Picked this up today, it’s a 1950 in rough shape. The gas piston is seized pretty good, the firing pin is broken (also interestingly a Murray’s replacement pin so it’s a recurring issue), the stock is really worn, and interestingly it’s been counter bored which I’ve never seen on an sks before. Mostly here to admittedly show off but also to ask about theory’s for the firing pin. Any ideas why it keeps breaking? obviously the previous owner was hard on it but if it’s something I need to remedy I’d like to know before I sink money into it.
(https://i.ibb.co/ScHkQkh/IMG-4963.jpg) (https://ibb.co/w78nJn9)
(https://i.ibb.co/HBd2tVc/IMG-4964.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MZ6hcsz)
(https://i.ibb.co/W6cWmNw/IMG-4965.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nbDsxqv)
(https://i.ibb.co/zFdY0Nv/IMG-4966.jpg) (https://ibb.co/C6LZTWG)
(https://i.ibb.co/NxpLcKL/IMG-4967.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6Yb4jF4)
(https://i.ibb.co/n3QSFkN/IMG-4968.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cb2djTS)
(https://i.ibb.co/dJ1R2qT/IMG-4970.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KzRJqkP)
(https://i.ibb.co/Y2pSgdX/IMG-4971.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zsGgd2F)
(https://i.ibb.co/m0mdXKk/IMG-4972.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NrXfmq5)
And some pics of the bolt and firing pin (what’s left of it)
(https://i.ibb.co/CtPCVV0/IMG-4973.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kymbqqc)
(https://i.ibb.co/VjX6ykW/IMG-4974.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mDQpsPC)
(https://i.ibb.co/84BRjcJ/IMG-4975.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S7x1Kr2)
(https://i.ibb.co/23QChFC/IMG-4976.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pj8Mw1M)
(https://i.ibb.co/DKv7Zk8/IMG-4977.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Kyf9J7L)
No clue on the FP but at least it was cheap. PAX
Looks like the only really bad part of the whole thing is the fact that a 1950 barrel would not be chrome lined and so explains the condition of it. Everything else is just pieces parts. Still, a nice wall hanger if nothing else for that price. thumb1
Quote from: echo1 on October 16, 2024, 03:38:28 PM
No clue on the FP but at least it was cheap. PAX
IIRC, some of the early Murray's pins were a tad bit weak thus breaking, like the one our OP has. Or at least he had one batch that had that issue, something like that.
The bolt looks pretty beat up-- could be a result of corrosive primer salts from popped primers. Which could also explain the seized main piston and the broken firing pin.
Popped primers are a known occurrence with modern, commercial, steel cased 7.62x39 ammo from former com-bloc countries-- especially Russia and Ukraine.
Take a picture of the entire base of the trigger. From what I could see from your picture, I would say that the trigger is a replacement. 49-52 trigger bases were flat and not raised. Unsure if this would cause the firing pin failure.
(https://i.ibb.co/72bXXQn/image.jpg) (https://ibb.co/86X00br)
Good eyes it’s been scrubbed
With the barrel in which poor shape would a barrel swap be feasible? I’m willing to invest in the tooling I just need to know where to start. I already have a donor barrel I could use.
Quote from: theSKSguy45 on October 17, 2024, 02:51:36 AM
With the barrel in which poor shape would a barrel swap be feasible? I’m willing to invest in the tooling I just need to know where to start. I already have a donor barrel I could use.
The barrels are clocked to the receiver, 1 - 36 (?). The numbers have to match. PAX
https://clone.sks-files.com/index.php?topic=3767.0
They don't necessarily HAVE to match, but there will be machining involved if they don't. So, it is easier and more feasible if they do match.
Are barrel blanks pre-threaded?
Sad to see a gun abused so. Nice save though!
I remember when the Yugo barrels in the white were being sold by SOG back in 2014, they were undrilled for the gas port. Theoretically, if you could get the flats horizontal by shimming and/or extreme torque, and if you managed to hit that sweet spot with headspace, you could put any new barrel on most any old receiver and get it to work reasonably well. You could then drill the gas port, install the block and boom, you were in business.
Echo1 is correct though, you will want to find a barrel marked reasonably close to the number on the receiver. If the receiver is a 5, then a 4 or a 3 could be made to work relatively easily as they are only 10° off. A 10 on the other hand would be 50° off and fairly difficult to clock correctly. A 23 would be exactly 180° off and the flats would be horizontal like you want, but the gas port would be on the bottom of the barrel instead of the top. I've heard of guys plugging and re-drilling them though. dntknw1
The only issue there is in having trouble finding an indexing mark. The barrel lug seems to have been pretty mush made bare by the refurb.
Quote from: theSKSguy45 on October 17, 2024, 03:33:51 PM
The only issue there is in having trouble finding an indexing mark. The barrel lug seems to have been pretty mush made bare by the refurb.
Are either of the indexing numbers (0 to 35) still visible?
(https://i.ibb.co/MB0bmH8/IMG-4988.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2Z4wTr8)
(https://i.ibb.co/g4LVSHj/IMG-4981.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6X7BHVn)
(https://i.ibb.co/y4T4z9g/IMG-4984.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tLfL0GY)
(https://i.ibb.co/Vv7PnyJ/IMG-4989.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zSy09cQ)
Maybe zero? If so that would be perfect as the Chinese rifle I have is a zero too. Idk what do you all think?
Looks like a zero so you lucked out!!! PAX
Too bad it’s not a long lug barrel. At least it’s chrome lol
IMHO, I would break everything down and clean it up. Bore Brite the barrel and make sure the crown is good to go so as to get the rifle in shooting condition. Take it out to the range to see how it does. Then clean it again and see how it looks. If the barrel is toast, it may be more feasible to populate the other barreled receiver and just make a shooter than to do all the work to put the Chinese barrel on the Tula.
