Shot My New SKS Today

[v65magnafan]

I used Czech ammo.

I loaded two rounds.

The first shot was a misfire. The primer was nicely dented, but no bang.

No problems for the next twenty or so rounds.

Until I loaded five rounds. The rounds jammed in the attached mag.

Four rounds. Again, the rounds jammed in the attacked mag. I had to get them out with a screwdriver--some out the top and some out the bottom.

Two rounds. Fine.

What stupid thing am I doing wrong?

Thanks for the help.

 

[BBq_Woa!]

did you get it packed in grease?

if so, dissasemble, boil water, pour the water on, clean, lube, reassemble,
test

 

[v65magnafan]

Thanks for the reply.

I thought I had cleaned it enough. It was shipped in stuff thinner than cosmoline. I disassembled it, soaked it in solvent, reassembled it, used Break Free.

Back to the drawing board, I guess.

 

[Kodiak Outpost]

As a general sks tip, make sure the bolt is clean and dry. I like to use brake cleaner to blast off any grease/oil. The pin should easily slide in the bolt. If the bolt rattles it's clean.

 

[Griffoneur]

I am amazed at the amount of people who buy new guns and DO NOT clean them. Had a guy show up with a new Ruger 10/22 today, was having feed problems. Asked if he cleaned it. "What do ya mean clean it? ... it's NEW!"

 

[Calum]

As a general sks tip, make sure the bolt is clean and dry. I like to use brake cleaner to blast off any grease/oil. The pin should easily slide in the bolt. If the bolt rattles it's clean.

Not quite...the firing pin should rattle and be clean and dry, but oil the bolt, and bolt carrier.

 

[Juster]

Sounds like the mag follower may be sticking on something.

 

[v65magnafan]

Well, the firing pin is now rattling freely. The mag follower is as free as Break Free will make it. I thought it was the follower, too.

We shall try it on Wednesday.

It's a fun rifle. I couldn't figure out the sights at first, though. It was firing about a foot high at 50 yards. The range officer, a guy with lots more long gun experience than I have, maybe fifty years more, nailed a bullseye on his first shot. Once I let just a molecule of the front sight show through the rear sight slit, I was getting bulls, too.

Windage is fine.

Should I bother adjusting the front sight? Hello, Brownells?

Does the sight accuracy improve over distance?

 

[Steiner]

Seem like the MOJO sights:
http://www.mojosights.com/ak47_sks.html
I've never tried them though.

 

[emmab]

I use dry graphite spray in the mags. Seems to work well. The other thing is to make sure not to "ride " the bolt home. Just pull back and let her go. The7.62 X39 round will cross the point of aim at 25yrds and around 200yrds assuming regular sight height. I zero at 25yrds because it easier to see and less hassle than shooting for the 100yd right off the bat. I use the post tool to adjust the front post. The front sight barrel is staked in place. First drift it free then use a sight tool to screw in the fine windage adjustments. With this zero you will be about 6"-8" high at 100 and pretty close to dead on at 200

 

[Calum]

I would adjust for height only and only if need be as these rifles are already factory arsenal zeroed for windage...unless someone messed around with them.

Adjustments for windage in a battle rifle like this are often done with a follow up shot with a mentally calculated adjustment in muzzle direction.

Front blade heights will have to be adjusted if you reload your own ammo, change powders, or bullet weight away from the mil spec parameters.

Also for fun...
Next time you are at the range mark out at the 100 meter backstop your approximate height.

When you get back to the bench notice the height of your front sight blade in relation to the human size marked out at 100 meters...that's how you use your sights to judge range, neat eh?

Try the same at 200, and 300 meters. (300 meters is considered the max effective aimed performance for this cartridge).

I have mine set so my front sight looked like this at 100 yards...
<--- zombie head (not to scale in this comparison for the relative distance).
IiI <--- front sight between rear sight, all level and with Zombie head resting on top of front sight blade.
The Bullet strikes Zombies center of mass.

Have fun with it.

 

[v65magnafan]

Great Thread. Thanks.

Now that CLP has freed up my firing pin, it should be fine.

What a kick for $139.