[DualBerettas]

Friend shot a 7.62x39 chinese, w/ a factory chinese 20 round mag... new with only 20 rounds fired, we fired 139 rounds and had 3-4 jams, 2 FTF, 2 FTE once when i loaded and fired and the rest from the friend. Wandering if the SKS has a break in period, or, if you need to make sure you push the cartridges down at the rearmost part of the cartridge to make sure they're loading in the mag right, seated properly (is there a way to do that?)...thoughts?

DB

[iamkris]

I have over 500 rounds of Wolf through my stock Yugo "unissued" SKS. No FTE, FTF or anything but bang.

Maybe its that mag? Try it with the stock 10 rounder.

[Bill Hook]

Detachable mag SKSs are questionable for reliability. The ones made that way by the Chinese may be an exception, but the conversion kits aren't.

[Daedalus]

My chinese SKS does the exact same thing...I just consider it part of the cost of putting the detachable mag on it.

[DualBerettas]

it's not detachable...

DB

[oldfart]

The SKS was designed to use a ten-round magazine. Anything else... no matter how well-made or how good looking it might be-- is a kludge.

[simon]

Over 1000 rnds through my russian SKS and no problems besides a couple of stovepipes,pretty good odds...

[FrankGrimeyGrimes]

I might be wary of using Wolf in my AR or FAL, but I haven't any issues using Wolf in my Yugo SKS. Not a single failure as yet (122 gr. JHPs).

If there's anything Wolf ammo is well suited for it is feeding the likes of AK & SKS type rifles.

[sturmruger]

I bought a SKS in the early 90s. I have several thousand rounds through my SKS and have never had any FTF or other problems. I shoot Wolf, Bear, and any other cheap ammo I can find. It loves the stuff. I like to buy the Wold 7.62X39 hollow points they work great on dee, and general plinking. It might be the mag you are using.

[Dain Bramage]

About 300 rounds of Wolf 154 gr SP through my Yugo SKS (stock 10 rd mag)and another 200 through my AMD, using a bunch of 30 and 20 rd mags. Nothing but bang.

[Trempel]

I have about 600 of Wolf and about 100 rounds of S&B through my Romanian SKS with 0 faliures. No problemo.

[Raistlin]

My Yugo SKS had problems at first - jamming and FTEs. After some trial-and-error, I found the gas tube was leaking at the upper end. Replaced it with a TAPCO tube (they have both "regular" and Yugo types). Problem solved.

Something else: with the Yugo at least, you definitely have to keep it tight against the shoulder. I slacked off on a couple of rounds and the spent shell jammed against the bolt each time.

YMMV. :)

[DMK]

w/ a factory chinese 20 round mag That's your problem. Even though the mag is Chinese, it is not original equipment for that rifle. Get the correct 10 round magazine and it will likely be much more reliable.

[DualBerettas]

it is a chinese rifle though...what is original 20 round equipment and what does it look like...?

also,where is a good source for the 20 round mags with NO star?

DB

[Wildalaska]

Ecuses,excuses...its not like that FTEs are necessarily mag related...just admit that Wolf Amm9o is complete junk and move on...

WildeventhesksfailwithitAlaska

[Bill Hook]

Do you have an indoor range, WA? ;)

[DMK]

it is a chinese rifle though...what is original 20 round equipment and what does it look like...? There never was an original equipment 20 round fixed or detachable magazine. They are aftermarket add ons.

All SKS, from all the countries that made them, came with 10 round fixed magazines except for the two fairly rare Chinese "SKS-D" and "Sporter" varients that use detachable AK magazines.

The only 20 round fixed magazine that is reported to work reliably is the Keng magazine. It has no star on it and is very hard to find.

I have to disagree with WildAlaska. I have over 10 SKS from various countries and they all shoot Wolf ammo reliably. He's right that it isn't very good ammo, but a healthy SKS should feed, fire, extract and eject it with no bobbles.

While you are looking for a replacement mag, strip that rifle and give it a good cleaning. Most of the rifles I've seen have all kinds of cosmoline still stuck in the various nooks and crannies.

More info here:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/sks/index.asp

[Wildalaska]

Do you have an indoor range, WA?

Nope but if I did :)

WildguesswhatiddoAlaska

[Beetle Bailey]

FWIW, I have 900 rounds of wolf 7.62x39 thru my Yugo SKS and every single round fired and ejected properly. The accuracy isn't great, but the reliability has been. I use the stock 10 round fixed magazine and stripper clips to feed it, BTW. Also, how many rounds do you need to fire without problems to consider a rifle/ammo combo to be reliable?

[rayra]

Nevermind WildhairuphisbuttinAlaska's answer. IIRC, Wolf SKS ammo in manufactured in a privatized former-Soviet SKS Ammo factory. You are buying and shooting the ammo that was always made for the weapon.
I've got a Chinese SKS, fired 2+ cases of Wolf with zero problems.
I'd fully inspect the weapon looking for faults. Check the gas system, bolt, springs, and I'd be looking funny at the 20-rd mag, too.

[DualBerettas]

btt

[Denton T. Young]

My friend has a SKS and only uses Wolf ammo. He's never had any type of failure with his gun.

I refuse to use Wolf in my guns.....just too dirty.

[BamBam-31]

DMK got it right.

First, clean the darn thing, and not just the barrel. Take the whole thing apart and clean out all the gunk in the receiver, bolt, gas tube, everywhere. There's probably cosmoline (a thick brownish grease used for long term storage) in every nook and cranny of that rifle, and that'll affect functioning for sure. Buy some brake cleaner and Breakfree CLP, and go at it with toothbrushes, Q-tips, and paper towels.

If the rifle's clean, I'd then suspect the magazine. SKS's were meant to be used with 10-round magazines. The 20-rounder you have, although it came with the rifle, probably isn't the original magazine for it. Hunt down a Chinese 10-rounder, and install it on your rifle. I'll bet a nickel that solves your problems.

If you're still having problems, then I'd suspect faulty rifle parts (other than the mag, of course).

Good luck. SKS's are nothing if not reliable, even with Wolf ammo.

[Captain Scarlet]

I doubt it's the ammo, WOLF makes very good ammo for SKS & AK's...
the original 10 rd magazine is more reliable.

[G.I.Jew]

I have a Yugo that has had many stovepipes because the seal with the gas tube and valve is poor. If you get a Yugo, make sure that it is an all-matching rifle.

[Hot brass]

My SKS has never FTF, FTE, or misfire.

[MuzzleBlast]

My Norinco will FTF on Wolf about 40% of the time. I think my hammer spring is weak. When it fires, it extracts and ejects just fine.