SKS caked in cosmoline

[Eli]

https://murraysguns.com/sks-firing-pins/ for info.
I clean my bolt regularly and the firing pin should shake freely in the bolt so I have not had a slamfire or any problems. I do not have the spring kit. The only thing I needed to fix was replacing the gas tube. My gas tube was shipped from Ukraine years ago, purchased on gunbroker. Chinese and Russian use the same gas tube. Hard to find. In all, I like my SKS.

I put a lot of rounds through various SKS rifles back when they were $100 or less and AKs were $150 or more - and ammo was CHEAP - and only once had any doubling. Maybe I was lucky? It was FAST, for sure - I had machine gun experience and knew it had doubled, nobody with me realized it was 2 shots instead of 1.

Eli

 

[alternative]

I put a lot of rounds through various SKS rifles back when they were $100 or less and AKs were $150 or more - and ammo was CHEAP - and only once had any doubling. Maybe I was lucky? It was FAST, for sure - I had machine gun experience and knew it had doubled, nobody with me realized it was 2 shots instead of 1.

Eli

Can be very dangerous. I remember reading once that Russians tried a firing pin spring and the spring caused the firing pin to stick so they abandoned it.

 

[@TX_1]

https://murraysguns.com/sks-firing-pins/ for info.
I clean my bolt regularly and the firing pin should shake freely in the bolt so I have not had a slamfire or any problems. I do not have the spring kit. The only thing I needed to fix was replacing the gas tube. My gas tube was shipped from Ukraine years ago, purchased on gunbroker. Chinese and Russian use the same gas tube. Hard to find. In all, I like my SKS.

The spring/firing pin kit does solve the risk of puncturing soft primers. (like we use here in USA)

For me, it was worth the effort and for my particular SKS (most common) it required Zero modifications to the other parts of the rifle. Just drop in replacement once you tear down the bolt.

I've known the guy who I bought it from since we were young. He tore it apart and was probably unable to remove the extractor pin. He had 2 SKS's. I ordered a new bolt and extractor for it, but before I received it, we found the original in another box. So I did not have to go through head spacing the bolt. Some SKS parts are very difficult to find. Murray Guns is the most knowledgeable gunsmith I know of for SKS's.

 

[Dash Riprock]

Reading through this thread reminds of the time a few years ago when one of the surplus sites, I think it was Classic, got hold of a batch of unissued but fully functional ceremonial Yugo SKS's and was selling them for like $600. I was soooo tempted and still had my C&R license, but I had just bought a normal cosmo drenched beat up one a few months before and $600 at the time was a lot for an SKS. Now I'm regretting it all over again; they'll never hit the market again and certainly not at that price.

I haven't taken mine out in a while and I'd forgotten what a fun rifle it is to shoot. I'm gonna break it out next time I go shooting. Thanks to the OP for the reminder and good luck with your SKS.

 

[@TX_1]

Reading through this thread reminds of the time a few years ago when one of the surplus sites, I think it was Classic, got hold of a batch of unissued but fully functional ceremonial Yugo SKS's and was selling them for like $600. I was soooo tempted and still had my C&R license, but I had just bought a normal cosmo drenched beat up one a few months before and $600 at the time was a lot for an SKS. Now I'm regretting it all over again; they'll never hit the market again and certainly not at that price.

I haven't taken mine out in a while and I'd forgotten what a fun rifle it is to shoot. I'm gonna break it out next time I go shooting. Thanks to the OP for the reminder and good luck with your SKS.

When I put mine back together, I bought some Barnaul 125 Gr SP ammo for it, they shoot very well. Also bought some Starline brass and some 123 gr SP bullets plus a 150 gr bullet mold for the SKS. It is not cost effective to buy brass and reload it, but it will assure I can have hunting ammo when I need it. We have a lot of hogs here, and some deer.

 

[benenglish]

It is not cost effective to buy brass and reload it, but it will assure I can have hunting ammo when I need it.

I'm hanging on to a couple of cases of Hornady steel-cased ammo for similar reasons. It's loaded with, iirc, 123 grain SST bullets making it suitable for things more important than punching paper or clanging steel.

 

[@TX_1]

I'm hanging on to a couple of cases of Hornady steel-cased ammo for similar reasons. It's loaded with, iirc, 123 grain SST bullets making it suitable for things more important than punching paper or clanging steel.

