SKS Manual
I
have been getting many visitors coming to this blog looking for SKS manuals. I thought this was strange as I only had one small post linking to an SKS manual.
It turns out that SKS manuals are very hard to find! Many sites are selling the PDF versions of old manuals that have either had their copyright expired, in which case should be free, or they in face do not have the right to sell and are selling illegally.
I have decided to post a comprehensive listing of SKS Manuals and websites detailing SKS disassembly/assembly information.
Manuals
Russian SKS 45 Semi-Auto Carbine manual
This manual for the SKS 45 Carbine looks pretty good compared to some of the others.
This 12 page manual covers the following topics:
• History of the SKS
• Safety
• Specifications
• Loading
• Unloading
• Sight Adjustment
• Cleaning
The PDF can be downloaded here.
China Sports SKS Semi-Automatic Sporting Rifle
China sports was a US importer of Chinese firearms.
This 19 page manual covers the following topics:
- Operating Instructions’
- Safety
- Loading
- Unloading
- Disassembly instruction
- Assembly instruction
- Cleaning
- Sight Adjustment
The PDF can be downloaded here.
US Army SKS Rifle Manual (Simonov Type 56)
This US Army 22 page manual covers the following topics:
- Operation
- Disassembly
- Assembly
- Trigger
- Accessories
- Malfunctions
- Training
- Maintaining the SKS
- Function Checks
- Cleaning
You can download the PDF here.
Inter Ordnance M59 / 66 Yugoslavian (Yugo) SKS - 7.62×39mm Semi-Automatic Rifle
This manual appears to be virtually identical to the above China Sports SKS manual.
This 12 page manual covers the following topics:
• Operating Instructions
• Safety
• Loading
• Unloading
• Disassembly instruction
• Assembly instruction
• Cleaning
• Sight Adjustment
The PDF can be downloaded here.
Cheaper than dirt SKS manual / pamphlet
This is more of a pamphlet than a manual. It covers the following topics:
- Safety guidelines and proper handling of the SKS
- Disassembly
- Cleaning
- Removing trigger and magazine
- Mounting the bayonet
The PDF can be downloaded here.
Online Manuals
There are some great webpages listing SKS instructions:
Will england :: SKS disassembly : This site offer good instructions on disassembly, sight adjustment and cleaning.
surplusrifle.com : surplusrifle.com has a great webpage on disassembly/assembly of the SKS 1945 carbine. This page has many high quality videos and two videos:
Cleaning the SKS Carbine video
The SKS: Disassembly/Reassembly video
Additional Information
Here is a parts listing of the SKS:
1. Piston
2. Handguard and gas cylinder
3. Piston extension
4. Piston return spring
5. Front sight
6. Front sight seat
7. Handguard catch
8. Bayonet screw
9. Bayonet assembly
10. Hold open latch pin
11. Hold open latch spring
12. Hold open latch
13. Receiver and Barrel
14. Takedown latch
15. Trigger guard latch
16. Latch pin
17. Rear housing
18. Bolt carrier
19. Bolt
20. Firing pin retainer
21. Firing pin
22. Extractor spring
23. Extractor
24. Recoil spring
25. Spring retainer
26. Large spring guide
27. Small spring guide
28. Stock assembly
29. Trigger guard spring
30. Magazine
31. Magazine follower
32. Follower spring
33. Hinge pin
34. Magazine cover
35. Cover latch
36. Latch spring and sear spring
37. Sear
38. Latch stop pin
39. Trigger guard
40. Disconnector hinge assembly
41. Trigger pin
42. Safety catch
43. Safety catch spring
44. Trigger
45. Safety catch pin
46. Trigger bar
47. Trigger bar pin
48. Trigger spring
49. Disconnector
50. Rebound Disconnector
51. Hammer
52. Hammer strut pin
53. Hammer strut
54. Hammer spring
55. Cleaning rod
(Photo at the top of this post is from Wikipedia.org)
thanks for your site steve . a nice reference on how to clean my sks rifle.
When the manual says, to the effect of, “safety must be on to insert trigger assembly”, they mean it.
Just sayin.
I raised the grenade sight on my Yugo SKS. I can’t get it down. It looks like you need a tool to depress the pins on the bottom of the sight.
