SKS split casing stuck - Gunsmith help?

[echo1]

The guys over at SKS Files did the research, with the help of Murray of trigger and two-piece FP fame, it's a sticky there and on GunBoards. PAX

 

[miketbass]

I'd like to give this thread the proper closure and I will try to be as brief as possible, while fully explaining the findings and outcome.

Alex at Vernonia Machine Works cannot be more highly recommended. Not only did he identify the issue (and I mean the actual issue) with the SKS, he fixed it with myself hovering over him eager to watch. His guarantee to fix it while I wait was not only true but allowed me to learn while I watched his process and work through troubleshooting, assessment and then executing the work.

I was mislead as to the real problem. The photo attached shows a cast of the chamber which came out without any remnants of shell casing.

A bit of background - I'm not sure that any of my posts capture the original problem that I observed - a burr on the face of the chamber that was chewing up my snap caps. So, I take it to the most reputable gunsmith local to me. After many months I was told to come pick up my gun, it had a fragment of split case in the chamber, I need a new barrel etc.

Turns out that something happened while this gun was loaned out to a friends father, and all that was needed was an expert touch with a file to remove the burrs at the chamber face and she's back in action. Seems very straightforward and I damn near did it myself a year ago. The lesson I learned is that not all experts are in the mode of being an expert when they have other priorities. I carried the bad information given to me over to Tim Copeland ,who never got around to my gun, and would have absolutely found this issue and solved it if he had gotten around to it. So, I have a bit of displeasure with a shop that had a great reputation until they decided to close and clearly did not do the work asked.

Long story long, great experience with Vernonia Machine Works. I learned the lesson to that my initial instinct is usually the best guiding factor.

 

[echo1]

Glad you got it ironed out! PAX

 

[Aught Six]

I have one for my Garand, its called a ruptured case extractor.

 

[Mikej]

I'd like to give this thread the proper closure and I will try to be as brief as possible, while fully explaining the findings and outcome.

Alex at Vernonia Machine Works cannot be more highly recommended. Not only did he identify the issue (and I mean the actual issue) with the SKS, he fixed it with myself hovering over him eager to watch. His guarantee to fix it while I wait was not only true but allowed me to learn while I watched his process and work through troubleshooting, assessment and then executing the work.

I was mislead as to the real problem. The photo attached shows a cast of the chamber which came out without any remnants of shell casing.

A bit of background - I'm not sure that any of my posts capture the original problem that I observed - a burr on the face of the chamber that was chewing up my snap caps. So, I take it to the most reputable gunsmith local to me. After many months I was told to come pick up my gun, it had a fragment of split case in the chamber, I need a new barrel etc.

Turns out that something happened while this gun was loaned out to a friends father, and all that was needed was an expert touch with a file to remove the burrs at the chamber face and she's back in action. Seems very straightforward and I damn near did it myself a year ago. The lesson I learned is that not all experts are in the mode of being an expert when they have other priorities. I carried the bad information given to me over to Tim Copeland ,who never got around to my gun, and would have absolutely found this issue and solved it if he had gotten around to it. So, I have a bit of displeasure with a shop that had a great reputation until they decided to close and clearly did not do the work asked.

Long story long, great experience with Vernonia Machine Works. I learned the lesson to that my initial instinct is usually the best guiding factor.

View attachment 2110813

"Vernonia Machine Works", and Alex. Check. I know exactly what you mean with the "other" guys. I hate that. I'm no dummy, and despise when people treat me like I'm nothing and they are the "know it all's". Thanks to your story I will absolutely call Alex if I find myself in need of a Gun Smith. I loved the opportunity to go up to see Tim and drop something off, or pick up something. Tim was NOTHING like some of the other smiths I hear talked about on the forum. And for me/us it would be a bonus driving out to Vernonia, just because it so pretty out there.