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My new SKS works like a bolt action. Why doesn't it cycle? Article written by Frank H on Survivor's SKS forum. The author grants permission to SKSDave to reprint and revise for the UberFAQ. REMEMBER: ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK THE RIFLE IS UNLOADED FIRST! Verify the complete charging system is present and clean. What you are looking for would be a gas tube & handguard assembly and the 'long gas piston' that goes inside. Actually, there are two pistons involved: the long one that gets the pressure of the gas right off the barrel (it has no spring involved) and a smaller spring loaded piston which is located under the rear sight. A quick way to verify that you HAVE the small piston under that rear sight assy is to pull your bolt back and look up about 1/2' from the chamber. You will see either the back end of this smaller piston, about 1/8' diameter metal rod fitting flush with that receiver area, or you will see a hole where there SHOULD be that end of the piston shaft. If you DO have it, take some care when toying with the round dowel shaped retainer with the metal arm on the rear sight assembly. Raising the arm beyond a certain point takes the restriction away that was holding that smaller piston in place and it will move forward, under some spring pressure. This is usual and OK, just put a rag there or something to catch it and keep it under control. One cleans and inspects this area from time to time because it CAN'T have the storage cosmoline or anything else in there. If you don't have either piston, you need to order it and possibly the corresponding spring. If the long piston and that smaller piston & spring are there, THEN you are set with everything you need to have your SKS function semi-auto. Now here's more: With a toothpick or something, see if you've got an unobstructed hole that goes from that gas block (where the upper gas piston there would fit into) through into the barrel. See if someone tried to fit a screw in there or dropped a bead of weld or something in an attempt to cut the gas flow. If this is clear, you're ok. When you pull the trigger, the barrel pressurizes and some of the pressure
ports up through a hole in the gas block. That pressure then
drives the long piston backwards and it smacks that smaller piston which
is then driven back directly onto the bolt carrier. This
drives the bolt assembly back to eject the shell, cycle the action, and allow a
fresh round to be fed. The 'long piston' drops down into the gas tube, trumpeted end towards the front sight. Be sure to totally clean out the tube and the piston, you don't want any grease or cosmoline in there. It needs to move freely to make the semi-auto function properly. Replace the gas tube by gently fitting the front sight end of it over and onto the end of the gas vent fitting assembly, lowering the back end as you go. When the back end contacts the rear sight assembly it hits a dowl that rotates with a metal arm attached. Rotate the arm slightly up and then down to where the flat spot on the dowel corresponds to the flat of the end of the gas tube. When it looks like they meet face on, you are ready to gently pop the gas tube downwards so it seats. Now move that metal arm downwards, thus rotating the flat of the dowel away and locking the gas tube down. If you need any individual parts, you will need to contact a company like Sarco.
It takes about 2 weeks for them to ship, but their prices are good and the
condition of their parts is new.
They leave fairly early in the day and are pretty darn casual, thank you very
much, but the parts you need are not carried by as many people as used to be. The
new gas tubes WILL need to be cleaned because
they are still in cosmoline, which is good. They only have the 'with wood
attached' variety left, which is probably what you'll need. Their
site is http://www.sarcoinc.com/sks.html
and their phone number is (908) 647-3800. Per their parts description,
you'll want the gas piston, the handguard and gas cylinder, or if you
need the shorter gas piston & spring they call that the piston extension and
piston extension return spring. |
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