Quote:
Originally Posted by .45cultist
Yep, it was built before the doctrine of mass charges that the AK-47 was to be used in. Preppers would be better off using it for hunting and emergencies.
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Most people don't realize that Simonov's Carbine (the SKS) was actually designed in 1943 and even saw limited service in the last months of WW2. This rifle had what most infantrymen considered essential features based on the Russian experience during the Great Patriotic War. The magazine bolt hold-open (copied from the Garand), fixed bolt handle, internal 10-round magazine (with Enfield traits), and semi-auto function (a modified Tokarev design) were DEMANDED by field veterans, as was the "intermediate cartridge" M1943 (7.62mm X 39mm) which was originally designed SPECIFICALLY for the SKS (and influenced by the StG-45). The AK series was designed after the SKS and borrowed several features from the SKS (which is why their gas pistons and ammo are interchangeable).
I like to change my ranges on the AK series to match their "real world" accuracy in the hands of average shooters. The differences in range can be mostly attributed to each rifle's caliber (due to bullet drop) and overall sight radius. Sight radius has a large impact on long range shooting while not really affecting short range marksmanship that much. This gives the rifles slightly different performance parameters, which adds "character" to each weapon type.
*SKS (original model with 20" barrel)= Base Range: 50m
*SKS "Airborne Model" (with 16" barrel)= Base range: 45m
RPD SAW (20.5" barrel)= Base Range: 50m
AK-47/AKM (16" barrel)= Base Range: 45m
RPK SAW (20" barrel)= Base Range: 50m
"Draco" style AKM SMG (12" barrel)= Base Range: 30m
AK-74 (16" barrel)= Base Range: 50m
RPK-74 SAW (20" barrel)= Base Range: 55m
AKS-74U (original Afghan War version with a 7.5" barrel)= Base Range: 30m
AKS-74U (1990's redesigned version with a 12" barrel)= Base Range: 35m
*The SKS rifles (especially the Yugoslavian designed "Airborne models") are very likely to have adapters and gas cutoff valves to fire rifle grenades as part of their basic designs. The Balkan countries (Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Romania) continued to field rifle grenades until the 21st Century.
These are the ranges I use to differentiate between models and generations of models in my game.