Hunting carbine SKS: reviews from hunters and owners, description, characteristics, manufacturer

• October 31, 2018
• Weapons and ammunition
• Natali Michaelis

After the development of the 7.62 x 39 mm cartridge in 1943, there was an urgent need to create new versions of rifles, machine guns and machine guns for this ammunition. The design bureau under the leadership of the well-known Soviet gunsmith S. G. Simonov began developing a self-loading carbine. The SKS, according to reviews from owners and hunters, today is one of the best self-loading devices for firing in a wide variety of conditions, which means that the result of the development met expectations.

History of creation

Active production of the Simonov self-loading carbine began in 1945, a few months before the end of the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet Union sent samples of these weapons to the front for military testing in combat conditions. After some time, the smoothbore carbine was adopted by the Soviet Army, but over the next decades it was supplanted by its main competitor, the Kalashnikov assault rifle. After this, hundreds of thousands of SCS were sent for storage to military warehouses.

A new life for the smoothbore carbine began from the time its samples began to appear on the civilian market. The SKS was sold as a rifled hunting weapon, which was immediately loved by many hunters for its characteristics. The most famous civilian modifications:

• hunting carbine "Argali";
• hunting and fishing OP SKS or hammer carbine;
• SCS itself.

However, everything was not so smooth. During the first few years, reviews from hunters and owners about the SKS carbine were mixed. Some praised the weapon for its reliability and simplicity, comparing it with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, while others complained about the weak destructive power, which did not allow one to kill a large enough animal with one shot. In order to most accurately understand and find out the truth, you must first see the characteristics of this weapon.

Specifications

The SKS-45 hunting carbine is a self-loading semi-automatic weapon designed to destroy lightly armored vehicles and enemy personnel at long and medium distances. In order to become more familiar with firearms, we provide our readers with the characteristics of the Simonov self-loading carbine. They look like this:

• caliber - 7.62 millimeters;
• number of cartridges – 10 pieces;
• sighting range for shooting - 1000 meters;
• combat rate of fire - from 35 to 40 rounds per minute;
• direct shot range - 365 meters;
• weight of the loaded clip – 180 grams;
• the total weight of the weapon is 3.85 kg.

Based on these characteristics, it can be noted that the Simonov carbine is ideal for combat from a distance of 100 to 300 meters. The task of aiming is made several times easier with optics. The fairly capacious magazine of the SKS carbine means you don’t have to worry about running out of ammunition while hunting. The relatively light weight allows the weapon to be used by a shooter of any size. And the compact dimensions of the SKS carbine make its transportation as convenient as possible.

From military weapons to hunting weapons

When the SKS was removed from service, a completely logical question arose: what to do with the remnants? After all, about 15 million of these carbines were produced. The answer to the question was found: SKS began to be sold to hunters who have a license to purchase rifled weapons.

True, before this the weapon underwent some modification. This is how the SKS hunting carbine appeared. For example, the bayonet was removed along with the mounting bracket. In addition, the aiming bar has been significantly shortened - now it allows targeted fire at a distance of no more than 300 meters.

Fortunately, the revision was completed. After this, the weapon began to fully meet the requirements for civilian use. Reliability and ease of use have not suffered at all.

It is important that one of the main disadvantages turned out to be unimportant for hunters - the difficulty of reloading. 10 rounds in the magazine is enough to hit any prey. And you usually have to reload a weapon without haste, without your hands trembling from the heat of battle. Therefore, the SKS hunting carbine has gained considerable popularity among hunters.

Device

In essence, the operating principle of a self-loading carbine is no different from rifles produced during the Great Patriotic War. Any smooth-bore weapon requires the presence of a gas tube, a piston, a return mechanism, and so on. The SKS differs only in its box magazine and spring-loaded pusher, which make it self-loading. However, it is still worth taking a closer look at all its components so as not to miss anything important.

So, Simonov’s hunting carbine consists of the following parts:

• a barrel with a receiver attached to it;
• gas piston with spring-loaded pusher;
• gas tube equipped with a lining;
• trigger mechanism;
• return mechanism;
• gate;
• stock and wooden butt;
• box magazine;
• sighting device;
• integral wedge-type bayonet.

In addition, each carbine should include a pencil case with various accessories for caring and cleaning the weapon. Also often accompanied by it is a bag for storing cartridges for the SKS carbine and loaded clips. It has a strong belt with variable length.

Design

Unlike the same Kalashnikov assault rifle, the SKS has undergone virtually no changes since its very first appearance, and modern civilian versions either do not differ at all from the army ones, or the differences are insignificant. Typically, in civilian SKS, the bayonet lug is removed, the sighting devices are slightly changed, or the weapon is converted to versions for calibers other than 7.62x39.

• Weight - 3600 g
• Barrel length - 520 mm
• Total length - 1020 mm

The carbine's automation operates on the basis of the removal of powder gases. The massive bolt frame locks the barrel bore with a skewed sliding bolt - engagement with one combat edge is sufficient for the energy of the 7.62x39 cartridge, and this design greatly simplifies the design of the weapon.

Another important feature is the independent gas piston rod, which imparts movement to the bolt frame through a pusher. This design of the gas engine assembly, although more complex than in the AK platform, due to the reduction in longitudinal vibrations during firing, has a very positive effect on the accuracy of the carbine.

The trigger for an army carbine does not imply automatic fire, so it was transferred to the civilian version without changes - this also has a positive effect on the reliability and durability of the weapon. The safety lever is located on the back of the trigger guard.

The factory-configured carbine is fed from an integral 10-place magazine, which is loaded from clips of different capacities - for this purpose, the bolt frame has special guide grooves. You can load it by hand, directly through the bolt window, but this is inconvenient - you can hardly do it with gloves.

