The SCS hunting carbine leads its pedigree from the SCS-45 combat carbine, adopted in 1949. This reliable weapon proved itself in many wars of the 20th and 21st centuries – from wars in Korea and Vietnam, ending up to the numerous conflicts of the 21st century, including the war in the Donbas.
This weapon was, and still is, in the arsenal of almost fifty states of the world – Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America. In the GDR, Egypt and Yugoslavia, it produced its own licensed versions of carbines.
The Soviet self-loading carbine left a strong memory among American soldiers who took part in the fighting in Korea and Vietnam. SCS armed the most trained detachments of the Vietcong, making sudden raids on US military bases, headquarters and airfields. Not for nothing SCS is, along with AK, the best-selling model of Russian weapons in America. So, as of 2015, in the US, it was purchased more than 2.5 million units of the Simonov carbine. In Russia, SCS is still in service with MVD security units.
Production of hunting carbines SCS.
Since Soviet times in the warehouses of the former Soviet Union, a large number of military carbines Simonov. After the beginning of the reduction of the army and the process of detente of international tension in the late 80’s, early 90’s, all this armament was out of work. It was in these years and began the conversion of military carbines into hunting. In the hunting version of the carbine SCS reworked several plants:
Machine-building plant “Molot” (Vyatskie Polyany). It was a modification of OP-SCS (hunting and fishing). On this model there was no bayonet, the aiming bar was limited to three hundred meters, in the trunk there was a pin.
Tula Arms Factory. This plant produced both OP-SCS and its own development – the hunting carbine TOZ-97 “Arkhar”. This version differs from the combat version with a new mount for the sight, sawn up to 300 m with a bar of sight and also a pinned barrel. The Lodge is made more convenient for hunting.
Tula design and research bureau of sport and hunting weapons. It produces a model of a “hunting rifle carbine”.
The science-vibrochnice of the fortress. The Ukrainian enterprise from the city of Vinnitsa on the basis of SCS produces two models at once: SCS-MF and Fort-207. The first model differs from the combat SCS-45 by the lack of bayonet, and the second – by the modified fore-end and the butt of black plastic.
For greater clarity, it should be said that in no one of these plants there are no hunting rifles of SCS. On them there is only a rework of war carbines, bought from the warehouses of the Ministry of Defense, in hunting. This is achieved first of all by a decrease in the combat qualities of weapons. To do this, a drill with a diameter of 7.64 mm is passed through the trunk, increasing the caliber and thinning the barrel grooves. In this case, the caliber of the bullet remains the same – 7.62 mm. As a result of this operation, the aim range falls to 300 m, the accuracy of the shooting is up to 10 cm at a distance of 100 m. After that, the tide is removed onto the bayonet and the trunk is pinned.
This operation is provided by the Russian law “On the circulation of weapons.” According to him, any rifled weapons must have their own individual trace, and in the trunk with an artificially enlarged diameter, the barrel cuts leave a faint trail on the bullet. As a result, in each trunk an artificial notch is made – a pin or a “criminal mark”, for the ease of conducting, if necessary, forensic expertise. Thus, with the “civil” carbine, the aim range is reduced to 300 m by the method of artificial defect, and the accuracy of firing is up to 10 cm, while initially, in the war rifle, these figures are 1,000 m and 5 cm.
Advantages and disadvantages.
The main advantage of the Simonov carbine is its small price. In comparison with foreign hunting modifications, which exceed it in value many times, this model is the most optimal from the point of view of “price-quality”. Among other advantages of “Simonov” – its reliability and unpretentiousness.
The trunk box, like a significant part of the remaining metal parts, is made of forged steel on milling machines, which significantly reduces their wear and increases the time of operation of the weapon. This weapon is designed for trouble-free operation in a wide range of temperatures: from +50 to -50. Despite the fact that this weapon was originally intended for mass production at the request of the Soviet Army, it is fairly well balanced and comfortable in the hands, which can not be said about many military samples of rifles and carbines. The absence of excessive grooves in the slide frame and the box makes their cleaning more simple and gives the reliability of the entire structure. And finally – it’s its compactness and a small mass, which is an undoubted plus for many hours crossings over the taiga.
Among the minuses of this model, one can note the problems with its “modernization”. Often attempts to improve the SCS carbine (for example, to install modern optics) will cost more than its cost. Also, some hunters note the insufficient killer force of the bullet. However, such conclusions are made when comparing the cartridge 7.62 x 39, used in “Simonov” with other, more powerful samples. For example, with a cartridge 7.62 x 54, leading its pedigree from the famous Mosin rifle and used in a number of modern hunting carbines and rifles (for example – “Tiger”, “Winchester”).
In this regard, the SCS carbine is even forbidden for hunting ungulates, in order to avoid a large number of podrankov. However, this problem is easily solved by using a half-shell or expansive charge against large animals. Also inconvenience can deliver and a way of loading of the given weapon – the fast reference with a clip will demand certain preliminary skills and trainings. Unskilful loading can cause failures and malfunctions in shooting.
Use on the hunt.
Judging by the feedback of the owners of the SCS carbine, no single picture of him can be made. Reviews have the widest spectrum – from enthusiastic to extremely negative. This is due primarily to the fact that these weapons, created seventy years ago, are trying to compare with modern models. The other extreme is the ardent adherents of the SCS, which, in fact, did not really keep anything in their hands. To get the most from this weapon you need to be able to use it. This is the only way to maximize the effect of this inexpensive, out-of-date, but still most reliable and undemanding weapon.
SCS is recommended for hunting on not too large and fast enough animals, such as wolf or fox. As already mentioned above, hunting for ungulates with this weapon is prohibited. Nevertheless SCS is widely used for hunting ungulates, including roe deer and medium sized wild boar, weighing up to a centner.
For shooting relatively large animals a semi-shell or expansive bullet is recommended. Such a bullet is intended for shooting from a distance of up to 200 m and has an excellent stopping effect even against fairly large animals. When hit in the body of an animal such a bullet (9.7 SP) is flattened, which is the result of an increased lethal effect. At great distances, the speed of the bullet and its effectiveness fall sharply.
A new development is a bullet for SCS 8 HP, which has a top-cut shirt. When you hit the body of a beast, such a bullet is flattened or, when encountering hard parts (bones), it breaks down, causing severe damage and providing an excellent killer effect. A bullet of 8 HP with its excellent stopping action, allows to avoid a large number of large family animals that are inevitable when firing from SCS for large animals with a conventional bullet.
As can be seen from the above, the SCS hunting rifle, despite its considerable age, is still quite an effective type of hunting weapon, which has a large number of adherents among amateurs and professional hunters alike.
