[Bravo]

As I previously posted, I recently baught a new SKS and must say that I am very happy with it. I paid $150 for the gun that seems brand new (the previous owner thinks maybe only 5 shots had ever been fired out of it). It is a Norinco model, still has a field cleaning kit in it's rear trap door, and has the bayonet attached. The gun also came with 300 rounds of ammo, a 5 and 30 round detachable clip, a sling, a front end sight tool, a container for oil, a military surplus dry box for ammo, and a chest ammo carrier that makes me look like rambo when worn .

I also baught 500 rounds of wolf soft point ammo. The 300 rounds that the gun came with were of two types. One was Norinco Brand ammo. It has steel casings and a full metal jacket. The other is in an unmarked cardboard box with chinese writing on the rear around the primer and a brass casing. I don't dare shoot these because I don't know if they're corrosive or not.

Today, I went out and fired 20 shots. I put in my 5 shot detachable, because I'll need to use this when I hunt this coming fall. I first put in Norinco ammo. I fired 5 shots without a problem. I then switched to wolf. My first problem came when the last shot in the clip jammed. It looked as the bullet didn't even rise, and just slammed right into the block ahead of it. I wasn't too upset by this, and continued firing. The next jam came when the wolf soft point was trying to be lifted into the chamber, but caught on the lip, and due to the lead tip, stuck pretty good. This also came on the last shot of the clip.

I then switched to the Norinco ammo again and had my first problem with that ammo. I don't know what it's called, but I pulled back the bolt, released it and the bold stopped about 1 inch short of closing fully. I looked down and noticed that the bullet jammed or got stuffed in the wrong way inside the barrel. This happened twice to the Norinco brand.

My final problem was somewhat scary (I'm still not exactly sure what happened. I decided to go in the prone position and put 4 shots or norinco in the 5 shot clip. I fired once, it went smoothly. I fired a 2nd time, and felt something hit my left wrist which was held near the gas guard. I thought it was odd, but didn't think anything of it. I pulled the trigger again, and click...nothing. Not sure what happened, I pulled the bolt back and saw no shell in the chamber. Further more, only 1 shell was left in the clip. 4 shots in, 2 fired, 1 left...I lost a bullet somewhere. I am wondering if my 2nd shot actually shot 2 with a slamfire and the bolt didn't go back far enough to load my last shell. I didn't sound any different, didn't feel any different, and people watching didn't notice anything different. But I'm guessing slam fires happen very fast.

Next weekend I will take it out with my 5 shot and my 10 shot that it was made for. I'm guessing that most of my issues are due to the clip. Oh yeah, has anyone heard of my mystery ammo? Blank brown paper box, brass casing, full metal jacket, chinese symbols around the primer. Primer has red around the edge similar to the wolf.

Anyway, I'm very happy with this gun, I think I got a pretty good deal (The previous owner said that he got many phone calls after I baught it asking if he still had it)

 

[Big Dog]

You got a very good deal! But I'd stay with the factory ten-round mag - unless you take it hunting with the fiver. My five-round mag also often doen't feed the fifth round. I suspect a slightly weak spring.
The Norinco ammo is corrosive, as will be the oddball Chinese ammo. No problem - just give it a good cleaning after shooting. Don't forget the gas tube and piston. Chinese ammo hasn't been imported since the early nineties - when Slick Willie banned import of Chinese guns and ammo.

As to the doubletap - clean the bolt very well. Soak it in kerosene or mineral spirits, to remove the dried grease. After cleaning, the firing pin should 'rattle' loosely when shaking the bolt. A sticking firing pin will cause the doubletap.

Congrats on the good deal!

 

[Bravo]

Thanks! Actually, my Norinco ammo says "non-corrosive" on the box, but maybe I'll clean it after firing anyway just to be safe. Also, what is the best way to soak the bolt? Do I take the entire bolt out? Is it difficult to do so? Thanks again for the help

 

[myarmor]

That is a very good deal you got.
From what I have heard is that the detachable mags have a reputation of quirks. Where as the original works well at least 95% of the time. BigDogs advice to clean it is also a good idea. I was at first a little intimadated about taking mine apart, but download the manual form the net and you will see it is very easy. Just take your time, and be careful when taking off the front piston/gas guard. That spring can be a devil to find if it pops out, not to mention possibile injury to you. Once you take apart the dust cover, you will see how simple it is to clean the bolt.
You might want to check out www.surplusrifle.com for some more info.

 

[Big Dog]

Yep, dismantling the SKS for cleaning is easy. Remove the receiver cover with the bolt closed - less pressure on the spring. The bolt and bolt carrier simply fit together - no tools involved. Just remember about the recoil spring - curly end forward! Work the bolt with the cover off and see how it works. Beautiful simplicity! As the carrier comes back, it tips the back end of the bolt up to unlock it. Comrade Simonov was a genius, sadly over-shadowed by Comrade Kalashnikov.
I like to use a good gun grease in the action of the SKS - it stays in place beter than oil. But leave the firing pin basically dry - it might get sticky otherwise.

