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Sko-12 testing, need ideas


Cody_2130

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My standard manufacturing sko-12 should be here Friday, nobody seems to know much from a reliability standpoint on these so I figure I'll do my best to make it not run but I need some ideas beyond just throwing light ammo in it. Anyone have ideas on what usually goes wrong on box fed shotguns? This is my first one so I figure I'm behind the curve

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Fair warning, it's my understanding the manual states that during the break-in period they can have issues with light loads. Though I've seen a couple of independent reviews now that claimed no malfunctions with light target loads out of the box in what should still be considered a break-in period, so...Maybe not. Keep us posted though

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My suggestion would be to go out and buy a couple boxes of each of the following;

 

- A first, second, and third preference of the kind of birdshot you'd like to be able to use as practice ammo, and

 

- A first, second, and third preference of the kind of birdshot you'd like to run in competition, and

 

- A first, second, and third preference of the slugs you'd like to both use as practice and run in competition.

 

Run all the rounds through the gun prior to going through the break-in period, then perform the break-in as suggested in the manual, then perform the same original test once the gun has been broken in. Record and report reliability performance for each different type/brand of ammo and make your decisions based on those results

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1 hour ago, Rudukai13 said:

My suggestion would be to go out and buy a couple boxes of each of the following;

 

- A first, second, and third preference of the kind of birdshot you'd like to be able to use as practice ammo, and

 

- A first, second, and third preference of the kind of birdshot you'd like to run in competition, and

 

- A first, second, and third preference of the slugs you'd like to both use as practice and run in competition.

 

Run all the rounds through the gun prior to going through the break-in period, then perform the break-in as suggested in the manual, then perform the same original test once the gun has been broken in. Record and report reliability performance for each different type/brand of ammo and make your decisions based on those results

Damn good idea, I'll have to do that

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I have ran about 300 rounds through it so far and it has done well. MKA1919 fit but do not function great, not sure if they need to be tuned or what. Shoots nice and soft, buckshot and slugs dont kill you like some of the other guns on the market. Once it was broke in I switched to light target loads and have had zero issues with them amazingly. Unfortanatly the local spot where I was planning on shooting 3 gun this summer closed for good so I may end up selling the gun but we will see

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  • 2 months later...

I have an SKO-12. 

 

The first few boxes of shells tested fine with no jams.  Then I took it to a 3-gun match, shooting 1 oz Estate shells.  I was getting head separation.  Either the ammo was faulty or perhaps the pressure of pushing the shells into the magazine weakened the joint between head and case, I don't know.  Anyway, this was before Standard's current break in recommendations.

 

So, I bought some quality ammo and retested.  It continued to jam.

 

I sent the gun back to Standard and they "re-certified" it.   Their recommendation is to break it in with 100 rounds of Remington 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 OZ at over 1200 ft/s. 

 

I did this today.  During break in I was getting 1 or 2 jams per 10 round mag.  At first it was the case that the trigger would click on a chambered shell and nothing would happen.  Perhaps the bolt was not completely locked.  As testing went on I got some classic jams where the bolt went only halfway forward.  In other cases the bolt went forward on an empty chamber with shells still in the mag.  

 

These were high brass shells so I took advantage of that and was careful to load each shell pressing down brass on brass, rather than brass against plastic, hoping to avoid any deformation of the shell.

 

I will clean it well and do more tests.

 

Test suggestions:

1) Try loading more of less rounds in your magazine to see if magazine spring pressure is an issue.

2) Between each shot try pressing forward on the charging handle to see if this prevents failures to fire. This might distinguish between failure of the bolt to lock vs other malfunctions.

3) Take note of how malfunctions progress during the course of a test.  Do they remain the same or change?  

4) Standard is recommending using heavier loads so try to get these working before switching ammo, since changing ammo will confound with other factors, like fouling, during each test.  

 

I'll be very interested in hearing how things go for you and likewise will keep you posted.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A friend of mine has a SKO-12 and it has worked with all of the 1919 mags that we have.  It has run well with Tooth and Nail armory 10 round, 18 round, and 23 round mags.  It has run well with 5 and 10 round factory 1919 mags also.  The bolt hold open is the only thing that has been spotty with the 1919 mags.  The hold open actuator protrudes further out on the SKO mag follower than the actuator on the 1919 mag followers.

The only issue with reliability so far seems to be that after around 100-150 rounds the gun gets dirty and then it seems to short stroke at times and have a dead trigger at times.  The issue is  infrequent but is happening.

The gun has 75 rounds of high brass through it and then a bunch of 2 3/4 dram and 3 dram AAs and 3 dram Federal birdshot trough it.  So far it runs well except for the issue stated above.  He will have to keep it very clean.

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I can't speak to the Firebird Tac-12 because I haven't seen one in person.  I can say the Sko is much better reliability wise than either of the MKA 1919s that I have seen, and one of those was worked by a known 1919 smith.  The SKO shows a lot of promise and started running low brass faster than any of the box Fed shotguns (including a VEPR and a Saiga) that belong to any of the guys that I regularly shoot with.    I have an Armagon G12 and once broken in (100 rounds of high brass) and 2 minor issues were addressed it has been extremely reliable both clean and dirty, it's the best I have seen so far.

 

One other thing I can say about the SKO is that depending on your shooting style, you may burn your thumb on the barrel.  I wound up making a shroud out of kydex for the front so that we don't get burned while using a hand forward thumb high grip on the hand guard.

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  • 10 months later...

I have a SKO Shorty, two 5 rd and one 10 rd mags.  Shot it for the first time earlier this week, only ran about 25 shells through it, of three different types (all meeting the minimum recommendations).  Not once did it cycle completely to the follow up shot, about 3 or 4 feeding issues.  Yes I understand about the so called "break in" but come on...really.  I hope it improves or this firearm is basically useless.

Any recommendations?  Other than continuing to the "break in period"?

Thanks all!

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