Author Topic: Bolt hold open lets go while loading  (Read 828 times)

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Offline itsnotaMauser

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Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« on: August 02, 2021, 11:02:53 PM »
So this is my first post on this site regarding an issue that is driving me up the wall
When loading with stripper clips in my chinese sks it seems that the rear of the casing is pushing down the bolt hold open causing the bolt to go forward jamming up the rounds and the clip.
This happens with the original 10rnd magazine and a 30rnd promag which i dont use.
it happens quite often while loading and is driving me crazy.
I lift up the bullet and push with my thumb while loading but 2 out of 5 times while loading, the case pushes the hold open.
Is there any way to fix this? My bolt hold open looks fine but im no expert
Anybody else had this issue? I feel it may be my clips but like I said im no expert

Offline running-man

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2021, 12:42:28 AM »
Welcome to the files!

How clean is your BHO?  I’ve heard of grease in the nooks and crannies causing all sorts of undesirable behavior such as this though usually it’s that the BHO fails to disengage. It could be ‘sticking’ to the tab on the mag follower due to suction from grease though...

May also be a weak spring holding that BHO in place as well.

      

Offline firstchoice

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2021, 04:02:10 AM »
I've also had experiences with not having the stripper clip fully inserted into the receiver before trying to load the rounds.

As an aside, have you tried the loading method of inverting the rifle, opening the magazine cover, dropping in the rounds, and then closing the cover?  It's quick and easier on the thumbs!  thumb1  (But not "regulation" SKS... chuckles1 )


firstchoice

Offline Bacarnal

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2021, 06:05:26 PM »
I agree with both the prior comments.  Also, if the charger is fully seated, it should effectively block the bolt from going in to battery until removed.  One cause for your troubles might be the aftermarket Chinese chargers.  If you use the Chinese, Yugoslavian, East German, etc., MILITARY chargers (there are several posts here on the forum on how to identify them), it might help solve your problems.

By the way, welcome from Kentucky/ Colorado!!!

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2021, 08:10:24 PM »
All of the above.

    The bolt hold open should be cleaned of grease or Cosmoline and left with a light oil. A spray solvent/oil can be useful in cleaning it all out.
    When it's clean and functioning properly it should rise up rapidly upon releasing the magazine follower and drop down easily upon depressing the magazine follower. The spring is not super strong, but it easily causes the bolt hold open to rise quickly if it's clean and properly lubricated.
    Correct stripper clips in good condition cannot engage the bolt hold open, nor can the rear of the cartridges loaded from properly functioning clips.


    The only other remote possibility I can think of at the moment is that the bottom of the bolt in the front was ground down by Bubba for some unknown (and dangerous) reason. That'd be very bad and would be a stop using this bolt immediately situation.

    The front of the bolt should have about 4mm (in the center) to 7mm (on the edges) of a solid lip below the bolt face where the head of the cartridge rests (just eyeballing the dimensions, I didn't get out the micrometer). This will solidly engage the bolt hold open and keep it "up" due to pressure/friction, until the magazine has a cartridge loaded into it and the bolt carrier is bumped back to release the bolt. The bolt hold open when engaged extends all the way up to about 1 mm below the bolt face, i.e., that solid lip has a lot of surface area interacting with the back surface of the bolt hold open.




P.S. Welcome to The SKS Files. Glad to have you!  thumb1  :)
« Last Edit: August 04, 2021, 06:38:04 PM by Phosphorus32 »

Offline running-man

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2021, 12:50:31 PM »
Good call on the bolt face P32, I hadn't even considered that one.  thumb1

OP, can you get some photos of the area with the bolt pulled back and secured in place from the BHO?  Pictures could probably tell a thousand words in this case.   thumb1
      

Offline itsnotaMauser

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2021, 01:04:26 AM »
Back after a break to clear my head and reassess the situation. I removed the bold hold open and cleaned it out well and oiled it up as well as the rest of the rifle. Also got some of what i am told are Yugo strippers from an old head at a shack of a bar. They seem to work lovely. I have taken it out for a range day with no hicups
I can assure without a doubt in my mind that this SKS has in no way shape or from had been molested by a bubba because i got it still slathered in thick nasty chinese cosmaline that penetrated its greasy, stinky and preservative gook into every crack and crevice of the rifle.

Im not sure if it was switching the strippers from what i assume were chinesium clips or cleaning it up really well maybe a combination of both.
Also thanks for the info and welcome.
I got spoiled in a way that my first surplus rifle was a m48 "A/B" Mauser. Which is in a way great for ease of maintenance, especially with corrosive ammo. Cleaning the sks after surplus ammo is quite ann event.

Cheers

Offline GuitarmanNick

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Re: Bolt hold open lets go while loading
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2021, 08:47:15 AM »
If you are having issues cleaning your SKS, perhaps you are using oil in the gas system, which can cause carbon to build up.

After cleaning, wipe oil off of the gas system parts before reassembly. You should notice much less carbon residue after shooting.

The same applies to any gas operated system. Seen a lot of guys struggling with AR bolts because they use the gas pressure relief holes to oil their bolts, which is about as wrong as wrong can be. Leaves the bolt caked in carbon which can cause malfunctions after only a hundred rounds.