U.s. Congressman Baseball Park Shooting Involved Sks

The nutcase who shot a U.S. Congressman at a baseball park this week was using an SKS which is of course chambered for the 7.62 x 39. Most folk know about the lack of accuracy of these rifles, however I'm here going to state this for those unaware. Don't use such a thing as a primary weapon. Maybe an SKS would make a great "truck rifle" -- something you throw behind the seat of your pickup. Maybe somebody has found an accurate one, however don't hold your breath to get a 4" group at 100 yards / meters. The horrible accuracy of these things may have saved the lives of those on that field this week. Had the psycho-shooter had a real rifle and some shooting skills, motionless bodies would have been everywhere on that field.

I have lots of SKS stories, however here is the most applicable: I had a friend who went obsessive-compulsive on a project to get accuracy out of an SKS. He changed the gas takeoff and put a regulator on the amount of gas released into the tube to cycle the action, on and on and on, ... . Nothing he did worked. The chambers of AKs and SKS rifles have a bevel just past case mouth and just before the beginning of the rifling. This ensures the bullet will find the rifling without any problem, however it can destabilize the base of the bullet as it passes into the rifled section of the barrel -- thus trashing accuracy. A gun smith could tell you a whole lot more. Accuracy was down on the list of priorities with such a rifle intended for masses of troops whose lives didn't mean much.

The rifle is not worth re-barreling should you find a maker of quality barrels for the beast. Most AK rifle barrels are similarly engineered for feed'n'fire -- i.e. NOT accuracy. The M1 Garand, M-14, M1A -- all these are battle rifles firing a battle rifle round. And they are accurate.

 

The S K S and AK 47 were made for troops that were mostly illiterate and
see no more sense in cleaning a rifle than cleaning a garden hoe.
Those rifles go bang, bang, no bang, oh chit!
I'd love to have another of either one or both again.
4" is a poor group for either of those rifles but a lot of that is due to junk ammo.
Still it's intended for less than 200 yards against a human target.
Adequate at least.
Not my best choice but I'd love to have another.
I guess I'll just slog along with my AR-15s and R-15 and R 25 or
any of the other 50 or so firearms I have.
Like my custom Smith and Wesson 8 3/8" stainless in .41 magnum sent
out to be tuned and magna-ported.
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, sweet revolver!

 

That .41 Mag, dynamite caliber that is totally under-appreciated -- long barrel and real caliber = "light rifle", super effective weapon, shoots into cars to reach the fleeing felon. I don't remember, is this an L-frame or an N-frame? Elmer Keith knew his stuff. Had I large hands (I do not) and were I highway patrol, this weapon of yours would be my dream package. I'm a revolver-lover. I have a S&W K-frame .357, recessed chambers, stainless, adjustable sights, pinned barrel, 5-screw. I love quality. I love accuracy. Do it right or just don't do it!