# Chinese Made SKS???



## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

A friend of mine has and SKS rifle in 7.62 x 39mm. It was made in 1962 in Northern China.
Serial# 7109313

I know this is a rather obselete gun made in Communist countries until the AK47 came around.

I have no experience with the rifle and frankly wouldn't want to. It was my friend's father's and he "loves" it and has used it for hunting deer. He has had some misfires and is going to take it up to a gunsmith for evaluation. I've done some internet searching and what I found says that it was used in 'Nam by second rate troops and not the NVA. It was also used in other parts of the world. I also found where it was/is not noted for accuracy.

Quite frankly I believe that particular firearm is dangerous and would not want to be anywhere near it when it is loaded. I strongly suggested that he have the rifle disabled so it cannot be loaded and/or shot. He "loves" the gun and says that if he can't use that one he'll get another SKS.[

I have strong doubts as to the reliablilty of this weapon.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the gun's reliablity, accuracy, etc. or other information?


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Whit I had a couple of those that I had bought back in the mid 90`s.I never had any problems with mine and they were very reliable for me.I did alot of shooting(target praticing) and even hunting mine as well.For the $ spent they were very good guns.I wouldnt hesitate to buy another.As to why your friends misfired maybe it was the ammo he was shooting.1962 that gun has been around for a while and might have alot of wear and tear so maybe thats whats causing the misfires also.


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## Violator22 (Nov 10, 2004)

Whit, SKS's are some of the most reliable rifles, quite a bit more accurate than the AK series. For the price that they go for, they are a great truck/utility rifle. May just be ammo as stinger said, but I would get it checked out anyhow, parts are pretty reasonable for them. Les


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## roger23 (Jan 14, 2001)

I think it is probably the ammo ,,,the ones they used against us were pretty reliable,,,I shot a few of them when we captured ,,, the best AK 47 's were the Russian made ones,,,


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

I had similar problems with mine and it was not the ammo, it was a poor job of getting all the cosmolene out of the bolt carrier group when I initially purchased the rifle, same with my Nagants. They would fire fien until things warmed up a bit, then it would set for a few minutes and things would get all gummed up and the firing pin would not move forward enough to set off the primer. When it does not fire is there an impact mark on the primer, if so, compare it to another cartride or one that went off.

Lots of hot soapy water took care of those problems.


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Milt:

There is a certain group of them (can't tell you which ones) that are noted for having weak firing pin springs......could be one of them......just a thought.

They are noted as a very dependable weapon however.........

Guy I know used one for quite a while deer hunting and several years ago I was with him when he shot a nice 8pt. along the Slagle creek.......


Dan


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

Frantz said:


> I had similar problems with mine and it was not the ammo, it was a poor job of getting all the cosmolene out of the bolt carrier group when I initially purchased the rifle, same with my Nagants. They would fire fien until things warmed up a bit, then it would set for a few minutes and things would get all gummed up and the firing pin would not move forward enough to set off the primer. When it does not fire is there an impact mark on the primer, if so, compare it to another cartride or one that went off.
> 
> Lots of hot soapy water took care of those problems.


What he said 
I own one and it was jammed with cosmoline when I got it. You have to completly disassemble the weapon and go through it. Once thats done its a great shooter.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

wally-eye said:


> Milt:
> 
> There is a certain group of them (can't tell you which ones) that are noted for having weak firing pin springs......could be one of them......just a thought.


Dan I think you are correct on the weak firing pin springs.

I should have talked about what kind of "misfire" he has experienced. The obvious one of pulling the trigger and the firearm/bullet not discharging. This past weekend he had it happen again and after removing the cartridge and having another one inject into the chamber there was another misfire. he ejected that cartridge, put in another one and suddenly, without pulling the trigger the weapon accidently fired three times in quick succession. That does sound like a firing pin spring problem to me.

In the above "accidently fired three times in quick succussion" I don't mean that it is a fully automatic weapon, but rather the malfunction caused it to be on that occasion.

Sorry about not being specific about the "misfire". I thought about it while deer hunting this evening.


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## Wildone (Aug 8, 2008)

wally-eye said:


> Milt:
> 
> There is a certain group of them (can't tell you which ones) that are noted for having weak firing pin springs......could be one of them......just a thought.


Yep a weak firing pin spring will do it, and so will a bent firing pin that does not contact the primmer the same every time. The springs run around $2-$5 and is about a 10 minute job to put a new one in. If you need one let me know I may have one laying around here or I can get one from one of our suppliers.
They are a great guns loose fit and very rugged they are as accurate as the shooter is. I seen guys hit paper plate at 200 meters with iron sites with them.


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

I did not know there was a firing spring in the SKS. Still sounds like **** in the firing pin channel.


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

Here is a simple way to check. Have him take it apart (if he is sure he can get it back together, and shake the bolt, it you hear the pin rattling around in there, it is fine, if not, it is probably full of gooey goodness that needs to be soaked out.


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## Wildone (Aug 8, 2008)

Frantz said:


> I did not know there was a firing spring in the SKS. Still sounds like **** in the firing pin channel.


