SKS light primer stikes

[ar15jules]

SKS is not getting the job done on first attempt. Ammo is wolf Military Classic. The rifle has shot plenty of this before. I didn't have anything else around to try. Temp was cold. I don't think I have a ton of oil or sludge in there preventing a good strike and the tip of the pin seems fine. I am hoping it is ammo. Time for a new spring perhaps? Less than 500 through the rifle. I have not had the time to get into it, but thought maybe someone had similar problems in the past.
Jules

[bogey1]

never had that problem. my chinese sks used to fire when i closed the bolt though.

[MTechnik]

SKS is not getting the job done on first attempt. Ammo is wolf Military Classic. The rifle has shot plenty of this before. I didn't have anything else around to try. Temp was cold. I don't think I have a ton of oil or sludge in there preventing a good strike and the tip of the pin seems fine. I am hoping it is ammo. Time for a new spring perhaps? Less than 500 through the rifle. I have not had the time to get into it, but thought maybe someone had similar problems in the past.
Jules

I don't know SKSs too well, this is just general milsurp advice:

-the last 500 rounds may have warmed up old cosmoline that was hidden in corners of the bolt, this may have migrated to the firing pin sleeve. If you can, give it another thorought cleaning.
-remove the firing pin and clean the bejeezus out of it.
-polish the firing pin surfaces that might 'drag'

if that fails, get a new spring.

[Willie D]

Take the bolt apart and clean. There should basically be nothing lube wise (lube then wipe clean) on interior of the bolt and the firing pin should rattle when you shake it.

I've seen plenty of gunky SKS bolts never seen an SKS hammer that wouldn't handily crush a man's finger. You can test the hammer spring tension with the trigger pack out. It ought to be very strong. Carefully hold the hammer, push the forward disconnector lever down partway and pull the trigger. The hammer should have planty of tension.

If the those two things are OK maybe the firing pin has gotten mishapen somehow or something isn't fitting together correctly?

[ar15jules]

Thanks all, hopefully tonight I will have a chance to take it apart and diagnose it a bit better.
Jules

[CHEMICAL]

I agree with MTechnik,my diagnosis would also almost certainly be cosmoline. as stated, give her a thorough cleaning once again!

[KAL101]

Ive seen sks's that have had thousands of rounds through them and when you take them out and put a hundred rounds through them cosmoline still oozes out of them. I would clean it thorougly like the other guys said. At first I thought that it sounded like a corrosive ammo gum up but it wasnt corrosive ammo humm...

[ar15jules]

Cleaning on the agenda for tomorrow night. I got wrapped up in some other business tonight. Thanks guys.
Jules

[bogey1]

the sks is one hell of a rifle! right next to the ak IMHO

[mak47]

I concur with the others, sounds like some kind of gunk or grit holding up your firing pin.

In theory though, it's always possible it's somehow worn down and needs to be replaced. Even though you only put 500 rounds through it, that doesn't mean it didn't see thousands in it's former life.

Most SKS's were rearsenaled at least once, so they'll look pristine, but they could still be holding a tired old firing pin or spring inside.