You can also replace the fixed magazine with detachable box magazines, which are more familiar to modern shooters - this may require a little modification to the stock, but it's worth it. Detachable magazines will allow you to install optical sights of any size on your weapon, since they will not interfere with reloading the carbine.

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In general, despite its seeming archaic nature, the SKS is a very flexible platform for tuning, and its already good parameters can be increased even further. You can change the wooden stock to a polymer orthopedic one, install an effective DTK, brackets for optics, a pistol grip and many other parts of the body kit. Sometimes, after deep tuning, it can be very difficult to recognize a carbine.

Modern tuning kits turn the SKS into something completely different

Principle of operation

Now you know the characteristics of the SKS carbine and its design. This knowledge will help you in the future after purchasing a weapon. It's time to understand what the operating principle is so that you can distinguish it from other hunting rifles.

After the shooter pulls the trigger, the hammer inside the weapon is unlocked and a shot is fired. Some of the gases from the shot escape along with the ballistic projectile and through an additional hole located on the barrel. However, more of them affect the bolt and gas piston. As a result of this, the barrel opens, acting on the return spring, which again cocks the hammer into the firing position.

With the help of a spring ejector, the spent cartridge case jumps out, and the force of the return mechanism sends the bolt forward, while equipping the barrel with a new cartridge. After the end of the stroke, the bolt is locked in the forward position until the next shot is fired. If the magazine of the SKS carbine runs out of all cartridges, the bolt will be set to delay, which will signal the shooter to replenish the ammunition.

Advantages

The first thing that catches your eye when purchasing a Simonov SKS self-loading carbine is its price. It settled around 10-12 thousand rubles per sample. For comparison, the Saiga 20C smoothbore carbine, also intended for hunting, costs from 20 to 30 thousand rubles, depending on the configuration. That is, two or even three times more expensive than SCS.

The 7.62 x 39mm ammunition is among the cheapest on the market. Therefore, the weapon is ideal for beginners or those who are poorly trained in shooting smoothbore weapons. You certainly won't go broke on ammunition.

It is also worth noting the highest reliability of this carbine. Like any other weapon produced for the needs of the armed forces of the USSR, the SKS carbine underwent a series of severe field tests. In wartime, the weapon worked flawlessly, even if the conditions of its use were very far from sterile. During the war, there was not always enough time to clean the carbine after combat, but the lack of careful care did not in any way affect the performance of the SKS. Perhaps these were the main requirements during the development of the Simonov carbine - reliability, like a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

Also, one of the main advantages of the SKS is the high accuracy and good balance of the weapon. Such qualities allow you to install an optical sight on the carbine, after which it becomes perhaps the best carbine for hunting in its price category.

Answers from the Okhotnik Group of Companies to questions about Denel PMP cartridges

Not long ago, we, together with the Group, invited you to discuss the topic of choosing cartridges for rifled weapons in the context of using Denel PMP. Throughout August, you left your questions about the use of these cartridges in a special topic on the forum. Today, experts from the Okhotnik Group of Companies answer the most interesting of them.

— Is the shell and core not soldered? Judging by information from the Internet, in the carcass the bullet is fragmented into 3 components, which are then very difficult to find simultaneously.

— The fragmentation of a bullet depends not only on its design. The sum of factors influences: the distance of the shot, whether there were obstacles along the way, for example, branches, whether the bullet hit the bone or not. The design of Denel PMP bullets is slightly different in the Standart and ProAmm series of cartridges - the difference is shown on the back of the cartridge packaging (see photo). We assume that the Standard bullet is more prone to fragmentation, although we have not actually encountered such cases. According to our information, semi-jacketed bullets of both series of Denel PMP cartridges open almost identically - in the shape of a “mushroom”, without falling apart in the carcass. This is evidenced by Okhotnik clients and employees who used Denel PMP cartridges while hunting. In addition, we conducted a test shooting into the ballistic block, the results of which are shown in the photographs: the entrance and exit holes, the block in a section along the path of the bullet. As you can see, the bullet did not fragment. The shooting was carried out with a PMP Standard cartridge, caliber 30-06, SP 10.89g bullet from a Merkel RX.Helix carbine, from a rest, at a distance of 100m in an indoor shooting range.

— Is the cartridges clean? Is the barrel dirty?

— The short answer is: they are no more dirty than other imported cartridges. This is the general opinion of the Group's employees. However, assessing the contamination of a weapon after shooting is a subjective matter. And we have some statistics on such subjective opinions, obtained during the “Testing Together” campaign in 2015 from its participants. A total of 30 contamination ratings were recorded after firing Denel PMP cartridges from weapons of different models: 15 “Moderate” ratings and 15 “Weak” ratings. Note: none of those who tested the cartridges considered the contamination of the weapon to be severe! We also heard that the Denel PMP cartridge is called “Clean”?

- Initial bullet speed? Maximum bullet weight?

— These data differ depending on the caliber, type of bullet, series of cartridges... See the table of technical characteristics of Denel PMP cartridges (specifications in Excel format can be found on the Group’s website).

—Aren't bullets magnetic?

- No, they are not magnetic. The materials from which the bullets are made are high-quality copper and lead.

— Calibers for small game\medium trophies\large trophies? If they were developed in South Africa, doesn't it mean that the focus is on large, thick-skinned animals?

— The design of the bullets allows you to shoot any type of animal in accordance with the selected caliber. We know of many cases of successful use of Denel PMP cartridges in hunting ungulates in Russia and Belarus, and bears in different regions.

— How much mass does the bullet lose when passing through the body and how does it crumple?

— Micro changes in the mass of the bullet are possible; it collapses in the form of a mushroom. For clarity, here is a description of a specific hunt with Denel PMP cartridges, ProAmm bullet, 11.66 grams, Merkel RX.Helix carbine, caliber .308 Win.Mag. and photos of bullets recovered from trophies.

