Ok, everyone, I finally got to take my new SKS and 1st SKS out to the range. Shot well, but I have been having one very extremely aggravating problem. It seems that the bold hold open tab gets stuck down after the bolt runs over it, I can open the mag, pull the bolt back, and push it up with my finger, close the mag then let the bolt go forward and then when I pull it back again, it won't stay open. It seems like once the bolt runs over it it pushes it down just a little farther than the regular spring does and it gets stuck downward. I've cleaned and lubed the bejezus out of it to no avail. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
May be as simple as more Cosmoline and grime removal. Heat, spray solvent/oil, cue tips, work it back and forth...spray it down again.
Keep in mind that the hold open tab is pushed up by the magazine follower after the last round. Make sure your follower is coming up high enough to push it up.
The follower is coming up enough. It work's it just fine as long as the bolt has not been allowed to go forward. It's only after the bolt has been allowed to go forward and the pulled back again that the tab gets stuck down. I've gone over it several times with carb cleaner, and gun cleaner/lubricant to no avail, if I push it down flush as it would be after the bolt goes over it, it gets stuck and is very difficult to get back up.
Quote from: hawkeye4077 on November 16, 2015, 07:52:32 PM
The follower is coming up enough. It work's it just fine as long as the bolt has not been allowed to go forward. It's only after the bolt has been allowed to go forward and the pulled back again that the tab gets stuck down. I've gone over it several times with carb cleaner, and gun cleaner/lubricant to no avail, if I push it down flush as it would be after the bolt goes over it, it gets stuck and is very difficult to get back up.
You lost me... why would the bolt go back forward if the hold open works and holds the bolt back? With an empty magazine, the bolt can't go forward unless you drop the magazine down, which would then let the hold open block to drop down since the follower isn't pushing up on it anymore.
Drive out the retaining pin and inspect channel of receiver and the tabs on the bho itself for anything obstructing its up/down sliding movement. Perhaps slightly file/smooth the tabs, grease, reinstall. Make sure the follower tab at the rear is engaging the bho high enough for the bolt to catch... sometimes they have to be slightly bent upward for more lift on the bho.
Ok, I know this is kinda of confusing to explain via text. I'm going to start from the beginning. So lets say
1. I've got the magazine open and holding the bolt back.
2. I then push the BHO up with my finger.
3. I release the bolt and while holding the BHO up and let it catch the bolt.
4. I then close the magazine.
5. I pull back on the bolt and release and it goes forward as it should
6. If I then pull back on the bolt the BHO will not come back up and I have to repeat steps 1-5 to make the BHO work.
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on November 16, 2015, 08:02:12 PM
Drive out the retaining pin and inspect channel of receiver and the tabs on the bho itself for anything obstructing its up/down sliding movement. Perhaps slightly file/smooth the tabs, grease, reinstall. Make sure the follower tab at the rear is engaging the bho high enough for the bolt to catch... sometimes they have to be slightly bent upward for more lift on the bho.
Could you possibly give me a little more direction on exactly where this pin is that you speak of.
Look on the side of the receiver where the bho is... break down the whole gun first.
Also to the MOD that moved my post. Sorry if I posted in the wrong place, My SKS is original and not modded so I thought it belonged in the non modded section.
Quote from: hawkeye4077 on November 16, 2015, 08:06:30 PM
Also to the MOD that moved my post. Sorry if I posted in the wrong place, My SKS is original and not modded so I thought it belonged in the non modded section.
Not a problem Hawk! Better fits the troubleshooting section that you may have missed.
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on November 16, 2015, 08:06:23 PM
Look on the side of the receiver where the bho is... break down the whole gun first.
I've got the gun broken down now are we talking about the small round one or the large square one behind the bho?
When you are holding the BHO down with the bold held back, does it snap back smartly up or does it drag? Also does the bolt and receiver match serial number wise? I have seen a couple of different BHOs and wonder if there is an incompatibility with the bolt if it is mismatched.
