Lone Star Arms
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Posts posted by Lone Star Arms
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If it’s always getting stuck in the same place, the problem is likely your magazines, and maybe a combination of a particular ammo type with the particular magazine you’re using. An easy way to check would be to try some Winchester 2 3/4” AA birdshot (which tends to feed and run well in these guns) 1350 FPS or faster, and see how that feeds.
I do see that the ammo you currently have loaded has a pronounced bulge at the crimp. Not usually a problem for a breach loader, but definitely will hang on barrel extensions, and get caught on the edge of the extractor notch at the entrance to the barrel on a Vepr 12 or Saiga 12.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, while these guns will run a variety of ammo, they won’t run ‘everything’, and 2 3/4 tends to run more consistently than a steady diet of high powered 3”. Best advice at this point is to experiment and find some slugs it does like. Look for smooth even hulls, with nearly no discernible bulge at the crimp, and enough FPS to run the action.
My contact phone number is now (505) 263-8822. We’re not using the 800 line anymore.
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Appreciate it, Gunny!
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The welded on steel brake is a big issue since it needs to be removed to modify the gas system. Did you pin it or seam weld it? Beautiful job on the Cerakote.
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Got this little beauty in a couple of months ago. Built by RJF back in their glory days, and badly in need of performance work to get it running properly. Owner wanted the gun to run optimally, an HK steel optics rail installed on the dustcover, GG&G Benelli M4 LH charging handle installed, and the Galil style RH charging handle which was cracking and about to come off, removed and blended. Just posted images in my gallery but here are a couple of snapshots for this thread. Took it out to the range post rebuild, and this little guy absolutely rocks now!
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Lone Star Arms has specialized in Saiga 12 conversions and high performance work since 2008, building the finest, fastest, most reliable Saiga 12 tactical shotguns available anywhere, at any price. Turnaround times are typically 8 - 12 weeks. Call Lone Star Arms Gunsmiths today at (505) 263-8822 to have your Saiga 12 transformed into the fast cycling, high performance 12 gauge shotgun you've always dreamed it could be! lonestararms.com
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Good morning. I have Kalashnikov USA factory railed forearms (rails at 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00) that I will trade for stock Saiga 12 factory handguards.
Please email me at lonestararms@yahoo.com or call (505) 263-8822.
Mike Rogers
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It's a beauty, Chile. Congratulations!
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Really beautiful, Chile! They did a fantastic job!!! Congrats on that gorgeous build!
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No worries, Chile. Give me a shout if you find them. Someone asked me recently what I needed them for. Handguards... 😂😂😂.
Really impressed with that build. Looking forward to finished pics!
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Hi Chile. I've got a couple of S12 take off safeties but no rife safeties at present. Still focusing exclusively on shotguns, and my jewelry work at present.
Tell you what. If you're interested, I'm happy to engrave an S12 bolt carrier face for you in exchange for some of those S12 handguards. I believe I've still got your email. Please let me know how many handguards your willing to part with, and I'll email you a prepaid label. Also a return label for your S12 bolt carrier for engraving.
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Great job Chile! Looks terrific!!!
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Nice work but looks really out of place on the otherwise all black gun. If you're targeting the AK market, you'll do better with high quality matched furniture sets, grip, and upper and lower hand guard as a matched set.
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Sad to learn of Doc's passing. May God bless and keep him.
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Lone Star Arms needs handguards to fill ongoing orders!
Do you have factory Saiga 12, Lynx 12, or Cheetah 12 factory hand guards laying around? Lone Star Arms will trade new condition Kalashnikov USA take off hand guards in exchange for factory Saiga 12, Lynx 12, and Cheetah 12 hand guards.
Here's the deal... Send us your Saiga 12, Lynx 12, or Cheetah 12 factory handguards, and we'll send you an essentially new condition Kalashnikov USA factory hand guard in return. The hand guards we're offering are top quality hand guards, embedded with threaded steel receptacles for Kalashnikov USA proprietary picatinny rail systems ($24.95 from K-USA).
We will pay inbound and outbound shipping for your trade, and email you a shipping label, so no money out of pocket for you!
Call (505) 263-8822 to arrange a trade for your take off handguard!
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Thanks Chile!
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Created this for a custom Komrad build. (C) 2021 M. M. Rogers
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Love this one as well:
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Topic reopened: Otava Yo!
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Sold! I'll take it in a heartbeat. Please call me to make arrangements.
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On 12/10/2018 at 6:44 AM, evlblkwpnz said:
XTR-12 shotgun and ALG AKT trigger are prime examples of what you are referring to in the 'engineer' commentary. They already know it all, why would they bother to listen to a jeweler or a pool builder, lol?