“The next trophies were wild boars. Everything was simple with them. Since they were mined from a tower at a distance of up to 100 meters, they fell as if decimated when hit in place. Not a single bullet remained in the beast's body. All of them passed right through, since the boars did not exceed 120 kilograms. The wound channels had acceptable hematomas, which confirmed the preservation of the integrity of the bullet as it passed through the body of the animal.

I wanted to see how the bullet expands and what shape it has after expansion. For this I needed a serious trophy, such as a good elk, and I was waiting for the opening of the roar hunt, one of my favorites. I hoped to once again outwit the seasoned bull, luring him with the sounds of a moose cow, and “break in” a new cartridge for myself. I will not describe the details of this hunt, but will dwell only on the fact that I killed an elk. It was a good bull with 13 shoots, weighing over 500 kilograms. The shooting distance was 8 meters strictly to the side of the elk's shoulder blade. The bullet classically passed almost the entire body of the elk, piercing two shoulder blades and lungs, and got stuck under the skin on the opposite side. After removing the bullet, I noted good opening - the bullet took the shape of a mushroom and at the same time retained its mass. The elk, by inertia, flew 10 meters after being hit and collapsed dead.

Then there was a hunt with dogs, and I killed a medium-sized bull and a young cow using RMR cartridges. In both cases, the cartridge worked “excellently.” The extracted bullets were like twins - in the shape of a mushroom and with the same mass. Wound hematomas are acceptable for this caliber. All the moose were taken with one shot.” (Excerpt from an article by Sergei Beshentsev from the Russian Hunting Magazine for February 2016, full text here: Experiments with PMP cartridges).

— Why, if you have inexpensive weapons, should you give preference to RMR cartridges?

— Because in terms of price and quality ratio, today this cartridge has no analogues in Russia.

— There is an opinion that PMR cartridges are essentially the same as the Czech S&B. Is it so? Or what are the differences/advantages?

— There are many subjective opinions about cartridges, their differences and advantages. It is important which cartridge suits a particular shooter and his weapon. In the report on the “Testing Together” campaign, we provide data on the weapons that the participants fired from and their impressions. For example, there is this: “In general, the first impression is very good. In a closed shooting range they were very crowded. At the same time, a silver belot was shooting with bullets. They fell with a wide spread. Although in fairness it should be noted that the barrel was overheated and did not allow it to cool. What could have caused the scatter.” And here’s another: “Subjectively, the cartridge is superior to a similar one produced by PPU, is on the same level with GECO products, but is inferior to Lapua Mega. It differs from PPU, for the better, in low barrel contamination, and from Lapua, for the worse, in the uniformity of components.” Or this: “Before that I tried Serbian and Czech cartridges. I couldn't get them together. The African ones flew very well.” Many participants in the action note good accuracy, stable results, comfortable recoil when firing Denel PMP cartridges, and by visual assessment they compare them with Norma or Lapua cartridges. We recommend that you read the report on the “Testing Together” campaign in full.

— The cartridges are African, and the frost is Siberian... Is this comparable?

- Comparable. In South Africa at night during the hunting season it can be -12 degrees, so it cannot be said that in Africa they are not familiar with negative temperatures. And Denel PMP cartridges are very popular among hunters there. Our clients have already managed to hunt with these cartridges in winter in Russia - so far no one has complained. In January 2016, Mikhail Degtyarev tested Denel PMP cartridges in cold weather of -28 degrees at the shooting range: accuracy of two types of weapons at 100m, flight path at 200 and 300 meters. The test results were published in the February issue of Kalashnikov magazine. The full text of the article can be viewed on the “Hunter” website (Minus 30, if the announcer is not lying...), here we present 2 small excerpts from the final part of this material.

“What can we say based on the results of our three-hour experiment? The main thing, perhaps, is that the South African patron can be trusted. Working normally with a semi-automatic in extreme cold, it certainly won’t let you down in more comfortable conditions.”

“In fact, I initially had fewer doubts about the ability of PMR cartridges to work normally in the cold than I did not want to freeze in the fresh air, since I have an idea about the parent company Denel SOC Ltd., which includes Denel Pretoria Metal Pressings (PMR trademark) . The company is a world-renowned manufacturer and exporter of a wide range of weapons systems, from grenade launchers to missiles and aircraft systems, and RMR's ​​promotional materials proudly mention the fact that almost half of the rifle cartridges used by the Allied forces during World War II were .303 British. (almost 800,000,000 units) was manufactured in Pretoria at the plant, which today is called RMR. So, historically, RMR is one of the manufacturers with a solid reputation, capable of producing cartridges for the global market and for use in a wide variety of climatic conditions.”

For those wishing to learn more about Denel PMP cartridges, we recommend a selection of media articles on the Group’s website:

— Price and how to buy in Novosibirsk?

— The cost of Denel PMP cartridges can be viewed in the Okhotnik online store: PMP cartridges. We recommend setting similar prices for our regional partners who purchase ammunition from us in bulk. But they have their own circumstances, so prices may vary from place to place.

Unfortunately, there is currently no seller of Denel PMP cartridges in Novosibirsk. The place is vacant, are we waiting for proposals for wholesale purchases?

Here are several addresses of stores in other cities of Siberia:

"Rifle Manufactory" - Krasnoyarsk, st. Vzlyotnaya, 24, tel.

“Siberian Trophy” - Kemerovo, Kuznetsky Ave., 115a, tel: +7 (3842) 280-900

“Paritet Plus” - Irkutsk, st. Sukhbaatar, 15, tel: +7 (3952) 333-133, 258-008

“Cousin Hunting” - Irkutsk, st. Mayskaya, 25, tel.

