SKS (Chinese) bore diameter - anyone know?

[15Tango]

I know I know, the SKS isn't exactly what we talk about on this site typically. I'm trying to help somebody out here with loading them some hunting rounds for their Chinese SKS. I have these .311" Hornady SSTs that I have developed loads for my Yugo that has a .311" bore diameter - I'm just wondering if anybody knows if the Chinese ones also have a .311" diameter or if they stuck with the .3095"? I'm trying to avoid any issues here due to bore diameter.

Thanks in advance.

 

[normmatzen]

I, too, have a Chinese SKS. I believe based on 10 year ago reading that the SKS series used .311 bullets. I use Russian 7.62X39 ammo and it is 0.310 at the case mouth.

Also, my SKS was bought as an "emergency" gun and relagatd to the gun safe or brought out to let my kids shoot it at the range. My shooting club has monthly military vintage silhouette meets and I didn't have a suitable gun. So, out came the SKS for a lark. I had at one time mounted a Chinese scope on it and the accuracy was nothing to brag about. I took off the scope and depended on the original sight ramp to select elevation for the 200yd, 300yd, 385 yd and 500yd targets. I could hit all four of them!! Maybe not with an accuracy bringing home a prize, but hit them non-the less! Even at 500yds, i could hit the rams and make them ring. Trouble was, the low energy round would not knock the rams over at 500 yds! I did, though, gain a respect for the accuracy of this cheaply made gun.

 

[jlmurphy]

Go with the .310/.311 bullets, if anything the milsurplus bores will be larger. You could slug the bore.

 

[jonbearman]

If you use .308 they will rattle down the bore.The only rifle that will shoot both is the mini 30 by ruger.

 

[Taildrag15X]

If you use .308 they will rattle down the bore.The only rifle that will shoot both is the mini 30 by ruger.

How do they do that? Either they would be tight or loose, don't think it works both ways.
The Mini 30 that we checked the bore on was .310, in 1989 or so....and the Ruger manual says to only use Factory loaded ammo, so we made sure to use .310/.311 bullets.

 

[15Tango]

A .308" wouldn't rattle down a .311" bore, there's plenty of land much smaller than .308". I'm worried about sending a .311" down a .309" bore and having pressure issues. It's not my rifle and I don't have it available so I can't slug it. Consensus seems to be that Norincos are running an even looser bore than Yugos and I know they're running a .311" so I guess it should be fine. Thanks

 

[jonbearman]

What I meant 15 tango is they dont shoot that accurately.I tried it and they didnt seal all that good,Seemed to smokey to me like unburnt powder. They will work but they just arent as accurate as the 311 bullet.

 

[15Tango]

No worries, Jon. I'm thinking the .311" (.303 Brit. bullet) should be okay in the Norinco barrel safety wise from what people have said. Thanks

Wayne