As far as winners and losers go, I think receiver to trunnion alignment has everything to do with it. It is the one thing that can vary the most on Saiga 12s. I haven't handled enough KS-12s and Lynx to see if they vary as much in alignment.
Had a KS-12 in the shop with receiver/carrier alignment issues, and although the fit and finish is generally much better than the Russian export models, KS-12s clearly aren't immune to these issues.
Lynx seems to attempt to address cycling issues with generally weaker springs, a blackjack type recoil buffer at the rear of the receiver, and a couple of extra gas settings.
Once again it looks like yet another manufacturer is applying band-aids and Appalachian engineering to address problems inherent in the engineering and assembly issues copied from the originals.
Receiver alignment is definitely something we always look at when a gun comes in for work. One of the the other issues we commonly see is fitment geometry.
The guns we see often have a combination of issues when they come in the door, and have often been previously 'worked on ', so along with the inherent issues present in many factory guns, we also often have to address issues created by previous aftermarket work. I'm sure you get your fair share of these guns as well
When I started doing this a decade ago, and I' know the same is true of you, I came to gunsmithing with a background as a master craftsman. Custom pool builder, or custom jeweler - that's not a bad place to start.
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"ive had -2-3 russian shotguns over the years that would run birdshot without futziing around. i shoulda kept 2 of them. they were just so buttery smooth! and light recoiling. not sure what made those guns so perfect. i guess they were just perfectly in sync".
So true!
The biggest issue with Russian shotguns and their many recent clones has always been that the way the parts fit and work together in the real world is often very different than the workings the engineers envisioned when they designed these guns.
What is baffling is that with nearly every clone produced, regardless of origin, the defects which cause common malfunctions are precisely copied from whatever sample the copier happens to have in hand, and that on the corporate side no apparent effort goes in to analyzing and engineering a better product.
Generally speaking, one comes away with the impression that If they're actually paying engineers, they're paying them way too much, and they'd be much better off hiring guys who actually understand how to make these systems perform in the real world.
Pretty much across the board, regardless of the source, out of the box, most AK shotguns will run high brass reasonably well, fewer guns will run low brass reasonably well, and some guns won't run anything well.
Once in a while, when the stars are in divine alignment, an AK shotgun right out of the box will run absolutely everything beautifully. As Salty has opined, when one is lucky enough to get one these. its a "keeper".
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All of the parts on the KS-12s I've worked on have been top notch US Made parts. In many cases machined from bar stock, where Russian parts are cast/forged. Have swapped in Russian Bolts and Carriers to test compatibility with KS-12s and vice versa, and its always 100%.
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"I was running 2.75 dram loads reliably in stick mags and 3 dram bulk pack loads in MD-20 drums. These things are winners right out of the box."
Have rebuilt a number of these guns, and so far I've seen one KS-12 that ran this way out of the box. My advice to the owner was to leave it just as it is mechanically, and enjoy it.
Right out of the gate, Kalashnikov USA guns have been head and shoulders above their Russian siblings in terms of build quality and performance, and K-USA appears to be continuously striving to improve the quality performance of the guns..
Still love the Russian guns, but at this point I'm loving the K-USA guns even more!
Spring resistance can definitely have an effect on performance, but with the caveat that weaker springs usually means limiting the range of ammo you're shooting to lower powered loads. Running more powerful loads with weaker springs can result in damage to your bolt carrier and rear trunnion.
If you want to try weaker springs to improve low end performance, proceed with extreme caution, and keep your heavier springs handy to swap in if you see any wear or deformation to the rear of your bolt carrier, or to the rear trunnion.
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Congratulations, brother!
He's beautiful!!!
Mike
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Need Saiga 20 help
in Saiga-20
Posted
The piston (puck) is supposed to have a bit of play. It actually expands a bit from heat during cycling and having a piston that is too close to the inside diameter of the gas block will cause it to gall and stick when it heats up, so you actually want it to move freely inside the gas block when everything is squeaky clean and room temp.
Additionally, during the break in cycle you'll get a layer of "seasoning" on the inner wall of the gas block which seals up any gas leakage. This is desirable because it acts like the rings on an automotive piston creating malleable pressure seal which aids in efficient cycling.
Once the inside of gas block is seasoned, you don't want to clean the walls of the gas block back down to bare metal, or you'll have a pressure leak that requires you to use a higher pressure load to cycle the action.
You should still remove debris from the gas block and any buildup from the front of your puck every 150 or so rounds, but leave the seasoning on the gas block walls alone, and your cycling should improve.