Due to the lack of quality posts on hear I decided to try my best to add some half decent content.
So here is my guide to disassembling a SKS. I tried to go a little further than the regular field strip. So far I got the, trigger group half disassembled (until I got to a pin that does not seem to want to be removed, I will try to completely take down my other SKS's trigger group to get the rest of the pictures for this part), a bolt disassemble. If there is anything else you guys would like to see in more detail on the rifle disassemble I will be willing to look into getting pictorial tutorial done up for it.
I apologize in advance for any of the poor quality pictures I was using a 3D camera (in 2D) I was not used to which does not have a flash. I will look into getting some better pictures as I disassemble my SKSs the next few times.
To start here is a basic field strip.
The first step is to remove the Rear Housing. To do this you take the takedown latch from its normal position (shown below)

and rotate it 90 degrees to this position

Then with your thumb pressed against the back of the Rear Housing pull the Takedown Latch out. once it is out all the way there will be pressure backwards on the Rear Housing slowly back your thumb off and slid the rear housing back and pivot it up and removing it.
Your rifle should now look like this

Next pull the spring out of the Bolt Carrier

Next pull the Bolt Carrier to the back of the receiver. Pivot the back of the bolt carrier out of the receiver

Once out of the receiver pull the bolt backwards and out of the bolt carrier

Now locate the lever on the rear sight base.

Rotate the lever counter clock-wise to the end of the groove.

Pivot the hand guard forward and remove it from the receiver

Then remove the Piston from within the gas cylinder in the hand guard

Locate the head of the Piston Extension in the rear sight base.

Pushing the head of the Piston Extension into the rear sight, continue rotating the lever counter clock wise until you feel the piston extension release. Slowly remove the Piston Extension

Now with the safety engaged (note if it is not engaged this next part will not work), behind the trigger guard locate an indent. Push this at an angle toward the trigger guard using a punch or a bullet tip. This will release the trigger group from the stock and receiver (sorry the picture for this sucks… I will get a new one tomorrow)

Rotate the trigger group and remove from the rifle

The magazine will now be loose, rotate this and remove it from the rifle

Rotate the bayonet out of the way

If you pivot the receiver up it will be free to be pulled back and out from the receiver.

At this point your SKS will be field stripped and ready to be cleaned, oiled and reassembled.

To reassembly reverse the previous steps. (if enough people ask for it I can write up a reassembly guide here…)
Now to disassemble the bolt.
Remove the firing pin retainer. Note that the pin is bigger on one side than the other (or in some cases round one side, and an odd shape in the other.)

Punch the firing pin retainer through the bolt pushing the smaller side thru the bolt. To make this easier drill a ¼ inch hole into a piece of 2x4, and position the bolt so that the pin is punched into the hole. Once the pin is out remove the firing pin (and possibly firing pin spring)

Next push the extractor backwards

Once pushed all the way backwards pivot it out and remove it. (note that if your finger slips it can send your extractor flying…)

Your bolt is now fully disassembled.

One important thing for when reassembling your bolt is to make sure the notch in the firing pin is facing up


Here is my incomplete guide to the trigger group disassembly.

(yes I know the hammer spring in this picture is disgustingly rusted… I am disassembling it to remove the rust on it)
Holding the trigger group as shown in the picture above push down on the disconnector with your thumb (the disconnector is the part my thumb is on in the picture above.) With the safety off, press the disconnector down halfway, pull the trigger and you should feel a little resistance, then see the hammer go forward a little bit.

Once the hammer has moved forward the small amount, pull the trigger, while holding the hammer back lightly to reduce any damage done from the hammer dropping and pressing down on the disconnector. The hammer will then snap forward full (be careful not to pinch your finger holding it back lightly)

If you look at the hammer you can see the pin that is trapped in the open ended hole. Using a screwdriver like show in picture below, push the hammer backwards and out of the groove. This is very difficult to do as the spring is extremely stiff.

Slowly let the hammer go forward, once there is no tension on the spring you will be able to remove the hammer and hammer strut

Next you need to remove the pin retaining the magazine catch.

(again I know my spring is rusty, I took it apart to remove this rust)
Tap the pin to be flush with one side. Then using the block with the ¼ inch hole, push the pin to be flush with the inside of the rail

You can now remove the magazine catch and spring.

Next remove your seer. If the pin that was retaining the magazine catch is not flush with the inside edge, it will prevent the seer from being fully removed.


Next you remove the disconnector pin. However I was unable to get this pin to come out in this SKS’s trigger group. I will try tomorrow in my other SKS so I can complete this tutorial.
Some tips for reassembling the trigger group.
Any thoughts or comments?
Should I do a guide like this for some of my other guns? If I were to do this with other guns I will just make a thread for Pistols and another for Rifles (I may break it down into different categories of rifles), If I were to make more threads like this I would just do them as I need to clean, or install new parts into my guns.
Please quote any pictures that are not clear, or you would like a better quality picture and I will do my best to get a better picture and replace it for you (either with a new one, or one with red arrows indicating what I am talking about).
So here is my guide to disassembling a SKS. I tried to go a little further than the regular field strip. So far I got the, trigger group half disassembled (until I got to a pin that does not seem to want to be removed, I will try to completely take down my other SKS's trigger group to get the rest of the pictures for this part), a bolt disassemble. If there is anything else you guys would like to see in more detail on the rifle disassemble I will be willing to look into getting pictorial tutorial done up for it.
I apologize in advance for any of the poor quality pictures I was using a 3D camera (in 2D) I was not used to which does not have a flash. I will look into getting some better pictures as I disassemble my SKSs the next few times.
To start here is a basic field strip.
The first step is to remove the Rear Housing. To do this you take the takedown latch from its normal position (shown below)

