SKS barrel inards (Yuk)

phideaux4886

Well, I finally went and bought a SKS 59 that stunk of cosmoline. I have not fired it or any other SKS for that matter. I decided to clean it up first.
After some research on surplusrifles.com, I got after it. I took it down and went with the dishwasher method for the stock, barreled receiver and larger parts. For the smaller metal parts I boiled them in water in an old pot. The trigger group and some other parts I cleaned in the sink with hot water. When I was finished I cleaned them with a brush and gun oil. Everything looks much better and it does not reek of cosmoline.
I got after the inside of the barrel with Hoppes and a brass wire brush. It was filthy! The patches came out black. I scrubbed and scrubbed until I started getting some clean patches.
Taking a look through the barrel is not a pretty sight and I am not sure if that is because of the barrel not being chrome lined and I am just not used to it. I am no gunsmith, but I do not see any pitting, it just does not shine like I am used to seeing in a bore.
I'd like to make some upgrades, but I am concerned about the barrel.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
DSM

rufe-snow

Not uncommon, as you mentioned the Yugos weren't chromed. If you don't clean them good after firing corrosive ammo, you see what happens. I have never heard about any safety concerns with shooting ammo through a barrel, with the problem you describe.

bpost

Use lacquer thinner or gasoline to really get the stuff out; in conjunction with a toothbrush and tooth picks and elbow grease.. This will make sure all the cosmo is out.

Then get a decent bore cleaner like Shooters Choice or Butches Bore shine. See if that brightens things up for you. The first 100 or so times you shoot it and get it hot the cosmo will cook out of the wood no matter what you do.

Its a disposable plinker; after its worn out just get another one. Make sure you get the gas tube and the inside of the bolt clean. If the firing pin is still gunked up inside the bolt they have a nasty habit of slam firing out of battery. This causes parts to go helter-skelter and makes the shooter mess his trousers.

gotstolefrom

Don't worry about your bore right now, as long as it's clear enough to fire. Be sure to take BPOST1958's advice before you go shoot. If you haven't confirmed this already, check
1) The firing pin should move loosely..When taken apart,shake the bolt for a rattle.
2) Your piston area's probably clean from your clean-up. Be sure that the hole in the barrel that vents gas to the piston is clear, and everything's open to allow gas through.

NOW, your bore. You want to shoot, so go ahead, shoot some, then a good bore cleaning. After your usual routine, go with a swabbing of Butches bore shine, then run patches. You may get a lot of gunk after the swabbing with the fine abrasive paste. Conservative shooting and cleaning until it shoots good for you and you're happy with the bore.

I bought a 'cosmoline surprise' that was dark but looked OK. I soaked it a bit, brushed, swabbed, until I got back a near clean patch. I then worked some bore paste into a patch, wrapped it around a worn .30 brush, and scrubbed the bore one time. The patch I got next was BLACK. Doing the above did clean it up, and it shoots OK. It's dark but smooth and clean.

The most useful ingredient is a good supply of PATIENCE,

ENJOY !

It may be a 'disposable plinker', but by golly it's YOUR plinker.

nards444

look around on the discussion forum for check out my SKS, i posted it a couple days ago, you can see what your SKS might turn out to be

phideaux4886

Thanks to all.
I'm gonna refinish the stock, put it back together, run some rounds through it and then try and give it a good cleaning as suggested.
If it shoots OK I'll consider the upgrades, such as a trigger job and adding a scope.
Thanks again,
DSM