SKS failure to feed

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Gruvhed

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Hi guys, thought I'd ask the experts on this one...

I bought a Yugo 59/66 SKS (though haven't had a chance to fire it), but when hand cycling the action I noticed the last two rounds get jammed just under the chamber.

I didn't notice a feed ramp, but where a feed ramp would be is where the bullet noses ram straight in. The first eight rounds cycle without a hitch, but with round 9 or 10 (or if a single round is loaded into the magazine) I get nose to chamber face.

Is this common for unshot SKS's? Or did I get the one in a million unreliable SKS?

BTW the gun is bone stock (except per California compliance they changed the grenade launcher with a stubby muzzle brake), so is the factory mag. Just opened it up to clean out the two pounds of cosmoline they put in it.

Thanks guys :)
 
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Some Yugo SKSs have gas leaks but you wouldn't know until you shoot it so I wouldn't be too worried about it. Even if it did have a gas leak it's easily fixable to my understanding. Also, it should be a factory fixed 10 round box magazine. The duck bill magazines are high capacity and aftermarket. In case you didn't know there's a lever to turn off the gas valve(to shoot grenades), so if you shoot it and it's acting like a bolt action then move it to the other position.
 
Shoot t and see if there is a real problem.

Hand cycling doesn't really replicate how the weapon actually feeds.

BSW
 
If it has a duckbill mag, there is your problem. All SKS have a fixed 10 round mag that is hinged at the front for unloading/cleaning. chris3
 
clarification

Sorry guys, let me clarify

it has the regular hinged, fixed, factory, 10 round magazine, not aftermarket.
 
lock the bolt open, take a few pictures of the feeding area at various angles, and I'll compare to my working version, that is going to the range with me today. I'll try to remember to take a few pictures while I'm cleaning it
 
+1 briansmithwins

You learn nothing from manually cycling rounds through the gun that is worth the risk of a ND.

Its not unheard of for an SKS to have the firing pin stuck forward causing slam fires.
 
Check the gas valve. You may have it on grenade launcher mode and it makes the round hang up. This could happen if it has a gas leak to. There could also be some more cosmoline in there. Pop the trigger guard out, take the magazine out, take the recoil spring, bolt carrier and assembly out and take the barreled receiver out of the stock. Check and make sure no parts of the stock are hanging up on the barrelled action.


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+1 briansmithwins

You learn nothing from manually cycling rounds through the gun that is worth the risk of a ND.

Its not unheard of for an SKS to have the firing pin stuck forward causing slam fires.


Which would cause the problem he is describing. Could be clogged with cosmoline. I have a murray spring loaded firing pin in mine so I dont worry about slam fires.

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I have a Norinco and it feeds all 10 fine. Sounds like you may have a bad mag. Maybe the follower is not coming up high enough. Are you sliding the rounds all the way back in mag? Sometimes the rounds can wedge forward and not allow the follower to come up all the way.
 
I don't think he is having a gas problem causing problems with manual cycling

although manual cycling really doesn't matter ... the gun was designed to be SHOT, not hand cycled
quit wasting time, go shoot it
 
Might be nothing wrong other than a weak or broken magazine spring. Play close attention to that little coil spring under the front of the follower. It may be clogged or have a piece broken off. These things are 30-40years old, just saying:D

Manual cycling won't perfectly duplicate how the gun will function when fired; the recoil impulse can make a big difference in feeding.
 
+1 on the spring loaded firing pin mod. I did that to both of mine as I had a problem with a stuck firing pin causing a full auto condition.

Yup, and when I sent it in Ben Murray did a bolt face treatment on it as well to prevent popped primers. I have not shot it since having it done but plan to. How does yours work with berdan primed ammo?


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Also check and make sure that if it has a recoil buffer it is properly seated. I have heard of issues like you are having with people not having the recoil buffer seated properly.


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I tried the Tapco bolt, it wasn't an improvement. Failures to extract, unreliable engagement with my Kivaari trigger. I called Tapco about it, they said it was a discontinued part, because they couldn't make the extractor work. I like the sprung firing pin, I might look at the options mentioned here.
 
I tried the Tapco bolt, it wasn't an improvement. Failures to extract, unreliable engagement with my Kivaari trigger. I called Tapco about it, they said it was a discontinued part, because they couldn't make the extractor work. I like the sprung firing pin, I might look at the options mentioned here.

I had heard that about them. For cheaper than what I saw the tapco bolts for I traded for an sks bolt (i wanted to leave the original bolt it came with stock). I sent it off to Ben Murray in bowie texas and he installed one of his spring loaded firing pin kits and did a bolt face treatment to prevent popped primers. I also had him do an sks d/m mod to use detachable magazines with the bolt closed. He also did a mag adapter mod on it in case I ever decide i want to use the duckbill less mag adapter. All that was 82.00 total. Cheaper than a tapco bolt.

Murray's Guns
http://www.murraysguns.com/cart.htm

Ben Murray is the leading SKS gunsmith in america. I also bought his trigger, sear, and hammer and had kivaari do his trigger magic with them.

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Tapco bolts? Really?

I think I'd get chest surgery from some guy off Craigslist before I trust anything Tapco made to contain 50,000 psi gas inches away from my face.

You guys that have the Tapco bolts are checking them for headspace before firing, right?

BSW
 
Most Yugos are full of cosmoline. Clean and lube the rifle and check it out at the range.
I wouldn't recommend cycling a SKS with live ammo unless you are ready for it to go bang.
Tapco bolts? Really?

I think I'd get chest surgery from some guy off Craigslist before I trust anything Tapco made to contain 50,000 psi gas inches away from my face.

You guys that have the Tapco bolts are checking them for headspace before firing, right?

What's wrong with Tapco bolts? I haven't heard anything bad about them.
 
Most Yugos are full of cosmoline. Clean and lube the rifle and check it out at the range.
I wouldn't recommend cycling a SKS with live ammo unless you are ready for it to go bang.


What's wrong with Tapco bolts? I haven't heard anything bad about them.

Lots of failures to extract. They had hella trouble with the extractors and discontinued making them as they couldn't get the extractors to work correctly.


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I have a Norinco SKS that has started doing the same thing. It was 100% reliable and then all of the sudden it's slamming the rounds just under the chamber like yours is doing. I have tried the factory magazine and a couple detachable mags, it does it with all of them. I still can't figure out why it's doing it. I think I'm just going to let the gunsmith figure it out for me.
 
I have a Norinco SKS that has started doing the same thing. It was 100% reliable and then all of the sudden it's slamming the rounds just under the chamber like yours is doing. I have tried the factory magazine and a couple detachable mags, it does it with all of them. I still can't figure out why it's doing it. I think I'm just going to let the gunsmith figure it out for me.

Stuck firing pin? Possible popped primers in the bolt.


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