I like to PEW PEW PEW, or how i learn to stop worrying and love the SKS

It may be perhaps bad timing to write about firearms, with the attack in Ottawa which took Cpl. Nathan Cirillio's life.  It was a senseless act of violence by a low life moron and petty criminal. I was not removed from this event as I live and work right downtown Ottawa.  I was directly affected by it, being 4 blocks south of that event, on Elgin.  If you don't know Elgin, it's uphill from work and a you can see the Cenotaph... so it's close. This is the day after, with flags at half mast at around 2pm.  it was gloomy all day.

We can't give in to fear. We shouldn't have to change our way of life.  I won't.  So I went to the range today. 

 My previous range day (un-recorded) was putting a bunch of lead downrange with the AR-7 to see what ammo it liked, how well it shot, etc.
I shot low for most of it.  I think my sights are off, I'll have to bench rest it.  Gun didn't perform well, a lot of fail to eject (FTE), a few fail to fire (FTF) and quite a few fail to load.  I'll have to strip it down, make sure everything is good and give it another try.

Enough about the little .22LR pea shooter, and on to a big more PEW PEW.  The Russian SKS.

1951 Russian SKS

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It's a 1951 russian SKS I got at Westrifle.  I heard good things about them and everything you heard is true.  Great place to buy from. When i received the rifle it was in ready to shoot condition.  Clean as a whistle and oiled nicely.  
I also purchased some ammunition for SFRC.  Russian 7.62x39 FMJ in big green spam cans.  When I opened up a can (made in 1968?) it still had that vacuum fresh sound.  I could only hope the ammo was stored properly and worked well.

That's what 1400 rounds of 7.62x39 looks like

 When I was familiarizing myself with the firearm, I locked the bolt back and couldn't figure out how to close the action. I opened the drop magazine and noticed it would close, so I let the bolt slam home... and the trigger and magazine fell out of the gun. hah.   Popped everything back into place and cleaned the barrel with a few patches.  5 patches and clean.  

I had to trust my own skill on putting it together and making sure it's a safe firearm.  I'm the safety after all. I can't always rely on mechanical safeties or not know if the firearm is safe to shoot.  

Shiny copper washed Russian military surplus 7.62x39 FMJ (lead core)

I drove to the range, signed in and noticed how busy it was! Two ranges were in a discipline shoot (IDPA halloween shoot), 5 stand open, The rifle range had some folks and three of the 4 other ranges had folks.  I Found a range that was free! score.  

I set myself up, loaded up the stripper clips and put up my target at the back berm, about 40 yards away.  

120 feet away doesn't look far away, but its hard to see a 2"x2" square 120 feet away.  Now hit it with a projectile which is 3/4 of a centimeter wide. that's a bit bigger than a quarter inch.
I rammed 5 bullets into the magwell, let the bolt slam home and and took shot.  Glad I put the gun back together correctly, and it didn't blow up in my face. I actually hit the target.  Today was not an accuracy test, It was to get a feel for the rifle.

Target 1, 9/10
Target 2 10/10

Target 3, 8/10
Target 4, 7/10

 This wasn't a target shoot.  This was the first time I've ever shot a centre fire rifle before.  So not bad.
for the next 4, i put two targets on top of each other and wasn't about precisions but all about the familiarization of the firearm and myself.  So I blasted away.

I know, not that impressive.  Well, for the first time I shot a center rifle in the standing position at 120' away with a 1951 russian built rifle and 1968 ammunition with iron sights... I think I did ok.

Out of 200 rounds, there were no issues whatsoever.  It was a good day.