Name : Samozaryadnyi Karabin Simonova Obrazets 1945g
AKA : The SKS, Poor-Mans Deer Rifle,
Caliber : 7.62x39mm M43 Cartridge
Capacity : 10 Round non removable magazine
Weight : 8.49lbs or 3.85kg
Length : 40.2in or 1021mm
Action : Tipping Bolt Locking, Semi Automatic Rifle
Origin : Russia (U.S.S.R.)
Designed during World War Two the SKS Rifle came too late to be used during that conflict but would go on to arm a large number of soldiers, gorilla fighters and civilian shooters and as of 2012 the interest from the later has not waned.
Designed by Sergei Simonov a well respected Russian arms designer, the rifle was far from innovative but very solid and reliable, making use of existing principals and concepts of the time. The rifle was developed around the 7.62x39mm M43 cartridge developed for the RPD machinegun, a project that Simonov was a part of. The value of the 7.62x39mm is that unlike the cartridge it replaced, it was only effective to the maximum range the average soldier could hit anything at, it was lighter meaning the soldier could carry more ammunition and lastly the significantly lighter recoil meant that in a fully automatic weapon, during firing the weapon was far more controllable. Sergei Simonov's SKS is the pinnacle of the lineage of Simonov's designs, it clearly finds it's origins in the AVS-36 a pre-war tipping bolt semi automatic rifle firing the 7.62x54mmR and the PTRS-41 anti-armor rifle, also with a tipping bolt.
The roll out in significant numbers for SKS took place in 1949, now the official standard rifle of Russia, but it was to be short lived, at least in front line service. The AK-47 was in 1947 a large scale experiment, with the SKS waiting in the wings as a back-up weapon in the event the AK-47 proved to be too troublesome; unfortunately for Simonov's design the AK proved itself an excellent weapon leaving the SKS remain in front line service only until the AK could be delivered, when it would put into the hands of second line units. The SKS was widely distributed to nations associated and part of the Soviet Union and was built in almost as many countries as it served with. It remains a parade weapon even to this day, furnished with chrome and a light wooden stock.
In civilian hands the SKS has become a major phenomenon as a surplus curiosity, survival and hunting rifle, with large number of manufacturers producing aftermarket components, in some cases turning the SKS into the battle rifle it perhaps should have been, but hindsight is 20/20. Copy-Cat manufacturer Norinco has flooded the civilian shooter's marketplace with an never ending variety of SKS copies known as the Type 56, these rifles are very affordable and are solid and reliable. The SKS always compared favourably with the AK-47 in the respect that the same cartridge has a higher muzzle velocity and inherent accuracy due to the longer barrel. Popular use SKS is for plinking and hunting, being especially well suited for hunting of wild boar and goats with the inexpensive soft nose ammunition available in large numbers seemingly everywhere.
The loading of the SKS is very straight forward, firstly the user pulls the bolt carrier handle to the rear, the follower pushes up on the bolt lock holding it in place, the user may then either load individual rounds down directly into the internal magazine or by inserting a stripper clip into guides on the bold head and pushing them down into the magazine. After charging the rifle the user pulls the bolt carrier handle to the rear about 5mm and releases it, and it will now move forward stripping a new round out of the magazine and chamber it.
INTERESTING FACT : More than 15 Million SKS's have been made, with a few known as the SKK being able to accept the 30 round magazine of the AK-47 series of rifles.
PRO's : Surprisingly Accurate, Easy to maintain, low recoil, overall simplicity
CON's : Some Norinco rifles are sensitive to some hunting ammunition
COOL FACTOR : 6/10
AKA : The SKS, Poor-Mans Deer Rifle,
Capacity : 10 Round non removable magazine
Weight : 8.49lbs or 3.85kg
Length : 40.2in or 1021mm
Action : Tipping Bolt Locking, Semi Automatic Rifle
Origin : Russia (U.S.S.R.)
Designed during World War Two the SKS Rifle came too late to be used during that conflict but would go on to arm a large number of soldiers, gorilla fighters and civilian shooters and as of 2012 the interest from the later has not waned.
Designed by Sergei Simonov a well respected Russian arms designer, the rifle was far from innovative but very solid and reliable, making use of existing principals and concepts of the time. The rifle was developed around the 7.62x39mm M43 cartridge developed for the RPD machinegun, a project that Simonov was a part of. The value of the 7.62x39mm is that unlike the cartridge it replaced, it was only effective to the maximum range the average soldier could hit anything at, it was lighter meaning the soldier could carry more ammunition and lastly the significantly lighter recoil meant that in a fully automatic weapon, during firing the weapon was far more controllable. Sergei Simonov's SKS is the pinnacle of the lineage of Simonov's designs, it clearly finds it's origins in the AVS-36 a pre-war tipping bolt semi automatic rifle firing the 7.62x54mmR and the PTRS-41 anti-armor rifle, also with a tipping bolt.
The roll out in significant numbers for SKS took place in 1949, now the official standard rifle of Russia, but it was to be short lived, at least in front line service. The AK-47 was in 1947 a large scale experiment, with the SKS waiting in the wings as a back-up weapon in the event the AK-47 proved to be too troublesome; unfortunately for Simonov's design the AK proved itself an excellent weapon leaving the SKS remain in front line service only until the AK could be delivered, when it would put into the hands of second line units. The SKS was widely distributed to nations associated and part of the Soviet Union and was built in almost as many countries as it served with. It remains a parade weapon even to this day, furnished with chrome and a light wooden stock.
In civilian hands the SKS has become a major phenomenon as a surplus curiosity, survival and hunting rifle, with large number of manufacturers producing aftermarket components, in some cases turning the SKS into the battle rifle it perhaps should have been, but hindsight is 20/20. Copy-Cat manufacturer Norinco has flooded the civilian shooter's marketplace with an never ending variety of SKS copies known as the Type 56, these rifles are very affordable and are solid and reliable. The SKS always compared favourably with the AK-47 in the respect that the same cartridge has a higher muzzle velocity and inherent accuracy due to the longer barrel. Popular use SKS is for plinking and hunting, being especially well suited for hunting of wild boar and goats with the inexpensive soft nose ammunition available in large numbers seemingly everywhere.
The loading of the SKS is very straight forward, firstly the user pulls the bolt carrier handle to the rear, the follower pushes up on the bolt lock holding it in place, the user may then either load individual rounds down directly into the internal magazine or by inserting a stripper clip into guides on the bold head and pushing them down into the magazine. After charging the rifle the user pulls the bolt carrier handle to the rear about 5mm and releases it, and it will now move forward stripping a new round out of the magazine and chamber it.
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| SKS Stripper Clips loaded with hunting ammunition |
INTERESTING FACT : More than 15 Million SKS's have been made, with a few known as the SKK being able to accept the 30 round magazine of the AK-47 series of rifles.
PRO's : Surprisingly Accurate, Easy to maintain, low recoil, overall simplicity
CON's : Some Norinco rifles are sensitive to some hunting ammunition
COOL FACTOR : 6/10
