Romanian SKS reliability issues

[Loose}{Cannon]

stovepipes or fails to eject/feed

Highly doubt its the feed lips of the mag. 

[Kryntik]

Now that you mention it, many of the rounds were nose up or down. Perhaps it is a short stroke issue. What is the remedy for something like this?

[Loose}{Cannon]

That's a dif scenario then you described in your OP.

Try swapping the parts first.... One at a time.

[Direct Connection]

One time I almost bought a Russian SkS at a gun store. I took it apart to check the numbers and noticed pin holes in the in the underside of the gas tube. Never seen that before but probably due to corrosion it pitted it out. Im sure you've had it apart enough and would have noticed that by now. Its not often we here about a function problem with any SkS besides the M59/66 but theres some really good info in the thread that should give positive results. Good luck

[Kryntik]

That's a dif scenario then you described in your OP.

Try swapping the parts first.... One at a time.

Yeah, different scenario, but I figured mentioning that it was stovepiping and failing to eject would have covered that, I didn't think the specifics would matter, my apologies.

And there does not appear to be any sort of corrosion present on or in the gas tube, so I guess it's problem would be in relation to the seal with the gas block.

[Greasemonkey]

It not just corrosion one has to worry about at the joint between the gas block and tube.. High pressure super hot gasses can etch, cut and remove small micro amounts of metal with every shot, think how a oxy/acetylene torch works, but this process is just very, very slow. Both the the gas block and gas tube can suffer from this. Now the looser fitting it is, the worse the effects can get due to higher volumes of hot gasses bypassing.

[Kryntik]

So there could be damage to the gas block itself? Those aren't easily replaceable, if I'm not mistaken.

[Greasemonkey]

Nope, they aren't, but before you go all in to a panic mode, that is what can possibly happen.... Try the Chinese you have if it is a regular sized tube. Actually swap and troubleshoot with parts and pieces, when it fires several boxes with out a burp or fart, the problem has been resolved. If new problems crop up, we could/can go from there knowing what was tried, what worked or didnt work.

In my opinion, we can discuss problems and issues till blue in the face...but until it's in hand and things tried, tested and feedback is given, everything here is really is just a best guess based off our past experiances and what one remembers while firing and what seems to be semi vague or deflections of different troubles.

Owning 4 Romanians myself, I can say they are no less durable than any other, any SKS can suffer these issues be it a Russian, Chinese, Albanian or NVA or North Korean. Some rifles want some love before they will work, others will work great from the get go, and there are those that in the end are worth their weight in scrap.

[Kryntik]

Right, I hope that I can get my brother to swap out those tubes and test it before the semester ends. I would like to have some sort of info before I go home for the summer, but worse comes to worse I'll just do it myself and report back with my findings.

[Kryntik]

Update: I'm on the phone with my brother right now and his gunsmith buddy apparently offered to take a look at it. Here's to hoping that he can find something out about it and give some good news.

[Justin Hell]

You mentioned getting a US made tube and just swapping out the plastic....that won't work.  Tapco removed the retaining ferrules from both ends of their tube design and their handguards just pin underneath.  There is nowhere to put a wood handguard.

Nobody makes aftermarket gas tubes that actually are replacements of the original.  NC Star tubes of all flavors suck if you are trying to FIX a problem with a leak, Tapcos are really nice, but you have to deal with the plastic.  If you are lucky you can find the old style Tapco without the silly useless rail on top, they are actually pretty slick. They are the closest thing to the real thing in appearance.

[Kryntik]

Even though replacing the handguard is a no go, if the Tapco gas tube works I could just put up with the weird look of polymer on wood for the sake of shooting. Functionality over form, I guess.

[Greasemonkey]

One way around the splastic plastic is... http://www.e-sarcoinc.com/sks-gas-tube-and-handguard.aspx

[Direct Connection]

Put your Romanian HG on it and your gtg. And its cheaper then ebay

[Justin Hell]

I have a couple of two piece Chinese tubes that might work for you...don't go Tapco unless you really don't mind.  I am waiting on an order of ferrules to find one that has the pin placement a little better than these two are set up...both of the ferrules on these extend a little beyond the length of the tube itself...which functionality wise shouldn't matter....there are no gases at that point to worry about....but it bugs me, so I haven't sold them yet.