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Posted: 6/11/2005 4:04:11 PM EDT
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So my SKS has developed a problem. The second to last time I went to the range I was shooting Wolf through it (it had worked well all the previous times I went, so why not this time?) and it would have about 2 or 3 failures per 10rd mag. It would either stovepipe, or short stroke. Today I took it to the range again (after a thourough cleaning) and was shooting some better ammo through it (brass cased, evenly charged, etc) and it short stroked on every single round. I had someone else shoot it and could only see the bolt moving about 1" when it was fired, essentially turning it into a bolt action. I know there is the adjustment on the gas block (semi/bolt action essentially) and it was set correctly. Any ideas? Any place I should look for a problem and what I should look for? Thanks in advance. |
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Here is what I would do: Make sure that the hole in the barrel where it meets the gas tube assembly is clear. Make sure the gas piston can move freely about its tube. Take apart and check the gas piston extension rod and spring and check the housing (this is the thing the gas piston runs into and pushes against the bolt carrier). Check to make sure the recoil spring is not sticking. Ram the bolt carrier with the bolt in it back and forth against the receiver cover without the spring to see if there is a fitting issue. Make sure you gas tube is firmly against the whatever that thing is called where the assembly meets the barrel. If that is leaking gas, the problem you described could happen. If this is loose, jam a metal ball into the end and widen it a 1/2 a mm or less with a vise (not the gas tube, but the thing in front where the gas tube goes). Also, try another gas tube. You can test this by sticking some thermal caulking up there and if that makes it cycle, then your leak is probably here. The caulking will probably live at most for 10 shots so this really is not a cure, just a test. |
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my M59/66 does this also, only with the Port battle packs. I was cleaning it yesterday and found my extractor was broken. The "lip" was half the size it should be. I don't know if this is the 100% reason, but after cleaning and inspecting everything it was the only thing I found wrong. When I get the replacement part (AIM Surplus $5.95) I'll report back with any additional findings. |
| One way to make sure you dont have a gas leak at the valve is to put a piece of electrical tape on the valve/gastube junction.If you have a leak it will show quick.I would make sure the chamber is very clean,if you have shot a ton of the wolf with laquer coat you may have some baked on crap in the chamber.Also as been posted,make sure the piston extention and spring and also the channel it moves in is clean,crud in there will make you have shortstrokes and think you have a gas leak.Good luck |
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Looks like it's a leak at the front of the gas tube, where it connects with the.. hell, the small cylinder that directs gas into the tube, or just blocks it (into bolt-action). I'd like to get a gas tube that I can change out my handguard to (I spent a while refinishing it) and I can't tell if the ones with polymer handguards on them will allow the swap. Any suggestions now? Thanks. |
I received a new extractor from AIM and tried it out yesterday. I had zero "stove pipe" extraction issues. in fact I had no malfuctions at all. I think the new extractor fixed my problems. |
Well crap, I emailed them and they said that the polymer could not be replaced with the original wood. Not no way, not no how. At least they were quick and nice about it. So I'm off to trying to fix it without replacing anything. Anyone see any high-temp gasket material I could cut out to size to fill the gap between the gas tube and gas block (for lack of a better term)? |
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http://www.heddonpal.com/item.asp?n=sks%2d%2d001&d=4&b=1 Get that instead. It is just a real Yugo gas tube and comes with a piston. It could however just be the thing that the gas tube goes into. That can be removed. Remove the gas tube and piston, press the button and rotate it to where it is in GL launcher position, pull it back into the hole that is to the read of that and wiggle the button around. It comes right out. Take that part and inspect it. If it looks corroded or pitted/out of spec (I would give my the measurements from mine, but have no suitable measuring devices on hand :( ). If it is this part and not the gas tube that is out of spec, then getting a new one is not going to solve your issue. Either buy another one of these or stick it in a vice with a metal ball in the open end and press it carefully until it expands a little. By a little, I mean a very little. I have read this is how the Yugoslavian armorers themselves fixed this problem. You probably want to make a simple jig to use hold it in the vice properly such as drilling a piece of wood and sticking it into the hole. I can take pictures for you if you have trouble understanding what part I am talking about or how to get it out. |
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It was raining today so I did not go shooting :( I had one of my SKSs out so I took some pics for you explaining how to possibly fix it. As always, make sure you gun is unloaded before servicing it. http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1369/dcp06150id.th.jpg http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/531/dcp06164lx.th.jpg http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/5862/dcp06179pa.th.jpg http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/2783/dcp06191lz.th.jpg |
That stock looks nice, did you refinish it or have it replaced? |
Nice. I think I need to put a coat of varnish on mine. I sanded it down and coated it with three coats of linseed oil, but during hot days at the range the oil seeps to the surface. |
I just sanded it and then put 3 coats of Tru Oil on (thick coats). That was done properly, but failed on a hot day because of facial oil and sweat so I sanded it down again (both times with 400 grit so did not take off much wood and it came in near perfect condition anyway). Then I used outdoor furniture spar varnish as someone on the forums suggested and it came out like that 
Yes, I did. This started happening after I thouroughly cleaned everything (including the gas tube and the switch in the gas block) so I think it was out of spec, but gunk created the seal I needed. |
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