SKS question

J

JBB

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Took my SKS to the range yesterday and when I tried to load a mag, I couldn't get the mag in. Those things are always a pain, so didn't think much about it. However, when I removed the mag (never got it fully in), I could not get the bolt open. The bolt is stuck closed. I can't say 100% that the bolt did not close and pick up a round when I was trying to get the mag inserted, so now I have to assume it has a round in the chamber. Don't think so, but I have to assume so. The bolt will not budge. Any ideas on what could cause this? And how to get the bolt unlocked without taking a chance of setting off a round (that I'm pretty sure is not in there)?
 
Make sure safety is on. Then you won't have to worried about the round stuck in there

Is your SKS-D or just some Sks that someone modified?

If it's D then it's made to accept AK mags. If it's not then it's not supposed to accept AK unless it's modified by someone...
 
Unless it's a D model, It's design to use a fixed magazine loaded from the top with stripper clips. Normal SKS mag lips interlock with the bolt. You can't drop the mag or seat the mag with the bolt closed.

Based on what you tried to do there you were maybe pushing up on the bottom of the bolt and jamming metal and/or plastic where it didn't want to go? It's hard to tell but I would inspect that magazine for damage. if it's plastic you might have lost a bit of it up in the works.
 
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Mine takes AK mags. No idea if it is a D or not. My understanding was that there really isn't any such thing as an SKS-D. Just a term somebody came up with to indicate non-fixed mags.
 
I checked the mag and it looks fine. Nothing broken off. I'll try to be more agressive with the bolt and really give it a good pull. But it does feel like it is locked closed.
 
Just tried. That thing is locked up. It definitely feels like a metal to metal lock up.
 
Use a dead blow hammer. That bolt is pretty tough. Tap the charging handle gently and see if it’ll budge
 
Dead blow hammer did the trick! You are the man. And wouldn't ya know it... there was a round in the chamber! Glad I was really careful with it after it locked up. It was really strange. It looked like it had cloth of some sort wrapped around the bullet. I guess that was causing the bullet to jam in the chamber, then the extractor was stuck on the rim of the bullet. Surprising how tight it was jammed due to that.

Thank you for the pointer. As tight as it felt, I would never have thought a hammer blow would free it.
 
Piece of a cleaning patch maybe?
 
JBB said:
Dead blow hammer did the trick! You are the man. And wouldn't ya know it... there was a round in the chamber! Glad I was really careful with it after it locked up. It was really strange. It looked like it had cloth of some sort wrapped around the bullet. I guess that was causing the bullet to jam in the chamber, then the extractor was stuck on the rim of the bullet. Surprising how tight it was jammed due to that.

Thank you for the pointer. As tight as it felt, I would never have thought a hammer blow would free it.
Click to expand...
FYI, if you ever do that to an AR charging handle, you’re gonna need a new one lol.
Glad it worked out
 
Just to clarify, it takes AK magazines? Not the "duck billed" detachable magazines?
 
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