Just brought my first rifle home.

[The Soup Nazi]

She wasn't caked up in cosmoline, had a little of Ivan's handling marks but most of the work now is to just clean whatever smudge/dirt/fingerprints are on the bolt carrier, trigger guard, magazine, and bayonet lug now. Dad who was a CO in Taiwan says I need to keep the rifle tighter to my collar bone and placing a foot out to lean on. I also look like a complete dork because I have to wear my older glasses (stepped on my new ones ). The stock also looks a lot more red than it does in real life, which surprised me (I hope it looks that way from a distance IRL) She was the pick of the litter out of all 3 Russian SKSs (Third Serial number on the stock was forced match, but otherwise everything was originally all matching and non refurbished) The stock also appears a lot redder and aesthetically pleasing when a photograph is taken of it.

Comrade, your Ushanka is on crookedly, you have a dumb half smirk/grin on your face, and your finger isn't applying pressure on the trigger! (In Soviet Russia, Trigger Finger is a good thing!)

Comrade, I can see the earflap straps on you ushanka, you aren't holding your rifle level, and if you had fired, the recoil would break your jaw! You are also not enthusiastically thrusting your hip in front of you like most novice shooters should! Off to the Gulag to be re-educated with you!

So how did I do for my first rifle? (See, not all of us Kahlifornian teenagers are apathetic self hating emo tree huggers.) Need to go get supplies to clean her up. I've got 20 stripper clips, but I need to start the treacherous quest of looking for ammunJition.

 

[BuddyLee]

I have ordered from here before, friends of mine have as well and they seem reputable http://www.sportsmansguide.com/browse/browse.asp?c=96&s=953

If you are in the S.F.Bay Area "Reeds Sporting Goods" on Alum Rock in San Jose has a good selection of ammo.

Happy shooting

 

[The Soup Nazi]

I've been to Reed's in Alum Rock before, its like a 10-20 minute drive, and I do remember they actually had some 7.62x39 even through the current shortage. I better make a visit there and pick up some snap caps too.

 

[bas]

Nice rifle Soup! You're going to have lots of fun with that

 

[Uber_Bob]

Aaah, America, the land of Dirt-Cheap ammo....

 

[Makarov]

Soup, excellent purchase finding a Russkie SKS. It looks to be in excellent condition. They are great first time rifles, just make sure your firing pin chamber is cleaned well and it free floats. Slam fires are frowned apon at Bay Area ranges. Ammo can be found, it's just not as cheap as it use to be.

Next you need to add a Mosin Nagant to your collection. I prefer the M38 or M44 models over the VERY long 91/30s. All can be had for around a $90-100. Big 5 has them on sale all the time. Easy to find ammo.

It always warms my heart seeing 'youts' getting into gun ownership. Just be a resposible gun owner and have fun!

 

[The Soup Nazi]

I plan on getting my dad to get a C&R License so we can ship over a nice Laminated Tula 91/30 for 100 US (The store I went to had em for 250 dollars ), plus with a C&R since I'm not old enough and my dad hasn't fired a Garand since his military service across the pond, we can still get a Service Grade CMP Garand (That'll be my third gun, then I can hold off and just buy ammunition until I'm 21 where I want to get my hands on a Springfield Armory 1911A1 GI Spec)

 

[Makarov]

Great plan and great weapons. I still need to get a Garand from the CMP.

 

[Capt.Marion]

YOU"S GOT YOURSELF A RUSSIAN SKS???

btw: good place for sks enthusiasts: hier

 

[[CiA]Stiletto]

Lucky SOB. I want a Russian SKS.

BTW, lean into the "recoil". It doesn't really kick (won't hurt you or anything, unless you're a dumbass and let the thing float an inch off of your shoulder), but it will push you back. I tried rapid-firing the first time holding my SKS like that (that's my customary stance for firing a Mauser, since I prefer not to try to fight 8mm recoil ), and by shot #5, I was teetering on my back foot. You want to have a stance more like this:

 

[BuddyLee]

Lucky SOB. I want a Russian SKS.

