Heh, SKS stock cross bolt, leave it alone.

[toad]

https://www.classicfirearms.com/video/y ... o-cleaning
Dang I wish I could afford to buy one. I still have a bunch of 7.62 x 39 mm hidden in my closet.
He does have a nice take down and put together in the video. Pay especially close attention to the bit about keeping the firing pin channel clean since is a free floating firing pin to prevent slam fires. You can get an after market spring and pin IIRC but it takes a punch, a big hammer, and a firm surface to get the firing pin retainer out an into the bolt.

[Yogimus]

And about half of a day.

My sks went auto on me, decided to finally clean it.

[rightisright]

And about half of a day.

My sks went auto on me, decided to finally clean it.

Heh. I managed to change out the pin in my first Yugo.

Second one I sent the whole bolt to Murrays: http://www.murraysguns.com/index.htm

[Jered]

I boiled the bolt and then blew it out with compressed air.

[Rich Jordan]

My Russki (which also didn't have the spring loaded firing pin) was doubling and tripling with original commie ammo even after a thorough bolt cleaning. Fun but nervous-making.

I had a machinist lighten a firing pin which I put in (I recall it being difficult but that was 20 years ago). It didn't fix things but it helped; it reduced occurrences of doubling (and didn't get any more triples). I got the Murray firing pin spring mod kit a few years ago and installed it (easily, perhaps because I had done a firing pin change before) and so far no more doubling. The primer on the next loaded cartridge still gets slightly dimpled though.

[Jered]

What kind of ammo are you using?

There is some ammo that uses harder primers than others.

For my Mas 49/56, I've used CCI #34 primers.

[Kommander]

The primer on the next loaded cartridge still gets slightly dimpled though.

This is typical for guns with a floating firing pins, such ARs and AKs for example. You have to make sure that firing pin channel stays clean.

[toad]

Hat tip to RightisRight:
I noticed on Murray's website that he has a solution for SKS's popping primers and how to set one up for hard Berdan military primers and/or commercial Boxer primers.
http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm

If I ever got a hold of money and an SKS I'd be tempted to send the whole firearm to him and ask for the works.
I have fond memories of the Chinese SKS's you could get back in the late 1970's. The Chinese ammo was pretty accurate through them. Of course back then my vision wasn't so bad. I looked online and virgin Chinese SKS's are being asked at $800.....no thank you.

[Weetabix]

I had the firing pins out of both of mine for thorough bolt cleaning, and they weren't that big a deal. A decent punch, some care, good cleaning of all the parts before reassembly, etc.

I didn't watch the video since I'm at work, but if the cross bolt is the same as the recoil lug, I'll never voluntarily remove one of those. I can't see the point, and I'm sure I'd bugger it up.

[Rich Jordan]

The primer on the next loaded cartridge still gets slightly dimpled though.

This is typical for guns with a floating firing pins, such ARs and AKs for example. You have to make sure that firing pin channel stays clean.

Yep, my Garands do it too, even with the firing pin bridge in the receiver to moderate it. But they never doubled. And the SKS never did again once I put the Murray kit in it, even with American commercial 7.62x39 ammo.