Sks Questions

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Dweano

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Hey guys

I got an SKS...cleaned it up, shot it...loved it... and I then I drank the tacticool aid

I got a muzzle break and a magwedge rail for it.

In the process of putting these things on I abused the poor sucker. Banging on the pins and whatnot to get them out. I chipped a piece of my leatherman :)mad:) and it fell under the rear sight spring. So I took the spring out...worst decision ever... I could NOT get it back in. I beat on the poor sucker so much to get it back in. (Tip...run a rod through the holes in the rear sight with the spring on top and pound it to "seat" it in, nothing else works)

In the process I banged on it down and back and forward and sideways... could I have caused damage? I mean...theres no way I could bend anything important right? The gas tube was off and everything was out. When I put the muzzle break on there is no way I could have bent the barrel or tweaked anything there? I know I am being paranoid and overreacting but...hey might as well double check with the pros.

Ultimately I want to try to squeeze some accuracy outta this thing, my abuse wouldn't have damaged this attempt eh?

Also...my muzzle break is soooooo loose. Retarted loose. Thats what I get for buying cheap crap I guess...but has anyone tried peening the front site? Kinda like on an M14 flash hider? Or I guess I could also squeeze the "ears" of the muzzle break to tighten up the grip on the thing. Not too concerned as I will be out a max of 20 bucks.

Lastly...cleaning questions...ugh not this again!! Basically I know you clean the gas affected parts when shooting corrosive. Does this include the bolt? What about piston extension. Do you gotta clean that thing everytime too? Also...you can leave the stock in right? No need to clean the trigger or anything in there right? Mostly just barrel, gas tube, piston, and....bolt and bolt carrier?? Or not even those? I mean...the gasses should just go through the barrel but in semi auto maybe when it contacts the bolt when cycling? Once again...I don't know so I am just double checking so I can learn.

Thanks all! Turned out kinda long winded
 
In regards to the tacticool... Lose the muzzle brake, or have a gun smith do it for you. Same with the kwik rail (if you had issues with that)

As far as damaging the sks with all the banging and smashing... Probobly not, but if you are in are then have a smith look at it.

In regards to cleaning it, then yes, you have to clean everything every time. Easiest way is to strip it down (you'll do it lots so you'll get good at it), boil a kettle of hot water, and pour it down the barrel and all over everything. Believe me, I mean everything. Everything gets dirty from the corrosive ammo. The big worry areas are the barrel, the gas system, and the firing pin (if it seizes up you could get an uncontrolled full auto slam fire). After dowsing it with boiling water (read that... Not warm or hot water... I mean BOILING) give everything a quick run with dry towel. Then run the bore brush down the barrel a few times, followed by a lightly piled patch. I don't put out in the gas tube, but I do out a couple drops around the rim.
 
I am 95% sure I didn't damage anything. I was just wondering how much banging on pins and "tapping" springs into there spots matters. I guess it would take a lot of force to do any significant warping of important parts. The brake I mostly want for crown protection.

So corrosive cleaning include the bolt and bolt carrier? Piston extension with its spring or no? Trigger doesn't have to get boiling water treatment every time does it?
 
Cleaning your SKS is kind of like doing the dishes. I have done the bolt, carrier, rods, and springs in the kitchen sink before just cause it is easy.

Also, go to a tobacconist, and get some pipe cleaners. Great for cleaning and oiling those hard to reach areas like the gas port on the barrel, and the small hole where the piston extension goes through.
 
Dweano said:
I am 95% sure I didn't damage anything. I was just wondering how much banging on pins and "tapping" springs into there spots matters. I guess it would take a lot of force to do any significant warping of important parts. The brake I mostly want for crown protection.

So corrosive cleaning include the bolt and bolt carrier? Piston extension with its spring or no? Trigger doesn't have to get boiling water treatment every time does it?
Click to expand...


Everything that isn't made of wood. Everything.

Everything.
 
If doing extensive mods to your SKS I always recommend the Chinese models. The Russians are so stubborn and all the pins are very hard to work with.
 