“Hunting in Discovery” - Angarsk, 254 quarter, no. 2, office. 2/1, tel: +7 (395-2) 20-90-34, 26-50-17, 26-50-16

Flaws

Judging by the reviews of hunters and owners, the SKS carbine is far from an ideal weapon and has a lot of shortcomings. For example, low killing power often becomes the subject of criticism from many owners. However, this feature in most cases is explained by the use of 7.62 x 39 mm cartridges, rather than by a disadvantage of the weapon itself. The fact is that this caliber was developed to defeat enemy personnel, and people, as you know, weigh much less than any adult elk or wild boar.

This disadvantage is most noticeable when using standard army ammunition, which does not allow hunting for game that is larger than a fox or wolf. To avoid a shortage of stopping power, it is recommended to use special hunting cartridges of 7.62 caliber, equipped with a semi-jacketed or hollow-point bullet. Although this problem will still not be completely solved.

Nevertheless, in the hands of an experienced hunter who knows the anatomy of animals and knows how to hit vital organs, the SKS self-loading carbine is a fairly formidable weapon even for a bear. If you have a collimator or optical sight, hitting the animal's head will not be difficult.

In addition, the lack of destructive power is more than compensated by the accuracy of fire and rate of fire of this weapon. While another hunter is reloading a smoothbore rifle, the owner of Simonov's carbine will be able to hit the game at least three times. Therefore, the efficiency of hunting can be increased not by the quality, but at least by the number of hits on the prey.

Our Scout: AK or SKS?

In the classical sense, the Blazer .308 caliber fits into the concept of a “scout”: lightweight, reliable, accurate, but its price on the American market cannot be called affordable.

Likewise, in our price range, only conversion samples are suitable for a “scout”, and even then not all of them.

There is a good option in 7.62x54 caliber - the Mosin rifle, or more precisely, a carbine: a long barrel is inconvenient for a universal rifle and makes it heavier, but a carbine fits perfectly.

The advantages of the “mosinki” are obvious: inexpensive, easy to use and maintain, absolutely reliable and quite accurate. When choosing, you just need to carefully approach the issue of assessing the wear of the weapon.

If the barrel is new, from Vyatskie Polyany, then this is almost an ideal option: you get a high-quality forged barrel, and even chrome-plated.

If the barrel is “original”, then you will receive a pin in the barrel as a trim mark or core. The latter is preferable, but is extremely rare; small quantities of these rifles, converted at Izhmash, can only be found on the secondary market.

Rifles with a “native” barrel require attention when choosing. Essentially, they should be selected as an aftermarket weapon, carefully assessing barrel wear and remembering that no external inspection can replace a test shoot. As they say, practice is the best indicator of quality.

Read the material “Universal Scout rifle: cartridges and optics”

Installing scout-type optics on a Mosinka is simple: just remove the rear sight and install a sight in its place.

It’s also a good idea to dress the rifle in plastic (although an inexpensive option from ATI was previously available, but today its price does not at all correspond to the concept of a “scout” rifle). As a result, we get an inexpensive, reliable and fairly accurate carbine.

The second thing worth considering is a weapon created on the basis of the 7.62x39 cartridge. In my opinion, it is perfectly suited to the role of a universal rifle.

It is compact, lightweight, has low recoil, and, which is important for a universal weapon, its cartridges are relatively inexpensive. Today the 7.62x39 cartridge is one of the most affordable in price.

Due to the huge circulation and prevalence, as well as the fact that it is still in limited service, its price starts at 8 rubles apiece.

At the same time, the cartridge has good ballistics and a good (compared to 5.45x39) stopping effect. So this is the first candidate for our scout rifle ammunition.

It should be noted that bolt-action rifles are also produced for this cartridge, for example the Titan-6 or the old Bars, but they are not easy to find.

Unfortunately, the prices for this and similar weapons cannot be called affordable, although the very idea of ​​having a bolt-action rifle chambered for 7.62x39 looks attractive.

In general, given the price and availability, we can only choose AK-Moids and SKS. Let's talk about them.

AK-SHAPED

This is a huge and diverse world of our weapons. It includes conversions from army AKs, AKMs, RPKs and other modifications of our machine guns and light machine guns produced during the Soviet era.

I must say, the quality of this weapon is very good. If it has not been used and the crimp marks are installed carefully, then such a weapon fully corresponds to the price that is asked for it.

The main problem is how to choose a weapon that has not been used or has been used very little.

Read the material “The FSB shooting at Lubyanka highlighted the problems of Saiga carbines”

The second part of the market is weapons currently produced: the Vepri from the Vyatsko-Polyansky plant and various modifications of the Saiga, produced first by Izhmash and now by the Kalashnikov Concern.

All Vepr carbines are heavy because they are made on a heavier Kalashnikov machine gun frame and are equipped with cold-forged chrome-plated barrels of excellent quality, thicker than on the Saiga.

This makes the products of Vyatskiye Polyany brutal, but immediately affects the weight: all “Vepri”, even with short barrels and in plastic, weigh more than four kilograms.

Today, Saigas are made on the basis of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, or rather, on the basis of the hundredth series of these assault rifles. Although they also have a forged and chrome-plated barrel, they weigh just over three and a half kilograms.

All AK-shaped variants are well suited for the role of a domestic “scout” rifle; the weight, of course, is a little high, but we will assume that this is a feature of our weapons and, of course, the price to pay for the fact that we get a semi-automatic rifle, and not a rifle with a manual reloading.

I think this is both possible and correct, I suspect that if Cooper had such a “history” in the form of a large number of high-quality, reliable and, importantly, inexpensive weapons, he would certainly have thought about the version of the semi-automatic Scout rifle.

But let's return to our AKs. Today, installing a long sight on an AK is not a problem.

There are a huge number of options: gas exhaust tubes with an integrated weaver, and covers for these tubes, and a very good bracket that is installed in place of the sighting bar and makes it possible to get a weaver bar in the most convenient place for installing a “scout” sight.

At the same time, when you remove the sight, you get a rear sight (though only at one distance) with which you can shoot. Shoot him straight and you'll always have a backup option in case your optical sight fails.

