first time at the range with SKS, wont go semi auto?

[hifiguns]

Make sure that the recoil spring isn't backward. The curly end goes forward into the bolt carrier, leaving the straight end exposed.

[GSequoia]

I have a russian SKS that will eat anything I put in it, but my Yugo won't cycle anything but Golden Tiger ammo. Can't figure that one out..

Mine too. The Yugo is picky and HATES Wolf. Mine cycles the Tiger well and, of course, Yugo Surplus (brass case) very well.

The fact that it's difficult to pull the bolt back suggest this is your problem. What kind of ammunition were you using?

[Lucky Scott]

Shooting the M67 stuff. I think it is Yugoslavian.
Non-Magnetic, range friendly stuff with a brass case.
It is corrosive but the Yugo should love it.

So the Gas valve is actually just a deverter. Not a valve at all.

I have another SKS and it works perfect so I took the valve out and compared them.
The good valve seems to be a couple thousand bigger around. Perhaps it seals better by fitting in the housing better.

I also noticed that the hole that lines up with the hole in the barrel is bigger in my good valve. Maybe I can drill out or modify the bad valve?

Got a link to a trick making a seal out of a paper clip.

I did the paper clip trick and will try it out next time I go shooting. I will try the paper clip valve, and then try the good valve and see if it works in the problem SKS

[CHS]

I did the paper clip trick and will try it out next time I go shooting. I will try the paper clip valve, and then try the good valve and see if it works in the problem SKS

You mentioned that it's very hard to pull the bolt back, so why do you keep concentrating on the gas system and gas valve?

I'm betting that's not the problem.

[Lucky Scott]

"You mentioned that it's very hard to pull the bolt back, so why do you keep concentrating on the gas system and gas valve?

I'm betting that's not the problem."


You may be right, I am not sure at this point but am trying to eliminate what the problem could be. Sure, I can take it to a gunsmith, and may eventually, but if I mess with it a little maybe I can figure it out and learn something in the process.

I am thinking gas system because the bolt is only hard to pull back after it fires. Otherwise it moves fine. I think its hard to pull back because the spent casing is halfway back in the camber and jamming it up with the next round. The bolt may be manually pulling the cartridge back.
But not enough to fully cycle.

Like I said, I am not sure, but if I take it to the range and try another gas valve and it works better that will tell me something. If no better, I will look elsewhere. Since I have another SKS I can try the valve from the SKS that is working good and see if it makes a difference.

Hey, I can be totally wrong, but I have learned alot about the SKS platform so far, and am still learning. I have gotten a lot of help from CalGunners and appreciate the advice.

Life's a journey!

[Tmac]

Many, Many of the Yugo's have this problem. It is leaking where the gas tube and block push together. The paper clip thing will most likely work, it does not have to be a paper clip, I use electric fence wire. Just form it in a little circle making a metal gasket and fit it in there.

And then don't tell anybody, this is the best way I know to pick up cheap Yugo SKS's that are "Broken".....

[GSequoia]

I highly highly doubt it has anything to do with the gas valve, piston, operating rod, or gas tube.

Clean your chamber!

You're having a hard time pulling the bolt back, this suggests that the case is getting stuck to the chamber. My guess would be a bunch of layers of lacquer from lacquered steel cases being run through it.

The only reason I didn't say this to begin with was that I suspected you were running Wolf, even after cleaning the hell out of my 59/66's chamber it just plain won't cycle Wolf ammo, it always gets stuck in the chamber. If you're having trouble cycling Yugo surplus it's not the ammunitions fault, that's good stuff!

[rogdigity]

i know my sks is only a chinese and all, but i had crystalized cozmo on the bolt and had to get it off before i could work it freely. i didnt test fire it until after i had done that though. in fact, i opened mine up to clean the cozmo out and found it didnt even have a recoil spring or recoil rod.

i did have some trouple with my m44 nagant not wanting to 'let go' of casings after being fired. same deal there, crystalized cozmo in the chamber. to clean it i had to fire a bit through it to heat it, then quickly pop the bolt and scrub scrub scrub and dry dry dry and then fire again a few times and repeat. i had to do this a few times

[enginematrix]

ETA

[Argonaut]

Gas valves are open when the button is on the right side.....not on the top.

[rogdigity]

edited because enginematrix is letting the man get him down

[SJgunguy24]

Strip the rifle down, leave the trigger pack as one unit but remove it.
Pull the gas tube, and piston. Get the op rod and spring out. Take the bolt apart, it sucks but you need to inspect the firing pin and pin channel. Get the firing pin spring kit, trust me on this one.

Get q tips, pipe cleaners, rags, tooth brushes and what ever you clean guns with.

Leave the hoppes #9 for later. Get Isopropanol Alcohol or De natured Alcohol. Go through and clean everything. Focus on the OP rod guide. I can't count how many times people leave that out. The gun is spotless, but the op rod channel will be packed with Cosmo. Also look for pitting on the gas valve.
I've had a number of Yugo 59/66's and I install the firing pin spring kits and replace the OE gas blocks with stainless blocks.

[rogdigity]

i also have had success with boiling a pan of water and dropping the bolt assembly in. it got out pretty much all but trace amounts of cozmo. same could be done for the operating rod i guess if you have a big enough pan. i however dont. my wife went to culinary school and she would kill me if i effed up her nice pans, so i had to go buy a little cheapo pan at the store and didnt think to get a big enough one for things like that...

which leads me to my next investment: one of those hand held steam cleaners! i have heard lots of people have great things to say about these removing cozmo.

[strangerdude]

Probably the gas valve, but be very careful, I once chambered a round and without pulling the trigger it went full auto and unloaded the entire mag, luckily I was at the range.

[rogdigity]

pretty much every time i have heard of an SKS slam firing, or going full auto, has been a dirty bolt and/or firing pin. i have noticed most SKSs i have broken down have been cleaned good, but that the bolts have not. something to keep an eye out for