sks firing pin spring?

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platnumbob

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So I am in the process of cleaning my "new" 1950 russian sks and have taken apart my bolt.

The firing pin has a spring....which suprises me - I am pretty sure my old sks-d I had a few years ago was free floating. Further i thought your supposed to be able to shake the pin around to be "slam fire" safe.

Were all 1950's made this way? I heard that this was a possible mod for a safer bolt and that some rifles may already have it....I thought it was rare tho.
 
platnumbob said:
So I am in the process of cleaning my "new" 1950 russian sks and have taken apart my bolt.

The firing pin has a spring....which suprises me - I am pretty sure my old sks-d I had a few years ago was free floating. Further i thought your supposed to be able to shake the pin around to be "slam fire" safe.

Were all 1950's made this way? I heard that this was a possible mod for a safer bolt and that some rifles may already have it....I thought it was rare tho.
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1949 and 1950 SKS have spring loaded firing pin but on 1951 and later model,the desing changed to a free floating pin since the spring loaded one was judged unnecessary. Clean it dry,no oil and reassemble,you will be trouble free:)
Jocelyn
 
I got a 1950 this week with the spring. I read they changed to freefloating pins mid-51.

Can someone confirm that these springed pins are less prone to slam fires? Is it also true they work better with civvie primers than with milsurp?
 
Well, the problem with a slam fire is typically something holding the pin forward. A lot of people convert to a spring set up to reduce that risk.

Realistically, though...if the bolt is clean and the pin is free of rust/debris, it should be fine with a floating pin. Minimal oil in the firing pin channel as not to attract carbon/debris and all that. They don't have to run as wet as many people run their ARs.

I had a slam fire my first time out with my SKS because over oiling had attracted an assload of carbon into the firing pin channel. To this day, before I close the action, I jerk the rifle forward and back once to see the pin move. Of course I oil less as well.
 
The bolt and firing pin are meant to stay dry of oil. Slam fires, as mentioned above, are caused by the pin being held forward when the bolt closes on a fresh cartridge. Oil on your pin/bolt mixed with hot gas and powder residue fuses together to form an almost metal like hardness. This build up is what holds the firing pin forward to cause slam fire.


The firing pin should rattle loosly in the bolt for those rifles without springs. Either way, the pin, bolt, bolt carrier and gas piston assembly should stay dry from oil. It is ok to clean and wipe with oil , but wipe dry when done. Resist the urge to oil for rust protection on these parts. If you choose to store it with oil, you must wipe clean/dry before firing. It is oil combined with heat and gas from firing that causes build up and failure. A bolt should rattle freely before you attempt to fire, unless you have a spring loaded pin.
 
I have a spring loaded firing pin as an extra part but i just keep the free floating ones in my Rifles. After shooting i always take out the retaining pin that holds the FP in the Bolt and clean the channel and the pin with Solvent then a thin coat of Oil wipe down and then slap back together ....make sure it rattles like a toy and you are good to go....never had a problem.
 
The 1949 SKS had a sping loaded firing pin as did the early to mid 1950 SKS. The free floating firing pin actually showed up in the latter part of 1950. I own a '49, and a mid '50(the reciever machining is slightly changed in the '50 plus there is a larger hole for the takedown lever arm). I recently sold a late 1950 SKS with a floating firing pin. The numbers matched so the bolt was not a replacement. I think what needs to be kept in mind that the Russians did not necessarily make ALL model changes exactly in one year or another. Some changes were phased in and phased out as components made their way through the factory.
 
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