt though and that was the purpose of the SKS

[DMK]

My Swiss K31 has a simple blade front and blade rear and will shoot dang near MOA at 100 yards when I pay attention. SKS a neat rifle and accurate for combat? Yeah..but accurate accurate? Nope not by a long shot

You can't compare a K31 to an SKS. Both are milsurps and C&Rs, but that's all they have in common.

The SKS was designed as in interim assault type rifle, filling the gap between the full power SVT Battle Rifle and the select fire AK47 Assault Rifle. It was a "proof of concept" in a way for the then new M43 intermediate cartridge, primarily intended for shots under 300yds. It reflected Soviet doctrine at the time, to send waves of massed troops to overwhelm enemy positions. (The AK fit this philosophy better, but wasn't yet adopted. The Ppsh submachine guns lacked range and penetration power)

The Swiss thinking at the time the K31 was designed (a few decades earlier than the SKS BTW), was still to keep the enemy at bay with long range precise shots. The full power Spitzer rounds were still cutting edge at that time and it was thought that their long range potential (both power and ballistics wise) should be utilized to good effect. The Swiss soldier was also a better trained marksman than the typical Soviet conscript, especially at that time.

Two very different rifles with very different design and doctrine philosophies.

Interestingly, the 'K' in both SKS and K31 stands for Karbine (Carbine).