SKS Modern Scope Options - Opinions?

Looks like anything modern and cool meant for 7.62x39 is gonna be in the 10" range and between $250-$350.

Anybody have any experience wi any of these on an SKS (or AK)?

POSP 4x24 Rifle Scope, 400m Rangefinder, Weaver
http://kalinkaoptics.com/rifle-scope...r-version.html

RR Evolution BLK (1.25-4x24mm)
http://www.rapidreticle.com/evoBLK.php

Leatherwood CMR-AK762 Tactical Scope
http://hi-luxoptics.com/product/rifl...actical-scope/

Primary Arms AK47 7.62x39 ACSS Scope
http://www.theakforum.net/forums/22-...ming-soon.html

Opinion? Why spend $250+ on a scope for a rifle that isn't capable of shooting well enough to justify it? These aren't sniper rifles, they are short to medium range rifles that are a heck of a lot of fun to shoot and will shoot the same with an inexpensive scope as they do with one of those expensive ones.

Sniper rifle ? No. But with my crappy (and getting crappier) vision and disdain for those old Mauser style rear sights I shoot better out to three hundred yards with slight to medium magnification optics.

I consider $250 to be mid to low end for optics. $600 and up are "expensive" to me.

I'm not sure what you are asking then. If $250 is low end for you I'm sure any of those scopes would work fine. Most of my scopes are Bushnells that cost less than $80 and I've never had a problem with any of them and the one on my deer rifle is 32 years old and still going strong.

The only scope I have on any rifle cost $60, it serves me well.
IMO scoping an SKS is pointless and using an expensive scope is, well...
I will say I'm not an old fart like a lot of you guys...;) I still have 20/15 vision. Yes, 20/15.

I wouldn't say it is pointless to scope an SKS or an AK. I'd be willing to do so with the right mounts. The only trouble with the SKS is that to do it right, you permanently alter the rifle. You have to use a side mount drill and tap mount as sitting on top of the rear cover is worthless. The AK has the side attachment but I can't find the mounts to go on it.

They can be accurate, just not sniper accurate and they are not designed for long range by any stretch.

I paid somewhere between $30-$40 for the 3-9 variable Bushnell scope that is on my deer rifle and it has been carried long enough that the rifle bought brand new at the same time no longer has bluing on the underside of the receiver where I typically carry it. It's been out in all types of weather extremes. I've never seen the need to buy an expensive scope. I don't abuse them or my rifles.

If your ok with aftermarket AK mounts Cheaper than dirt has them from a few different makers. I run a UTG quick detach with a red dot It returns to zero pretty good.

I'll look into it. I keep hoping to run into an actual mount but as I'm not going to get an actual scope for it, it wouldn't matter much. Like GS455, I can't see for crap to shoot open sight and it is a fun and inexpensive rifle to take to the range.

Some research led me to this this afternoon:

PSL Romanian 4x Military Surplus Rifle Scope, side mount scope, Used.

My only problem with it is the mount. I do not believe this will match up with a WASR-10 side mount. I've heard you can swap out the base but I cannot find a base to swap out with. The price is acceptable to me as it is actual surplus although not specifically designed for the WASR-10.

That would be nice if it did fit I'd grab one for my Wasr-10 too. The Wasr is Romanian so maybe it does fit?

Edit= looking in the reviews a guy did mount it to his Wasr

I saw that and thought that it might fit because it is Romanian and it is shown on the WASR-10 page as an inexpensive real scope to put on it. Other reviews I've seen said it will fall off on the third shot because it will fit but can't be tightened properly. I've looked around a good bit for other opinions and some mentioned replacing the base attachment. I'm very tempted but if it won't fit and I can't find a correct base, it isn't going to do me any good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I'm not sure what you are asking then.

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I was wondering if anyone had experience with these optics on an SKS.

These are all specifically camed for 7.62x39 (or 300BLK) with Bullet Drop Compensating reticules. If I wanted, plain cross hairs, mil dots or post style reticule then, yes, I'd have a heap of options in the lower price points. The receiver's already been drilled and the bayo lug cut. You can see great pics and details here if your interested. http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163877 So I'm not worried about cutting the stock further or redrilling the receiver

BTW a PSL scope on a 7.62x39 rifle will be of no use for ranging as its camed for 7.62x54r.

I fried off an e-mail to J&G asking about the fit on a WASR-10 and this is the response I got:

The WASR-10 generally come with the universal side mount that fits most types of AK/RPK style scope mounts and it should work with this PSL scope mount. The scope however has a different eye relief and is calibrated for 7.62x54r trajectory.

I found these scopes being sold by three different outfits. Not sure if any were calibrated for the 7.62x39 or not. I'll have to find them again.

As for experience with them, no. Enough experience with the rifles to know that these are not made for fine accuracy and expensive optics aren't needed but that''s up to the individual. I'll pay $100 for a decent set up but not $250. I have better rifles for long range than a 7.62x39.

On a side note, seems to be a lot of animosity toward people putting scopes on these anyway. Not that I would be bothered with that. When you can't see, you can't see. Based on reviews, etc I've seen on the scopes you listed, I don't think you can go wrong with them if you have the cash and are willing to spend it. I saw one guy report 2 MOI at 100 yards, that isn't bad.

