cracked cover and possible carrier repair or crack

[jstin2]

Last December, I bought a 1954 SKS at a low price. It had a shell casing stuck in chamber and seller could not get it out. When I got it I also found out that there was a broken extractor in barrel. I also noticed that the receiver cover was cracked bad and decided to replace as it could be a safety hazard. I got the casing and extractor out and bought another cover. Took it to the range last week and it worked okay. When I got home and did my cleaning, I noticed the carrier looked like it was cracked. Now looking closer, I think that it may have been a repair job. The marking at the end of carrier is where the repair or crack is. The cover and carrier has matching serial numbers as the rest of rifle.

https://ibb.co/album/WgYgz3

[running-man]

That's a bizarre one. Did the previous owner tell you how it came to be jammed up so badly? 

I would take a serious look at the headspace and make certain it's within spec before I fired it again.  It may be nothing or may be that it was a frankengun put together using substandard/out of spec hardware & renumbered to 'match'. 

[jstin2]

I asked him about rifle and he said he was shooting it and casing stuck. He did not explain about cover being cracked so bad or if it happened when casing stuck. A picture of casing partially out of chamber was shown in ad. I am not sure if I want to shoot this rifle and am thinking about parting it out(minus the cover and carrier).

[Greatguns]

Was it brass cased? maybe a home load and over powdered. Regardless it looks like something blew apart at some point in time. I would consider a replacement carrier and bolt to go with what you have already changed out. Also check your bore and chamber for damage before you put more money into it.

[Larry D.]

I'm with RM on this one.
Were you able to give the stuck case o good inspection, or was it destroyed in the removal process?

I'm wondering about case rupture/failure. As in catastrophic type failure....

I know a guy that Frankenbuilt a busted rifle and sold it after "repairing" it without checking or test firing it. Same jack-leg sold a dangerously broken High Standard to a guy I knew. I was able to intercept that one and have it rebuilt by a competent gunsmith.

I'm not saying the guy you got it from was a crook, but maybe the guy he got it from was.

[jstin2]

Casing was Chinese surplus. The barrel is in like new condition. Chamber, I believe caused the problem. There was a build-up of crud in chamber and with shell expansion, it stuck. Like I mentioned before this rifle will be parted out. Buyers in Canada are always looking for parts. And from what I paid, I should be able to break even on costs.  What do you think about the carrier? Is it cracked or repaired?

[Greatguns]

Definitely looks like a weld repair to me, and if it wasn't tempered correctly could happen again as it would be more brittle.