SKS firing pin stuck good

[jcruzin562]

So I picked up an SKS and have cleaned off most of the cosmoline. When disassembling the bolt I took off the retaining pin and extractor but the firing pin is stuck good. I've soaked it in mineral spirits for about 20 min, boiled in water (which made some cosmo float up), tapped it with a roll pin hammer and nothing. It's still stuck. I'm gonna soak it in mineral spirits over night and hopefully that does it. Any suggestions?

[jsanch03]

I would try kroil soak over night should loosen it up

[Full Clip]

Higher heat.
Just don't breathe the cosmo fumes.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Real mineral spirits and boiling heat will dissolve cosmo

Maybe melted and fused so called miracle Murray’s firing pin and spring?

Popped primer heat can melt those Murray setups

[jcruzin562]

I ended up hammering it out with witha punch. It was pretty rusted up so I also purchased a new firing pin.

[19K]

Check for rust and corrosion in the firing pin channel. You may need a new bolt if there was enough corrosion to allow your new firing pin to protrude further which may lead to punctured primers.

[MajorSideburns]

I ended up hammering it out with witha punch. It was pretty rusted up so I also purchased a new firing pin.

That's what I was about to recommend. Hopefully your pin channel is smooth and not terribly pitted or corroded as well, make sure you check it carefully for free movement when you install the new pin. If it sticks at all that can lead to a dangerous situation.

[highpower]

They sell small ball hones for valve guides and if the pin channel is rusted, one of those can be used to clean it out. If you can't get a ball hone the right size, a piece of sandpaper can be wrapped around a rod and used instead.

[jcruzin562]

Thanks for the warnings. Hopefully when the new firing pin arrives I get that rattle. I also had to tap back in the
retaining pin pretty good. Is it supposed to be loose like the cam pin on an AR bolt?

[19K]

Thanks for the warnings. Hopefully when the new firing pin arrives I get that rattle. I also had to tap back in the
retaining pin pretty good. Is it supposed to be loose like the cam pin on an AR bolt?

[SkyHawk]

Thanks for the warnings. Hopefully when the new firing pin arrives I get that rattle. I also had to tap back in the
retaining pin pretty good. Is it supposed to be loose like the cam pin on an AR bolt?

Not sure which SKS you have but on a Yugo they need a real beating to get in or out.

I would second the suggestion that you examine the firing pin bore carefully after a good cleaning. You can use a small copper bore brush and if it needs a really good scrub then chuck the brush in a drill. Depending on what you see then, you may need to use the sandpaper.

If there is pitting you don't want to remove it because that would require a lot of material to be removed. But you do want to break all the sharp edges of the pits so the firing pin has as smooth a runway as possible.

[jcruzin562]

Not sure which SKS you have but on a Yugo they need a real beating to get in or out.

I would second the suggestion that you examine the firing pin bore carefully after a good cleaning. You can use a small copper bore brush and if it needs a really good scrub then chuck the brush in a drill. Depending on what you see then, you may need to use the sandpaper.

If there is pitting you don't want to remove it because that would require a lot of material to be removed. But you do want to break all the sharp edges of the pits so the firing pin has as smooth a runway as possible.

Thanks. Will do.

[jcruzin562]

Anybody know what size copper brush will fit in the channel?

[SkyHawk]

Anybody know what size copper brush will fit in the channel?

Not off the top of my head, but as a rule I keep .17, .22, and .25 (6mm or 6.5mm) brushes just for cleaning holes and passages on many guns. Even if you dont own these calibers, these are handy (essential really) brushes to have for cleaning guns.

Also, these brushes are immensely helpful to remove cleaning patches that get stuck in said places especially blind holes like firing pin channels. You can insert a brush, twist a little and it will snag a stuck cleaning patch. Even better is to wrap the patch around a brush before using the patch, and the patch will not come off and get stuck in the first place.

Get the rifle length brushes. Be sure and get the brush wet with CLP or some oil when cleaning the firing pin bore, then dry the bore with a patch after.

Also, SKS can have different firing pins - so it really helps to know more about yours. see here

https://www.yooperj.com/SKS-12.htm

[SkyHawk]

Also when your firing pin was stuck, was it stuck with the pin protruding through the breech face or no?