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evlblkwpnz

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Posts posted by evlblkwpnz

  1. The trigger on my converted S12 resets when I hand cycle it, but doesn't reset when I fire it. It feeds and ejects just fine. Any thoughts on the issue and or a fix? Thanks in advance for any help.

    I apologize if this is a frequently asked question. I searched before posting.

     

    This may have nothing to do with your reset issue. My S12 was a DIY conversion when I got it. I was hand cycling it and noticed that the trigger had a lot of play in it when moved from side to side. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the sleeve that holds the disconnector in the trigger had slid out to one side. The side of the trigger that the "hook" is on had an extreme amount of up and down movement because of the absence of the sleeve on that side. This could possibly create an issue with the trigger not grabbing the hammer when it comes back to reset. I had to take the trigger out and "stake" the sides of the sleeve so it wouldn't slide around anymore. I had only fired 17 rounds before I noticed this. It hadn't worked it's way all the way over to the right side of the reciever yet and the weapon was still functioning fine. You can check this by looking at the trigger from the inside and wiggling the exposed part of the trigger from side to side. This may not be the problem with your gun, but it would be easy to fix if it is. Good luck and let us know what you find.

     

    BTW Who did the conversion? Has it ever been sent to Alliance Armament for "reliability service? Has any material been removed from the bolt carrier or any other internal parts?

  2. I have a black Tapco T6 with the Tapco Buttpad. It came on my converted S12 when I got it. The weapon had never been fired and the stock looks new. There is no pistol grip, but it has the hole to thread a grip screw in it. I would sell it for $45 shipped with no Paypal fee. I put a Romy sidefolder on my S12 and I don't need the Tapco anymore. PM me if you are interested. Thank you.... evl

  3. That particular ad has been running on a nationally known website for at least six to eight months, and I for one am getting tired of seeing it. At the time it was posted, MD 20's typically sold between $280 to $300 on that particular site, with the AA drums selling for roughly $100 more.

     

    I don't think there is any question that the intent of ad is to call attention to the price difference between the products, and to rub AA's nose in their tarnished reputation. But enough is enough. The market has changed, there are at least two manufacturers making injection molded 20 round drums at around $120 a copy, while (as far as I know) the AA drum remains priced north of $300. From a price/value relationship alone, the AA drum is no longer a viable option, as one can buy three MD 20's, and and enough 12 gauge ammo to fill them all for the price of one AA 20 round drum.

     

    So, as someone who advertises guns on that site, I would like to appeal to whoever it is who continues to post the ad to let it expire. With MD arms and another manufacturer making value priced drums - there is no reason to continue to run it. The time has come and gone when it made a legitimate point, and it is now just an annoyance, a waste of time, and pointless visual spam.

     

    I would personally like to see the now completely irrelevant ad go away, replaced with something useful like a legitimate classified for Mike D's forthcoming double stack mags -- which along with Cobra's LRBHO, and Cameron's metal S12 mag (all still in development, or unreleased) represent some of the best and most useful innovations currently in the pipeline.

     

    JMHO

     

    I believe the ad is ran by AA, and they say the drums were the ones from their drum comparison videos. It is just more of the same.... BS. When the Wraithmaker first came out, I wanted one bad, but just couldn't condone buying a S12 and that drum too. I had a pretty deep AR and AK addiction at the time. I guess you could say that the addiction to ARs and AKs saved me from buying that POS drum (at the ultra-inflated price it was back then). I want one of MDs drums, but I want to see what happens with his doublestacks first.

  4. I have never shot skeet. There is a skeet club nearby and I checked it out today. The place is huge (7 lanes, I think) and it looks like it might be a lot of fun. This is the only place that I know of that will allow rapid fire while using a shotgun. Most places don't even allow shotguns around here. There is one other place that does, but it is waaaay g@@@@@@y. 2 seconds between each shot rule :( The guys that were at the club shooting had over-unders and I'm sure that the S12 might get a few "looks" there. The people I spoke too were really nice and said there would be a shoot this weekend if I would like to watch and see if I might be interested in learning.

     

    One of the guys said he mainly uses 8 shot. What is some decent 8 shot that might be good for skeet. I assume skeet ammo needs to be fast? Is the Saiga something that could be used for skeet? Most of the guns I saw had long barrels (22" or so?). I have a Franchi SAS-12 with about a 20" barrel, but the whole point is to be able to fire my S12 there. I don't really have any options other than the skeet club. This city sux for shotgun owners....