Even though later 7.62X39 ammo says 'non-corrosive', I treat it as corrosive - old habits die hard. The Norinco has the chrome bore, so it isn't as affected by corrosive ammo as other guns anyway - but it's always good practice to keep 'em clean!

 

[Bravo]

Thanks big dog! I will make sure to clean in as soon as I can. I have also noticed how amazingly simple this gun is. When I changed the clip, I had to briefly remove the trigger block. To do this, that release button had to be pushed in. I was trying to figure out what to use to push the pin, and found that the manual said a bullet tip, and it worked great! I am a firm believer the simpler is always better.

 

[Outriderdark]

Personally, I prefer the SKS to darn near any semi-auto. Like Big Dog Said though, keep the yougo clean and be careful of Norinco Ammo. Those guys can be sneaky LOL. I always shoot Wolf. It's more expensive but worth the peace of mind.

 

[Outriderdark]

A note about the yugo's barrels. Although they are not chrome lined, chrome lining tends to affect accuracy. So it stands to reason that the Yugo's are potentially more accurate.

 

[Bravo]

I think the 5 shot clip was 90% of my problems. I put back in the standard 10shot mag and put in 10 rounds of that junk ammo. It was cold, raining (very hard), a considerable amount of rain entered the mag while I was loading, and I took aim. I fired 10 shots in about 10 seconds because I just wanted to get out of their (I was pretty cold/wet by then). By the 6th shot, I pretty much lost sight of my target due to the smoke/steam rising off the majority of the gun, but all 10 shots went off without a hitch, and another 5 of the soft point wolf went off nicely also. :assult:

 

[Gyrene]

Bravo - Big Dog is correct about treating the NORINCO (All Chinese Ammo) ammo as corrosive. Much of the foreign manufactured ammo, will be advertised as "Non-Corrosive" or "Mildly Corrosive", because many people will not buy it if it isn't advertised as "Non_Corrosive". IT IS CORROSIVE, and nothing wrong with using it, if you clean the rifle accordingly.

While the Chinese SKS's have a chrome bore, the gas system is not chromed, and does require some maintence (cleaning the corrosive salts out of it). The primary reason there are a lot of SKS's which have rusted out gas tubes, is because they have had corrosive ammo fired in them and the gas system was not cleaned.

What works best to clean out the corrosive salts, is hot soapy water (and probably the cheapest), and it doesn't hurt to clean the whole rifle (with the stock removed, and the handguard removed) with hot soapy water. Just scrub out the bore with the cleaning rod with patches soaked in hot soapy water, do the same to the gas tube. Then boil some clear water (no soap) and pour it through the bore and gas tube, then pour more over all of the metal parts. For the most part it will be self drying (the parts should be very hot, the water was boiling, remember), but you will need to make sure the metal parts are dried off completely. Then do your regular cleaning with solvent and oils.

LEAVE THE GAS TUBE AND ALL OF THE GAS SYSTEM PARTS DRY. It is OK to wipe the gas system gas tube and parts with a slightly oiled patch, but then dry the oil off. You do not need to have the gas system generating its own pressure from burning oil, which should not have been there.

IT IS MANDATORY THAT YOU CHECK TO SEE THAT THE FIRING PIN IS FREE TO MOVE IN THE BOLT, BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO FIRE ANY SKS, ANYTIME. THE TRIED AND PROVEN CHECK IS AS FOLLOWS: With the bolt locked open, tip the muzzle of the SKS up, and the firing pin should not protrude from the bolt. Tip the muzzle down, and the firing pin should protrude through the face of the bolt.

IF THE FIRING PIN PROTRUDES FROM THE FACE OF THE BOLT WITH THE SKS MUZZLE POINTED UPWARD, TOUCH IT WITH YOUR FINGER, AND IF IT DOESN'T EASILY MOVE BACK INTO THE BOLT, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIRE THE SKS, AS IT WILL SLAM FIRE WHEN THE BOLT CLOSES ON THE FIRST ROUND.

As with any semi-auto firearm, when you first attempt to fire it, ANYTIME, do not load more that 2 rounds into the magazine. If it fires both with one pull of the trigger, you will be glad you didn't load the magazine fully. UNEXPECTED FULL AUTO FIRE CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE SKS.

The firing pins in Chinese SKS's can be a problem. If you or anyone else has disassembled the bolt, it is mandatory that the firing pin movement must be checked, and if it protrudes from the face of the bolt and a light touch doesn't cause it to fall back into the bolt, you may have a serious problem, correctable, but never-the-less, a serious problem.

`

 

[myarmor]

:right: good post Gyrene

 

[Rave]

Mighty good thread,mighty good.
Another thing is that the firing pin does not have a spring,even if the pin is free,if you unload after fireing and there is a round in the chamber,when you remove it you will probably notice a small dent in the primer from the firing pin hitting it from momentum,not a problem in most ammo,but if somehow you got some with really soft primers you might encounter slam fireing.
Most foreign ammo has hard primers so they are not a problem. I like Wolf best,but most are good. :loveydove