Yeah im sure you didnt damage anything. I wouldnt worry. Ive banged on barrells pretty hard before without any adverse effects. As for cleaning, clean all the metal. The bolt group, barrel, piston gas system, trigger groupe. As for boiling water, it does work, however ive always just sprayed everything down with rem cleaner, swabbed the bore, sprayed more rem cleaner and then greased her up. Ive never had an issue with pitting or excessive rusting (i say excessive because I did get a little lazy once and some some minor rust build up one at the breach face). It scrubed right off so no worries.
 
Don't worry about banging these things up, they were designed to be treated rough. (within reason of course)
with the way these were made, the little bit of your banging might have even made it more accurate, lol, as these
aren't really known to be super accurate anyway.

As far as cleaning goes, yeah, you should clean all metal parts after shooting corrosive ammo, reason....the gasses leak
through the piston tube, around the piston rod and can reach all the way to the piston extension and spring. With
fast fire type shooting, (which you prob will do with surplus ammo :) ) the gasses continue to be pushed through the
piston extension and to the bolt carrier. Also, the bolt can come into contact with corrosive gasses on ejection
of the spent casing as residual gasses in the barrel and casing end up in the receiver. As these gasses float around
in the receiver, they have the opportunity to settle in the trigger group and magazine. (watch a slo mo video of a semi- auto
or automatic firearm, firing and you will see the gasses being trapped in the receiver)

So, clean all metal parts with a focus on the barrel, and gas system. Bolt/carrier, trigger group, receiver and magazine are
need to be cleaned but not as vigorously.

This is being said with a ton of experience shooting surplus ammo out of many different sks's including Norinco versions.
 
ssmedic said:
Don't worry about banging these things up, they were designed to be treated rough. (within reason of course)
with the way these were made, the little bit of your banging might have even made it more accurate, lol, as these
aren't really known to be super accurate anyway.

As far as cleaning goes, yeah, you should clean all metal parts after shooting corrosive ammo, reason....the gasses leak
through the piston tube, around the piston rod and can reach all the way to the piston extension and spring. With
fast fire type shooting, (which you prob will do with surplus ammo :) ) the gasses continue to be pushed through the
piston extension and to the bolt carrier. Also, the bolt can come into contact with corrosive gasses on ejection
of the spent casing as residual gasses in the barrel and casing end up in the receiver. As these gasses float around
in the receiver, they have the opportunity to settle in the trigger group and magazine. (watch a slo mo video of a semi- auto
or automatic firearm, firing and you will see the gasses being trapped in the receiver)

So, clean all metal parts with a focus on the barrel, and gas system. Bolt/carrier, trigger group, receiver and magazine are
need to be cleaned but not as vigorously.

This is being said with a ton of experience shooting surplus ammo out of many different sks's including Norinco versions.
Click to expand...

Makes sense! I am not expecting MOA accuracy, but I figure I might as well try to see what I can squeeze out of it. I am not very great with centerfire accuracy...but I figure sks is not a bad way to learn, ammo is cheap.

So focus on the barrel, gas system, piston extension...and then bolt and carrier, trigger group and receiver are less important. I can leave the receiver in the stock and wipe down inside of the receiver can be done with a damp rag? The salts are the main corrosion problem correct? But with the trigger group you almost have to immerse it in water to get in all the nooks and crannies eh?
 
Yes, it is best to take it out of the stock but with an aftermarket stock that can get a little trickier.

just be sure to get all the water out, WD40 works the best for me, after a hot water bath and blowing
it all out with a compressed air can (like the ones for cleaning out computers) and some WD40 I let it sit
for a while, then try to get the WD 40 out as well.

These don't need a lot or any lube to function properly.

Just make sure that if you oil up the inside of the barrel and gas system for storage, make sure before going
out to shoot that the barrel is dry and the gas system is dry, otherwise your asking for gunky build up, and/or it
possibly could cause an overpressure situation.
 
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