SKS bolt won't come apart

[LiquidTension]

My unissued Yugo arrived last week and I've been cleaning the cosmoline off of it for the past few days (20 minutes here, 10 minutes there). Problem is, I can't get the bolt apart. I've taken the bolt apart on my other SKS plenty of times with no problem, but this one just won't budge. The retaining pin will NOT move. I've deformed the point of a punch trying to get it out! Is there some trick to the Yugo bolts? I thought they were the same as the Russian ones.... It's soaking in Simple Green overnight to hopefully loosen up some of the cosmoline inside it, but I don't think it's just cosmo keeping the thing in there.

Any thoughts?

 

[SteelyDan]

There was a thread on this three or four months ago. The bottom line is that most of the pins will come out, but that they're serious boogers to deal with and require a big hammer and a strong punch. A day-long pre-soak in mineral spirits will help. If the retaining pin absolutely refuses to budge, just keep soaking in solvents (and shaking the container) until the firing pin moves freely.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

I was lucky, mine came apart after a few good whacks with the steel pin and full sized hammer!

Just make sure it is on a hard steady surface. You don't want to put dents in the kitchen table.

 

[davek]

Mine took some SERIOUS whacks to get that pin out. I heard where somebody was having a similar problem but was afraid that beating the snot out of the bolt every time he wanted to clean it would eventually lead to damage. He ended up somehow putting a punch or something on a drill press and getting it out that way (not with the drill running! Just using the leverage that the press provided).

 

[LiquidTension]

I soaked it all night in SG. The firing pin moves freely now, but the retaining pin is still stuck. Oh well, guess I'll just keep whackin' at it!

 

[Badger Arms]

If the firing pin moves freely, why are you messing with the FP retaining pin? Leave it there, don't bother. You're more likely to damage the gun than help it. The FP Retaining pin is meant to be tight so that it NEVER COMES OUT. So long as your FP moves freely, DON'T do anything. Why fix it if it isn't broke? More civilian guns have been ruined by obsessive cleaning than by firing or wear.

 

[Jim K]

Three cheers for Badger Arms! Listen to him. They put that pin in tight to keep folks from messing with it; it is intended to be removed only by an armorer and only if the firing pin needs replacement. Why bust something up just to take apart something that doesn't need to come apart?

Jim

 

[R.H. Lee]

More civilian guns have been ruined by obsessive cleaning than by firing or wear.

Amen.

 

[SapperLeader]

I soaked mine in mineral spirits overnight, and the whole thing almost fell apart, it was so easy to dismantle. Removal of cosmoline was the only reason I was trying to take it apart, and in the future It will probally never be dismantled unless I need to replace the firing pine.

 

[LiquidTension]

Finally got the thing out. The pin moved freely for a while, but apparently all it did was loosen up some more cosmoline because after a day it was sticky again. Now it's apart and clean and I don't have to worry about it again.

 

[Doug S]

A lot of people over on the SKS forums recommend taking the bolt apart, even if you can hear your firing pin sliding freely. The reason being that there seems to be an increased chance of slamfires even if a small amount of cosmoline residue remains inside the bolt. That said, I know of a number of individuals who just soaked the bolt clean & have had no problems. Personally I didn't want to take any chances so I took both of mine apart. Both came apart fairly easily, but you do need to have them on a good firm surface to knock the pin out.

 

[SteelyDan]

Don't you have to take every new gun completely apart at least once? Isn't there a law or something?

 

[klover]

boiling water for everything metal

Then a few shots of carb cleaner into the firing pin from the chamber end of the bolt. I then rattle the bolt and reshoot the carb cleaner until all runs clear cleaner out. If there is cosmoline around the pin at this point, I'll eat my shorts.

 

[LiquidTension]

I'm glad I finally got it apart. Even after the pin would move around freely, there was still some stuff in the firing pin channel. Gunk would probably have stuck to the little bits better than it will without the little bits in there

 

[Badger Arms]

I soak it in some gasoline for a while after using a tooth-brush to remove all the stuff on the outside. I then remove and blow it out with compressed air. Then I do the same thing with Break Free. All done.