The Last Great SKS: Yugo 59/66 v.2

by: Jamie Mangrum

The Yugoslavian 59/66 SKS carbine is based very closely upon the original design by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov. There are some deviations as I will cover in this article. The 59/66 like the other SKS carbines is a semi-auto carbine in 7.62x39 mm caliber, has a ten round capacity fixed magazine, and the function and design are pretty much identical.

It deviates with an integral 22 mm NATO specification grenade launcher, a flip-up grenade sight, standard SKS front and rear sights with flip-up night sights, a folding 11.5" blade bayonet, and a rubber butt pad.

Most of the parts are milled and the overall quality of the Yugo is fairly comparable to the original Russian SKS 45.

Above is typical SKS butt plate. Stock wood is from a Chinese SKS.

Note the rubber butt pad and beech wood stock of the Yugo SKS.

Night sighting aids on the front and rear sights. Found on the 59/66 A1 and 59/66 A2

I have found that the sight post on the standard front sight of the Yugo is a little larger diameter than a non-Yugo SKS. I discovered this while trying to adjust the elevation of my carbines and not being able to fit any of the sight adjustment tools that I own without spreading them out a little bit until they slid over easily.

Standard SKS front sight.

Raised grenade launching sight.

Do I think you should try and launch dummy grenades for fun? No, I don't think you should. The grenades used on this launcher come with a  lesser charge, blank type cartridge specifically designed for launching grenades. If you try to launch something using a FMJ bullet standard cartridge.....you might not be around to read any more articles on Surplusrifle.com.

Safety Rule: Blocking off the muzzle of a loaded weapon and firing a loaded cartridge can cause very unsafe pressure conditions, blowback, explosions, death, dismemberment, or at the very least you are really going to tick off your spouse for being so ridiculously unsafe.

Then let us say that you actually get the projectile launched. Where is it going to land? How far? Who will it hit? Will it damage anything? Anyone? Do hand cuffs hurt your wrist? Do you fear large men named bubba bunking with you?

Get the picture?  Grenade launcher - bad for someone who has no training or knowledge.

Yugo 59/66 Gas Shut-Off Valve

Jamie, I just purchased an Yugo SKS and :

• When I go to the range it does not eject the spent cartridges;or
• I have to cycle the bolt manually to get the carbine to fire; or
• Aren't they supposed to be a semi-auto firearm?

The problem most likely is that the carbine's gas shut-off valve as pictured above is set to the grenade launch or gas off position. In this position the gas is vented off and never reaches the gas piston to drive back the bolt and bolt carrier, thus cycling the action.

To remedy this problem you should place your gas shut-off valve as pictured above in the semi-auto position, forward and to the right. This will direct vented gas back through the gas tube and drive the gas piston back into the gas piston extension rod. The gas piston extension rod will impact the bolt carrier and drive the bolt to the rear of the receiver.

If after setting the valve correctly you still have the same problem, then you should remove the gas tube and make sure the gas port (a small hole below the shut-off valve that ports directly into the barrel) is clean of carbon and dirt.

If this does not remedy the problem you probably have either a faulty gas shut-off valve or a possible leak in the gas system.  Depending on your skill set and comfort with attempting a repair on your firearm you can purchase all of the parts from multiple sources.

A good Yugo 59/66 parts source is:

Numrich (e-gunparts.com)

Otherwise return the firearm to whence you purchased it or take it to a reputable gunsmith to be repaired.

Yugo 59/66 on left with typical SKS on right. Note length difference and that the Yugo has considerably more hardware.

Fact: gun powder is dirty when fired. Twentieth century semi-auto military barrels are usually chrome-lined with some exceptions. This is a fix that allows the firearm to function while using some pretty dirty and corrosive gun powders, in some pretty crappy climatic conditions, in extended firing sessions, while not cleaning it as regularly as not having people shoot at you allows. Chrome-lined barrels also allow you to have maladjusted gas systems and still function well. Extreme gas pressure can cause early extraction of the case before bore pressures have reduced enough to allow the cartridge case to contract and be released from the walls of the chamber. Chrome-lined barrels allow the case to be extracted easily even if this condition exist. Another simple solution to this problem that was solved in the FN-49 and SVT-40 is a fluted bore. This allows the case to cool quicker, but I diverge from the intended subject matter.

I have been asked - does not having a chrome-lined barrel make the Yugo SKS less desirable.

I usually answer with the following question: Do you plan on spending unending amounts of time in the jungle without cleaning your rifle for thousands of rounds? If the answer is - NO. Then you will probably not have any problems with the Yugo as long as you properly clean the bore between shootings. Now, if you are planning on purchasing one and going directly into combat with it, then ask the folks that carried the M-16 in Vietnam whether a chrome-lined bore and barrel are preferable.

The only downside I have found with a non-chrome-lined semi-auto barrel is that they are not as easy to clean. The chrome-lined bores come clean really quick with probably less than half the effort, patches, and solvent. This is pretty much the extent of the complaint I would ever register about the Yugo SKS. Does it prevent me from liking the Yugo SKS and owning more than one? Heck, no! I think it is a great little carbine and I laugh out loud when I type the words little carbine, when referencing the 59/66, because I really do not consider the 59/66 a carbine because of its overall length.

Overall the Yugo SKS is a superior specimen that is still available for a pittance and in great abundance. I recommend everyone should have at least one.