So, as we see, AK-shaped rifles are quite a successful platform for developing the idea of ​​a completely universal rifle for all occasions. They are simple, reliable, and have a big advantage in the form of a replaceable magazine and, as a result, the ability to use any magazine from five-round to “monster” magazines with seventy-two rounds.

When installing a “scout” sight, we get a carbine that is convenient to work with almost any animal and at a distance of up to 300 meters.

CARBINES BASED ON SKS

The SKS is good, but in Russia the truly best option to replace the Scout rifle is the SKS, developed at the end of the Great Patriotic War as a carbine, and not as an assault rifle.

With all his appearance he says: “I am a rifle, not a machine gun.” If you like the look of an assault rifle, you can buy a plastic body kit and turn your carbine into a weapon with a folding stock, pistol grip and a high-capacity magazine.

But SKS is truly good in its native form. Of course, you can change the stock to a classic, but plastic one, which will reduce the weight of the carbine and improve the ergonomics, but this is not necessary. The capacity of a standard magazine is ten rounds - what is needed for citizens, since the law prohibits more.

Read the material: “A gun for the wilderness”

SCS has one advantage that is often underestimated. This is a skewed barrel locking and a longer barrel. An AK with such a barrel becomes bulky, and the SKS is compact (by the way, its length is exactly a meter, like the Mosin carbine).

These design features produce a bullet velocity 10% higher than the same cartridges produce on a standard AK. It would seem that 10% is not much, but for the 7.62x39 cartridge, which teeters on the edge of “weak for hunting,” this is a noticeable figure.

The SKS itself is reliable and unpretentious, has good accuracy and fires almost any 7.62x39 caliber cartridges. I don’t know of a single case when a standard SCS, without alterations and improvements, jammed or caused delays. It works great in both cold and hot weather.

SKS has always had the problem of installing an optical sight. On the one hand, it does not have a standard mount for a sight, and therefore there are no universal brackets, like the Saiga.

On the other hand, the SKS ejects the cartridges upward, so if the sight is mounted traditionally, then you need to figure out how to change the direction of ejection of the cartridges so that they do not hit the sight.

In this case, a long-focus sight is an excellent choice: it does not block the bolt, it remains possible to load the weapon from clips, and in addition, it does not interfere with the cartridges flying out after the shot.

Such a sight expands the capabilities of the SKS, especially if it is variable, say, from 1 to 3. With such a sight, at short distances the sight works as a collimator and it is possible to make an accurate shot at a distance of up to 300 meters.

The choice of SCS is a separate topic. The fact is that, for obvious reasons, SCS is not produced today, so in any case you will be buying a used one.

I strongly recommend looking for the SKS, which was sold in the early 90s of the last century, before the introduction into law of the rule on identifying civilian weapons and distinguishing them from army weapons. There are quite a lot of such weapons, and the absence of a pin has a positive effect on its quality, especially if it is not very worn.

If such problems do not worry you, then in the store you can find quite good samples for relatively little money, and, interestingly, they will have both a bayonet lug and an unsawn sighting rib.

What conclusions can be drawn? The theme of the “scout” carbine intersects with our popular theme of the so-called “expeditionary carbine.” In both cases, a universal weapon is considered for all occasions, inexpensive both in itself and in operation.

Read the material: ““Hunting” weapons of World War II are being forced out of stores”

The “scout” rifle fully satisfies the requirements of an “expeditionary carbine”. Of course, for hunting large animals it is better to have a power reserve, and for a universal carbine a weapon with a caliber of 7.62x54 would be more suitable for us.

But based on a combination of factors, such as versatility, price of weapons and ammunition, weight of weapons and ammunition, weapons in 7.62x39 caliber look much more interesting. And according to the same characteristics, the good old SKS will be most suitable.

Perhaps many gun enthusiasts will disagree with this, but it seems to me that this is exactly the case.

Alexander Kudryashov May 20, 2022 at 12:48 pm

Tuning

If you are not satisfied with the minimalist military design of a self-loading carbine, you can easily change it with the help of various foreign-made accessories, which are presented in large quantities on the Russian market. You can replace almost anything, from scopes to pistol grips instead of fore-ends and stocks. There is also the possibility of replacing the standard non-removable magazine with a more convenient and traditional option. This opportunity will be especially relevant for those owners who are not satisfied with the constant use of a clip.

The possibility of extensive modification allows not only to give the carbine a more modern look, but also to significantly improve its ergonomic characteristics. But it’s still worth considering that such accessories will cost the owner of the SKS a tidy sum, which often exceeds the cost of the carbine itself.

Shooting

To zero in the SKS carbine, it is recommended to go to a shooting range or wait for a clear and windless day, since the trajectory of a ballistic projectile is influenced by a huge number of natural factors: precipitation, air humidity, wind strength, and so on. It is also advisable to use a special locking machine, which allows you to achieve a stationary position of the weapon during zeroing. If this is not possible, then any convenient horizontal surface or a bag filled with sand is used as a support.

SKS shooting is carried out with live ammunition at iron targets with shooting range markings, which are located at a distance of 20 meters from the shooter. If you want to zero your optics or collimator, it is recommended to do a cold zero first in order to save ammunition. To do this, you will need to align the aiming bar on the lens with the front sight. You can also use special lasers that are placed in the muzzle of a weapon. After this procedure, the weapon will be practically configured. You will only need to fire a few shots to be sure of this.

If you decide to immediately start hot shooting, then under no circumstances rush. When adjusting the optics, adjust only one position at a time - vertical or horizontal. Otherwise, you risk getting confused in the calculations and losing a lot of time shooting. After the difference between the point of impact of the projectiles and the aiming point is minimal, we increase the distance to the targets and repeat the procedure.

