What to do with SKS with bulged muzzle - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What to do with SKS with bulged muzzle

Posted: 4/27/2021 9:56:35 PM EDT

Chinese type 56 factory 26 1968 no import markings, all matching. When I got it, the "story" is it's a bring back.. of course, no papers.

BUT

It has a bulged muzzle, like it was fired with mud in it and it swelled a few thousandths. Bayonet won't fit over.

What should I do with it?

Posted: 4/27/2021 10:06:12 PM EDT

[#1]

Have the barrel turned down to make the bayonet fit.
See how it shoots.
If shoots good then it is done, if not relieve the crown and see how it shoots.

Posted: 4/27/2021 10:16:06 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
Have the barrel turned down to make the bayonet fit.
See how it shoots.
If shoots good then it is done, if not relieve the crown and see how it shoots.

View Quote

Is it worth the gunsmith time?

ETA: not sure you can get the FSB block off.

Posted: 4/27/2021 10:26:00 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:

Is it worth the gunsmith time?

ETA: not sure you can get the FSB block off.

View Quote

I'd leave it alone and see how it shoots. If it is actually a bring back, Id do my best to leave it in original condition

Posted: 4/27/2021 10:26:51 PM EDT

[#4]

Cut the barrel back and make a paratrooper model?

Posted: 4/27/2021 10:39:53 PM EDT

[#5]

I always thought a suppressed SKS would be neat, but if it is a bring back then maybe it is not the best one to be cutting or threading on.

Posted: 4/28/2021 11:02:42 AM EDT

[#6]

The least invasive fix might be to counter bore the barrel, unless the bulge is so far back it would affect the gas operation.

Posted: 4/28/2021 12:41:38 PM EDT

[#7]

Shoot it and see how it does. If it's a good shooter leave it alone and modify the bayonet to make it fit. That is the easiest and least expensive option.

Posted: 4/28/2021 8:21:00 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
Shoot it and see how it does. If it's a good shooter leave it alone and modify the bayonet to make it fit. That is the easiest and least expensive option.

View Quote

This is what I'm leaning towards. Modifying the bayonet ring is definitely the cheapest and easiest part to replace.

Posted: 4/29/2021 10:19:56 PM EDT

[#9]

I might try to clone one of the 16” barrel skis carbines that were popular in the 90’s

Posted: 4/29/2021 10:22:38 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cut the barrel back and make a paratrooper model?

View Quote

Yep get it cut down to paratrooper length.

Posted: 4/30/2021 8:00:28 AM EDT

[#11]

There's no way I'm going to cut down a no import markings all matching numbers possible bring back SKS.. I probably try to replace the barrel before I did any of that..

This thread is worthless without pictures

Rifle in question is the dark one

Posted: 4/30/2021 8:58:17 AM EDT

[#12]

If that rifle were mine, I would use some sand paper until the bayonet fit properly and cold blue it. That looks like very minimal bulging.

Posted: 4/30/2021 9:07:54 AM EDT

[#13]

Ream out the bayonet ring.

Posted: 4/30/2021 9:48:06 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ream out the bayonet ring.

View Quote

This. You can get replacements for like 40 bucks.

Posted: 4/30/2021 5:45:59 PM EDT

[#15]

Thats a nice bring back sks. I would just leave it alone since you already have a nice shooter.

Regards

Posted: 5/1/2021 12:55:53 PM EDT

[#16]

Out of curiosity. Have you removed the cleaning rod and looked on the underside of the barrel for faintly stamped import marks?

Posted: 5/2/2021 1:06:55 AM EDT

[#17]

Every bringback SKS I have ever come across was in that date range (11xxxxxx serial) and Factory 26/Jianshe Arsenal. FWIW

Posted: 5/2/2021 9:19:37 AM EDT

[#18]

I would not do anything to it. If it truly is a bring back, you could destroy the future value by messing with it.

The best idea I read was buying another bayonet and modifying the new one to fit and keep the original as is.

The bulge in the barrel is part of the history of the gun

Posted: 5/2/2021 9:57:59 AM EDT

[#19]

There are no import marks under the cleaning rod

How much should I clean these? Should I go ahead and remove all the dirt and grime?

Posted: 5/2/2021 10:39:14 AM EDT

[#20]

Yeah all the dirt and grime.
Rust, only remove that if it is to stop the spread and further preserve the metal.

I usually disassemble a gun down to it's many components and use a tub of paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Afterwards I'll usually hit everything with a spray of rem oil "it was cheap" or break free.
Greasing the exposed metal especially under the wood line.
Although a wax would work well too.

But we are talking an sks here and I'll bet other than knocking out cosmolene, many never get cleaned.
Course, sks are approaching new cheaper rifle prices.

Posted: 5/2/2021 3:53:30 PM EDT

[#21]

I found a "3" on both the barrel,receiver and bayonet hoop on one, and "9" on the receiver/barrel of the other one.

Posted: 5/2/2021 4:00:17 PM EDT

[#22]

That certainly looks like a bring back to me, it's got the "jungle patina".
I'd leave it alone.
I'll post pics of my 1960 t53 bring back in a few minutes.

Posted: 5/2/2021 4:05:44 PM EDT

[#23]

That certainly looks like a bring back to me, it's got the "jungle patina".
I'd leave it alone.
I'll post pics of my 1960 t53 bring back in a few minutes.

