SKS Hammer dropping When the Bolt Carrier Is Released

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Mr. Spectacular

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So I think I may have a problem with my SKS.

It's a 1954 Tula (IIRC). I do have the Murray firing pin installed, but I've discovered a problem that not even that can prevent.

Without a magazine installed, if I rack the bolt/bolt carrier and let it slam forward, my friggin' hammer drops (I.E. the gun fires, if there were ammunition in it).

Now mind you, it only does this WITHOUT a magazine installed, and I really have to slam the bolt carrier forward. If I just pull it back and let it go under it's own inertia, it won't do it, but if I "sling-shot" the bolt carrier back and let go right away, it will.

I don't see any negative or positive sear engagment (meaning that I believe mine to be "neutral").

Is this a problem and should I be concerned? I'm not particularly worried about it because there is no way that the bolt would ever slam home as hard as it does when it's stripping a round out of the magazine, but at the same time, if there were already a round in the chamber and no magazine installed and I let the bolt slam home like that, it might (maybe) drop the hammer and fire that round. :eek:
 
The magazine catch is loaded with the same spring as the sear. If the mag is in, there would be slightly more pressure on the sear than with the mag catch forward.

While I know these guns well, I have not seen a lot of them... BUT, from the one's I have seen, I know that the refurbs come in very good, to very bad condition.

The one I own is the worst I've seen. Negative engagement, and a long crunchy trigger pull. I could rack the bolt, and then thump the butt of the stock on the floor a few times to make it fire.

You really should have positive sear engagement. Also, I'm guessing the hammer isn't touching much of the sear. Get a Sharpie and mark the surface of the sear and see if you can see how much the hammer is catching. If you can, take a picture of the sear and post it here... or PM me and email it to me.

Where are you located? If you are roughly in the GTA area I'd be happy to have look at it.
 
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Mr. Spectacular said:
No idea. That thing is way long gone.
Click to expand...
Leads me to believe that this is an aftermarket stock that you are using???
If so that might be the problem because the hammer is not fully resting. any pic's of said rifle stock. In petecular the top picture with all the bcg and rear cover gone and the hammer in the forward position?
 
A neutral sear engagement could be just as unsafe as a negative engagement. Take the trigger group out holding safely so no fingers will be crushed, engage the hammer and use a nylon or hard leather hammer and hit the trigger group sharply at many different spots to see if the hammer falls. If it does the sear has to be reprofiled to a positive engagement. http://yooperj.com/SKS-25.htm is a good site to explain it all.
 
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Sorry, I got mixed up... positive engagement is when the hammer moves back slightly before falling forward. Negative is when the hammer creeps forward as the trigger is pulled.

Positive = good.
Negative = bad.

I'll edit my post above to fix the switch up.

Thanks.
 
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