 Here is the tear down of the bolt with pictures.
http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

The older units did not have the firing pin spring and that is why there were so many issues with slamfires taking place.

He'll figure it out when he takes it apart if it is pre-spring or not, just don't let him take apart the trigger area or he will have an ulcer getting it back together.


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Wildone said:


> Here is the tear down of the bolt with pictures.
> http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm




Thanks for that link. I remembered talking to a few guys that had the spring problem which was a quick and fairly easy fix. As that link reads it was the older guns that had the springs. I could remember about the springs just couldn't remember which ones had them..........my old feeble brain....

Interesting link though. Thanks.

Dan


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

My experience with Chinese SKS's (based upon a sample size of 1) is that the tolerances are VERY sloppy. This actually caused a misfire for me that could have potentially turned out quite bad.

After firing several shots without problem, I pulled the trigger and heard a "click" but the click sounded a bit different than say a dry-fire. My first thought was a shell failed to load. I turned the rifle on its side and noted the bolt was not closed all the way - tried to slide it back and it wouldn't budge. In the end I needed to use the wood handle on a hammer to hammer the bolt open. The rifle had indeed loaded a fresh shell but the previous cartridge case had torn off just below the shoulder leaving about 1/2" of the fired case in the rifle's chamber. When the rifle attempted to load the new round, the bullet slid right into the inside of the case neck on the broken off piece of brass from the previous round. This prevented the cartridge from completely loading into the chamber and the bolt did not close 100% - BUT it closed far enough where the firing pin fell; the firing pin even dimpled the primer on the loaded cartridge. I'm guessing with the bolt part way open, the firing pin had just under the inertia needed for it to detonate the primer - LUCK. Had the round gone off, there is no doubt in my mind the rifle would have come apart in my hands.

The ammunition was UMC (Remington) factory-loaded 7.62x39 with brass cases - not reloaded, military surplus or steel case ammunition. I think I still have the the loaded cartridge with broken off piece of brass on it and the shell the brass broke off of somewhere; I will see if I can find them and post pics. The loaded round appears to have a double shoulder; the broken off shell resembles a 44 Auto Mag.

Difficult to say as I no longer have the SKS but I suspect the headspace was excessive on that rifle. I have been reloading for several years and Remington brass is my brass of choice for reloading - I have never experienced a similar failure even on bottle-neck cases that have been reloaded 6-7 times. 

An 7.62x39 has enough there to get the job done on deer; little doubt about that. One of my friends hunts with his Ruger Mini-30 and has taken several deer with 123gr soft points out of that. An SKS would not be my weapon of choice in the deer woods however.


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

Others hit it on the head. That rifle is no more gonna hurt anyone than a Remington........given they are both cleaned properly.

The SKS is very durable and quite accurate. I have owned 10+ of them over the years and some of the China made are the more accurate being modeled after the Russian. These are still in use in Iraq and other countries at war all over the world. I have one of 4 different makes in my safe. Compare to a 30-30 for hunting purposes.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Frantz said:


> Here is a simple way to check.* Have him take it apart (if he is sure he can get it back together,* and shake the bolt, it you hear the pin rattling around in there, it is fine, if not, it is probably full of gooey goodness that needs to be soaked out.


That would be a big NO!

Thanks for the help guys.


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## Wildone (Aug 8, 2008)

Quack Addict said:


> My experience with Chinese SKS's (based upon a sample size of 1) is that the tolerances are VERY sloppy. This actually caused a misfire for me that could have potentially turned out quite bad.
> 
> After firing several shots without problem, I pulled the trigger and heard a "click" but the click sounded a bit different than say a dry-fire. My first thought was a shell failed to load. I turned the rifle on its side and noted the bolt was not closed all the way - tried to slide it back and it wouldn't budge. In the end I needed to use the wood handle on a hammer to hammer the bolt open. The rifle had indeed loaded a fresh shell but the previous cartridge case had torn off just below the shoulder leaving about 1/2" of the fired case in the rifle's chamber. When the rifle attempted to load the new round, the bullet slid right into the inside of the case neck on the broken off piece of brass from the previous round. This prevented the cartridge from completely loading into the chamber and the bolt did not close 100% - BUT it closed far enough where the firing pin fell; the firing pin even dimpled the primer on the loaded cartridge. I'm guessing with the bolt part way open, the firing pin had just under the inertia needed for it to detonate the primer - LUCK. Had the round gone off, there is no doubt in my mind the rifle would have come apart in my hands.
> 
> ...


 Much I the US ammo I seen that was in 7.62 x 39 had had.308 dia VS the forigen stuff that was .311 dia. Many run the .308 dia through there mini 30's.


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

LOL, we are all great at taking things apart, thank god I have my wife to put it all back together for me!

Let us know what he finds Whit.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Frantz said:


> The older units did not have the firing pin spring and that is why there were so many issues with slamfires taking place.
> 
> He'll figure it out when he takes it apart if it is pre-spring or not, just don't let him take apart the trigger area or he will have an ulcer getting it back together.