Perhaps the animosity is coming from people who have already been down this road and found it to be a waste of time, mostly. The mounts available are generally not very good, especially the dust cover types. They will all shoot loose fairly quick, even quicker with big heavy scopes.
The 4x PSOP scope with integral base would from the looks of it be way too tall on an SKS. Elsewhere I read it was primarily designed to be the right height for flattop AR's in 7.62x39.
The other two would be ok IF the mount would stay tight, which in my experience it won't for long without permanent mods to the rifle.
The Choate side mount COULD POSSIBLY be made stable IF it were mounted with 8-40 screws then pinned and soft soldered. However this depends on the receiver sidewall thickness and the owners willingness to permanently modify the rifle.
Another thing I learned through experience is that those $100 cheapie hunting scopes and semi-autos don't play well together. It takes a pretty good scope to stand up to the dual recoil forces created by an auto loader.

Ak scopes and mounts are too high..You need a side mount low profile (I see some russians) also the yugo sks zrak scope or mosin pu with side mount (as sks sniper prototypes).

I've crossed paths with two ZRAK ON-M79's the last couple months. One guy wanted $600 and another wanted $750. Fget about it !!! I won't be going that route.

I put the Choate drill and tap mount on my Yugo several years ago and it's worked out fine.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...3d45cd73-1.jpg

One of the targets I shot after doing a quick zero,I used Golden Tiger,Brown Bear,PMC,Fiocchi,MFS and my cast reloads on several targets and got pretty much the same result each time.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...f56ea325-1.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SKS50

I put the Choate drill and tap mount on my Yugo several years ago and it's worked out fine.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...3d45cd73-1.jpg

One of the targets I shot after doing a quick zero,I used Golden Tiger,Brown Bear,PMC,Fiocchi,MFS and my cast reloads on several targets and got pretty much the same result each time.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...f56ea325-1.jpg

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interesting. What scope is that?

Weaver SKS mod:

I like the SKS and VZ 58 rifles, but my eyesight makes the use of the existing sights on these guns impossible to use.
Has anyone had that problem?
I can get scope mounts but would like to use peep sights.
Just wondering if there is a simple solution.

Been there, done that....

If you have one of the Chinese models that were sold in vast numbers, go for it.

If it is a nice, early Russian one or one of the "oddballs" from the "satellite" countries, leave it alone.

I did several scope fittings to standard and "deluxe" (Chinese import, new made version with AK magazine capability.) SKS carbines back when we still could.

All were side mounts, as this is the ONLY way to get stability and ruggedness in the mount.

The Adapters were made from steel and secured with three, high-tensile cap screws.

HOWEVER, DO NOT USE "cheap" scopes on these things. I had TWO "mid-priced" "compact" scopes "blow" their reticules during shooting tests. A Leupold 2-7 variable happily survived several thousand rounds, until it was removed before the rifle went to "Captain Crunch" in 1997.

With ball, or softpoints loaded to ball velocities, the sundry vibrations and shocks in the operation of the action simply eat "cheap" scopes.

Accuracy-wise, out of the box, most are OK-ish.

However, with a little work, things can be improved a LOT.

The "factory" bedding is almost non-existent.

The trick is to borrow from the bedding principles used for the US M-21 sniper rifle.

1.The first thing is to fit an aluminium bedding plate at the rear of the stock to support the action.

2. Fit a small steel plate in the bottom of the stock, to the rear of the slot for the trigger mech.

3. The "fun" part: using a high-tensile bolt, fit a rear pull-down screw that secures the action to the stock. This will require a certain amount of precision drilling and tapping.The idea is to NOT use the trigger frame to retain the action.

4. Rough rout little "divots" from the inside of the stock so that the Devcon bedding for the breech end of the barrel and some of the front of the receiver locks in place. If yours is a standard" SKS, you have to tap-dance around the lug that retains the front of the magazine.

5. Put "Plasticine" or similar around any undercuts on the barrel and receiver.

6. Now for the tricky bit. You need to fit a spacer of about 5 mm between the rear bedding plate and the rear of the receiver. This is so that instead of pulling the action firmly onto the plate, it sits up a little while the Devcon sets.

7. hold the action in the stock and seated on these spacers until the Devcon has cured. (don't forget the "mould release" on the barrel and action!!)

8. Once the Devcon has gelled and is firm., remove the barreled action and clean it up.

Finally, re-install the barreled action and secure in place using the new mounting screw.

The new bedding stops the metalwork flogging around in the wood like a "factory" model. Furthermore, using a rear "pull-down screw means that you can remove the trigger group for cleaning WITHOUT disturbing the bedding.

The idea of all this is to produce consistent downwards pressure on the barrel and thus damp some of the vibrations. Removing the bayonet and machining off the lugs also helps, but does somewhat alter the original appearance.

If you have one of the commercial SKS variants that uses the detachable AK style mag, this procedure is a little less fiddly.

If you are on an SKS-grade budget, all of this messing around basically costs time and a tiny amount of material.

Hey guys check out the new scope mount on the marketplace called a 'Wartac'. Just Google it. No drill and the only disadvantage I can see is that you can't use stripper clips to refurb your mag.

Little pricey but if you just HAVE to put a scope on an SKS.....

SKSs aren't precision instruments, but bad eyes are bad eyes. One of the more recent "fixes", preferly done on a shooter vs collector unit, is to tap the previously "not-such-a-good-idea" reciever cover, while in place, with a 1/4X20 and secure with a #8 bolt cut to fit. Tap through the reciever and cover at the same time, while the cover is installed. Fixed 1.5 to 4 power is best for the range and ballistics. PAX