SKS question

[Bang]

SKS's are known for harsh ejection. Some reloaders of brass 7.62x39 drill several holes toward the front of the gas tube to reduce piston impact to the bolt.

I purchased two gas tubes to experiment with. Both are the real deal, including cosmoline. The original tube is pinned to the rear handguard ferrule, which pin I partially drilled out and removed with a punch. I have two replacement pins in the parts box.

Having installed the experimental gas tube I have a question. At this point I have not drilled and pinned it to the ferrule. Installed, the gas tube is contacting the barrel at the point where the ferrule holds it, and the ferrule is solidly captured on the handguard, raising the question...does it really need pinning?

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

[Walleye Hunter]

SKS's are known for harsh ejection. Some reloaders of brass 7.62x39 drill several holes toward the front of the gas tube to reduce piston impact to the bolt.

I purchased two gas tubes to experiment with. Both are the real deal, including cosmoline. The original tube is pinned to the rear handguard ferrule, which pin I partially drilled out and removed with a punch. I have two replacement pins in the parts box.

Having installed the experimental gas tube I have a question. At this point I have not drilled and pinned it to the ferrule. Installed, the gas tube is contacting the barrel at the point where the ferrule holds it, and the ferrule is solidly captured on the handguard, raising the question...does it really need pinning?

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

I get the feeling that you will soon.

[esh21167]

I'm not that familiar with the mod you're talking about, but for a conscript grade rifle with millions of beaters still functional after decades, what's the reasoning?

[Noah_Zark]

Bang:

The SKS gas tube assembly is captured between the gas block outlet at front, the rear sight block at the back, and the half-round barrel attached to the gas tube retainer lever. Once the gas tube retainer lever is rotated into the lock position, nothing is going to go anywhere, or come apart.

This is a robust capture of the gas tube assembly which will keep everything together properly and allow for shooting the weapon. The purpose of the rivet is to hold the rear handguard cap and all of the gas tube bits together for convenience of the individual soldier or revolutionary insurgent for ease of assembly and disassembly.

Noah

[Bang]

^^^ That's my take on it ^^

Thanks, Noah

[Bang]

Love this rifle! I drilled the recommended 3 additional holes to reduce gas to the driving piston, one or two more enlargements of the top relief hole should do it. More below.

I shot some steel cased in semi-auto, and some handloads with the gas block switched off, turning the rifle into a straight-pull bolt action. (As far as I know, only the Yugo (Serbia) with grenade launcher has this gas on-off option).

The steel cased ammo is a product of (USA) AAC Ammunition, branded Soviet Arms, 122gr, 2375 velocity, BOXER primed. This stuff is great! No wonder it gets good reviews.

The gas tube comes with two factory-drilled holes which vent the dead air well beyond the piston. The new holes are blocked by the at-rest piston and vent gas after the piston has been driven a short distance. The factory venting is gauged to assure extraction and ejection of expendable shells during combat in extreme environment of hot, cold, dirt, et cetera. The additional holes reduce that to mild ejection on the range, reducing damage to reloadable brass and safety to other people to the right of me.

ETA... meant to say, I also installed a TS-200 Tech Sights peep and removed the stock U open blade to gain field of vision. The TS-200 is fully adjustable. It mounts using solid aspects of the rifle, not on wiggly parts like the spring hood.