Posted: 5/2/2021 7:33:45 PM EDT

[#24]

If accuracy is poor, the muzzle can be counterbored.

Posted: 5/2/2021 7:45:47 PM EDT

[#25]

From the cut it down camp -

I’d agree if you had papers for a legit bring back. Otherwise I don’t think it’s exceptionally valuable.

Regardless bulge does not look that bad.

Posted: 5/2/2021 8:03:30 PM EDT

[#26]

How important is it to you to have a functional bayonet on a possible historic artifact with likely combat damage?

I would only replace the bayonet IF the original staking for the bayonet screw has already been broken.

Actually, I wouldn’t modify that rifle at all, other than give a good cleaning to remove dirt and rust. Just out of curiosity, I would fire it for function and accuracy. Even if it shot patterns rather than groups, I wouldn’t change it at all.

Please let us know what you decide to do, and how she shoots.

Posted: 5/3/2021 2:18:15 PM EDT

[#27]

I would just leave it as is. You have an SKS to shoot if you want to shoot an SKS. I don't know much about SKS rifles, so I don't know if one without an import marking is a tell-tale sign of a bring back. It's possible, so I wouldn't do anything to it. If it bothers you too much, you could always list it on Gunbroker as a possible bring back with no papers. No import marking could be a selling point. Or, try to trade with somebody who believes it to be a bring back, and get a rifle that doesn't have a bulged barrel. If your reasoning for keeping it is that it's a possible bring back, it makes absolutely NO SENSE to alter it in any way.

Posted: 5/3/2021 2:36:14 PM EDT

[#28]

with no papers who cares - turn the crown or chop and thread time IMO

I love SKS rifles and like seeing their value go up, but this one is kind of a bummer.

Posted: 5/6/2021 10:53:55 AM EDT

[#29]

Maybe check with a metal shop and see if they can “compress the barrel bore” a bit with some notched steel blocks similar to these.

https://www.trick-tools.com/Clamp_Collets_217

Posted: 5/6/2021 10:55:40 AM EDT

[#30]

Pass the trash. Sell it at a gun show.

Posted: 5/6/2021 2:46:58 PM EDT

[#31]

Buy a replacement bayonet and modify that one to fit. Keep the original original.

Then make up some story about how our brave hero kicked a guy into a fighting hole. When he tried to shoot him, his muzzle was full of dirt. Then the GI kills him with an etool or something. Sell at gun show for big profit.

Posted: 5/7/2021 11:57:49 AM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
Buy a replacement bayonet and modify that one to fit. Keep the original original.

Then make up some story about how our brave hero kicked a guy into a fighting hole. When he tried to shoot him, his muzzle was full of dirt. Then the GI kills him with an etool or something. Sell at gun show for big profit.

View Quote

Posted: 6/13/2021 9:54:28 PM EDT

[#33]

Finally got around to shooting it.

10yds, bullets sideways and about 6" low. It was.. impressively bad.

I did get another bayonet lug and made it fit.

So is it worth more as a "possible bring back, bulged barrel" or a no import markings numbers matching shooter by replacing the barrel with another T56 chinese barrel?

Posted: 6/14/2021 12:49:50 AM EDT

[#34]

Eh, I personally don't get into spending money to restore that kind of stuff.

I think you can still get a Chinese SKS for $499. How much will it cost for: new barrel + time to search for one + time to find somebody to install the barrel + labor for installing the barrel + possible more time and money if the guy doesn't do the job right?

Posted: 6/14/2021 7:02:33 AM EDT

[#35]

All things considered its worth more in "as is" maybe a bring back status.

Posted: 6/14/2021 7:53:24 AM EDT

[#36]

They always say, buy the gun not the story. With no papers or history, it's an sks with a buldged barrel.

You could always keep it and buy another to shoot. Or sell it as a non import marked sks and buy another. I think rebarreling would be expensive and not worth it.

Posted: 6/14/2021 8:14:15 AM EDT

[#37]

I'm in the buy the gun and not the story camp. Without bringback papers it's just another SKS in my opinion. Could have been imported and just skipped over, could have been a combat pickup and bringback but there is no way to know.

I would have it counterbored, that would likely be the cheapest route to getting a shootable rifle. Definitely not worth it to rebarrel, even if you could find a gun smith willing to take on that project; at that point just buy a new gun.

Posted: 6/14/2021 8:23:54 AM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
Finally got around to shooting it.

10yds, bullets sideways and about 6" low. It was.. impressively bad.

I did get another bayonet lug and made it fit.

So is it worth more as a "possible bring back, bulged barrel" or a no import markings numbers matching shooter by replacing the barrel with another T56 chinese barrel?

View Quote

OP, all may not be lost. What ammo were you shooting? If it was a certain brand (Wolf military classic) it may be undersized bullets. The SKS and AK shoot bullets of .310-.312 diameter. I have some Wolf in .303 for an Enfield that shot 12 foot groups at 120 yards! With my handloads I get around a 3 inch group. I measured the bullets from the FACTORY loaded Wolf and guess what, they were .308 diameter. Can you measure the diameter of your bullets with a caliper and see if they are .308 or .310 -.312?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What to do with SKS with bulged muzzle

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