If you are bound and determined to swap the barrel out there are NOS Yugo barrels that would be a better match as they are long lug and non-chrome lined which would make them more of a correct 'replacement'.
I’m Canadian and getting barrels from the states is cost prohibitive. We don’t have access to yugo surplus in the same quantity up here
Quote from: theSKSguy45 on October 17, 2024, 04:17:34 PM
(https://i.ibb.co/MB0bmH8/IMG-4988.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2Z4wTr8)
Maybe zero? If so that would be perfect as the Chinese rifle I have is a zero too. Idk what do you all think?
I don't think that is the timing number. The receiver timing numbers are stamped on the bottom corner of the receiver flat (by the middle of your pinkie in the photo)
Here's another 1950 example (from jstin2) with the receiver timing number (29) in the standard location: https://ibb.co/w0SQrF3
I have some extra Murray FP's I can sell you at my cost if you are interested. Not sure what the deal with shipping to Wanda is, though.
I found a couple timing numbers stamped the same way as on the SKSguy45. Several others were on the receiver as Boris Badinov has indicated.
(https://i.ibb.co/C0ZVGRh/IMG-4047.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ggptKkz)
(https://i.ibb.co/dDc8n8M/IMG-3687.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PgYqBqj)
If it was on the side of the receiver it’s been completely removed. No evidence of anything there
It would be on the threaded shank near the aligning marks PAX
SKSGuy, yours looks like a Canadian import (don't know if that's where you are):
https://i.ibb.co/f9J5PQw/IMG-4966.jpg
Is that the case? If it's counterbored, the only other SKS that I know of that is counterbored is an Israeli captured one I posted some time ago:
https://clone.sks-files.com/index.php?topic=7274.0
If it's an Israeli-captured rifle, I'd be inclined to try to get it to work as is. Thoughts?
Yeah I am, is your counter bore off center? Mine is significantly, makes it more disappointing the lack of maintenance done to it
Mine is fairly well centered, both at the end of the barrel and at the bottom of the counterbore. If it's WAY off center I could see that it might throw the point of impact off, but I think it's cool that another one has surfaced that IS counterbored, and that may be evidence that it came from the middle east. I haven't gone back through the Files (or Guides) to see the details for Russian SKSs that may fall in to the Israeli capture category, but I think it's a path worth following!
Even in rough shape thats a steal and parts should be easy to find on the common parts sites. I am jealous. The Russian version tends to be the most expensive SKS to acquire these days and prices have shot up in the last 10 years.
Quote from: theSKSguy45 on October 16, 2024, 02:24:30 PM
Picked this up today, it’s a 1950 in rough shape. The gas piston is seized pretty good, the firing pin is broken (also interestingly a Murray’s replacement pin so it’s a recurring issue), the stock is really worn, and interestingly it’s been counter bored which I’ve never seen on an sks before. Mostly here to admittedly show off but also to ask about theory’s for the firing pin. Any ideas why it keeps breaking? obviously the previous owner was hard on it but if it’s something I need to remedy I’d like to know before I sink money into it.
(https://i.ibb.co/ScHkQkh/IMG-4963.jpg) (https://ibb.co/w78nJn9)
(https://i.ibb.co/HBd2tVc/IMG-4964.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MZ6hcsz)
(https://i.ibb.co/W6cWmNw/IMG-4965.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nbDsxqv)
(https://i.ibb.co/zFdY0Nv/IMG-4966.jpg) (https://ibb.co/C6LZTWG)
(https://i.ibb.co/NxpLcKL/IMG-4967.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6Yb4jF4)
(https://i.ibb.co/n3QSFkN/IMG-4968.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cb2djTS)
(https://i.ibb.co/dJ1R2qT/IMG-4970.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KzRJqkP)
(https://i.ibb.co/Y2pSgdX/IMG-4971.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zsGgd2F)
(https://i.ibb.co/m0mdXKk/IMG-4972.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NrXfmq5)
And some pics of the bolt and firing pin (what’s left of it)
(https://i.ibb.co/CtPCVV0/IMG-4973.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kymbqqc)
(https://i.ibb.co/VjX6ykW/IMG-4974.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mDQpsPC)
(https://i.ibb.co/84BRjcJ/IMG-4975.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S7x1Kr2)
(https://i.ibb.co/23QChFC/IMG-4976.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pj8Mw1M)
(https://i.ibb.co/DKv7Zk8/IMG-4977.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Kyf9J7L)
Quote from: Witchywoman on October 22, 2024, 02:03:38 PM
Even in rough shape thats a steal and parts should be easy to find on the common parts sites. I am jealous. The Russian version tends to be the most expensive SKS to acquire these days and prices have shot up in the last 10 years.
Actually, the bulk of the Warsaw Pact rifles, Romanian, Yugo M59 B & C, and Albanian rifles are finally starting to hold their own value wise. PAX
I’m always surprised that Romanians and Albanians are as inexpensive as they are. I wish we could get them up here in canada
Quote from: theSKSguy45 on October 22, 2024, 07:34:13 PM
I’m always surprised that Romanians and Albanians are as inexpensive as they are. I wish we could get them up here in canada
I got a ufixem from Century back in the day and it was fully functional but the action was full of gavel and dirt.Even back then they were not common and they only had a handful of them.The front upper hand guard did not fit very well and the safety did not engage smoothly due to whoever machined the part did not finish it (Fixed that myself). Machine marks and soldier graffiti all over the rifle. They are unique in my opinion but very crudely made in some cases. I seldom see them for sale now. Another gun I should of never sold. I have pictures somewhere. I will post em when I find them.