A couple of rifle questions

tombstone81 · Jun 1, 2015

Hi,

I have a Yugo SKS I am considering hunting with in the fall. I would like to mount a scope on it using a Choate mount attached to the receiver, but I know of this 922(r) thing and was wondering if I could get in trouble for doing that, the rifle is factory stock, and will remain that way except for a scope.

Secondly, I am considering purchasing a Traditions Tracker 209 for muzzleloader season, but I read somewhere that its not legal here in WA because it needs a #11 nipple or something like that. It this true?

Thanks

solv3nt · Jun 1, 2015

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01712/wdfw01712.pdf

OLDNEWBIE · Jun 1, 2015

Been thinking about an SKS for some time and find this site has a lot of info.
http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?board=12.0

Joe13 · Jun 1, 2015

As far as the SKS is concerned, I believe you are ok adding a scope mount and the 922 Doesn't apply because there was no original scope mount that you would be replacing.

One thing to note however, the HP ammo that is sold (wolf, bear etc) is not "Hunting" ammo. You will want to spent the money and get some brass cased soft point hunting rounds. Try are about a buck a piece so it's about the same as other hunting ammo.

Also, look into the modified firing pins that add a spring to keep the gun from an accidental discharge from walking in the woods and bumping it into something (something they are known to do). Not a big deal if it's a plinker but not something I'd want to deal with on a hunting gun.

Not sure on the muzzle loader.

mjbskwim · Jun 1, 2015

Good luck finding a nice scope mount for an SKS. I would look at the original military mounts.
As far as the smoke pole,go to the manufacturer's web sight. They should tell you if it's legal in your state.
As far as I know,both Wa and Or,you aren't allowed to use a inline rifle

Go to the specs page at this link. It's an inline and not legal for wa or Or
https://www.traditionsfirearms.com/product/Tracker-209-.50-cal-Black-Blued
Haha and don't even think about mounting a scope on it

orygun · Jun 1, 2015

Also, because the SKS is a semi-automatic, it is limited to a 5 round magazine. Simply loading 5 rounds in the mag isn't good enough.

Edit: this is for Oregon. You'll want to check Washington state regs for magazine capacity.

mjbskwim · Jun 1, 2015

orygun said:
Also, because the SKS is a semi-automatic, it is limited to a 5 round magazine. Simply loading 5 rounds in the mag isn't good enough.

Edit: this is for Oregon. You'll want to check Washington state regs for magazine capacity.

Well most rifles only have 3-4 rounds so why wouldn't 5 be just fine?
And washington doesn't have any magazine capacity regulation except for pheasant and migratory birds.The real question is why a scope for a 100 yard rifle? I'm hoping you aren't going to try it out on deer or elk past that

Stomper · Jun 1, 2015

I recently bought these two boxes at Cabellas for about $10.00 ea. I've seen 7.62x39 FMJ, HP, and PSP all day long but I've never seen SP-RN before so I got some for the heck of it.

tombstone81 · Jun 2, 2015

I had considered that past 100 yard question. Would the cartridge be marginal on a deer or elk at that range? Its also too bad about that muzzleloader. I may just have to pick up a hawkens rifle kit then.

Stomper · Jun 2, 2015

7.62x39 is just about on par with 30-30, there's plenty of data (hunting stories) that'll shed some light on that for you.

IMHO, I wouldn't attempt an elk over 100 yards with it, a deer maybe out to 150 yards, and you ought to be consistently good with shot placement before you do... especially on the elk.

Joe13 · Jun 2, 2015

The little deer we have up here would be fine but if your hunting elk or larger mule deer, I'd probably advise against the x39 cartridge - a x51 would be the least I'd use personally.

If your up close though, I hear about Russians still hunting with them and taking moose.

It's all about shot placement though so what do I know

mjbskwim · Jun 2, 2015

Stomper said:
7.62x39 is just about on par with 30-30, there's plenty of data (hunting stories) that'll shed some light on that for you.

IMHO, I wouldn't attempt an elk over 100 yards with it, a deer maybe out to 150 yards, and you ought to be consistently good with shot placement before you do... especially on the elk.

Joe13 said:
The little deer we have up here would be fine but if your hunting elk or larger mule deer, I'd probably advise against the x39 cartridge - a x51 would be the least I'd use personally.

If your up close though, I hear about Russians still hunting with them and taking moose.

It's all about shot placement though so what do I know

Oh I ain't a talkin about "effective range" of the round,I speakin' about shot placement with a gun that was designed as a 'spray n pray' at 100 yards. If you can hold good grouping out to 150yds,then ,by all means use it out to there.
Personally,I haven't shot them that much for accuracy,so I'm not for positive.They are said to be more accurate than the AK line.And they do make sniper versions of it .
Just like any gun you intend on hunting with,you want to see how and where it shoots

Gunner3456 · Jun 2, 2015

I would buy a hunting rifle. When I was a kid they'd give me the 30-30 and if an animal was more than about 100 yards away they'd tell me I couldn't shoot and they'd shoot it. (The men would.) They mostly had 30-06 back in the day which is still a good round among many.

I worked my butt of until I could buy a good bolt rifle and scope and never again had to pass up a shot.

As an adult I'd still pass up shots past 150 yards with a 30-30 or an SKS so I simply wouldn't take it hunting. No way, no how, no time. We may think this is brush country and shots will be short until we see a good animal across a 200 or 300 yard clearing. We can't see much in brush so we tend to find clearings like logging sites.

Joe13 · Jun 3, 2015

I can hit a 6" gong pretty much every shot at about 125yards using a red dot attached to a rail on the gas tube... Which ain't spectacular I know. I can hit a 2" group or less at the same distance with my hunting rifle, a .308win Ruger scout with a 4x scout scope.

The difference isn't in the scope or mount if that was a thought (the sks holds zero pretty wel; it all has to do with the trigger.

One is a military rifle with a trigger suitable for simi auto Fire. The other is a crisp, polished, no take up very light crisp trigger meant for very specific shot placement - one shot kills as it were.

And those are unsupported standing shooting; with sandbags, I can reach farther then you would think with the sks and its deadly accurate under 150 yards no problem with irons. (That's about as far as I can see without glass of some kind)