Great site! I had left my manuals at work and needed to do a bit of work on my Yugo. Your site was a great help! Like the site so much, I book marked it.
Thanks for the PDFs regarding the SKS rifle! I just picked up an unissued Yugo that needs cleaned of it’s original cosmoline and the Yugo manual will be of great help.
I also flipped up the grenade sight and couldn’t figure any other way to get it back down other than using a couple of punches to depress the detent pins. What a pain. Is there another easier method?
Expecting my Russian SKS the middle of January 09 from a Saskatchewan Dealer. Wanted to have all the information beforehand. Thanks for the downloads. “Knowledge is power”.
Kirk
Ontario, Canada
Amazing! With all of the SKS info I have found on the internet, I have yet to find the answer to a simple question.
On a Yugo, you have the “selector switch” for the semi auto fire/grenade launcher fire. Which way do you turn the switch for each use?
BTW, thanks for all of the great info. Good to know that I have reference materials available.
Twelve o’clock for grenade launcher (notice that the grenade sight will not raise unless gas valve is in this position).
Two o’clock for normal operation (notice that the gas valve button prevents the grenade sight from being raised.)
For grenades:
1. Move gas valve to twelve o’clock.
2. Raise sights.
Reverse order to return to normal operation.
Excellent! Thanks very much. The Russian SKS45 manual is a great choice, better than the US Army manual. Great blog, its going into my bookmarks.
how do i get the yogo m59/66 manual?
Awesome collection of SKS manuals for all to use- thank you Steve for taking the time to put this info up for everyone.
The sks 59/66 yugo …………what fires the grenade ? a bullet is shot to fire it ? or a blank cartridge? and if a bullet sets it off wre does the bullet go the grenade when fired must send back gas down the barrel …..would enjoy the answer 2 my ? if you can give it
Great information here!! Just wanted to say thanks..
Marc
Travis, I would not worry to much about the manual of your specific gun. The action itself is the same across all the models.
Chances are is that the problem is that the firing pin channel is dirty and the pin is jammed forward.
Two suggestions:
1) Dissemble the bolt and clean it: http://www.surplusrifle.com/sks/boltdisassemble/hs.asp
2) Purchase a Murry firing pin: http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm
The bolt reassembly can be tricky, but you can pay Murry to install their firing pin for you.
Remember: When in doubt go to a gunsmith.
I am an attorney. A shooter had a misfire. He did not remove the magazine prior to working the action. He tried to inspect the breech and the action slipped out of his hand. This allowed the tip of the round from the magazine to act as a firing pin and discharge the round in the chamber. He was killed when part of the casing of the round in the chamber went into his chest. This could have been avoided if he had dropped the clip prior to pulling the action back to inspect. Some of the manuals you have on this site explain that one should remove the magazine prior to pulling the action back. I am trying to find a manual that was produced with the sale of an SKS. You have great manuals but they should accompany the sale to inform the user of this risk and how to avoid the risk. The shooter in my case had earplugs. He put the safey on. He had the gun pointer down range. Does anyone have an knowledge of this happening, i.e. a round from the magazine striking a round in the chamber and creating an accidental discharge?
Travis, that is very sad.
I have never heard if someone being killed by that this type of accident. I want to post this on the blog as a separate blog post, but can you be a bit more specific about the injury.
( People say all sorts of things online. From personal experience I have found that need to verify facts before posting)
Can you explain the trajectory of the casing. I am somewhat at a loss on how it made it from the chamber to his chest, unless the shooter was holding the rifle in strange position, like when shooting from the hip.
Also, I would appreciate it if you could give some details about the wound sustained, where it hit, how deep the casing penetrated.
The is a very sad accident, the fact that a piece of casing can kill comes as a shock to me, and I am sure this information would be invaluable to other shooters and maybe prevent something like this happening again.
Travis, thanks for the info. I have posted it on the blogs homepage. I think it will serve as a wake up call to some readers.
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/06/08/double-feed-in-sks-kills-operator-a-warning-to-all-of-us/
I personally don’t agree that a gun importer should be liable. I did have a look around the internet for a manual relating to the gun you specified but I could not find any for 30 round magazine SKSs that I do not have listed above. Not knowing the importer and model makes searching hard, but I do understand why you would not to say their name.
