Norinco SKS feeding

[joeq]

I have a Chinese SKS that I have put around 1000 rds through. It performed great through those 1000 or so rds. Now i have come upon a significant problem with my rifle. When the bolt cycles after firing a round it will grab a fresh round and slam the bullet just above the chamber opening. It slams hard enough to shove the bullet back into the casing and makes those rounds garbage. I have tried the original magazine and aftermarket magazines and both failed to fix my problem. I have cleaned the gas piston thoroughly and am getting very frustrated with this rifle. I don't know if this has anything to do with it but I had added a recoil buffer to the rifle when this started. I removed the buffer and my problems continue. Any tips you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[joeq]

Really? Not one post in a week?

 

[alsaqr]

What ammo are you using? A few folks claim that their guns do not feed hollow point ammo right. They say the bullet hits the breech face. Never had the problem with my SKS guns.

 

[BBBBill]

Would seem to indicate a magazine problem. Have the lips be tweaked? Follower moving up smoothly?

 

[Roccobro]

Is the magazine seated where it should? If you can put in an aftermarket mag, I'm assuming you removed the factory fixed mag?

Justin

 

[Chawbaccer]

Most detachable magazine upgrades are problematic. The factory fixed is the most reliable.

 

[joeq]

Yeah, I had removed the fixed magazine but have since replaced it. I have been shooting hollow points. I'll make sure the magazine is seated properly. I have put at least 800 rounds of that particular brand of hollow points without issues. I'll see what I can figure out. Thanks for the tips guys.

 

[Roccobro]

Are the basics in order? Check to make sure the bolt spring isn't in backwards and such. A impact buffer improved feeding on my Norinco back in the day....

Justin

 

[WardenWolf]

Here's what I'm guessing: the manufacturer probably made a change to their ammunition, maybe even buying their bullets from a different supplier, and the new ammunition is shorter in overall length than the older ammo you were using before, resulting in the tip of the bullet not entering the chamber at the proper angle to catch and allow proper feeding. A shorter bullet can mean the cartridge can either be angled too steeply (thus missing the breech while going up the ramp and slamming into the breech face above it) or too shallowly (either not feeding from the magazine or slamming into the bottom of the breech face) during feeding. This would create the results you are having now. Try changing to a more mil-spec ammo such as Wolf or Silver Bear, and try FMJ's at first. I bet this will clear up your problem.

 

[2ndAmFan]

This is too obvious an answer but I'll post it anyway. The only time I experienced a similar problem with an SKS I discovered I had put the recoil spring in backwards when reassembling it after cleaning. Turned the spring around and the problem ended.