Why does my SKS hate Wolf?

[KrankyKraut]

I took my new (to me, it's not a new rifle) Yugo SKS to the range for the first time today. I had Barnaul HP and Wolf 122 gr. HP. The Barnaul/SKS match was made in heaven. But between the rifle and the Wolf... instant hatred! Half the time it wouldn't feed right; I had stovepiping, jammed bolts, the rounds falling all over themselves to get into the chamber and thus creating logjams (pardon my untechnical attempts to describe what happened). The range officer said he thinks the Wolf for some reason wasn't powerful enough to fully cycle the rifle. But he also said that the Wolf hasn't given anybody else any trouble in the SKS. That jives with what I've read. Supposedly the SKS loves all Russian ammo! The Barnaul feels a little hotter than the Wolf. Also for some reason with the Barnaul I had no problems using my stripper clips. With the Wolf I had to manually fill the magazine. It wouldn't work with the clips. Now, the weapon was cleaned and checked by a gunsmith before I took it to the range. Any ideas would could be the matter?

 

[browningguy]

Wolf is not known as the highest qualiy ammo so it's possible you got some slightly out of spec.

 

[jonnyc]

That's funny! My Russian Tula SKS hated Barnaul JHP, but seems to love Wolf FMJ!

 

[crew590]

FWIW, my Yugo 55/66 seems to like Wolf FMJ and JHP.

 

[plateshooter]

Since you said your rifle is new to you, could the previous owner put a buffer in the rifle? Look in the cover that covers the recoil spring. A buffer Tec buffer would be stuffed in the back of it if it's in there. I have seen those buffers cause the problems you are talking about. FWIW, I will take Barnaul ammo over Wolf anyday. More accurate in MY rifles and trouble free operation when used in my Russian SKSs and my several AK types.

 

[railroader]

I would try regular wolf fmj ammo. Here is guess on wolf problems too. I'm assuming you have the yugo with the grenade launcher. These rifles sometimes have cycling problems because of leaky gas systems around the gas valve area.
Maybe because the barnaul has more pop to it the rifle cyles fine but the wolf isn't quite powerful enough to make the action work properly. I have 4 sks's and wolf and ever other brand of ammo works fine in it. As for the stripper clips the wolf ammo has a polymer coating on the cases and the barnaul has a laquer coating, maybe that has something to do with it. Good luck. Mark

 

[Gewehr43]

I took my new (to me, it's not a new rifle) Yugo SKS to the range for the first time today. I had Barnaul HP and Wolf 122 gr. HP. The Barnaul/SKS match was made in heaven. But between the rifle and the Wolf... instant hatred! Half the time it wouldn't feed right; I had stovepiping, jammed bolts, the rounds falling all over themselves to get into the chamber and thus creating logjams (pardon my untechnical attempts to describe what happened). The range officer said he thinks the Wolf for some reason wasn't powerful enough to fully cycle the rifle. But he also said that the Wolf hasn't given anybody else any trouble in the SKS. That jives with what I've read. Supposedly the SKS loves all Russian ammo! The Barnaul feels a little hotter than the Wolf. Also for some reason with the Barnaul I had no problems using my stripper clips. With the Wolf I had to manually fill the magazine. It wouldn't work with the clips. Now, the weapon was cleaned and checked by a gunsmith before I took it to the range. Any ideas would could be the matter?

Your failure to feed jams are likely caused by the flat tip on the HP ammo. My yugo would ALWAYS hang on that Wolf HP because the rifle doesn't have much of a feed ramp into the chamber.

 

[MartinS]

Problem with the stripper clips? Wouldn't this point to something amiss with the case rims?

 

[TrafficMan]

you could also try cleaning the chamber really well....

 

[mr.trooper]

you must be mistken. SKS dont have ammo problems. Are you sure your putting htem in the right way?

 

[mrmeval]

I had one like that and dumped it and got another without really figuring out the problem. The one I have now feeds wolf fine.

I took my new (to me, it's not a new rifle) Yugo SKS to the range for the first time today. I had Barnaul HP and Wolf 122 gr. HP. The Barnaul/SKS match was made in heaven. But between the rifle and the Wolf... instant hatred! Half the time it wouldn't feed right; I had stovepiping, jammed bolts, the rounds falling all over themselves to get into the chamber and thus creating logjams (pardon my untechnical attempts to describe what happened).