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evlblkwpnz

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Posts posted by evlblkwpnz

  2. Clone comparison

    in Saiga-12

    Posted

    Haven't looked. No time for it. I had to do what little bit of testing I did in a hurry. This week is really busy too. I would guess that they had the equivalent of 5 @ 0.08" like the Vepr 12. Feels like it. I am hoping the Lynx doesn't have one giant port. If it does that would be a great excuse to move the gas system ;)

  7. Clone comparison

    in Saiga-12

    Posted

    I have started testing both the Kalashnikov USA KS-12 and the SDS Lynx. Both are new, 100% factory, and no work has been done. Basically, I am doing this to get to the bottom of whether these clones are viable candidates for custom work. So far, in brief inspection and preliminary testing things look good. Considering custom work, the main things I will be concerned with will be durability and reliability potential, not so much how they are equipped or how they may deviate from the Saiga-12.

    Initial pros and cons, in my opinion... (much of this wouldn't matter if work is being done, some is based on preference)

    KS-12 Pros:

    Build quality is very high and is very true to the original in the main aspects

    As it is equipped, it looks proper and furniture is decent for OEM. There would be nothing wrong with leaving it as-is, IMO

    Action feels great for straight out of the box

    Doesn't need any work to run reliably with weak loads while using non-drum mags

    KS-12 Cons:

    I do not like the absence of a BHO lever. This is about manual of arms more than function. The selector BHO works, but it makes the user deviate from the standard Saiga-12 manual of arms. I prefer a BHO lever.

     

    Lynx Pros:

    It has a proper BHO lever and the manual of arms is just like home to me

    Doesn't need any work to run reliably with weak loads while using non-drum mags

    Build quality is good, especially for the current price point

    It is a fairly close clone compared to other offerings manufactured in China

    Price point is great

    Lynx Cons:

    Action is a little sticky and semi-rough, but things could be done to improve it

    The traditional AK grip is a bit narrow for use on a shotgun and most people will want to swap it out.

     

    Reliability

    Initial testing has been limited to simply figuring out what they will run with stock mags and drum mags. 

    - Both run reliably with loads down to Winchester AA 1145 fps 1-1/8 oz 2-3/4 dram in box mags. Yes,  Federal and Winchester bulk pack too.

    - Both run reliably with loads down to Federal Multi-purpose 1200 fps 1-1/8 oz 3 dram in MD-20 drums

    - The KS-12 will run Winchester Universal 1200 fps 1-1/8 oz 3 dram in MD-20 drums. The Lynx was about 50% reliable after the first 5 or so rounds are out of the drum.

     

    Now that I know what they will both run in drums as a minimum baseline load I can order some bulk ammo and start testing with video documentation. I will work up to firing stronger loads in the latter part of the testing and box mags will be used for that. Time is not something that I have a surplus of so this will take some weeks. I'll compile video when I have run a thousand or so rounds through each and post it. I will also be documenting any parts failure or decrease is reliability that is related to wear. Both weapons will be field stripped, cleaned, and lubricated before any more testing is done. Thus far, they have been tested as-is straight out of the box and I have to say that I am impressed with both.

     

     

     

     

     

  8. Saiga12 model info

    in Saiga-12

    Posted

    Looks like an IZ-433 or 030 series. I am not sure what is going on with that sleeve. Does the finish on the barrel match the receiver? If not, someone may have done some 'work' that required that sleeve-like portion. Look through the bore and see if there is a break in the bore at that point. It looks a lot like a barrel extension.

  9. Lynx?

    in Saiga-12

    Posted

    I ran exactly 5 rounds of Federal Multi-purpose in an OEM Saiga-12 mag through both the Lynx and the KS-12. Both were NIB and has nothing at all done to them, not even lube. Both ejected all five. I was kind of in a hurry to test fire some customer stuff and didn't have much time. I am going to see what they will eject with MD-20 drums and then get a couple thousand rounds of the strongest weak load that ejects in both. From there I will video document until I am out of ammo. I am not sure if I have 10 drums left or not, but it would be nice to do 2000 rounds in just 10 video clips.