I spent the last 10 or so years trying to make sure I could reload every caliber my family shoots. Pretty much there, but not to the degree you are. Only within the last year did I build an AR-15, I much prefer 30 caliber rifles. (and up). Probably the most readily available ammo is for 5.56x45, so I thought I needed one. But I decided I would load mine for 70 gr. bullet. I'm happy with that decision. It actually feel like you are shooting a rifle. (wooden stock helps that) It is not light.

Next most available military caliber is 7.62x51 which is a great round for a lot of applications. Little over 2 years ago I bought my first rifle in that caliber. Shooting 7.62x51 NATO is not recommended by any of the rifle makers in their .308 rifles. Most of that is the range of specs within NATO countries. The brass by itself will work unless they have Berdan primers, of course you can deprime them and ream them out. For my purposes, I can use NATO brass in my .308. I would have to check the dimensions before using NATO ammo.

I toyed with building an AR-10 a few years ago and a near by gunsmith/friend of mine from childhood talked me out of it. Because of where I was going to source the parts. I knew the history of them and there were interchangeability issues. Now, I know where I would by one without that issue. Not yet sure I am willing to spend that much on a new gun.

 

[@TX_1]

Can be very dangerous. I remember reading once that Russians tried a firing pin spring and the spring caused the firing pin to stick so they abandoned it.

Have you seen the firing pins that Murray Guns manufactures? If not, you might want to read reviews about them. That company is the most knowledgeable about SKS rifles in the country. It is a specialty for him. He is an excellent gunsmith. They are great people to deal with.

It is true that some of the Russian AK bolts for a period of time had return springs, and they stopped using them. Russian rifles are made to use steel cased cartridges and even the bullet jacket is copper plated alloy. That makes for very cheap ammo. Frozen up firing pins in a sludged up bolt is what causes the slam fire problem.

US made 7.62x39 brass and US style primers are softer. With the standard firing pin, there is a chance of piercing the soft primers.

I own an SKS that has Murry Gun's drop in pin kit and it works beautiful with steel ammo and with conventional brass ammo. Starline brass makes 7.62x39 brass, I bought some. It is not always available, but makes very good ammo.

 

[35 Whelen]

Hello all,
I recently got gifted a pretty crappy Chinese SKS that is CAKED in cosmoline. I don't know what the guy who owned it before was thinking.

I've been trying to clean it but the bolt was this ugly orange color and the firing pin only moved after working it with CLP, a mallet, and pliers for an hour. I tried to hammer out the firing pin retainer to no avail, it barely budged and my hands hurt like crazy. I have a bench vise and I don't think I'm THAT weak. I've been watching YouTube videos while I try to clean it and I think my sks is as bad as it gets. I can provide pictures of needed.

Is it important that I get all the cosmoline out? Is slam firing that big of an issue? The firing pin moves in the bolt now with more ease but doesn't drop with gravity.

Thank you!

Did your Chinese SKS look like this?

 

[TreyG-20]

Di your Chinese SKS look like this?

I can smell these pictures.

 

[@TX_1]

Di your Chinese SKS look like this?

Di your Chinese SKS look like this?

I found mine in a box, it was pretty clean and little used, but many parts were missing. Finally found everything except the bolt. Ordered a new bolt and ejector, then we found the original bolt. I ordered the Murray Gunsmith replacement firing pin and for my SKS it required no modification. Works perfect and I don't worry about slam fire or ruptured primer when using it.
As per your bolt disassembly, You might try my favorite fix for rusty stuff, soak it about a week in mixture of vinegar and TSP (tri sodium phosphate detergent). When you do that, you may take off some types of nickel plating, but it will work. I've recovered many antique hand tools found in the ground after 50 years and it always works if you are patient. There is no spring on the firing pin. And the SKS is plagued with stuck firing pins. Would not attempt to use one that had not been disassembled and totally cleaned inside and lubed and reassembled.


Reference material


Dating THE CHINESE sKs
http://chinesesks.weebly.com/dating-the-chinese-sks.html

Complete Disassembly & Reassembly Of The SKS (Type 56) In HD


Chinese SKS Type 56 ID FAQ
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=26665

MilSurp: The SKS Carbine—What You Need To Know

MilSurp: The SKS Carbine—What You Need To Know

The SKS Carbine has been called the Soviet Union’s M1 Carbine. Like the M1 Carbine, it was designed as a lightweight, semi-automatic rifle that was handier than the standard infantry rifle.

www.gunsamerica.com

another suggestion in freeing up the pin on the bolt, you might resort to a heat gun and then let it cool off. This will often free up the frozen parts. If that does not work there are some foaming penetrating oil that might help, but the tolerance on the bolt and it's pin is very close. I don't think just penetrating oil will be of much help. Good Luck