SKS Hand Guars, gas tube and rod flew of at the range

[Buckhead]

I haven't been on here in awhile but I hope to get back pretty regularly again, like me my laptop is getting old and slow.
Here is a problem I had yesterday at the range with my Norinco SKS I have had it at the range in the past and have probably put 500 or 600 hundred rounds down range over time. I always clean it after i shoot it, but yesterday at the bange after only about firing 35 rounds the hand guard gas tube and rod flew out and over my head landing behind me. The rod was stuck in the back position and would not move. I put it away till I could get home and check it out. When I got back to my shop and upon further inspection it was seized up tight, After using every kind of chemical I had at hand that would break it loose I wound up using a led pig and a dead blow hammer to drive io out of the tube. I cleaned every thing real good end got it to work, but if I drop it in the tube it gets stuck right at the gas ports,not bad I can tap it on the bench and it will free up but some times when I drop it in it sticks about half way down, there again not real bad but not smooth like it suppose to go. Do you think the rod could have gotten bent? and what do you think could have caused the incident in the first place? One other thing, someone said the russian SKS gas rods will fit the Chinese SKS?

[SA1911a1]

Sounds like it it bent to me.

[awalker1829]

Any idea on what caused the failure? An SKS doesn’t just blow the gas piston out for no reason. Something like this warrants a trip to the gunsmith. All I can surmise is that something (possibly ammunition related) generated excessive pressure in the gas system. That said, a gunsmith should examine the rest of the gun for possible damage. The rod might be bent, but excessive pressure could also damage the tube.

[steelbuttplate]

Nobody knows, this is the first time one's ever went snafu. You shooting any Yugo surplus thru it ?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Bore obstruction causing a momentary pressure spike?

[awalker1829]

At any rate, the gun should be inspected by a gunsmith and may be a wall hanger.

[Longcolt44]

In any case, do not try and use any of the old parts when you rebuild it. Also, check the barrel for any bulging or dark spots, there should be none as these barrels are chrome-lined and should be shiny. There is an ugly reason why it did what it did so as has been said, a trip to the gunsmith would be a good idea if you intend on making it a shooter again.

[steelbuttplate]

I wonder if the takedown latch by the rear sight maybe wasn't fully in the notch and the recoil unlocked it.

[Buckhead]

I wonder if the takedown latch by the rear sight maybe wasn't fully in the notch and the recoil unlocked it.

I am thinking the same thing, the latch moves without a lot of resistance or maybe it wasn't fully engaged.
The small rod that the gas rid pushes on to push the charging handle the bolt back remained in the gun, so the latch didn't open all the way if indeed that is what happend. I picked up a nice rod and tube with wood handguard on gun brokers and installed them in the rifle. Everything else looks good. The old rod was definitely bent, but that could have happened when I had to beat it out of the tube, and I mean really beat it out hard, it was driven as far back in the tube as it could possibly go. I put the new rod in the old tube and it all seemed to slid in and out smoothly, and I put the old rod in the new tube and it rubbed right as it was coming out the back of the tube,so it was definitely bent. I put everything back together with the new parts and thru the old rod in the garbage and kept the tube for further inspection. I stripped the rifle down completely and cleaned and checked it over real good, and everything else looked good. If anyone has any other suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.