I've often wondered about the "inferior accuracy of the AK" comments and what those who make them base them on. Also, just what are we comparing and are the comparisons realistic. Its been my experience that the AK's are capable of very good combat accuracy. I have AK's from SAR's and WASR's to upper end Saiga conversions, and all of them shoot pretty much the same, at around 4-6" at 200 yards from a good field position on IPSC type targets with no aiming point. The only ones I have had that didnt do as well, were those assembled here on US receivers. I dont find my Russian SKS to shoot any better or worse than my AK's, and any of the other SKS'd I've shot have been about the same.
As far as I'm concerned, mag capacity trumps minor differences in combat accuracy at realistic ranges. A quick to change, 30 round mag wins out over a 10 round stripper fed gun right off, as its already two reloads ahead. Add to that, the SKS's strippers are notorious for dropping rounds in the pouch and when drawn from them, that you often only get 8 or 9 rounds in the gun when you do reload it.
Shooting either rifle well comes from shooting them A LOT. If you shoot one more than the other, which do you think you will most likely be better with, and feel more comfortable with? You need to shoot them BOTH a lot to make a realistic comparision. Now you have to buy the one you dont have and work at why one is better than the other. Who said it was easy?
Just curious here, but those who say the SKS "fits" them better, what do you find about the AK to be different? Is it the pistol grip vs traditional stock? Or LOP? Most complaints about the AK's are that they are to short in the LOP. The SKS's tend to be even shorter, by about 1/2 -1" than the AK's.
None of this really matters if all your going to do is do a little target shooting once in awhile at the range off a bench. The real difference is if your comparing the rifles as they were meant to be used, even if they are both only semi auto guns. Just like the M16 superseded the M14, (over 40 years ago I might add, for those who cant get over it.
) the AK superseded the SKS, and has itself been upgraded even more. I havent seen anyone who made the switch abandon the newer technology and go back.(The current DM M14 stop gaps dont count, they will soon be gone once they decide on the replacement. So stop slobbering.
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