Yugo 59/66 SKS problem

[hutch77]

I have a Yugo 59/66 that I recently purchased from Interordnance. It's one of the shooter grade cheapies. I stripped it down as far as I could get it and scrubbed the crap out of the thing when I got it and managed to get all the cosmoline out of it. I took it out to the range today and ran into a problem. It fired the first few rounds just fine. The action cycled properly and ejected the spent cases just fine. After like 4 rounds, however, it started failing to cycle the action. The bolt would come out of battery maybe 1/4"-1/2" and then stop. The first thing I did was check to make sure the gas shutoff was still in semi-auto mode, which it was. I struggled along with it in ""bolt-action mode" for a few more rounds and then it stopped even cycling that far. The last round required a pretty good whack on the carrier handle to unchamber the empty case. I was shooting some "European Surplus" that comes in the 200 round battle packs.



I'm guessing that there is a gas leak somewhere along the way. When I disassembled the rifle to clean it, there was quite a bit of pitting around the port on the gas valve. Is it possible that enough gas is leaking out around the valve to cause this problem? If it was would I notice anything besides the rifle not cycling properly? Is there a common weak point in the gas system that I'm missing? Also what inexpensive remedies are there to fix this problem (keep in mind it's only an $85 rifle)?



Thanks in advance,



hutch77

 

[Smokey Joe]

SKS problem

Hutch77:

The last round required a pretty good whack on the carrier handle to unchamber the empty case.

IMHO, you appear to be having a chambering problem, as opposed to a gas cycling system problem.

I'm assuming that in your cleaning, you took all the gunk out of the op-rod and return spring area, and MADE SURE THE FIRING PIN MOVES FREELY IN THE BOLT. If not, do so. Also am assuming you cleaned and lubed the bolt carrier and bolt.

(The firing pin thing is a different problem, but stuck firing pins in SKS's result in slam-fires; a thing to be avoided.)

The gas cycling system on an SKS is very rugged & reliable; if you cleaned it there should be no problem there. Sometimes the 59/66's leak enough through the selector valve and the gas tube fittings to cause a cycling problem, but since you were having problems with extracting fired cases in single-shot mode too, I'd have someone look at your chamber, bolt carrier, and bolt.

What you describe is unusual to say the least. Sorry I don't know a quick fix. This kind of thing is really frustrating. My sympathy.

 

[P5 Guy]

Did you put the recoil spring in the bolt carrier the right way?
I put mine in backwards once and had a heck of a time geting the bolt open.