The final zeroing of the SKS carbine in natural conditions is carried out from a distance of no more than 300 meters. Shooting at a distance above this indicator is considered sniper and requires the shooter not only practical skills, but also theoretical knowledge. As mentioned in the weapon characteristics section, the direct shot distance is approximately 365 meters. After this, the bullet will lower its trajectory under the influence of gravity. Plus, even the slightest breath of wind can move a ballistic projectile several meters to the side.

About shooting with RMR cartridges

Photo of the gate

If possible, I will structure my notes in such a way as to provide answers to the maximum number of questions posed by the importing company and presented in the table “Report on the testing of RMR cartridges.”

Having studied all the inscriptions on the pack, I found with difficulty very little (discreet) information about the bullet. It would not hurt to indicate the type and weight of the bullet more prominently on the pack. I begin these “Notes” with a story about the accuracy test I carried out on the .308-caliber PMR cartridge, equipped with an SP bullet weighing 10.89 grams.

Indoor shooting range. Firing distance 100 meters.

For the test, I took a rifle built on the basis of a Tikka T3 Varmint stainless barrel with receiver and bolt-trigger group. The Schmidt & Bender PM II 3-12×50 optical sight is mounted on an EAW (Ernst Apel GmbH) rotary mount. All shots with the tested cartridge were fired with the maximum possible magnification for this scope, 12x, by the most ordinary amateur shooter. Of the proposed options for bullets for .308-caliber PMR cartridges - 9.27 g FMJBT, 9.72 g SP, 10.89 g SP, 11.66 g SP - the third one was chosen, weighing 10.89 grams. Up to 300 m, I shot a lot while hunting with Norma cartridges equipped with a Nosler Ballistik Tip bullet weighing 9.7 g (150 g), and at a distance of 100 m in an indoor shooting range I used Sako cartridges with a Range bullet weighing 6.6 g (102 g). On June 30 I tried the RMR cartridge.

The illumination in the 100-meter gallery is sufficient, but for my old man’s taste, more light could be added. Therefore, the illumination is a four. The shooting was carried out while sitting. From the bipod and rear (heel) rest, which is equipped with the stock of my rifle. I repeat: the scope was zeroed for a shot at a distance of 100 m with a Range bullet weighing 6.6 g (102 g). I fire the test cartridge. The bullet lands at point A (see picture). I take measurements carefully with a caliper. The elevation above the aiming point is 3 cm (31.0 mm), horizontal deviation to the left is 2 cm (21.5 mm). I'm making amendments. Vertical: delta h -3 kl. Horizontal: right +2 kl. Shot. The bullet pierces the target at point B. This convinces me that the bullet “obeys” the introduced correction well. Having thus carried out zeroing with one shot, I did not get a group at a distance of 100 m. Because, firstly, I felt that with this bullet, at this distance, from this rifle, it would be very easy to get a group. Secondly, I think that they will send a lot of such groups.

Indoor shooting range. Firing distance 200 meters.

On July 1, in the closed shooting range of the Fox Nora shooting complex, in excellent lighting (5 points), naturally, without wind, I installed: an SP .308 caliber bullet weighing 10.89 g, an RMR cartridge (subject to zeroing - 100 m at “0”) at a distance of 200 m “sags” by 146 mm, practically without deviating along the horizon. The next two shots fired at this range produced bullets that were 26.3 mm (1.03 in) center to center, which corresponds to 0.5 MOA. The result for a hunting (not target!) cartridge equipped with a hunting “half-shell” is very suitable.

Shot at a marmot.

Each discipline: shooting in a closed shooting range, open shooting range (I’ll add: at a shooting range, shooting range) provides certain, complementary valuable information. But if we raise the question of full testing of hunting ammunition, then we can make a conclusion about its practical applicability, advantages and disadvantages only on the basis of a shot in natural conditions at a real hunting object. On July 1, the hunt for marmots opened in the southern regions of Russia. Those who have shot marmots know that this small animal should only be hit in the head. This is what you need for a field hunting test!

The tested PMR Standard cartridge, equipped with an SP bullet, as follows from what has already been said here, demonstrated decent accuracy at the shooting range - zeroing “100 m at 0” was carried out with one shot, with accuracy acceptable for varmint hunting. Moreover, the ammunition in question is, of course, not Varminter. And I, of course, don’t plan to use this cartridge on a marmot. I chose this hunting object only to answer the question: whether I could “shoot on point” with the tested cartridge in real hunting conditions.

July 4, 2015, Saturday. Belgorod region, Gubkinsky district, surroundings of Olshanka.

Clear day. Not a cloud, not a breeze. Almost completely calm. The comrades who invited us to hunt helped set up a shooting position in the shade of the forest plantation trees. The sun, rising high behind me, through the foliage of the trees beautifully (5 points) illuminated the opposite slope of the beam and the four marmots on it. From the firing line to them - 150 meters. 150 meters is, of course, not a distance for Russian sport varminting. At 150 meters you often have to shoot from a rifled weapon during Central Russian hunts. And besides, dear reader probably remembers that at the shooting ranges I “nailed” 100 and 200 meters. 150 - haven't checked. This means that the correction (as in the case of zeroing with one shot at 100 m - see the corresponding section and figure) when shooting at 150 meters will also be obtained by calculation. This is an additional important condition for the test.

At about 10 o'clock, when a small yearling marmot was far enough away from the hole, it fired. He shot while sitting from the table.

Got it. When I saw the animal up close, I was convinced that I had hit where I had shot, in the head.

Next - forgive me. I am writing for a hunters' newspaper - not greens or animal rights activists. And the cute animal marmot in this case is a “laboratory” animal. I didn’t come to hunt marmots for their valuable fat and fur. I came to test hunting ammunition. And the nature of the wound it inflicts (otherwise everything could be completed at the shooting range) is a very important parameter for a full test. So: the skull was torn apart, the brain was thrown out. For comparison, a Berger bullet (of the same caliber) “pierces” a groundhog’s head like an awl.

