gas piston operation question

[Will I Am]

Apparently, the m-14 is a short stroke piston, the ak-47 is a long stroke piston. My question is, how is the sks classified, and what is exactly the difference between the two
I would tend to think that a long stroke would be a piston making direct contact with the bolt carrier. I own an sks-d, and a m-14 leading me to beleive that they're both short stroke
Thanx for all help.

 

[michaelsabre]

http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-operated

 

[muh-muh-muh-mauser]

Apparently, the m-14 is a short stroke piston, the ak-47 is a long stroke piston. My question is, how is the sks classified, and what is exactly the difference between the two
I would tend to think that a long stroke would be a piston making direct contact with the bolt carrier. I own an sks-d, and a m-14 leading me to beleive that they're both short stroke
Thanx for all help.

SKS is short stroke. When gas enters the gas tube it strikes the gas piston, which moves back and strikes the gas piston extension (the little spring loaded rod under the sight block). The piston extension then moves back and hits the bolt carrier, which then moves back ejecting the spent case and loading a fresh round.

An AK47 is long stroke because the gas piston is attached directly to the bolt carrier, so when gas hits the gas piston it moves both the piston and bolt carrier back as one unit. This system is regarded as being more reliable but makes the gun less accurate.

So, short stroke= pistol extension hits bolt carrier
long stroke= pistol attached to bolt carrier