My Yugo is having trouble cycling.   We have looked it over and really don't think it's a gas problem. The port is clear and the gas cutoff is in the right position and the gas piston and rod are fine and not corroded and slide smoothly in the gas tube.

When  a round is fired the bolt moves back about an inch and the shell is not ejected,
I cannot manually eject the shell.  The bolt is hanging up on something it feels like.  

I have to pull and pull, sometimes for minutes,  and I can feel a definite stop and then finally it will come back.  I don't think it's the shell hanging up because it feels more like something in the bolt or firing pin block catching on something.  Anyone ever have this problem?  This happens every single shot.

When the gun is empty, you can work the bolt back and forth all day long and it's silky smooth.

Thanks for any help!

   If you haven't already done it...break down the whole top end including the bolt, charger, gas piston and spring and give it a really good cleaning including the bore and the magazine well. You might even want to take off the gas tube and clean it out as well. I'd blow some degreaser through it then swab it out and re-oil with a Teflon based oil like Rem-Oil.
    I just bought a new Yugo SKS it's my first Yugo, I have had 3 Chinese ones with no problems at all. I haven't fired mine yet so I don't know how mine is going to be. but I did completely clean all of the cosmoline off it and gave it a really good complete cleaning.


-John

Edit to add: I was just reading another thread and someone mentioned the recoil spring being in the right way (squiggly end into the bolt carrier). That could be your problem as well. The straight end of the spring should be pointing towards the rear of the rifle. Check that and let me know.

Nope, I already checked that spring.  Like I said you can feel what  seems to be the firing pin block catching on something, yet when the gun is unloaded it operates smoothly.  It's like the jolt from firing a round jams something up.  

Pull the spring out, leave the cover off and try cycling the action by hand looking for binding.

Took the recoil spring out and worked the bolt.  Silky  smooth, nothing catching.  This is very frustrating.

Quoted: Took the recoil spring out and worked the bolt.  Silky  smooth, nothing catching.  This is very frustrating.

I have the same problem on occaison.  TAG

Just happen to think of this...try working your bolt hold open while holding the bolt open. I wonder if it was very lose and yet sticky if recoil would pop it up and somehow try locking it in the upper position on its own. I'm probably reaching here but just thought I'd throw it out there...

-John

Try loading just one round and see if it will fire that one and lock back.  If that goes then try two rounds and continue up until a failure.

Do you see any abnormal wear on the hammer?  At about an inch back the bolt had to push the hammer down then slide over it.  If it's hanging up on the hammer you may have the situation you describe.  There may also be a problem with the trigger group not letting the hammer cock smoothly the way it's supposed to.  Surplus Rifle  has a pretty good pictorial of the trigger assembly.  Beware, that hammer has one hell of a lot of power so when you release it make sure your thumb isn't in the way.  Don't ask me how I know this.

gas leak/recoil spring-rod in bolt carrier on backwards(happends a lot to people, then not enough smoothness in the recoil spring to cycle bolt)/gas selecter broken/extractor spring too weak/extractor chipped/ejector not working/chamber corroded from last owner.  check your empty case to see for scratchs and use wolf polymer.  im thinking its your chamber, look through it with a bore light carefully, my chamber was corroded and had the same problem you have til i cleaned it for 10 mins with solvent and chamber brush. mine works fine now.