I'm not familiar with the term "slamfire", but assume that is what he experienced and for a round or two or three the rifle went to full auto. *By this I don't mean the rifle is capable of going to "full auto". That would be illegal. I am speaking of the malfunctioning of the firearm that caused three shots to go off suddenly without the trigger being pulled. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding.*

I wouldn't even mention trying to take apart the firing pin/trigger assembly.





Wildone said:


> Here is the tear down of the bolt with pictures.
> 
> http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm


Thanks for the URL W.O. It was very informative.

The rifle was manufactured in several Communist countries including the USSR (where it was first developed) China, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, etc. I'm thinking that quality control might have been "variable" during the run of this weapon over the years. I do know, according to my friend, that this particular rifle was made in Northern China in 1962.

A bit of irony here lies in the fact that this friend's wife was married to my best buddy named Bob until he passed in 1999 at the age of 50 of a malignant brain tumor. He was a Vietnam vet, having served as a special forces medic on a sniper team. He did much of the shooting and was decorated albeit with no noteriety. His team, (he was a sargeant) was in places where no American forces were supposed to be. There's a term for that type of team..........sag team?......sog team?

The irony is that this rifle was probably used by the Viet Cong in 'Nam.

Bob was one of the finest shots I've ever seen at long range standing whitetails and running whitetails. I saw him kill a deer at a paced distance of well over 300 yds. That deer was standing. I saw him make killing shots on whitetails running through hardwoods, across a grassy, brushy field at over 100 yds., and once at a deer running through hardwoods when he was using a muzzleloader. That deer, shot at about 30 yds., plowed up a foot of snow as she fell from the well placed bullet. He was one hell of a shot.

We fished, hunted, drank beer and gin together for many years until his passing. On his fiftieth birthday and three months before he passed, he gave me his favorite 2 wgt. Orvis flyrod. It is my favorite small stream trout fishing rod. To this day I miss my friend.

Bob's wife, Barb, remarried five years ago.


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

Quack Addict said:


> My experience with Chinese SKS's (based upon a sample size of 1) is that the tolerances are VERY sloppy. This actually caused a misfire for me that could have potentially turned out quite bad.
> 
> After firing several shots without problem, I pulled the trigger and heard a "click" but the click sounded a bit different than say a dry-fire. My first thought was a shell failed to load. I turned the rifle on its side and noted the bolt was not closed all the way - tried to slide it back and it wouldn't budge. In the end I needed to use the wood handle on a hammer to hammer the bolt open. *The rifle had indeed loaded a fresh shell but the previous cartridge case had torn off just below the shoulder leaving about 1/2" of the fired case in the rifle's chamber.* When the rifle attempted to load the new round, the bullet slid right into the inside of the case neck on the broken off piece of brass from the previous round. This prevented the cartridge from completely loading into the chamber and the bolt did not close 100% - BUT it closed far enough where the firing pin fell; the firing pin even dimpled the primer on the loaded cartridge. I'm guessing with the bolt part way open, the firing pin had just under the inertia needed for it to detonate the primer - LUCK. Had the round gone off, there is no doubt in my mind the rifle would have come apart in my hands.
> 
> ...


IMO thats fairly common with Military ammo especially the old junk from WWII through the Korean war days. I usually sort through the Surp stuff I buy to look for corroded shell cases before firing for just those reasons.
I'm guessing thats pretty much why they sell those broken shell extractors in just about all the calibers. I have had it happen on my 30.06 M1 garand with Mil surplus ammo. I have never had it happen on Remington brass, but I guess it obviously does. Interesting that it allowed the firing pin to release without complete lockup? I wouldnt think the action would allow that mechically? My SKS is a Yugo and has sloppy tolerences also. I think that just a built in thing that allows them to fire when full of sand, mud, water and goo just like the AK's. Anything American built during those days is pretty tight and unforgiving. Thats why the Ar's / M-16's were so bad when they first showed up in Vietnam


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

Wildone said:


> Much I the US ammo I seen that was in 7.62 x 39 had had.308 dia VS the forigen stuff that was .311 dia. Many run the .308 dia through there mini 30's.


I'm not sure but I think a lot of the factory loadings of 7.62x39 use the .308 bullet. You could have chambering / unsafe firing 'issues' if you tried to chamber a round loaded with a .311 bullet in a firearm that was designed for .308... I am by far no expert on SKS's. Even if if a .308 bullet was loaded into the round that experienced the case separation in the rifle I was shooting, I do not think that alone could have been the reason for the case separation.




Topshelf said:


> Interesting that it allowed the firing pin to release without complete lockup? I wouldnt think the action would allow that mechically?


Yep - the trigger mechanism allowed the firing pin to fall without the bolt being fully locked - the bolt wasn't even close to being fully closed. As I stated, I think the bolt was far enough rearward where the firing pin didn't have the inertia to detonate the primer; either that or the hammer didn't get a solid strike on the firing pin due to bolt being too far back (i.e. the hammer may have hit the bottom rear edge of the pin instead of a square-on hit from the rear).


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