Not sure this is the right forum for this topic, so please inform me if it is not...
I'm going to be getting a Scout mount for my SKS (http://161.58.206.244/store/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=scoutscopes&Category_Code=skscope), and I plan to throw a red dot sight on it. My question is this, considering that the rifle itself, including aftermarket parts, barely exceeds $300, which red dot sight will get me the best deal for the lowest price. As y'all know, the SKS wasn't designed to be a finicky, tactical, precision instrument, so I want a red dot that is sturdy and simple, not one that costs more than the gun, and requires its own maintenance detail. I may also get Tech Sights at some point, but I want to play with the red dots for now, because I really like the concept.
Any suggestions?
I've got a Millett ReDot SP1 on my Marlin Camp 45.
It is repeatable and red coat accurate to a hundred yards, but the drop at 150 or futher is so far from the dot to make it worthless.
Obviously the 45acp ballistics and those of the 7.62x39 differ quite a bit, so you'd probably be okay out to quite a bit further with your extra 1300fps you get.
I like mine, except for the fact that it has a battery in it. In the spirit of the "minute company" ready to muster on the green with a minute's notice, how do you know your red dot battery is good to go?
Mine has been through about 500 rounds of .45acp so far, about 200 of which were with the factory stock recoil spring @ 11 pounds, which REALLY rattles the gun. The last 300 or so have been with the aftermarket 16.5 pound spring and more pleasant (and less abusive to electronic doo-dads on the rifle).
It lends itself well to two-eyed aiming and situational awareness, but not so much to longer ranged marksmanship... but then again that is more a function of the gun/caliber I've been using.
All in all, I could see using the same instrument on an intermediate caliber weapon like .223 or 7.62x39. I'm happy with mine. It was a worthwhile purchase @ about $70.
Of course, you'd have a hard time shooting redcoats with a red dot sight. ++)
I've picked up a couple of used BSA's recently, and they seem to be OK.
I have been looking at some that switch the reticle from red to green with a button. Also, there are some that are solar powered with battery backup, which takes care of the Minuteman issue. I'm glad to know that the zero seems to hold under recoil :)
Would recommend a red dot with 4moa or smaller dot. Especially if you have any eyesight problems.
5moa dot will coverup stage 4 completely. And even at lower power can make it difficult to see the target.
smle
S.P.O.T. scopes have a good reputation and are available for about $150. THats the cheapest red dot I would consider using. I have two Eotechs and an aimpoint on my rifles. The aimpoints are great for battery life. The cheapest one they make will last for over a year with it constantly on. The newer more expenive models are good for 5years+.
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Quote from: AZRedhawk44 on December 10, 2008, 05:19:45 PM
Marlin Camp 45.
Now, there's a handy item I'd like to see Marlin put back in their line-up. The Camp 45 is so much better than the Camp 9, too.
I've about worn mine out--mostly in fiddly things. The bolt hold-open spring has wandered off (mine is a 1st generation without the retainer); and the nylon recoil block is starting to flake on me. But. in all fairness, I've lost count of the round count through that very nice carbine. It was wearing a 4x glass, which made for neat work on a B29 target at 100yds. It has since taken a 30mm red dot and a laser; but, as the "house gun" it really needs no lighting of dots or laser, the red-dot tube works quite well alone at indoor engaement distances.
Durable, cheap and effective are not easily used together to describe optics.......
You can find a reflex sight for between $40 and $80 which will give you a 3MOA dot along with other shaped reticles. You can find traditional red dot tube sights for the same price range, but they often have larger dots. A 3MOA dot with a 6:00 hold can work well at 25M. You can find 2MOA and smaller dots once you are willing to spend over $100.....
I walked by the sporting goods counter at wally world one day with $30 extra in my pocket and walked out with a
BSA red dot. The idea was to check it out before spending big bucks on one.
I'm impressed. It shoots better and much quicker than me. No problems on a .22. New shooters really take to it.
Your method of mounting will be critical, but on a scout mount it will be very stable.
My tac team used tasco pro-point for years until some federal $$ came thru for Aimpoints.
I currently have an eotech on a couple of my rifles, but I am going to get an Aimpoint when I get around to it.
That is how good, and pricey, an Aimpoint is. And worth every penny of it.
