SKS Magazine Latch doesn't catch

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So today I used my brand new one week old PAL to buy my first SKS at Cabela's. I checked what I could remember from reading CGN and watching youtube, but I learned that I should have checked that "the magazine latch positively catches over the lip of the magazine" AFTER I got home with my quite good looking SKS. The latch holds just enough to hold up the magazine without firing. I loaded one round and fired and the magazine fell open.

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It appears the latch can spring forward far enough to fully engage, but it's like the magazine doesn't go up far enough to allow the latch to go forward over the magazine lip.
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I'd rather not drive the 172 KM back to Cabela's to exchange the rifle over a seemingly small flaw. I'd like to know what more experienced SKS owners think of filing down the lip so the latch can go over the the lip.
 
Take it apart, check that the latch mechanism moves freely, check for rust in the spring that operates it. See if the mag catches OK without the stock. You shouldn't have to file anything, and there's no going back once you do.
Other than that, need some pics... As Van said, they aren't showing.
Have you cleaned all the cosmoline out of everything?
 
Sks has to have the bolt open to close the magazine. There is a lip on each side of the bolt that slides into the magazine. There is a pin in the magazine well that will hold open the bolt if you push it up while the magazine is open.
 
Maevin said:
Sks has to have the bolt open to close the magazine. There is a lip on each side of the bolt that slides into the magazine. There is a pin in the magazine well that will hold open the bolt if you push it up while the magazine is open.
Click to expand...
My first thought too, but the floor plate won't close at all if the mag isn't seated, and OP was able to feed and fire a round...
But do check that the mag is properly seated. If it is, the floor plate should close with the bolt closed or open.
 
Maevin said:
Sks has to have the bolt open to close the magazine. There is a lip on each side of the bolt that slides into the magazine. There is a pin in the magazine well that will hold open the bolt if you push it up while the magazine is open.
Click to expand...

I got excited when I saw this post but...nope.

I wish I could get the pictures to show. When I move the magazine floor plate out of the way the magazine latch goes further forward. It would be enough if the magazine lip did not stop it.
 
I've had that problem too. I did have to file a very little bit from the lip of the mag to allow the catch to slide further forward. I don't know if that helps just my two cents good luck.
 
To see his pictures just right click on an X in his original post, click properties then copy and paste the link to your browser. Well, if you have a Facebook account that is. I don't think this board allows for images from Facebook.

As others have said, disassemble the rifle and make sure the mag assembly is installed correctly and that nothing is bent. You shouldn't have to file anything.
 
Here's what I've learned by repeatedly taking out and reinstalling the trigger group and magazine: Out of the stock they look like they fit together properly. Reinstalling with the magazine open the latch can't go completely over the magazine lip when trying to close the magazine. If I reinstall the trigger group with the magazine floor plate closed and the latch fully engaged with the magazine lip then it looks good, fully engaged, but I cannot move the latch back and open the magazine. It's a laminated stock. I suspect the the stock was not cut correctly to allow the magazine and trigger group to fit into the stock properly lined up.
 
I think you have different gun parts on one gun. If I put my Chinese magazine into my Russian rifle I get the same problem. I would find someone near with an Sks or go back to the store. They may have swapped magazines.
 
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Is the stock preventing the floor plate from going in any further? You say it works without the stock. All mine have a couple mm's of play when closed. Try relieving the stock if you can find where it binds.
 
I got a Sks from Canadian tire. It was a refurb and I could not get the magazine to ever open to disassemble, I had to pry it open with a screw driver and it would not go back together. I swapped mags with another and it worked fine. The old mag worked in the other rifle fine so they now are swapped. You may have to get a file and work out where to remove some wood.
 
I bought an sks in an archangel stock from LGS and the fit sucked. I got the org. stock etc with the package so all I did was drop in a letter series sks and if fit just fine. Now the lame duck is parts....
 
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