About the operation of parts and mechanisms of weapons with the tested cartridge and about contamination of weapons after firing.

The operation of weapon parts and mechanisms with the tested cartridge did not cause any complaints. Highest mark. (In the table it is designated as “good”). There were no delays in firing due to misfires or failure to eject the cartridge case. I can’t say anything about the failure to supply a cartridge from the magazine. I always load one cartridge at a time. This is a long-standing habit of mine. But I report separately on weapons contamination. When cleaning the bore I use Finnish milfoam “Forrest”. The ultramarine canister contains instructions for its use. It says: “The appearance of a blue color indicates the process of copper oxidation.” It’s curious, but I have never observed the blue color when cleaning weapons.

In the description accompanying the cross-sectional image of a bullet (though from the PROAMM series), placed on page 23 of the July (for the current year) magazine “Hunting and Fishing XXI Century,” Fr. The definition of “high quality” copper made me wonder, “What? Is the material from which bullets from other manufacturers are made different from copper? Low quality? When cleaning the bore after shooting at shooting ranges on June 30 and July 1 with different bullets, the wiping material acquired a “normal” dark gray (“lead”) color. But after the only (!) shot fired by the test cartridge at a marmot on the 4th of July, when cleaning the rifle, I used a cleaning rod to push out a thick liquid of the purest ultramarine color from the bore. So this is what may be “encrypted” in the company’s signature ultramarine color! The material from which the bullets it produces are made. High quality copper!

Accuracy test result.

Based on the results obtained during testing, we can draw the following conclusions: - the tested SP bullet of the South African-made PMR cartridge “obeys well” the correction obtained by calculation; — the bullet is suitable (for now I can only talk about a high-quality Varminter barrel) for hunting shooting “to the point” at distances up to 200 m; - judging by the nature of the wound inflicted on it, the bullet of the tested ammunition is very suitable for hunting larger animals. The test of the South African cartridge continues.

Vitaly Palych August 14, 2015 at 00:00

Hunting use

Are you wondering “who can you hunt with an SKS carbine in Russia?” The high rate of fire, reliability and other technical characteristics allow you to use the Simonov self-loading carbine when hunting many wild animals. It is best, of course, to carry out a minimal upgrade of the weapon before installing an optical sight on it, which will allow you to shoot from a hunting hole at large predators.

However, this model of weapon is most often used when hunting medium-sized fur-bearing animals (hare, fox, beaver, badger). The SKS performs quite well during night hunting for wolves and wild boars. However, the latter option requires stealth and stealth, so it is recommended to additionally equip the carbine with a muzzle brake and a flash suppressor. It would be a good idea to equip your weapon with a thermal imager or night vision device.

Sometimes hunting with SCS is carried out for game birds from the approach. The weapon is best suited for hunting pheasants on a lek. The use of rifled weapons while hunting ducks and geese is permitted only in the fall. The recommended shooting distance is 100 meters.

Assembly and disassembly

All maintenance and lubrication work is carried out with specially designed items when the carbine is completely or partially disassembled. Partial disassembly of the SCS should be carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. We check that the weapon is completely unloaded by inspecting the bolt.
2. We remove the pencil case from the body, located in a special section of the butt, and also prepare all the working accessories.
3. We remove the cleaning rod.
4. Remove the receiver cover.
5. Disconnect the return mechanism and the shutter.
6. We disconnect the bolt frame from the stem.
7. Remove the gas tube from the receiver.
8. Remove the gas piston.

Assembly is carried out in reverse order. If you remember from life safety lessons how to disassemble a Kalashnikov assault rifle, then you should not have any particular difficulties, since these two processes are in many ways similar.

Complete disassembly is carried out only if it is necessary to thoroughly clean the carbine after increased contamination. It should also be carried out after using the weapon during precipitation, during repair and lubrication work, or when replacing carbine parts.

Complete disassembly of the SCS must be carried out indoors in a specially equipped place for work (spacious table, workbench) in the following sequence:

1. We carry out incomplete disassembly of the weapon according to the algorithm described above.
2. Remove the pusher with the mechanism and its spring.
3. We dismantle the trigger mechanism and then disassemble it using the case body.
4. We remove the mainspring.
5. We delete the store.
6. We dismantle the barrel and receiver.
7. Remove the return mechanism.
8. We disconnect the firing pin from the ejector and the bolt.

After completing all repair and lubrication work, perform assembly in the reverse order. All parts of the weapon should be handled with special care, since even the slightest impact can cause damage. All complete disassembly operations should only be carried out if necessary, while maintaining maximum safety precautions.

Lubrication

During the warm season, it is recommended to use a special gun lubricant. which contains alkali, which helps get rid of carbon deposits in the barrel bore and other parts of the weapon that have been exposed to powder gases. When the air temperature is low, you should purchase liquid gun lubricant.

If you use the SKS carbine in low temperature conditions, it is recommended to mix approximately 20% TS-1 aviation fuel into the gun lubricant, or use AMG-10 oil. When cleaning and lubricating the rifle, you should use only tools specifically designed for this purpose. Any foreign objects may leave unwanted scratches on the weapon.

Judging by the reviews of owners and hunters, the SKS carbine is one of the best devices for shooting medium-sized fur-bearing animals and large birds from a long distance. To hunt larger animals, it is best to purchase a smoothbore shotgun or a more powerful rifle model. However, in this price category, this weapon is one of the most reliable carbines in the civilian version. Complete with an optical sight, the SKS carbine will become an indispensable companion for any hunter who values ​​not only lethal force in a weapon, but also other characteristics.