     

    ETA: If they both live through that, I'll test with some stronger loads, working up to some 3" loads. I'd like to get to 2k rounds in each by the end of the testing. If one breaks, I'll keep going with the other until it breaks or reaches 2k rounds.

  11. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    3 hours ago, gunfun said:

    Sounds great.

    I would love a break from being a small business owner. It's been very tempting lately to be an employee with fixed paycheck and fixed hours/ hours off. My wife would feel a lot better about that too.

    I don't like working with or for other people. When it comes to work, I am wired for complete solitude and most happy in that state. No other hands or minds around to screw things up, lol.

    • Like 1

  12. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    19 hours ago, Photoguy said:

    I was going to say something, but Chile took it away with this.

     

    Have a good time of it.

    It hasn't taken me long to start enjoying it. Working at the shop doesn't feel much like work and I can finally have a schedule that resembles normality. I never felt like I deserved it, bit I am extremely thankful for it. Glory to God for planning my life better than I can. I've been praying for direction for a while and piece by piece things have fallen into place. One of the things about being spread so thin that was really getting to me was having to pass on some men's ministry events in favor of getting pool work done that couldn't wait. Now I can arrange things such that I can make all of them. We mainly try to help anyone not able in the community with harder physical work around their home. 

    • Like 1

  13. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    20 hours ago, YOT said:

    I retired in April, mostly due to a major medical problem that won't go away without major surgery. I have not missed any part of that place. I'll be glad when the deductions have stabilized out of my pension, but we expected some income turbulence. We've spent more time in the camper this summer than we have at home. A test of sorts for future full-time travel. We're home now, for the winter most likely. Hopefully we can tie up some loose ends that will make next summer even better.

     

    Enjoy your retirement! 

    It is great that in spite of the situation not being planned or ideal, healthwise and financially, you are still able to get out and enjoy yourself. I have known a lot of people who never even made it to retirement or simply not in the health or financial condition to do much after they got there. We hope to do some traveling after I get things caught up at the shop. We are going a different route though. I always wanted to go cross country in a convertible and God provided the car (amazing story behind that) and the opportunity. I think Yellowstone would be amazing with the top down, save the animal encounters. We'll be putting the top up for those parts. The trunk is so small that we will have to travel really light, backpacks. I like that. I want to be as close to get in the car and go' as possible.

     

  14. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    I think it might take me nearly a year to get caught up on all of the projects that I have been wanting to do, but I'll get them done now in my own time. I think the mental effect of not being slammed and spread so thin may make me move a bit more efficiently as well. I can feel the sense of urgency leaving my mind already.

    Well stated. I used to sacrifice everything to keep my businesses moving, but I can't say that it really made a dime's worth of difference. Looking back, it was complete vanity. Now, I can take whatever time I want to be with family, any day of the week, provided there is no last minute notice and I don't have appointments scheduled. 

    Lately, I have rediscovered the value of complete silence. For whatever reason, my ears don't ring as bad as they used to and I can enjoy it again. 

  15. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    I may be too high strung for 2 real days off in a row until I settle with the idea. This anxiousness started when my youngest daughter died and I think it is a subconscious nagging that tomorrow may not come for me and there is an urge to do it now, do it today. I always pictured myself at 40+ working (5) 8 hours days and then sitting in an EZ chair all weekend watching sports and drinking beer, but none of that is my reality, lol. Sports offer too much disappointment, my head and wallet can't handle beer like they used to, and if I sit too long my back hurts. It is about 10am here and I'm already about to go nuts knowing it isn't Sunday, lol. There is some preparatory work that I need to do so I can move the lathe and CNC machine next week. Pretty light work and I don't have any appointments today, so I figure it will be better to do it today incomplete peace than to try to get it done during the week. After that I will do yard work. This light day plan should be pretty close to relaxing compared to what Saturdays are usually like (a marathon-like hustle) and it should make for a Sunday that is really like a rest day.

    It will be nice again to have one day a week that I could spend working on my own guns again and not have to rush about it. I have lists of home and vehicle projects that I need to get done before I mess with much personal gun work though. My work schedule has really consumed the opportunity to do anything else for so long. It has been all I could do to keep the yard looking nice and sneak in an oil change in a rush. With it cooling off here, kind of, I see some Saturday afternoon bicycle rides on the horizon.  

