Cast in SKS

[USARO4]

My son is buying a set of dies so I can reload for his SKS. I would like to use the Lee Soupcans that I shoot through my bolt and lever actions to save a little money. I've heard that cast in a semi will clog the gasport but I have no personal experience in reloading cast for semis. So I seek the knowledge of this distinguished forum on the care and feeding of a Chicom assault rifle. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Bret4207]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13453

There's a while article from our "Military Cast Loads" section. Should answer your questions. Let us know how it works out.

[MT Gianni]

I have not had great luck getting the soup can to feed in the Yugo sks. I have had better luck with the Lee 155 grgc than the LY 311410 bevel base. Gianni

[Junior1942]

I have not had great luck getting the soup can to feed in the Yugo sks. I have had better luck with the Lee 155 grgc than the LY 311410 bevel base. GianniThat's not good news. I bought the latest fat soup can mold to shoot the bullets in my Yugo SKS. . . .

[35remington]

I can get the Soupcan to feed in my Chinese SKS, and it is possible to use it as a bolt action if the loads are light enough and do not operate the bolt, which saves me time chasing brass.

If you are content with operating the gun as a straight pull with light loads or take out the operating rod the Soupcan can still be useful even if it does not feed semiautomatically in your particular SKS.

Don't worry too much about the barrel port. It's generously sized and it takes a pretty long time to impair function shooting lead bullets. In fact, with my frequent lead bullet use, occasional jacketed use and very infrequent cleaning I've never been able to clog it.

IMO the SKS is one of the better cast bullet shooting semiautomatics. Mine shoots cast bullets better than jacketed ones. The Lee TLGC designed for it is an excellent bullet. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a deer under 125 yards or so. My load for this runs at about 1960 fps using Reloader 7 or H4895.

[JohnH]

So I seek the knowledge of this distinguished forum on the care and feeding of a Chicom assault rifle.

Not to chide or take you task, but the SKS was never made as a selective fire rilfe, (capable of semi and full automatic fire modes) it is NOT an assault rifle. We have plenty enough trouble with the uninformed anti's calling everything that is semiautomatic including shotguns and pistols assault rifles and weapons of mass destruction. I realize it is just a word, but words have power, and to those who hear repeatedly from the mass media "assault rifle, assault rifle, assault rifle" it soon becomes that anything that shoots is an assault weapon of some type. It is a game of the anti's to change the classification of an arm by using false and inflamitory language. By making a particular arm more "evil" they make it's use and possession more suspicious, and easier to attack politically. When we ourselves adopt this same false language, we become their dupes, playing into the web of deceit they are using to disarm us.

Technically, the only only assault rifle ever produced was the MP44. This was the selective fire rifle created and used by the Third Reich. Quoting Smith and Smith Small Arms of the World pg. 425 : "The change in nomenclature to StG44 (from MP44) was politically inspired but "Assault Rifle" (StG - Sturmgewehr) is more truely descriptive of the role of the weapon than is "Submachine Gun" or Machine Pistol" (MP - Maschinen Pistole)"

The Germans called their rifle an "Assault Rifle" to further the image of fearfullness of their troops in the propaganda war they were running all across Europe. An enemy that is afraid of you before the fight begins is easier to defeat.

This is the same reason the antigunners use this term, psychologically, it makes the rifle and its users more fearful in the eyes of the uninformed, making the rifle and user easier to deamonize, therefore easier to criminalize. One has to admit, "Assault Rifle" is a more dramatic, compelling term than is "Semiautomatic Rifle"

Ask anyone, what kind of weapon was used in Ohama and practically everyone will say the shooter used an assault rifle. But it is not true. All firearms capable of full auto fire (which an "assault rifle" must be) are Federally regulated and one must have a Class 3 firearms licience to legallly own one. He used an semiautomatic version of the AK-47 which is functionally little different from an AR-15, Mini-14, Browning Bar, Remington 7400, or even Remington 1100/1187 shotguns for that matter.

Lets stop using this term, correct others when they do and take away the falsehood the antigun crowd is trying to run on the public. I'm tired of being made out to be a criminal because I own and use firearms, and I'm tired of my civil rights being violated because some jerk acts criminally and another jerk (journalist or politician) doesn't know and won't bother to find out the difference between revolver, pistol, carbine, rifle, semiautomatic or full automatic.

OK. Off my soapbox now thanks for listening, hope this finds an open mind, it is not my intent to chastise.

On the topic, I too have a Chicom SKS, it has a .314 groove diameter, and it shoots quite well with the Lee 312-155, it is a lot of fun and a cheap shooter to boot. Not much more one could ask :)

[USARO4]

Wow, "their dupes", "web of deceit", "demonize", "correct others", "not my intent to chastise". Why do I feel so chastised? And a history lesson on the Sturmgewehr as well. Oh well, I know your intent was well motivated. No offense taken JohnH.

[Larry Gibson]

JohnH

FWIW; The chinese do make a selective fire SKS that also takes the AK mags so along with the folding tock versin that makes it an "assault rifle" by anyone's definition including the German's.

[10-x]

FYI guys, unless you happened to be part of our involvement in SE Asia.....you would not know there is a type 68 SKS which is Select Fire....(see Smith and Smith)....means semi auto AND full auto...........wonder how many made it home as regular SKS's with the capture papers.........we used to find AK's and SKS's all the time........not to mention RPG's and RPD'..........gooks had many captured boolit launchers from all around the world............10-x

[Blammer]

It's a HOME DEFENSE WEAPON.