I would appreciate it if you could email me the outcome of the court case, if you remember. It could have some significant implications in the industry.
Maybe I am off base here, but since Travis begins his post with “I am an attorney,” and then he asks for information about getting manuals which come with the weapon, it sounds like he is trying to build a court case against a firearms manufacturer, importer, distributor, etc. on some kind of failure to warn/defective product theory.
I do not believe that those of us who cherish our Second Amendment rights should be providing any information to those who are attempting to further use the courts to erode our rights to keep and bear arms by putting firearms companies out of business with lawsuits.
Or have I totally read you wrong, Travis?
I wanted to insure that I did not mislead anyone. Please accept my apology if I have offended by making my appeal on this forum. I do strongly believe in the Second Amendment. I am 50 years old and have owned and used guns of all types all my life. But, I am a lawyer and I fear there are others that feel like you do. I fail to understand why all products of this great nation are required to be made safe except firearms. There is nothing about my practice or this suit that would erode the right to bear arms. I would like to see firearms sold that are safe and do not wish to put anyone out of business. I believe this instruction to drop the clip prior to working the action in as SKS will save lives. I think that is a good thing, even for those of us that use firearms. It is a natural first reaction for many to work the action when a firearm fails to fire. I did not appreciate the fact that this common act could kill you if you are using an SKS. I do not agree with your position, but I respect it. If there are those that think there should be no required safety with respect to firearms, then I understand why you would not assist me in finding a proper warning to prevent this for occurring to others. Even if you don’t like lawyers, please, get the information out to prevent this from happening again. If you agree that we as firearem users are responsible and reasonable people that deserve the right to purchase safe firearms that are not unreasonably dangerous, then help me find a way to get this warning stated in a way to make the SKS safe for the Chinese to import, and we can live to carry on the tradition. Again, I am sorry if I have offended, but I am passionate about this.
Travis, there is an obvious amount of distortion and misrepresentation in your self serving post. You refer to unsafe firearms. If the SKS was unsafe, and if this “problem” actually existed in this type of firearm, why is it that people here, and on other SKS sites, NEVER report this type of accident? If this was a known defect, you can bet that experienced SKS owners would be reporting it and discussing it on many SKS sites. Such reports do not exist. Why? Because this is NOT a defect in this weapon.
Where there is no defective condition, there is no need to warn, and no need to correct what isn’t wrong in the first place. Perhaps that is too simple and obvious for a plaintiff’s lawyer to grasp. Of course, there is also no money to be made with that approach.
You are trying to create, for personal gain, a defective condition which doesn’t exist. How do you know that the accident happened the way you describe? You say that the man died. As tragic as that is, it means that HE didn’t tell you how the accident happened. Were you there to witness what happened? Obviously not, because you would then be a witness and not the lawyer.
You may say all that you want about trying to make products safer, but how are companies supposed to correct a problem which doesn’t exist, and which hasn’t been reported after DECADES of use of this type of weapon? None of us are so stupid as to believe that you aren’t in this simply for the money.
You also falsely claim that you aren’t out to put firearms dealers out of business. Let’s suppose for a moment that (God forbid) you are successful in your lawsuit, and you recover many millions of dollars against the manufacturer, importer, distributor, etc. of this gun. What kind of effect do you think that will have on the firearms trade? Are we supposed to believe that it will entice MORE companies to deal in firearms, knowing that there are people like you waiting behind every bush to attack them when they have done nothing wrong?
Please ask your friend Obama to help you get the information you need. I’m sure he will gladly assist you in your efforts to destroy the Second Amendment.
IF that is what really happened then there would have been a few malfunctions that occured at the same time. Number 1 being the mis-fire. Number 2 the mis-fired round should have ejected when the action was pulled to the rear, That failure could have been caused by any number of things mostly maint. related. The bottom line though is the magazine should have been dropped prior to any action being taken, It’s a basic safety thing. I belive the maximum level of safety should be used when handeling a firearm. Afterall they are designed to kill and if you don’t take care of them they’ll kill you.