For those with the "big" dot sights, sight it in so the 1" square sits on top of the dot. You know, so the POI is just above the top of the dot. Just like using a 6 o'clock aiming point with your irons sights. That way the dot will not cover up the target, even on stage 4.
Just a thought, actually a memory, as someone suggested it some time back in an older thread I think.)
A little more thought (feel free to straighten me out if I've said it wrong):
POI 1/2" above the top of the dot at 25 meters (2 MOA) should mean the bullet (on a .308/30.06 MBR with ball ammo anyway) will still impact about 5" above the top of the circle out there at 250 yds., right? Keep in mind trajectory of the bullet will change the POI at closer or farther targets but at 25 and 250 it should impact about the same distance above the top of the dot (MOA wise).
I am using an AIMPOINT 5000 1998 vintage, 2x with a 2moa dot. Definitely go with a 2moa dot. That 1" square is 4moa!!!!
I would advise against a scout mount for the SKS.
The only option to do this (that I'm aware of) utilizes a replacement gas tube cover. This portion of the assembly is not a very tight fit on most rifles, and is sure to give you a 'wandering zero' as the gas tube and guard shift around after each shot.
Now, I have seen scout mounts for other rifles that attach to the rear sight base, in lieu of the rear sight ladder- if you could find a mount (search for Mosin Nagant Scout Mount) like this for the SKS, you would probably have a stable platform to mount your red-dot to.
I have nothing further to add.
I am using EOTech sights. I have one for my M1A and one for my AR. Both are set for DIRECT mounting to a Picitinny rail so there are no mounts. However there are many rails that will mount to most rifles one way or another with a little skill or a gunsmith.
These have batteries and they are not Cheap by any means. but are some of the BEST you can get you hands on.
Our Military uses them alot. The ones I have are BDC callibrated for 223 & 308 and have 1 MOA dots.
I will be at the 8 day shoot in NC feb 22 so if you can find me you can check em out in person.
Sharing is careing ;)
I got these because I cant see any more like i used to.
I will give a test report in a couple weeks when I go to sight in.
If you want to check these out go to:
http://www.eotech-inc.com/
Catman
Like ItsanSKS I would be worried about the scout mount. I takes very little movement indeed to send your rounds all over the place. I have tried to mount a scope on a SKS and its a problem. I would try to find a replacement bolt cover that has a rail. You also need to find a cover that has the side screws that will hold the whole thing in place. The eight down record at our Field Shoots is held by an SKS. The eight down exercise if you don't already know requires the shooter to engage 4 targets at 200 and a like number at 300 in under a minute. The fellow that holds the record did in in under 15 seconds. He had a modified scope mount that secured the cover to the side rails of the receiver.
I hunted deer with an SKS and red dot sight for years did pretty good never missed but max range was maybe 75 yards. The advantage of the red dot in that situation is the super quick target acquisition. When they run they just die tired.
Good luck
You can find info about mounting a scope on a SKS, here; http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews/choatesksscope/index.asp
Personally the only way I would go about mounting a scope is the drill and tap method.
The new Tapco gas tube mount comes too long to fit on most SKS's. You have to file to fit your rifle. If you do it slowly you will have a very tight fit. My Eotech I thought was too high to get a good cheekweld. Since the Eotech has very little problems with parallex it works well at close range but you need a good cheekweld for long range work. I found a Target Sports 2.5X pistol scope in low Tasco rings to be more effective and much cheaper...Aim and Squeeze VaWolf
Thanks for all the info y'all. :)
For those of you concerned about scout mounting, here's the solution I used: http://scoutscopes.com/
It's rock solid and easily adjustable. I have a cheap BSA red dot now to see if I like the idea; but currently I have a long-relief scope scout-mounted. It works like a charm and holds zero perfectly.
Hopefully going to the March 1 Davilla Appleseed, so I'll get the chance to try it out there. :~
Quality /accuracy for budget I like the Bushnell Holosight. $169-$229 depending where you can find one.
I own two, a N-battery version which only gets 12-20 hours/ set of batteries and an AAA model which has 40+ hours in and is still going strong. The sight is a 1MOA dot in a 64 or 65 MOA ring.
A Rifleman buddy of mine shot it and liked it so much he went looking for one, but decided to upgrade to an EOTech. He shot around a 200 point AQT with it, if I remember correctly.