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Old March 29, 2013, 10:28 PM   #1
GRCummins
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SKS - Tapco intrafuse installation issues

I bought a Norinco SKS which had already been sporterised, so I decided to take it up a notch and replace the stock with a Tapco Intrafuse SKS railed stock system. Sadly, this stock just doesn't seem to come together with the barrel assembly as easily as the directions indicate it should.
Has anybody else had any experience with this modification? Should I have to do any additional machining to the stock system to make it fit? I guess I expected it slide together and seat in all the areas without fighting it or machining here and there.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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Old March 29, 2013, 10:32 PM   #2
tahunua001
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I bought a T6 intrafuse for my Chicom SKS and had the same issues. just a poorly made piece of plastic and required way too much special fitting, I ended up selling it and using a ramline monte carlo stock instead, the thing fits like a glove.
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Old March 30, 2013, 12:38 AM   #3
okiewita40
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I don't the Tapco stock for the SKS is any good at all. Look at other brands or try and find a replacement wood stock. JMHO
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Old March 31, 2013, 11:26 AM   #4
HJ857
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The SKS is not a precision made rifle, particularly since they've been made in numerous plants in numerous countries. It's not reasonable to think that a single stock is going to fit them all perfectly.

Some dremel or file work should solve your problem and I think this is a common occurrence.

The area most likely to need some cutting is at the rear of the stock where the trigger post/lock is. Cut a groove in the stock that will give that post enough clearance to fit in. The whole assembly should fit tight, but if it's too tight the safety may not disengage. If that happens cut away a little bit more.

Do not cut at the front of the stock unless there's no option. The receiver assembly end cap should fit over the stock forend properly, but is not a deal breaker if it doesn't, if there's slop up front it can feel a bit loose and that does suck a little. So put the endcap over the forend first and then push the rear of the receiver in to the stock. If it hangs up, start cutting at that point, just a little bit at a time.
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Old March 31, 2013, 11:45 AM   #5
GRCummins
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Thanks HJ, the trigger assembly area is exactly where I see the problem to be. No doubt I want it to be tight fit, but I have 3/16" to 1/4" of shaving to get the back end of the receiver to be able to meet the trigger assembly.
I just wanted to get clarification from others with experience before I start manipulating my new stock.
I was also experiencing difficulty removing the pin at the hand guard area. Any thoughts on that so that I dont destroy the gas tube?
Thanks for your input.
Greg
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Old March 31, 2013, 11:49 AM   #6
tahunua001
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the handguard retention pin is really crammed in there. wrap the handguard in a clothe and lock it in a vice, then use a steel punch and a hammer to knock it out, left to right.

once that's out there's nothing holding the rear ring on and it slides right off and then once you have the new handguard in place just reset the pin right to left. it's about the easiest mod you can do to an SKS.
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Old March 31, 2013, 12:59 PM   #7
e-bear
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An SKS can be a nice project gun with all the different aftermarket products out there to make it "look" tactical and cool. With that being said, there is nothing wrong with finding authentic parts and components to restore the SKS to the beautifully functional machine it was designed to be.
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Old March 31, 2013, 01:12 PM   #8
HJ857
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The hand guard pin is a bugger. Often it's been mushroomed after it was installed and there's no good way to get it out. It's just a pin though and I wouldn't hesitate to cut or drill that mushroomed area to keep from having to hammer the crap out of it and possibly damaging something else. Others have replaced that pin with a simple nail or tack, also mushroomed over after installation.

The Intrafuse hand guard probably has four or six little tabs on the bottom, these are also for fitting reasons. Once you get the hand guard on, it may be too tall to allow you to latch down the gas tube. If that's the case, just file off a bit of the tabs until the latch closes properly. Just a bit at a time. These tabs will also keep the hand guard from wobbling if you decide to take a chance and mount an optic on it. If you take off too much you can always shim the hand guard to take up the slop.

You also have the option of buying a complete US made gas tube. These typically have a steel vented hand guard, this is also a compliance part. It's an added expense but it does keep the original gas tube/hand guard in good condition. But since yours is already sported, this could be a pointless option.
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Old March 31, 2013, 09:24 PM   #9
bustersmaster
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These do seem to vary according to the gun you're working with. These guns were all made before CNC machining became the standard for gun manufacturers. I think there is probably some variance between SKS's made in the same country. It's a lot easier to file a little plastic down to relieve a too tight fit than it is to add material to a loose fit.
As I recall, I had to do the same to mine and now it fits and looks great.
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Old April 7, 2013, 10:52 PM   #10
billj47
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TAPCO infusion

I must have gotten real lucky. I put the TAPCO T6 infusion on my stock 1958 Romanian SKS with no issues. Everything except the filing needed on the gas tube, which I expected. The TAPCO 20 round mags all fit perfectly too.
They even fit tight with no modification in the original stock.
I'm a happy SKSer!
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Old April 10, 2013, 05:27 PM   #11
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I bought a Tapco stock form my Yugo SKS because I wanted a pistol grip and I hoped it would make it lighter. It did not. Turns out the old tractor parts they used to build it made it heavy.

So I gave it to a guy I used to work with because he said he had a lot of experience with the SKS. He had to grind a lot of material off the stock to get it to fit. And without my knowledge or permission, he took a Dremel to the gas tube housing to get it to fit. So now after every three shots, the lever flips up and the housing gets loose.

Yeah me.
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