SKS problem

[wheeling365]

Trying to help out a friend with an SKS he has.

He left his brother take it out to the range a few days ago. His brother fired a few rounds thru it and the gun locked up on him with ammo still in the magazine. He was using wolf steel case.

I've tried to cycle the action to manually extract the ammo and/or drop off the stock mag but I'm not having any luck. It appears that the bolt is not completely closed and it will not not move in either direction.

I've never really messed with one to take it apart but he and I are unsure if the rifle is actually clear in the chamber. So before we start trying to mess with it I am hoping someone has a way to get the action open to clear the chamber.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[RoyJackson]

I'm assuming the SKS is a standard rifle or carbine with the standard fixed box magazine.

1) Do this in a place (range) where it's entirely safe if a round goes off

2) Dump the rounds in the magazine, if possible. Once those rounds are dumped, view the chamber and see if there's a round cocked up in there.

3) Clamp a stop on the range table. You'll be placing the rifle's butt against the block to prevent movement.

4) (WEAR GOGGLES!!) Using dead blow mallet, tap the bolt handle until you get it locked back.

Remember, that's a free floating firing pin! That round could go when you're tapping the bolt handle. NO ONE must go in in front of the muzzle!

My guess, based upon the OP's description, is there's a round cocked in the chamber, or a double feed.

[mlbgpride]

I had the same problem with mine once, only it was with a detachable mag. Drove me crazy for a while until I couldn't take it anymore. I got myself a wooden block and secured it on the ground, laid the gun sideways so the bolt was just on the wood and used my foot to push the stock forward. It took a bit of force, but ended up working in the long run. Just be darn careful with whatever you do if there is a live round in there, make sure the muzzle is pointed somewhere safe. I know my way sounds backwoods, and I like the other idea of a mallet, so you may want to try that first. By the way, mine was also with wolf ammo, and it's only ever happened once. Safety first always. Best of luck

[wheeling365]

Yes its a completely stock SKS rifle. It still has the non detachable magazine. The owner is telling me that you can not drop that style mag without opening the bolt.

I guess its time to head to the range with the rubber mallet and some tools to see what we can do.

Thanks guys.

[Atomic Dog]

Yes its a completely stock SKS rifle. It still has the non detachable magazine. The owner is telling me that you can not drop that style mag without opening the bolt.

I guess its time to head to the range with the rubber mallet and some tools to see what we can do.

Thanks guys.

You can drop the rounds from the mag. Then use the mallet trick, or if you don't care about scratching it, grasp the bolt handle firmly and bang the rifle onto the ground or table until the round comes out.

[scoutjoe]

This "standard" SKS... is it a Yugo?

[Al-Mumit]

This "standard" SKS... is it a Yugo?

You thinking gas tube+sticky/lacquered chamber or something along them lines?

If its a standard SKS there most def is a mag release latch. I've had a casing freeze up in the chamber before; used a boot to open the bolt after clearing the mag of live rounds. In your case the mallet idea is a good idea. After getting it cleared tell your friend to give the chamber & barrel a nice cleaning. Supposedly old Combloc rounds will sometimes sweat lacquer when chambered in a hot rifle. This leads to a sticky mess and oftentimes stuck rounds. Not sure if this is true, but using surplus 7.62x39 I have had the occasional round that just decides to be a bother.

[bortle]

I've seen guys pounding the bolt handle against a 4x4 support post to get it open. Wolf steel cased with lacquer finish can be sticky. Chamber probably needs cleaned. Keep it pointed in a safe direction while working on it. Eye protection and heavy gloves wouldn't hurt either.

[Warpt762x39]

Yes its a completely stock SKS rifle. It still has the non detachable magazine. The owner is telling me that you can not drop that style mag without opening the bolt.

I guess its time to head to the range with the rubber mallet and some tools to see what we can do.

Thanks guys.

You can on my SKS. If the magazine is full it sometimes takes a bit more effort to pop the catch but it's not much more than with the bolt open. Just grab the latch and pull (with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction in case things jiggle around and set the round in the chamber off)

You thinking gas tube+sticky/lacquered chamber or something along them lines?

If its a standard SKS there most def is a mag release latch. I've had a casing freeze up in the chamber before; used a boot to open the bolt after clearing the mag of live rounds. In your case the mallet idea is a good idea. After getting it cleared tell your friend to give the chamber & barrel a nice cleaning. Supposedly old Combloc rounds will sometimes sweat lacquer when chambered in a hot rifle. This leads to a sticky mess and oftentimes stuck rounds. Not sure if this is true, but using surplus 7.62x39 I have had the occasional round that just decides to be a bother.

If it's Wolf ammo then the soft lacquer can be a problem. The Wolf ammo made in the last few years has a different coating that won't do that. It's more of a matte finish than the older shiney lacquer cases.

I've shot thousands of rounds of Wolf through my SKS and not once have I ever had a problem with it other than the one occassion I had some FTF problems with a detachable magazine.

And the Wolf ammo won't melt all that easy assuming it's the older stuff. If it was ever gonna melt it woulda melted during the long strings of rapid fire I would do in the middle of summer in AZ. If that won't melt it then I don't know what will.

[mrnyman]

No Doubt the Wolf ammo has lacquered in a spent shell or live round in the chamber, knocking the bolt handle with a hammer can rip out the extractor, .

Its easy , take it outside hold the muzzle away from you and slam the but hard on the ground or a sturdy table, the momentum will slam the slide backwards opening it up, this also also works foer AR 15's -16's.

Easier still get a propane torch and heat up the area real good and just pull the bolt back easily.

Nyman