Hello From Virginia

[PatB]

Hello SKS guys, I'm a new guy here.  I have inherited a couple of SKSs from my parent's estate. One is Russian, mechanically sound, but the barrel is badly eroded.  One is Chinese with some sketchy parts but a good barrel. Is it possible, or economically feasible to do a barrel swap?  Thanks!

[Greatguns]

Howdy from Kansas City, MO Pat.

To answer your question it is going to cost you $50-$100 for a good used barrel assembly(clean new ones don't really exist). You also need to make sure you get the correct one(there are pinned barrels and threaded barrels). Then up to $200 for the work to be done and you don't want to take it to just any gunsmith as many just don't have knowledge on the SKS. If the barrel issue is cosmetic, don't worry about it. Both rifles will have chrome lined bores that are hard to damage. Clean the bore well and check the lands/grooves. If they look goo and the bore is shiny you are good to go.

[running-man]

Hi Pat,

Welcome to the files!

The answer to your question on the swap is "Maybe"  depends on what configuration the Chinese is in.

Post some photos of the two and we'll be able to go in more depth.  Specifically the barrel lugs of each and the barrel lug match numbers on the side of the barrel and receiver.  You have a 1/35 chance of the match numbers being the same if the Chinese is a long or short lugged gun.  If pinned and pressed, you are out of luck.

Also to GG's point the barrel of the Russian may not be unusable.  Let's take a look and then see what needs done from there.   

[Phosphorus32]

While we’re waiting on more info to help with your issue…

… I’ll wish you welcome to the SKS Files 

[firstchoice]

Welcome to the 'Files from SW Missouri, PatB!


firstchoice

[Matchka]

Welcome aboard!

[Bacarnal]

Patb, Welcome from Kentucky/Colorado. 

[Cz315]

Welcome from frozen NYS.

[PatB]

Thanks for the offers to help!  Here are some pictures of the barrel lugs.  I see some markings, but nothing that I can identify.  There are some hand etched numbers on the Chinese receiver and barrel that appear to match.  Both barrels appear to be screw-in. The muzzle of the Russian barrel is significantly eroded. 

Again, any help in determining if a barrel donation from the Chinese SKS to the Russian SKS is appreciated!



Russian right side



Russian bottom




Russian left side



Chinese right side



Chinese bottom



Chinese left side



Russian muzzle measures approximately .3025 inches



Chinese muzzle measures approximately .3010

image hosting

[Phosphorus32]

A perfectly new barrel would be 0.300" (7.62mm) and probably 0.301" would be within specs for new, so 0.3025" is not bad at all. If you were buying an M1 Garand from the CMP, for example, .303 or less on the muzzle erosion gauge would rate their highest (service) grade. Diameter of the grooves is nominally 0.310" (7.87mm) on an SKS, so you have plenty of rifling depth left. I think you need to simply enjoy shooting them. The Russian will probably be fine and after shooting and cleaning, the bore may look much better.

[Greatguns]

Yeah, I don't see a problem with that at all. SKSs are like the lawn mowers of firearms, they take a beating and keep working.

[running-man]

I see the 1 on the russian but don’t really see anything i can clearly read on the Chinese. Is there a number on the left side of the receiver right behind the lug?

As others have said, that amount of muzzle erosion may not be an issue at all. How does it shoot?  The SKS is simply not a 1 MOA rifle. If it gets you a decent group on paper at 100 yards and isn’t key-holing, I’d simply leave it be.

[Greatguns]

I have spoken with Ben Murray about barrel swaps and he does them. That's where I got my pricing from that I mentioned above. He has the ability to machine for timing between the barrel and the receiver for head-spacing etc. so index numbers are not an absolute on this. Helpful if they are close, but he can work around that.
My main question is, why do you feel the barrels need to be changed? Don't look bad to me and the outside would have to be pretty bad before functionality and safety is a concern.
Remember the guy who went magnet fishing and pulled up an SKS?

[Cz315]

None of my [admittedly small number of] SKSs have muzzle erosion better than 301, all I’ve gauged are in the 1-2 range, just like yours. Even the ones that are close to as issued and clearly having little wear.  I consider it perfectly fine for milsurp. As RM said, the proof is in the pudding, as long as it shoots fine and there is no keyholing, just enjoy it.

Russian barrel reject erosion was 7.772 mm, so plenty of life left in yours.

[Greasemonkey]

Welcome from Virginia in the years of studying these things, I don't remember seeing a really bad SKS bore when compared to many other milsurp rifles. Some Yugos can be more worn and pitted than most, but usually that's due to the lack of chrome lining, and even they usually still shoot good.  I've seen some Vz52s, Mosins,  Mausers and others with some seriously rough bores, akin looking through a sewer pipe. 

[Bubbazinetti]

I'd be much more concerned about barrel crown than that small amount of muzzle erosion. I just don't think it's a significant issue imho.

Welcome to the Files from NH.

[PatB]

Hello Guys and thanks for all the info.  The Russian SKS is in mechanically good shape. My concern with the barrel is the keyholing that I observed while rendering the data on a hard drive inaccessible.  I'll take it out, once the snow melts, and see what it looks like on a paper target. 

[Phosphorus32]

Hello Guys and thanks for all the info.  The Russian SKS is in mechanically good shape. My concern with the barrel is the keyholing that I observed while rendering the data on a hard drive inaccessible.  I'll take it out, once the snow melts, and see what it looks like on a paper target. 

In that case it may very well be a crown problem, like BZ mentioned.

[Greasemonkey]

What kind of ammo? Hand loads or factory loads?  Ammo details..  Ammo issues can also cause this issue.

[running-man]

I remember Dannyboy had an SKS that absolutely hated boat tail Golden Tiger Ammo.  He was all over the map with it, sometimes missing the paper altogether.  Brown Bear was a relative tack driver with the same carbine though.   

Definite key-holing problem there.  Will be interesting to see where this one leads and what problem you can positively identify, I have my doubts that a simple crown will fix something that blatant (though maye, I've been wrong many times before!  ).  Have you tried different ammo, slugged the barrel, or even taken a cast of the chamber?  To keyhole like that I'd think is more than the bit of muzzle erosion you found.  I'd be thinking worn lands all the way down or a huge jump at the end of the chamber.

If it does turn out to be the muzzle erosion, have you considered cutting down to an 18" or 16" barrel to remove that problem area vs. a full barrel swap?  Hate to chop up a gun (especially a Russian SKS45), but if it's an obvious problem at the muzzle maybe that's the easiest way to get a good shooter?