It snaps back smoothly but not all the way it remains slightly raised until I either push it down flush which it then gets stuck down or the bolt runs over it and makes it stuck down and yes the bolt matches the wrest of the gun serial number wise
Quote from: hawkeye4077 on November 16, 2015, 08:16:46 PM
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on November 16, 2015, 08:06:23 PM
Look on the side of the receiver where the bho is... break down the whole gun first.
I've got the gun broken down now are we talking about the small round one or the large square one behind the bho?
Small round one.... holds the bho from sliding out the bottom with spring above.
Thanks. I was afraid of that. Been trying since I posted I had the gun apart and I cannot get it out. At least not with the punch in the cleaning kit.
Use a real punch... drift out
Well dang. Looks like I won't be making anymore progress on it today if I can't get this pin out
Dont **** it up... It will drive out with a good punch just smaller then diameter of pin. Solid surface helps.
I've got it on the table. As solid as anything I've got. Just will not go.
Not much you can do then other then working the sheet out of it up/down by hand ALOT with lube. Break it in basically
Take a small piece of 1x4, drill a hole out of the center and place the underside of the pin you are driving out over the hole...the wood will protect the metal...use the proper sized punch and you should be golden if you take your time.
I am wondering if your BHO spring is just too weak to do it's job.
I don't really think that's the case because when it gets stuck it really gets stuck and can be very hard to break free
Quote from: Justin Hell on November 16, 2015, 08:46:15 PM
Take a small piece of 1x4, drill a hole out of the center and place the underside of the pin you are driving out over the hole...the wood will protect the metal...use the proper sized punch and you should be golden if you take your time.
I am wondering if your BHO spring is just too weak to do it's job.
No.. the spring needs to ne weak so that it easily goes up when the follower pushes it up...
Quote from: hawkeye4077 on November 16, 2015, 08:47:43 PM
I don't really think that's the case because when it gets stuck it really gets stuck and can be very hard to break free
Then it HAS to come out for inspection
Its just a tab that slides up and down in a channel with a weak spring above it. Either the bho tab to channel is too tight, there is a burr, or there is a foreign object in thar.
I think that is it, I just cant get it taken apart to see. I'm going to quit messing with it tonight before I wind up breaking something. I'll probably try back at it again tomorrow with a proper punch set.
Would it be worth letting some penetrating oil soak into the pin channel overnight and then try again the following day?
Update for those that may be interested. Took it to a gunsmith a few days ago. Just got it back from him, he was not able to fix it however he was able to figure out what is causing it. It seems that somewhere along the way the hold open tab that moves up and down was cut down too far on one side. This allowed it to twist inside the channel and when it would go down it would get twisted in the channel and that is what is causing it to bind and get stuck. So solution being, I have bought a new hold open tab for 9.99 off of ebay and I believe that that should resolve the issue. Heres hoping.
Cool.. You get the pin out?
I didn't, the Gun Smith did. Honestly that is pretty much the entire reason I took it to him because if I kept at it I was going to break it out of frustration Haha.
First I have ever heard of a bho being made incorrectly and causing issues.
Yea, WHat he said made sense though, You could see, there was a major gap between the side of the channel and the side of the tab on one side and it was flush against the side of the channel on the other side, there by giving the tab enough room to rotate.
Update #2. Replacement part came in, went in perfectly fit like a glove, and now the rifle functions perfectly. So glad I got this thing fixed. $35 total. 25 for the gunsmith and 10 for the part. Thanks for the help everyone.
Excellent. clap1
First I've heard of anything on an SKS not working due to a factory defect. Any chance you could post a photo of the bad BHO? The rectangle factories seemed to be hit or miss sometimes with respect to quality. QC during year 23 at [0129] must have been a bit lax. thumb1
I'm at work now but as long as I don't forget, I'll take some photos when I get home.
Cool. thumb1
Better late than never. Here are the photos as requested. As you can see one side of it has had significantly more material removed than the other giving it a lop sided appearance.
(http://i.imgur.com/nr1Tcri.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/tA9E8Xk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/kV7mS5U.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/rOssWd0.jpg)
Hard to make out in the pics, but if replacing did the trick, thats all that matters. thumb1
I'm glad it was that simple for you! thumb1