Any SKS guys here? Need to solve a problem

[pilotlight]

I have a Norinco SKS that has just received it's final part to make it operational. (Bolt head)
However, when the gun is charged, the firing pin drops, and the round does not fire.
It is basically super light primer strikes. I cannot determine whether it
is a too short firing pin or if the firing pin length needs to be changed?

This is the first time I have ever attempted to troubleshoot the SKS
and the problem may be right in front of me. However, someone's valued
expertise would come in handy here.

So.. light primer strike when trigger is pulled and no 'bang.'
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim K]

I am not sure what you mean by "bolt head" and "the firing pin drops". The SKS bolt is one piece. The firing pin is fixed in the bolt and can move only forward and back, not up and down. The bolt itself moves down at the back to lock into the matching recess in the receiver, but the firing pin doesn't move in the bolt.

If you installed the bolt, it sounds like it has not been properly fitted to lock up. If that is the case, the hammer cannot deliver a full blow to the firing pin and the gun will misfire. That is a safety feature to prevent firing with an unlocked bolt (firing out of battery) which would destroy the rifle and possibly injure the shooter.

If you are not aware of how to fit that bolt and check the headspace on the rifle, perhaps you should take it to a competent gunsmith.

Jim

 

[dprice3844444]

http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm try this guy

 

[Jim K]

I STRONGLY suggest you not go modifying the firing pin until you find someone to check out the bolt locking and headspace. You could get the gun to fire out of battery and that would not be good at all!

Jim

 

[pilotlight]

Thanks for the information.

 

[pilotlight]

dprice, that link you posted is not working.

 

[pilotlight]

Disregard that last post. Found him on youtube.
He is the SKS master...

 

[akv3g4n]

When you shake the bolt assembly, can you hear the firing pin move back and forth? It should freely move when you shake it.

 

[BBBBill]

Still sounds like bolt fit/lockup (and headspace) needs to be verified before moving on to any other issues. The gun may be trying to protect you from yourself. If it were to fire while not properly locked up, you might end up with shrapnel from a burst case or even the bolt itself stuck in your forehead. Sometimes it is rocket surgery.

 

[greyling22]

If it's not headspace, it could well be in the bolt. check for the rattle in the firing pin, and check to see if it's protruding pretty far. I had an sks that somehow got a piece of debris in the primer hole and was preventing the primer from moving all the way forward.

I had another that the firing pin and firing pin retaining pin had worn out/worn together on and had to be replaced. I can't believe the lack of love and care that went into these $70 guns. You'd think for that kind of money you'd get hardened steel and titanium parts but nooooooooo

 

[GJgo]

Care to measure your firing pin protrusion & share it? IIRC I had to shave mine down to about .035" to stop it from blowing out primers. Stock was closer to .050" as I recall. The blown primers would lodge pieces in the channel & lock up the pin.



I also got light primer strikes on Mil spec or Russian primers when I combined both the Kivaari trigger job and Murray's sprung firing pin.

 

[Jim K]

Blown primers are not caused by excess firing pin protrusion but by insufficient firing pin momentum. When the firing pin ignites the primer, it must continue support for an instant. If it does not do so, the internal primer pressure will push the firing pin back and extrude primer metal into the firing pin hole.

That is ALWAYS the result of too light a firing pin/hammer, too light a firing pin/hammer spring, or retarding of the firing pin in some way. GJgo's post indicates not one but possibly all three conditions could have existed. Shortening the firing pin may have solved the problem but an overlong firing pin didn't cause it.

Jim

 

[mokin]

You make this sound like sort of like a home build, or something where you didin't have all the original parts for the rifle. Just what I am going on. No offense intended.

I have experienced a similar thing with some SKSs when the trigger group doesn't quite fit into the receiver. It might look it's in there, and it might fire for a couple of rounds and eventually stop, but it doesn't quite fit. I haven't figured out the why, but things seem to fit and the hammer impacts the firing pin when the trigger is pulled but no BANG!. All I have figured out is the hammer isn't exactly where it is supposed to be.

Anyway, another thing to check.