  17. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    3 hours ago, ChileRelleno said:

    Matthew 6:24

    No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
     

    I always thought of that verse as serving God vs the world, but it nails what it has been like with two companies. One was like a prison sentence and the other is a holiday. I never felt like I actually gained anything from the pool company and my staying involved was more of a sense of obligation to my partner and his family. We both have better things to do now, finally. 

    • Like 1

  18. I'm retired, as I know it.

    in General Discussion - Any topic is welcome here!!!

    Posted

    I started in the pool industry in 2001, worked for two different structural subcontractors, started my subcontracting company in 2007, and started my pool company in 2010. To say it has been a rough road for the last 11 years running two companies at a time doesn't even come close. During the slow economy I did all of the structural, mechanical, and waterproofing on all of my pools for the first few years and all was great. Our product was exactly what I thought it should be, but there just wasn't enough of it to keep me busy and I decided to close the subcontracting company and open the shop to fill the gaps. As soon as the shop started to take off, the pool company did too and we had to start subcontracting work out as I was really kind of over doing it all myself at that point. Letting someone else do the hard work sounds far easier than it is, especially when you are not building cookie-cutter projects. It got to the point that there were so many mistakes made that I would go to inspect work and wonder if I could catch all of it. Pages of punch lists at times, it was really that bad. They couldn't seem to even grasp the basics in many cases and frustration over that escalated. Admittedly, the lack of competency in the workforce had me on the edge of fury at times. I knew that it was time to come up with an exit plan as it was not taking me in a direction that I wanted to go nor could I glorify God through that company while being so frustrated with it. I finally realized that I could not train people to care about what they are building or make them comprehend simple details on a plan, had my fill of that, and decided I would go back in the field as hardcore as I could physically stand until all existing projects were done and we would close the company or I would simply walk away and let my partner have the entire company, for free. To say that I am over it doesn't come close either and it has been a very hard year for me getting all of this work done. My partner thought I was nuts, but the work is done. You never know what a man can do when he is determined or if the goal is his freedom, or both in my case. 

    I'm quite excited about it being over and being left at the shop to work in peace now, finally. Being split between two companies has required me to work long hours 7 days a week, finally tapering down to 6 days a week over the last couple of years, and now I can join the regular workforce with a 5 day week at the shop and actually do something for myself on Saturday if I want, or do nothing at all but relax. I am curious to see what I can get done at the shop in a week without constant interruption from the other company and there are a lot of ideas rattling around my head that I will finally be able to set in motion. I have quite a bit of catching up to do, but it shouldn't take me all that long. When my backlog is cleared it should start to get interesting. Simple product will start to trickle out and services will expand. I want to humbly thank all of my customers for their patience and support. It has been a very long, physically brutal, and mentally frustrating road, but I have finally made it to the finish line with the pool company and all that is left are legal details, overseeing some concrete work, and some simple day here day there work if I decide I want to do it in the meantime. Glory to God for strengthening me that I might work hard and still come out on the other side of it in reasonably good health for someone who is about to turn 45. Being at the shop never felt much like work, so I consider myself retired and I feel like the most blessed guy on the planet to be retired at 44 years old.    

    • Like 2

  20. Lynx?

    in Saiga-12

    Posted

    I've had one in my shop for about a month now and haven't had time to do more than rack the slide a time or two, have a quick peek inside, and put it in the safe. I am retiring from my pool company in a few days and hope to celebrate that with the initial test of the Lynx and a KS-12. Both are brand new and unmodified. My goal is not to compare to the Saiga 12 but to see which of these is the best substitute for people considering an SBS build. All testing will be video documented. The plan is to put 2k rounds through each over a few sessions and see what happens.

    Ben, I am glad someone else with a long history of understanding the Saiga 12 is digging in too. Maybe between the two of us we can figure out if the Lynx might be generally decent. I have only heard good about it, so far.

  22. Price Check?

    in Saiga-12

    Posted

    With actually decent clones available now the prices have come back into the realm of sanity. Still, there are some who missed the bulletin. They will figure it out when they have had it listed for $3k for a year or two and it still hasn't sold. It reminds me of people still trying to sell regular AR lowers for $200+ after the 2013 panic ended.

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