BTW, lean into the "recoil". It doesn't really kick (won't hurt you or anything, unless you're a dumbass and let the thing float an inch off of your shoulder), but it will push you back. I tried rapid-firing the first time holding my SKS like that (that's my customary stance for firing a Mauser, since I prefer not to try to fight 8mm recoil ), and by shot #5, I was teetering on my back foot. You want to have a stance more like this:

Now that is a "Jack-Booted" thug I wouldn't mind tangling with.
"oh can't I just have a little bit of peril"

 

[Reddog]

Nice SKS, me wants one but the laws here are just FUBAR

Also open your stance up a little bit and either hold your upper body straight or lean slightly forward. The only thing leaning back will acheive is slowing down your follow up shots.

 

[{YBBS}Sage]

Hey, I just saw those pics on another site!

Nice SKS, me wants one but the laws here are just FUBAR

Also open your stance up a little bit and either hold your upper body straight or lean slightly forward. The only thing leaning back will acheive is slowing down your follow up shots.

They'd looooove to outlaw the SKS here, too...

Leaning... depends a bit on the rifle... a slight lean back with a Mosin is going to require a quick adjustment of your footing to avoid falling down. If you had any lean back with my Mossberg 835 shotgun with the right (or wrong?) ammo, you wouldn't have had the chance for moving your feet (lol, recoil on that thing was awesome!) With someone who's more "slight of frame" like Soup, leaning back might force him to step back. Experiment with your stance, Soup. You don't want to lean forward far enough you have trouble balancing (kills your accuracy), but you don't want to have to step back to stay on your feet.

My preferred rifle stance is kneeling (though kneeling, prone and sitting are more painful after more shooting, if your gun has "higher" recoil). But if I must stand... Feet about shoulder-width, with the offhand-side foot leading and pointing to my target (or where the target is going to be when I shoot), rear foot turned slightly. I put about 60-70% of my weight on my front foot. That's usually enough to induce a forward lean, but keep your back straight, shoulders up, and lean slightly forward from the waist.

Also, I'm a fan of putting my rear hand on the rifle like OP does in this picture (which makes me miss my Carbine...):

Thumb's on the right half of the stock. Your trigger hand shouldn't be working against recoil anyway, that's your shoulder's job. I think it gives better control over the trigger and helps you place the very end of your finger on the trigger, I know it reduces elbow angle (woot!). Also, if you want a higher rate of fire, the more you can relax your trigger hand and forearm, the faster you'll be able to shoot. Personally, I feel relaxing that back hand can also help accuracy.

 

[Tak]

Desktopped!


And nice rifle! Good to know that not everyone is being raised with the 'gunz r teh evilz!' mentality. Stay safe and happy shooting

 

[trench]

Aaah, America, the land of Dirt-Cheap ammo....

you just jealous -


but cant you buy fully automatic weapons cheap in New Zealand?

 

[Reddog]

you just jealous -


but cant you buy fully automatic weapons cheap in New Zealand?

You can buy them, dunno about cheaply, but you aren't allowed to shoot them.

Makes me feel less envious of bas, sure he has an MG42 but he can't fire it

 

[trench]

You can buy them, dunno about cheaply, but you aren't allowed to shoot them.

Makes me feel less envious of bas, sure he has an MG42 but he can't fire it

I am sure no one ever fires them.

 

[Zbojnik]

Nice rifle. Had the same Ushanka for a while. Lost it in a winter battle during the winter of '03. God the snowballs seemed to come out of nowhere.

 

[Hardware]

I plan on getting my dad to get a C&R License so we can ship over a nice Laminated Tula 91/30 for 100 US (The store I went to had em for 250 dollars ), plus with a C&R since I'm not old enough and my dad hasn't fired a Garand since his military service across the pond, we can still get a Service Grade CMP Garand (That'll be my third gun, then I can hold off and just buy ammunition until I'm 21 where I want to get my hands on a Springfield Armory 1911A1 GI Spec)

you dont need a C&R for CMP rifles. just join a affilated club here $25 a year to join. then you can have them send your info to CMP then you need to fufill the CMP requirements (be 18 and a few others). get a rockisland arms 1911(half the price), much cheaper then a springfield armory inc one. (there is a difference between SA and SAI)

just turned 18 today and i'm about to get on the CMP wagon

 

[The Soup Nazi]

Well there in lies the problem. My dad has gone a bit since shooting M1s and Taiwanese Type 65 Assault Rifles, so I'm not sure how'd he do in qualifying in the shooting requirement. I've got a couple of years to go before I'm 18 and I'm sure the Service Grades will be gone or 600-700 dollars by the time I'm 18. A friend told me that a C&R helps you subvert some requirements, and I want to get one as quickly as possible.