My first SKS!!!

[Newt]

I'm going to pick up my first SKS tomorrow. It's a Yugo NIB. That's what the guy told me anyways. I've already ordered a stock for it; it should be here in a few days. My question is: Do I have to do anything special to it (or buy anything extra) to mount optics atop it? Any kinda gunsmith work?

 

[BowStreetRunner]

you can buy cheap optics kits that replace the dust cover on the rear of the receiver
i have one for mine but it stinks......the scope keeps rattling lose after a few shots and losing zero..........and i put caulk in the screws to hold them in place.......
but there are different mounts like that and one may work much better than mine
http://www.sksman.com/index.html
i am tempted by one of these now though because i kinda like open sights now on the sks
http://www.mojosights.com/ak47_sks.html
enjoy the gun!
BSR

 

[Rascal]

Well I can't help you on the scope part, but be sure that you take it all apart and clean the firing pin really good. The pin holder is pretty hard to get out but giving it a few good wacks with a hammer and punch should do it. After it's cleaned, the firing pin should rattle in the housing. If it doesn't, then you will need to clean it again. It is most important in doing this to avoid multiple discharging of the weapon. The firing pin is free floating and if it gets stuck, can cause the weapon to fire like in auto mode.
I have heard that DC engineering has the best receiver mount, but is expensive, around 85 bucks. Many of the cheaper receiver mounts won't stay at zero. There are many threads about SKS mounts on Survivors SKS site. You might want to go there and check it out. Hope this helps

 

[RepublicanMan]

www.sksboards.com

 

[Newt]

Appreciate the input. I'd heard that about cleaning it so you can hear the firing pin rattle. Anything else I should know about it before I go pick it up today?

One more question. I've heard (just by reading about them on forums and such) that SKS's aren't very accurate. "Very accurate" is a relative term, I know, so what kind of groups should I look for with it?

 

[Newt]

Oh and BTW, I'll post pics up when I get it. Thanks for all the help.

 

[WonderNine]

Don't buy from SKS man. He never sent the chromed firing pin and recoil spring assembly that I ordered from him. He's a total %%$$& and does nothing but make excuses or claims he ships and then never does.

Alot of other people have had problems with him. Check out his gunbroker feedback to see what I mean.

 

[Newt]

Thanks for the warning WonderNine. I bought mine locally, and I just got back with it.

OK so I have just one more question. It came PACKED with Cosmoline. What will work good (without using a gallon of Hoppes) to take that stuff off there? I've had some tell me kerosene or gasoline. What do you recommend?

 

[pbhome71]

I use mineral spirit, and it works well. Clorox wipe is also work very well, but a bit more expensive, less smell, though.

Please make sure that you don't try to chamber a live round before you perform functional testing. I have an Albenian which had hammer falled when closing bolt. It is not something you want to see at you home with a live round.

Good luck and have fun,

-Pat

 

[hboy35]

hear it rattle

I skipped the "use the punch thing" to remove the firing pin on mine to make it rattle. Completely removing the bolt carrier and bolt from the rifle, I sprayed the bolt down liberally with carburetor cleaner. It took alot of stuff out. Did the same for the trigger group and relubed. It worked for me, your mileage may vary....

 

[Rascal]

I used brake cleaner on my Yugo to get the cosmoline off. I'm sure that carburetor cleaner will do the same thing, just be sure to spray lots of fluid in there to get all the gunk out of it.
Don't worry about the accuracy. It will kill any target you have. It is not a tack driver, but it is fun to shoot, and cheap too.

 

[hboy35]

I forgot

keep in mind the flamability of any cleaner you choose to use. Never ever use carb cleaner near an open flame, space heater, or any other source of ignition (I know it is winter time). This gun hobby stuff is supposed to be fun--not get you killed!

 

[RightIsRight]

Cosmoline cleaning:

I researched a few boards and picked up some good ideas that I just used on my Yugo SKS.

WD-40 for the initial cleaning. It got a lot of the external cosmo off before I disassembled the gun.

Take down gun. Place all small metal parts in boiling water for 30 mins. Clean the inside of the stock with more WD-40.

I made a "soaking tube" out of 4' length of 4" PVC pipe. The top of the tube has a screw off cap and the bottom is permanently capped. Total cost of soaking tube: $20. Fill the tube with mineral spirits (about $2.75/gallon at local Home Depot) and insert the barrel/receiver. Take the small parts and soak in small pan of mineral spirits.

I let the metal soak for an hour or so. During this time, I took a heat gun to the stock. Cosmoline oozed out of every pore in the wood. When the cosmo stopped coming out, I wiped the entire stock down with mineral spirts.

Then I took the barrel/receiver out of the tube and scrubbed it down. I ran about 10 patches thru the barell. Next I scrubbed the small parts down. Then all the metal went back into the mineral spirts to soak overnight.

The stock got a nice light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper. Next, I coated it with Linseed oil. As linseed oil creates heat when it cures, you must be careful with the rags you use to apply it. They can spontaneously combust. So set them outside (not in a pile of dry leaves ) for a day or two before throwing them out.

Next day, I took out the barrel/receiver and scrubbed it again. This time, I blew compressed air into all the small nooks. Same deal with small metal parts. After the mineral spirts had dried, I applied a coat of G96 and re-assembled the gun.

Total time invested was about 5 hours (not including trip to Home Depot).

 

[benEzra]

Take some Murphy's Oil Soap and a rag to the stock, then use some good-quality furniture oil (not wax) on it.

 

[NEtracker]

I use the WD40 routine with all my cosmo'd rifles.
Works fine, not too hazardous. I initially use the same on the wood, then try to leech out the cosmo in the sun.