[hottarod]

I get my first shot down range and the gun is jammed. Gently tapping with my mallet gets it free and I can eject the spent case. If I re-chamber the spent case it jams the gun. The back 1/4 inch or so of the spent case has ballooned out and that is what is jamming it up.

I took the whole gun down, cleaned everything which was already pretty clean. I keep my guns clean. Double checked the recoil spring and it was installed correctly. No problems with the gas tube, piston, op rod. Everything is fine. I can load the mag and cycle all rounds with no problem. I am running a Buffer tech buffer. Maybe I should try removing that and see if it makes a difference?

Frankly, I'm baffled. Is it possible that I might need a new recoil spring? Seems if mine was weak that it would slam the bolt back but it would still eject a spent round.

I just read the old post. I have a new Tapco piston, op rod and firing pin. My gas tube is loose on the gun though. Would that cause this?

Well after reading some other SKS jamming problems I do believe that it is my loose gas tube is allowing too much blow by.

 

[SKS48]

If the gas system is not working properly the bolt want unlock the case swells inside the chamber and makes extraction hard,you can rap the bolt carrier back where it meets the rear receiver cover and it should extract more easily. You didn't mention if it's a Yugo or not but here is a temporary gas system fix you can try till you get a new gas valve or tube or both. Yugo Gas System Fix

Tapco make as new tube designed for the Yugo or standard SKS rifle.

Murray's Gunsmithing has a stainless steel gas valve that a better fit to the Yugo system.
SKS Owners

 

[hottarod]

It is a 1959 Romanian that has shot fairly well until recently.

I would like to get just the gas tube so I can put my hand guard on it. Mine matches the rest of the stock. I can't find a new one. They all have that plastic hand guard on them.

Can I remove that and put the wood on one of these Tapco's? My feeling is not since the wood type gas tube has a rivet that holds one of the end pieces on and that is how you remove it or install it. It is not like the twist type on the AK I don't think. The gas tubes with the Tapco plastic piece are pinned on.

 

[uban77]

Case is bulging? Is the primer backing out? Check for lock up and headspace. Also do you have a floating firing pin. Or have you put a spring on the pin. I am betting on bad lock up. Have you changed ammunition? Have you gone from steel cases to brass cases. Some SKS rifles have seen a lot of rounds. You could have a crack barrel. I am replacing my barrel that cracked. This is a very outside Possibility. My was caused by the Weld put on the flash suppressor. I'm still betting on lock up.

 

[hottarod]

I don't have the spring in the firing pin. The spent case primers look fine, not backing out of the case and the pin strikes look fine too. I'm shooting steel case ammo. Thought it might have been one type of ammo so I've tried the regular 3 I always shoot and they are the same.

What I meant about balloned out is that I can see some witness marks or very small scratches or drag marks on the very back part of the spent cartridge as if that appears to have swelled tight in the chamber when the round is shot. I had re-chambered that spent cartridge 2 or 3 times by the time I looked at it closely. The spent cartridge would jam the bolt every time.

I don't really know that is the cause for certain. All rifle cartridges swell some as well as lengthen some when they are shot. That is why we have resizing dies. I reload a couple of rifle's but not any 7.62's as of yet so these are all 1 shot cartridges. Maybe I should mic one of these spent cases with an unshot round and see how much difference there is.

Almost absolutely certain I don't have a cracked barrel. I have not had headspace checked though.

I don't know what lock up is.

 

[Tommygunner]

I responded in your other thread that i thought the gas system is the problem. I still do. I would replace or shim the gas tube. Short stroking and jambing are both classic gas problems with SKS.
Having a good tight gas tube will also make the gun shoot better, more accurate.
Some people get away with shiming the gas tube with a washer or wire to tighten it up. like the link The link in post 2 shows.
Might try that before you buy a new tube. There are vids on you tube. and other info on google on other ways people have found.

 

[hottarod]

I borrowed a new Tapco gas tube from the owner of the gun range. Fit like a glove. Fired off 3 rounds as fast as I could pull the trigger. The third one locked up the bolt. DARN! DRAT! FRACK! The problem persists.

 

[Tommygunner]

Do you still have the Buffer installed. Have you tried it without the buffer? Buffers can cause FTE problems. SKS are kinda finicy about buffers.
When you cleaned the chamber did you strip the bolt out of it? and use a tight fitting wire brush? Those nylon brushes are too soft.
A.45 or even 20GA brush works good. Use a good solvent or even laquer thinner in the chamber.
Have you pulled the bolt out and inspected it. Look for pins not in all the way. Make sure the fireing pin is free floating. ECT.

 

[hottarod]

Yep, did all of that stuff. I've tried it with and without the recoil buffer too.

 

[Persue/Destroy]

Just my .02 cents. My yugo will not eat the Wolf black box steel cased ammo. It eats everything else just fine. I had way to many FTE with that ammo. Have you tried other ammo?

 

[Carbine85]

Try a brass chamber brush on the end of a drill and clean and polish up the chamber.
Is the action smooth or does it hang up when you pull back the bolt carrier?
Check the firing pin retaining pin and make sure it's been installed properly. I have seen these out of place or not driven in all the way.
Check out this website: http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php

 

[hottarod]

I did check that retaining pin to make sure it was completely seated and in the right orientation.

I used a wooden dowel and some fine sand paper, oiled the chamber and just rotated that in the chamber for a bit.

This last time out it took a few rounds before it jammed. I was firing 1 at a time by loading them into the mag well. Pretty sure that cleaning or honing or whatever I need to do to get the chamber smooth and clean will be the fix for it.

I don't have an official 7.62 chamber brush. Sounds like I should order a few of those.

 

[hottarod]

I just got a 7.62 chamber brush today. Scrubbed it for 30 minutes. Tried 1 test shot. Jammed. I'm going to have to take it over to my local gun doctor I guess. It could be something that I don't understand like head space or who knows.

 

[Carbine85]

Sorry it's not working out for you. When it jammed today was the case actually stuck in the chamber?
I'm wondering if you should remove the top cover after you shoot the round and see if you can cock the hammer back and see if it that is locking up the slide.

 

[hottarod]

On one of the jams I did remove the receiver cover and the bolt was stuck hard. Tapping it with my plastic mallet unjams it but if I just mag the spent case and rack the bolt it jams again with the spent cartridge and that is with the hammer cocked.

I found a local guy that will look at it.