and rotate it 90 degrees to this position

Then with your thumb pressed against the back of the Rear Housing pull the Takedown Latch out. once it is out all the way there will be pressure backwards on the Rear Housing slowly back your thumb off and slid the rear housing back and pivot it up and removing it.
Your rifle should now look like this

Next pull the spring out of the Bolt Carrier

Next pull the Bolt Carrier to the back of the receiver. Pivot the back of the bolt carrier out of the receiver

Once out of the receiver pull the bolt backwards and out of the bolt carrier

Now locate the lever on the rear sight base.

Rotate the lever counter clock-wise to the end of the groove.

Pivot the hand guard forward and remove it from the receiver

Then remove the Piston from within the gas cylinder in the hand guard

Locate the head of the Piston Extension in the rear sight base.

Pushing the head of the Piston Extension into the rear sight, continue rotating the lever counter clock wise until you feel the piston extension release. Slowly remove the Piston Extension

Now with the safety engaged (note if it is not engaged this next part will not work), behind the trigger guard locate an indent. Push this at an angle toward the trigger guard using a punch or a bullet tip. This will release the trigger group from the stock and receiver (sorry the picture for this sucks… I will get a new one tomorrow)

Rotate the trigger group and remove from the rifle

The magazine will now be loose, rotate this and remove it from the rifle

Rotate the bayonet out of the way

If you pivot the receiver up it will be free to be pulled back and out from the receiver.

At this point your SKS will be field stripped and ready to be cleaned, oiled and reassembled.

To reassembly reverse the previous steps. (if enough people ask for it I can write up a reassembly guide here…)
Now to disassemble the bolt.
Remove the firing pin retainer. Note that the pin is bigger on one side than the other (or in some cases round one side, and an odd shape in the other.)

Punch the firing pin retainer through the bolt pushing the smaller side thru the bolt. To make this easier drill a ¼ inch hole into a piece of 2x4, and position the bolt so that the pin is punched into the hole. Once the pin is out remove the firing pin (and possibly firing pin spring)

Next push the extractor backwards

Once pushed all the way backwards pivot it out and remove it. (note that if your finger slips it can send your extractor flying…)

Your bolt is now fully disassembled.

One important thing for when reassembling your bolt is to make sure the notch in the firing pin is facing up


Here is my incomplete guide to the trigger group disassembly.

(yes I know the hammer spring in this picture is disgustingly rusted… I am disassembling it to remove the rust on it)
Holding the trigger group as shown in the picture above push down on the disconnector with your thumb (the disconnector is the part my thumb is on in the picture above.) With the safety off, press the disconnector down halfway, pull the trigger and you should feel a little resistance, then see the hammer go forward a little bit.

Once the hammer has moved forward the small amount, pull the trigger, while holding the hammer back lightly to reduce any damage done from the hammer dropping and pressing down on the disconnector. The hammer will then snap forward full (be careful not to pinch your finger holding it back lightly)

If you look at the hammer you can see the pin that is trapped in the open ended hole. Using a screwdriver like show in picture below, push the hammer backwards and out of the groove. This is very difficult to do as the spring is extremely stiff.

Slowly let the hammer go forward, once there is no tension on the spring you will be able to remove the hammer and hammer strut

Next you need to remove the pin retaining the magazine catch.

(again I know my spring is rusty, I took it apart to remove this rust)
Tap the pin to be flush with one side. Then using the block with the ¼ inch hole, push the pin to be flush with the inside of the rail

You can now remove the magazine catch and spring.

Next remove your seer. If the pin that was retaining the magazine catch is not flush with the inside edge, it will prevent the seer from being fully removed.


Next you remove the disconnector pin. However I was unable to get this pin to come out in this SKS’s trigger group. I will try tomorrow in my other SKS so I can complete this tutorial.
Some tips for reassembling the trigger group.
A couple of little things to make re-assembly easier
A piece of 1/2 copper pipe fits nicely over the hammer assembly - lets you get a good grip when re-installing it. (3/4 plastic electrical (outdoor) conduit fits over the SVT trigger if you heat it and flatten it)
The sides of the magazine catch assembly will bend when you drive the pin in place - this makes the magazine catch stiff to operate. Use a 10 mm spacer to support the open end of the trigger group when driving the pin. I just ground a piece of 1/8 stock to fit.
Any thoughts or comments?
Should I do a guide like this for some of my other guns? If I were to do this with other guns I will just make a thread for Pistols and another for Rifles (I may break it down into different categories of rifles), If I were to make more threads like this I would just do them as I need to clean, or install new parts into my guns.
Please quote any pictures that are not clear, or you would like a better quality picture and I will do my best to get a better picture and replace it for you (either with a new one, or one with red arrows indicating what I am talking about).
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