Keeping the bolt open on an SKS

[Don Carter]

Is there a way to keep the bolt open on an SKS while a loaded magazine is attached?

When I am at the range shooting my chinese sks, and the range master calls for cease fire, I am unable to remove a magazine still containing ammo, with out a third hand. The release will not work with the bolt closed....and the bolt cannot be made to remain open while the loaded magazine is attached. If the magazine is empty the bolt of course will remain open allowing for easier removal. Currently I have to force the shells back into the magazine while I manually hold the bolt open and try to work the magazine release to free the magazine and then slide with my finger the bolt lock up.

A convoluted way ........any suggestions.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

You could get a yellow plastic bolt open indicator flag. Pull open the bolt and stick it in. It will stick between the bolt and the receiver. There are probably "real" open bolt solutions for the SKS, but this would solve your range problem.

I have a bunch of them. If you PM me your address and explaination, I will send you one.

 

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

www.sksboards.com

Though your SKS should be doing this by default these guys can answer your questions. The only reasons I can think of why your SKS would be doing this is that either it's really dirty (happened to me before) or the bolt holder open has been ground down.

edit: looks like you may actually need the bolt mod. Look that up aon the SKS boards.

 

[sammoh]

Umm... I could be wrong but place the butt of the rifle against your hip, using your right hand, pull the bolt back and hold it. Using your left, pull/pop the mag latch on the SKS back and allow the magazine to drop open... at least that's what happens in my SKS. Of course, where I go, the range officer is always nice enough to let me fire off any ammo I have left in my mag before calling a complete cease fire.

 

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

He needs to take out a detachable, too.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

Duhhhh on my part - The SKS should hold the bolt open on the standard magazine. I experienced a thumb bite on that discovery about 10 years ago.

Very simple solution. Put the 10 round stock magazine back in the rifle.

 

[sammoh]

Aha! Detachable mag. There-in lies your problem then! Get rid of the detachable mag and stick with the original mag and stripper clips. Problem solved!

 

[kingjoey]

One modication we do for folks with detachable mags on the SKS is milling the bolt to SKS-M specs, this allows the mag to be removed and installed with the bolt closed. This eliminates the need for the "third hand"

 

[chris in va]

Sell it, get a Saiga. Problem solved.

 

[dstorm1911]

the OP is talking about an SKS with rounds still in the mag, this negates the built in BHO slider as the mag must be empty....

A chamber flag is your only real option with the SKS, which is better anyhow as if the mag is still loaded then ya also have a live round already in the chamber.....

now with an AK ya simply cut a Yugo notch in the safty/selector lever to catch the bolt handle both safeing the weapon and retaining the bolt rearward

 

[kingjoey]

BTW, most ranges will want the gun unloaded before going cold. Are we talking about a fixed mag or a detachable one?

 

[grimjaw]

Agreed, please specify if you're using the stock fixed magazine or a 3rd party manufacturer type.

The few ranges I've been to that have rangemasters, will require the weapon to be COMPLETELY unloaded, which means no rounds in any detached magazines, and preferably no magazine of any type in the gun when the range is cold. It's very easy to unload the SKS in it's default configuration. Pull latch to open mag, rounds drop, pull back bolt to clear chamber, close empty mag until it clicks, let go of bolt, problem solved.

jm

 

[jerkface11]

No rounds in detached mags??

 

[Average Joe]

Simple, pull the bolt back, stick an empty stripper clip in the clip loading port.

 

[xd45gaper]

install an orignal SKS mag, then you can just open up the mag drop out remaining shells, close mag, open bolt and it will hold its self open by default