SKS Bolt Poll

[LynnMassGuy]

Folks, it really aint that hard to tap out the retaining pin.

Regards
John

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I just soaked the whole bolt in mineral spirits for a few hours, then took it outside and hosed it down with brake cleaner, then lightly oiled it. The firing pin moves freely now. If it didn't move freely, I'd dissassemble it, but I see no need to with this rifle.

 

[rbernie]

Sometimes I think if people would spend a little more time learning to take apart their bolt, they wouldnt have to spend extra money on new pins and extraneous springs.

Once again, I'm forced to suggest that you really need to be a little more flexible in your attitudes. Some of us know how to take apart the bolt, and were probably taking them apart and keeping them running when you were still playing with squirt guns. And yet some of us elected to do the Murray upgrade anyway. Why?

So that we could shoot brass-cased 7.62x39 handloads made with commecial primers in our SKS's without concern. No sense turning our back on the original design if it has some possible value, and the original SKS design HAD THE SPRING.

If you want to limit yourself to ammo made with mil-spec primers, that's great. I won't insult you for doing so. But some of us really prefer to have a wider selection of choices, and the Murray upgrade allows us that.

 

[Kurush]

Folks, it really aint that hard to tap out the retaining pin.

Some of the Yugo bolts are VERY stuck. I literally beat a steel punch flat on mine and couldn't budge it. If I'd had an arbor press back then maybe I could've gotten it out but tapping wasn't doing it.

 

[MechAg94]

Some of us don't have a vise or loads of tools laying around. I already broke one small punch. I have already banged on it some and it won't budge. I kind of figured the 4# hammer would do it, but not yet. I don't have a vise. Also, I have a pretty good idea of what I am supposed to do, but the sites I have visited really had little in the way of pictoral views to be sure.

Does anyone know where you can find a decent exploded view of the bolt? The views I have found are too small and I can't see any detail.

I have some mineral spirits so I will try that.

 

[TrafficMan]

Once again, I'm forced to suggest that you really need to be a little more flexible in your attitudes. Some of us know how to take apart the bolt, and were probably taking them apart and keeping them running when you were still playing with squirt guns. And yet some of us elected to do the Murray upgrade anyway. Why?

So that we could shoot brass-cased 7.62x39 handloads made with commecial primers in our SKS's without concern. No sense turning our back on the original design if it has some possible value, and the original SKS design HAD THE SPRING.

If you want to limit yourself to ammo made with mil-spec primers, that's great. I won't insult you for doing so. But some of us really prefer to have a wider selection of choices, and the Murray upgrade allows us that.

yup, and considering i have a hard time finding non-magnetic ammo to shoot on SOCAL ranges, it was almost a necessity for my rifle. and by saying it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, i beg to differ...Slamfires HAVE happened.

PROOF: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=146774

better to be safe than sorry

 

[DMK]

where's the option for "I detail stripped the bolt and completely cleaned it and have no problems with the military issue parts that have worked for decades in other rifles."?

+1

.. some of us elected to do the Murray upgrade anyway. Why?
So that we could shoot brass-cased 7.62x39 handloads made with commecial primers in our SKS's without concern. No sense turning our back on the original design if it has some possible value, and the original SKS design HAD THE SPRING.

Very good point. I don't shoot US made commercial ammo in my SKSes or AK (man, the price they charge for that sfuff!! ), but if I did, I would opt for the spring I think. On the other hand, almost every time I take one of my SKS to the range, I talk to someone who hunts with one around here, almost always using domestic softpoint ammo. Most of these folks are not the take it apart and fiddle with it types, none have ever mentioned upgrading the firing pin and I've never heard of anyone having any soft primer slamfire issues at all (I often ask).

 

[TrafficMan]

i don't know if any of you remember the story about the guy in Roseville, CA that was killed when his SKS slamfired. Apparently it he got shot in the eye and died at the range. You can probably Google it.

On one hand, as mentioned, most military semi automatic rifles have free floating firing pins...considering there are SO many SKS rifles in the hands of citizens is probably why we hear more slamfire stories regarding the SKS. That and the media seems to have a hard on for negative stuff surrounding the SKS/AK weapons. Even if the risk is miniscule, it's one that i personally am not willing to take...i'm happy with Murray's bolt mod and will preech to the choir about it.

 

[Shrinkmd]

Hey Trafficman...since you've had the bolt mod done, I assume no slamfires or other type problems? Have you ever bothered to reclean the insides of the bolt once it was modified, to make sure the spring is ok? I've heard people make that objection to modifying it from free floating.

I also checked my trigger and it has negative engagement. I guess I should spring for the Kivaari trigger job, too. I cocked the rifle and tried dropping it on the floor (unloaded ) and it didn't fire. Of course, I can do this a thousand times in my basement and the one time it's really loaded and...

But even with an extra $100 bucks or so to bring it up to more modern safety specs, it still seems like a bargain and a cool piece of history all wrapped up in one.

 

[TrafficMan]

hey shrinkmd, you might also know me from surplusrifle...i've responded to a few of your posts over there...my handle is air980.


i haven't even fired my SKS since i have owned it! i've had it since this summer. part of that reason was finding non-magnetic ammo for it, which i have since done and bought a case. (Wolf JHP -- copper jacket) -- I was going to send the trigger group off to Kivarri a few weeks back, but I found an exceptionally clean pre-64 Model 94 Winchester 30-30 that is currently on layaway...so all of my extra income is going toward that baby at the moment. i'm not gonna shoot the SKS until i get the trigger group "modernized" by Kivarri. also, i want to find another case of ammo before i start burning through my current one...i will probably shoot it sometime this winter.

i do, however, have nothing but good things to say about Ben Murray's work. Ben installed a new firing pin and spring as well as well as sending my old firing pin and an additional "backup" spring. He also polishes the bolt face and extractor and checks them for proper functioning. Price was 40 bucks, and turn around was 2 weeks. I don't see why you couldn't just order the pin and spring from him, without having him do the work. Afterall, i did disassemble the bolt and reassembled when i got the rifle...it's not rocket science. I knew that i wouldn't be shooting the rifle for awhile, that's why i sent it to him.

 

[MechAg94]

Question: Are there different bolt designs for the SKS? I assume this is a spring loaded version. My bolt don't look quite like this one. My Yugo "pin" appears to be right at the rear of the extractor piece. This one appears to be further away from the extractor.
This is the only site I have come across so far with good pics of the bolt disassembled.
http://will.mylanders.com/shot/sks/action-detail.php3

 

[withergyld]

That picture looks like the early Russian with the spring.

I was going to point you to Yooperj's web page but the link I have is no good.

He had LOTS of pictures showing variations SKS rifles and IIRC he had pictures of the different bolts and firing pins.