The SKS slamfire "epidemic", or slamfire schmamfire

[MD_Willington]

Never had it happen.

Clean the cosmo-snot out of the trigger group via long term soak in Berryman B-9 Chem-Dip (be careful with this stuff), then the trigger group has a lovely hot bath in the dishwasher...

 

[Acheron]

I went through about 500 rounds without cleaning the firing pin channel (I cleaned the gun though) with no slamfires. I've had a few hangfires, but that was an ammo issue.

 

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

My understanding has been that most people experience a slamfire if they haven't cleaned ou the cosmo. I've only heard of it happening under normal use after a LOT (1000's) of rounds fired.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I'd agree that it's uncommon, especially with a rifle that's been stripped and cleaned of all cosmo and is well maintained.

I installed the spring anyway so that I'd have one less possibility nagging at me.

Same here.
So far I've only had an issue with one SKS that kept "doubling" and that was a trigger sear problem (somebody who didn't know what they were doing ground that sear to neutral engagement).

 

[atblis]

Doesn't the AR/M16 have a floating firing pin?

 

[mio]

i picked 1-100 with at least 1 slamfire. it wasnt actually me shooting it. the one time my buddy brought his sks when we went target shooting i watched it slamfire on him.

scared the hell out of both of us.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

It's an overblown issue, however, ALWAYS KEEP THE WEAPON POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION regardless.

 

[scythefwd]

atblis,
Yes, the M116 has a free floating firing pin.

Before I knew better, I bought some remington 7.62X39 ammo. All rounds have R P and 7.62X39mm on the brass. Has anyone had any slamfires with this ammo (rem.) and is it a pretty sure thing that it has soft primers?

 

[TehK1w1]

Approx 150 rounds through my 59/66 without a slamfire, mostly Wolf or WWB.

Edit to say: 100 rounds out of my Makarov and no slamfires

 

[WayneConrad]

Let's just say that there is more than one way to install the triangular firing pin of a Yugo SKS.

And only one of them is correct, and lets the firing pin float properly.

 

[Bartkowski]

I have shot a few hundred out of a few different SKS's, 2 yugo's and a romanian, 0 slamfires. If you have the bolt clean, and free of thick grease, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Vaarok]

I've never had a slamfire in either of my SKSes and I've gone through maybe three or four cases of ammo. I did have a couple primers pop and gum up the firing pin from engaging during the era of Crap Wolf Ammo, but nothing else.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Back when yugos first hit the market I bought a few. Read a lot, played with them a lot, and shoot some of them a lot(Some still unissued in cosmo).

While I haven't had a slam fire, I've seen it a few times. Once was my 12 year old nephew when he dropped the bolt on a full magazine. Scared him but good.....all 10 rounds in just about 1 second even.


Moral of the story: No matter who I buy one from the bolt ALWAYS gets tore all the way down and cleaned.

 

[no_problem]

Yes, they DO Slamfire, they also go full auto sometimes. Always point an SKS up and downrange at all times.

I had one that my buddy owns empty 10 rds just loaded from a stripper clip. It was a Norinco SKS. There was a known defect in the trigger mechanism. One call to the US distributor and they took it back and repaired it with an upgrade. No cost at all.

 

[mokin]

I finally had a couple slamfires (after at least 1000 rounds or so) in the middle of a 3 gun match seperated by normal single shots. I figure it was a primer or seating issue. I take pretty good care of my rifles.

My brother on the other hand, said he could load 10 rounds, drop the bolt, and have all 10 of them go off without touching the trigger. He said he eventually had to take it to a gunsmith to get it "fixed". I doubt he is as thorough as I am in his weapons maintanence.

 

[chris in va]

I didn't have a slamfire with my Yugo, but it did get the firing pin stuck. Seems a piece of what looked like chrome flaked off inside the channel, keeping the pin from moving forward. If that flake had jammed it FORWARD, then it would have easily slamfired.

 

[Southern Gobbler]

I had a slamfire a few years ago but it was my own fault. In my eagerness to get out to the range and try my new rifle I didn't completely break down the bolt and clean out all the cosmoline. Just sprayed it down with some solvent and figured it was good to go. After about 100 rounds the rifle fired a three round burst. Seeing as the rifle didn't have any select fire lever I had accidently flipped I figured this was probably a good time to pack it up and head home. After dissassembling the bolt and giving it a thourough cleaning I have never had any problems. Remember kids, keep those SKS's clean!

 

[CHAINGUNMASSACRE]

I had my Chinese SKS loaded with "green box" Chinese milsurp ammo. I was Coyote hunting, it was about -12 deg F. I had the rifle lubed with regular hoppes gun oil. I was loading it, and when I chambered the 1st round, it slamfired. Into the frozen ground about 3 feet in front of me. I started using Rem-oil in cold weather after that. apparently that Chinese stuff has soft primers anyway, so it may not have happened with wolf.

 

[Gingerbreadman]

Probably 800 rounds through my SKS without a slamfire, and I didn't even get the bolt completely clean for the first hundred rounds or so ( whoops, now I know better...).

 

[jpwilly]

I should have had a slam fire but didn't. The firing pin did get "stuck" in the "fire" position but fortunately didn't ignite the round.

 

[3 gun]

I'd bet 99.98% of all slam fires are cause by poor cleaning or gun handling. Don't load into the chamber, only from the mag, and keep your bolt clean.

 

[mr.trooper]

Just boil the cosmo out of your bolt assembly. it takes like 10 min and its easy as hell.

 

[guntotinguy]

I have a Yugo and a Russian,recently put about 500 rounds each through them...not one slamfire and I dont expect i will yet I will most certainly take every safety steps possible just in case.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I had 1 slamfire with my Yugo M59/66. I had already cleaned it out and shot it many times without problems. One time I shot several hundred rounds of Wolf and then followed it up with American Eagle ammo. When I pulled the trigger on round 9, it fired twice, emptying the gun. I think it was a combo of dirty firing pin channel and soft American commercial primer. Total round count was over 2200 rounds of Wolf and 500 rounds of American Eagle. I eventually sold the SKS, but if I still had it (kinda wish I did) I would blast it with brake cleaner after every shoot and only use Russian ammo.

 

[Dksimon]

The only slamfire I have ever seen is when an idiot friend of my cousin tried some home gunsmiting (I dont know what his exact intent was) he pulled the trigger once and the gun went full auto for the remainder of the mag.
It was cool to see but rather frightening when you think bout the possibility for accidents.