Loading an SKS cartridge into the chamber by hand, dangerous?

[Robert Nicholson]

In the General Firearms discussion section there is a thread about an M-14 firing out of battery because the OP loaded a
cartridge into the chamber by hand and then let the bolt slam shut. This would happen because the firing pin would rush
forward when the bolt face hits the case head rather than being held back by the picking up of the cartridge from the magazine.

Has anyone had this happen with their SKS? Of course we should all let the bolt strip the cartridge out of the magazine
but maybe one or two of us have lived dangerously. Or does the SKS have too light a firing pin or too weak of a recoil spring for this
to happen. Or are the milsurp primers too tough to let this happen?

 

[zuke]

I believe the usual ball ammo used by most enough has a hard enough primer to keep slam fire's from happening. But reload's and hunting ammo use commercial, softer primer's so I'd be a bit more cautious about them

 

[tiriaq]

Note that your SKS has a flat faced firing pin. This reduces the risk, along with the hard primers used in issue ammunition. FWIW, AKs have the same flat firing pin tip.
Next time you are at the range, fire a round out of your rifle, then remove the cartridge from the chamber. Can you see a mark from the firing pin?
Do the same with an AR. You will see a slight mark on the primer. Floating firing pins bounce.

 

[crashcollins]

Ya dangerous! I've never single loaded and let the bolt fly on any of my semi's. I did however have a double fire with one of my SKS's with a reloaded round using commercial primers. Out of my 5 SKS's it's the only one that did it. The others seemed to run fine with the reloads. I do stick mostly with shooting milsurp though.

 

[infidel29]

Ya dangerous! I've never single loaded and let the bolt fly on any of my semi's. I did however have a double fire with one of my SKS's with a reloaded round using commercial primers. Out of my 5 SKS's it's the only one that did it. The others seemed to run fine with the reloads. I do stick mostly with shooting milsurp though.

You also have to take into consideration all the cosmoline is cleaned out of the bolt as well. If not, your firing pin may stick and cause a slamfire.

 

[crashcollins]

You also have to take into consideration all the cosmoline is cleaned out of the bolt as well. If not, your firing pin may stick and cause a slamfire.

Owned SKS's for many years, cosmo was not the issue in my case. Out of my 5 present SKS's only the 1 would not shoot my reloaded ammo safely.