PMP cartridge test

01.10.2015

The shortage of imported hunting cartridges for rifled weapons, which arose last year in our market, in one way or another affected many hunters and sports shooters. Sako, RWS, Lapua, Norma, popular in the past among even middle-income buyers, are now out of reach for most at a price. Agree, not everyone can afford to pay 400-500 rubles per shot. The range of calibers and types of bullets in stores is “take what’s left.” Until recently, the situation was only revived by the products of the Serbian plant Prvi Partizan - PPU, which appeared on the shelves at the beginning of 2015, average quality at an average price. And now, at the beginning of the autumn hunting season, pleasant and long-awaited news: cartridges for rifled weapons from South Africa

For Russia, such a cartridge is new, but this does not mean at all that the domestic hunter is not familiar with it. Many of those who have been on safari in Africa know firsthand about PMR brand cartridges - they are used everywhere there by both professional hunters and clients hunting with rented weapons. From the reviews of hunters who have tested the cartridge in action, some statistics emerge about stable quality, good accuracy, and reliable performance of the bullet against animals.

The appearance of PMR cartridges in stores aroused a desire to test such a cartridge, and with passion, that is, to select several of the most common calibers and, in addition to shooting for accuracy, measure the speed characteristics of the cartridge, check the stability of the powder charge, the stability of the weight of the bullets themselves, their seating height in the case .

The following calibers were selected for testing:

- .243 Win. In this caliber, the RMR company produces cartridges with two types of hunting ammunition: the RMR series. Standard with an SP bullet (Soft Point, semi-jacketed) weighing 80 grains (5.18 grams); ProAmm series with SP bullet weighing 100 grains (6.48 grams);

- .308 Win. This caliber produces PMP.Standart series cartridges with FMJBT (Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail) bullets weighing 143 grains (9.27 grams), SP bullets weighing 168 grains (10.89 grams), as well as series ProAmm with 150 grain (9.72 grams) and 180 grain (11.66 grams) SP bullets;

- .30-06 S. The PMP.Standart series cartridges are produced with BR bullets weighing 143 grains (9.27 grams) and 168 grains (10.89 grams), as well as the ProAtt series with 8P bullets weighing 150 grains (9.72 grams ) and 180 grains (11.66 grams);

- 9.3x62. ProAmm series cartridges are available with SP bullets weighing 286 grains (18.53 grams). Based on the twists (rifling pitch) of the rifles from which the shooting will be carried out, and, accordingly, bullets suitable for the weight of a certain twist are selected from the whole variety: in caliber .243 Win., PMR series cartridge. Standard with 80 grain SP bullet in .308 Win caliber. - ProAmm series cartridge with SP 180 grain bullet, in caliber .30-06S - PMP.Standart series cartridge with SP 168 grain bullet, in 9.3x62 caliber - ProAmm series cartridge with SP 286 grain bullet.

Weapons used during the shooting: Blaser R8 carbine, .243 Win caliber barrel. with a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15×50 optical sight, a 30-06 S and 9.3×62 barrel with a Kahles CSX 2.5-10×50 sight, and a Sako75 carbine in .308 Win. with Vortex Viper 4-16×50 scope.

Each selected weapon did not sit idle in the safe and was in constant use: hunting, training at the target shooting range, so the performance of each rifled barrel on the previously selected cartridge was known and stable. For example: a Blaser barrel in .243 caliber with a cartridge with a Scenar90 match bullet consistently gave results of 0.3-0.5 MOA, a second barrel in .30-06 S caliber with a Sako cartridge showed 0.6-0.8 MOA. The 9.3×62 barrel from another Blaser, even with a collimator installed, consistently shot at 1.5 MOA. The Sako carbine was also stable and, with several rounds of ammunition, both heavy hunting bullets and match bullets, regularly fired in less than one arc minute. Thus, having eliminated almost all factors of possible flaws in shooting and putting only the tested cartridge at the forefront, we proceeded directly to shooting each selected ammunition.

Distance 100 meters, air temperature + 10°C, gusty side wind. Speed ​​was measured with a Pro Chrono Digital chronometer. To determine the stability of the indicators, shooting was carried out in two series of three shots at the target on one sheet, all the results of shooting and measurements were summarized in a table.

Based on the shooting results, we obtained excellent results for cartridges in .308 Win caliber. and 9.3×62 and very good - for cartridges in caliber .243 Win. and .30-06 S. I expected a little more from the .243 caliber, so I immediately fired a couple more series, but they were also within 0.7 MOA, and also with a small margin of one shot - possibly due to wind.

The possibility of accurate shooting was also confirmed by chronograph readings; the differences in initial velocities in all calibers were minimal, which already indicated the high quality of the cartridge.

In addition to checking for accuracy of fire, the most interesting cartridges for long-range shooting are .243 Win. and .308 Win. were disassembled using a kinetic hammer: five cartridges each to determine the quality of assembly in relation to the constancy of the weight of the powder charge, as well as the weight of the bullets and the depth of their seating in the case. The obtained indicators are also tabulated and indicate the minimum tolerances in equipment settings for the production of PMR cartridges.

The ProAmm series of cartridges, according to the manufacturer, is produced with a semi-jacketed bullet with controlled expansion, for which the following techniques are used in its design: the tombak shell thickens towards the rear of the bullet, and harder lead is used in the rear than in the front. Thus, the thinner shell and soft lead of the bullet nose allow it to quickly open up in the body of the animal, causing extensive wounds, and the rear, harder part, restrains the complete tearing of the bullet and retains its maximum weight for deep penetration and crushing large bones. They decided to verify the veracity of the manufacturer’s advertising by cutting a bullet from the 9.3×62 cartridge. The bullet design parameters declared by the manufacturer corresponded to reality.

Of course, each shooter will make the final conclusions about the quality of cartridges from South Africa for himself. I am convinced that the excellent accuracy of fire, the variety of calibers and types of bullets, the price of the cartridge - all these parameters will soon bring RMR products to a leading position in the assortment of our gun stores.