Action fail at the range with my SKS

[Greatguns]

I was out at the range today with a friend to test out my project SKS. I had to replace the valve with a Muray's oversized one. I can tell you that it worked great and cured my cycling issue.
As I was zeroing in my scope and trying it out, all of a sudden it quit cycling the bolt. The bolt was not locked up but it would only pull back about 1 1/2". I didn't want to break it down all the way there at the range so finished up with my new AR builds and then headed home. Got settled and then pulled the SKS up onto the bench and  dismantled it.
What I found was quite strange to me and it is the first time in my 10 years of working on and customizing SKSs(most of those professionally) that I have run across this situation.
I removed the stock, mag, and sling and then the Chicago bolt for the Magwedge rail and pivoted it out of the way. As I removed the receiver cover out drops the firing pin which was bent. I inspected it and other than being bent it looked fine.(no cracks, dings, scrapes, or breaks anywhere)
So, I proceeded to remove the retaining pin expecting it to be broken or something. What I found was a nice groove in it where the notch of the firing pin had pushed over it when it came out the back of the bolt. Bolt appears to be okay, but looks like I'm going to have to buy a new pin and retainer.

Anybody else ever run into this?

[Loose}{Cannon]

Popped primer...  usually the fp gets stuck, but I guess yours was bad enough to completely force the nub past the retaining pin.

Did you look at the last round fired?

[Greatguns]

I was wondering about that later, but at the time I didn't think to check the primers. I got the ammo in a trade and remembered after I got home the original owner had issues with the ammo in his SKS as well. Tulammo

I deduced after posting that was probably the cause, but have just never seen it blow the firing pin out the back of the bolt.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Forget what he says... just do what he does.

[Dannyboy53]

GG we had issues (stove-pipes and feeding) last year with Tula but NOTHING like that. It's a good thing those covers are as thick as they are!

LC I'm going to check the face of all our bolts after watching this video although I don't think this is a problem with any of our bolts. Recently running-man posted a photo of a gil-flirted firing pin and how he reshaped and smoothed the business end of it. I took r-m's method a step further and polished all our pins with 1000 grit (wet) paper, they almost look nickle plated.

[Greatguns]

2 Comments on the video. Wondering why he didn't oil up his stone? Everyone I know who uses polishing/sharpening stones of any kind always oils the stone to help preserve them and to better work the metal they are up against. Also, don't understand why the angle has to be at 82 degrees. I would think it is mostly just to de-burr the edge so any angle would work. Other than that it's a good video.

I knew about the volcano effect, I think my mind must be going of late cause I just didn't even think to look at that, but I'll wager it is there. Stand by, lol.


EDIT: Went back to the bench and checked the bolt. No volcano effect, which I am glad to be wrong about on that part, lol.

[Loose}{Cannon]

I would atleast do the miro-bevel...  angle not very inportant and the guy in vid went a bit overboard.  Why I said "forget about what he says".  Lol

[Greatguns]

I would atleast do the miro-bevel...  angle not very inportant and the guy in vid went a bit overboard.  Why I said "forget about what he says".  Lol

Done, and parts ordered from Omega Weapons Systems for $15.50 shipped

[Greatguns]

Hey fellers, I done got me a new firing pin. Check out the pics...... :sniper :sniper

[Justin Hell]

You forgot the click pen spring on the nail....

[Greatguns]

You forgot the click pen spring on the nail....

I wanted it to be free floating

[xtriggerman]

I wonder if any one ever bushing-ed a bolt to AK pin diameter.... An added benefit to that would be no volcano effect on dry firing because the new pin would be a straight OD threw the bushing. I often thought of cobbing one up when this comes up.
  Darn Russkies need to keep a closer eye on the powder dropper, rather than the body flask! 

[Greatguns]

I wonder if any one ever bushing-ed a bolt to AK pin diameter.... An added benefit to that would be no volcano effect on dry firing because the new pin would be a straight OD threw the bushing. I often thought of cobbing one up when this comes up.
  Darn Russkies need to keep a closer eye on the powder dropper, rather than the body flask! 

Vodka is just too readily available over there. You Vant drink? Da comrade

[xtriggerman]

I wonder if any one ever bushing-ed a bolt to AK pin diameter.... An added benefit to that would be no volcano effect on dry firing because the new pin would be a straight OD threw the bushing. I often thought of cobbing one up when this comes up.
  Darn Russkies need to keep a closer eye on the powder dropper, rather than the body flask! 

Vodka is just too readily available over there. You Vant drink? Da comrade

    OK, you asked for it..... My favorite "wotka" (Vodka in Russ) story..... In Russia some where on the eve of some holiday, 3 Russian tankers were on a mission to get drunk. All the bootleg was spoken for so they headed off to the nearest farm to see what they could steal or maybe barter for any kind of hard booze. Soon they cut a trade deal with a farmer and proceeded to get sh** faced for the rest of the night. In the morning the OIC made his rounds and found one tank missing..........
  They found in tucked away in a farmers hay barn.   

True news paper story.

  Many Russians get confused at an early stage in their lives because water is pronounced "voda" .... you can see where the confusion comes in. Hell, they even look the same 

[Greatguns]

That does not surprise me at all, I spent 2 weeks in Russia in 1994

[Murray]

While the bolt face treatment mentioned on our Popped Primers page was our best effort for many years at preventing these incidents, and we've bushed the bolt so that the FP hole is closer to the AKs .080 hole, none of that was consistently successful with all SKSs. (there's even a mention of "Popped Primers" in an AK with that size FP hole, and empties from an AK in the 1st pic) But, our new "Neck & Throat" service does away with the spikes in the peak chamber pressure that is popping these primers. Allows you to shoot any and all ammo available in America without those pesky primer issues. 

www.murraysguns.com/poppedprimers.htm   www.murraysguns.com/neck&throat.htm