SKS cleaning due to Milsurp

Camj

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Well: Unless I can get some good deals in Buffalo it lookes like milsurp it what I will be shooting. It sounds like you need a thought cleaning each and every time. Does this mean a total stripping down of the rifle? Seems like a major pain. Or are there basics to be done for sure every time and other stuff can wait?
 
Corrosive ammo can leave deposits that attract moisture. Moisture and those deposits turn into salts that promote oxidation.

Everything that isn't chrome (and some would argue those parts too) needs residue removed.

You should be able to clean a milsurp completely in under 15 minutes. If thats too long for you, I don't know what to tell you.

If it's just a scheduling problem, it can wait a day if it's going to be stored in a dry environment. But it still needs to be done.
 
Check out surplusrifles dot com on the net, they have great instructions and videos on stripping and cleaning the SKS (and most everything else). I used thier videos to learn how to strip and clean all my milsurps.
 
I don't mind the time I just don't want to miss any thing. Northman thanks I'll check those out. I presume you don;t have to drop out the trigger assemply each and every time.
 
The barrel is chromed in most Chinese SKS rifles, so it is more tolerant of not being cleaned immediately after shooting corrosive ammo. The gas system is another story altogether - it really should be cleaned as soon as possible after shooting. If you can't thoroughly clean it right away, at least swab it down with a good gun oil to protect from moisture until you have time to do the job right.
 
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The barrel is chromed in most Chinese SKS rifles,

just a small correction, all SKS has chrome bore except yugo and early russian so yes, all SKS from china are chromed.

camj... and dont listen to some members who claim the bore can go for months without cleaning bcos of the chrome cos i just sold a norinco SKS with pitting in the bore and in the gas tube , sad , otherwise it was a nice looking rifle .
 
Cleaning

I don't mind the time I just don't want to miss any thing. Northman thanks I'll check those out. I presume you don;t have to drop out the trigger assemply each and every time.
Right.
You don't need to get the trigger assy out each and every time. You need to clean the barrel, the piston AND piston tube, the breech block and particularly its face near the extractor.
For the barrel, I use very hot water poured from an adaptor I fashioned for the job; it leaves the bore and gas bleeder hot and dry, ready for the scrubbing. Here, seen on an M-44 Mosin-Nagant:

Usage.gif


While at it, clean the front edges of the bolt carrier with a wet cloth, it is exposed to some blown back gases.
Drop the pan and clean the insides with a wet cloth, flush everything dry with WD-40 then oil with a rag.
Ah, and especially important advice: when remounting the recoil spring, ALWAYS put the WAVY end inside the bolt carrier.
Good cleaning!
PP.:)
 
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i first wire brush the bore to loosen the carbon then hang it upside down over the laundry tub , with the loose parts below it in a tray , i boil water in a electric kettle then add a bit of soap . pour it down the chamber and generally everywhere . dry the bore with a patch , the heat from hot water will dry it fast so use thick rubber glove to hold.

resume normal cleaning . apply a thin coat of oil all over before reassembling with a paint brush, goes on fast... takes me about 40-50 min.
 
You don't have to take the stock off after every outing. A lot of competition M14 folk with bedded actions keep the stock on between competitions, without catastrophe. It is your rifle of course, your call.
 
My quick clean routine is to field strip the SKS. Throw bolt, carrier cover, spring , gas system rods and springs into bucket. Spray with strong Ammonia cleaner. Run water until really hot. Fill bucket partway with parts in it and let sit. Spray ammonia solution in into barrel , action and gas system. Then pour hot water in barrel action and gas system several times. By now all parts should be hot. dry them and set aside until they cool and dry. Reassemble rifle.

This works very well to ward off corrosion but is not a replacement for a propert cleaning. I have done this between range visits several times with no ill effects. Takes 10 minutes.
 
Thanks guys. This is very much appreciated. The last SKS I owned was while living in Alabama. I had good cheap non -corrrosive ammo to shoot so I was not so worried about it.
Again thank you:)
 
I never did bother with the water thing myself, just clean as you normally would. I like the bore cleaning foams nowadays, they seems to do a better job at getting stubborn crap out. once clean, I CLP EVERYTHING inside and out, and throw it in the safe. Urban legends aside, firearm to run better when they're slightly over-lubricated. The excess will come out after the first few rounds anyway.
 
Corrosive ammo can leave deposits that attract moisture. Moisture and those deposits turn into salts that promote oxidation.

Everything that isn't chrome (and some would argue those parts too) needs residue removed.

You should be able to clean a milsurp completely in under 15 minutes. If thats too long for you, I don't know what to tell you.

If it's just a scheduling problem, it can wait a day if it's going to be stored in a dry environment. But it still needs to be done.

I wondering if in the 2world war soldiers spend time for cleaning afther each shooting:confused:
 
wasnt there a pic of WWI soldier using the funnel (similar to PP's) a couple of years ago?
 
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