  5. You were wanting to fire your weapon some kind of bad to go out in that weather, lol. I think this might be a good indicator of the depth of your passion for firearms. I'm glad you had good results. I noticed the recoil on my S12 seemed lighter than my Romanian WASR 10/63. They both have pushbutton sidefolders on them. 3" shells might be another story though, lol. I haven't tried any 3" yet. I'm saving the good stuff for the Zombies....

  6. Ship it USPS Priority and insure for the full amount that it would cost to replace the weapon(weapon, tranfer fee, shipping, etc.). The reason to ship Priority is that your weapon won't be sitting around a long time for people to get curious about what might be in the box. Take the buttstock off and use a shorter box. This will help make the package look less like a firearm might be in it. Theft happens.... Good luck.

  7. Use Federal value pack ammo ONLY. Winchester value pack ammo doesn't work for MOST of even the best S12s.

     

    I'll try some of the Federal. The guy I bought the Saiga from said the Winchester bulk does fine in his basic conversion S12. That's the only reason I got the Winchester stuff. It had never been fired at all and I was somewhat impressed with it ejecting any of it after the first shot FTE'd. I'm pretty stubborn and I will keep trying until it works as I think it should.

     

    BTW, it really rubs me the wrong way when someone sells a customer an unfired gun with claims it will cycle Winchester Universal. As a builder, I can assure you, that unless the builder has tested that particular gun with Winchester Universal, the builder has no business making those kinds of claims.

     

    If the guy has represented that your gun will cycle Winchester Universal and it doesn't, he has a responsibility to you to make it right, and you shouldn't have to pay a penny extra for it.

     

    If you approach him about this and he doesn't live up to his claims, I think you should post his name in the feedback section so that he may either defend himself, or make it right, or be exposed as someone who makes false claims and does not live up to his word.

     

    Mike Rogers

    As far as the claims the original owner made about the ammo goes, sending it back to him for tuning/work would be out of the question. From some details of the workmanship in the conversion, I can tell that my idea of what is acceptable differs from his. Overall it is OK, but just not to my standard. My first conversion was an AK Hunter and the work I did looks much better than this Saiga conversion does. Hunters are a PITA compared to the Saiga. All of the above being said, I am generally happy with what I got from him and was expecting to need to fiddle with something about this firearm. The trade transaction stemmed from arfcom communication and I would not feel right mentioning his username here. To him, the conversion may have been flawless and he may really be able to shoot cheap Winchester in his gun with very little FTEs. I am stubborn, good with my hands, and I have a good basic understanding of how to work on mechanical things. I'm sure I will be able to achieve the results I want. I know I can't expect it to operate flawlessly with garbage ammo, but I would like to increase the number of successful ejects. I assume the weapon, in the current condition, would probably cycle high brass ammo well. Cycling and break in with High Brass isn't what I am trying to achive. If I can get this thing to cycle with cheap stuff, results with better ammo will be elementary.

     

    Gentlemen,

    I certainly appreciate all of the input, especially you guys from Lonestar. Everything you have said has been well said and very educational. You even said a few things I was trying to say much better than I said them, lol. This whole issue is about stretching the baseline of what ammo can be used in this weapon. Hard times happen, and from the look of it, the probability of things going bad increases every day. For example, panic buying, legislation, and events that could lead to social unrest. We may need to fire garbage ammo someday and why not be prepared for that situation?

     

    Thank you all,

    evl

    • Like 1
  8. The correct port size is .93, or 3/32". Most of the guns I see have smaller ports, and sometimes of varying sizes. My best guess is that there is nothing scientific about this on the Izhmash side. I think they probably have two or three sizes of bits available to them, and whatever isn't broken is probably what they were using the day your barrel was drilled.

     

    Winchester value pack is some of the sorriest, most poorly made 12 gauge ammo available. Contrary to conventional wisdom, you can break an S12 in with it, (I've done it) but it can take 100's of rounds to get the job done. Even then the ammo is so inconsistent, that you are likely to get some percentage of FTE's anyway. Federal bulk pack is priced about the same and will be much more consistent with fewer FTE's.

     

    With all due respect to those who swear by it, high brass is also not a guaranteed remedy. In order for the gun to cycle properly it has to have enough gas running through the system to get the job done. If the vents aren't right, all you are likely to get from high brass is a sore shoulder and a hangover from the ammo bills. At .60 to 1.20 a round, a couple hundred or so rounds of high brass can run into real money very quickly.

     

    The same is true for fixer plugs. They only work if you have enough gas going through the system. After market tappets or pistons are useful for compliance purposes, but I have seen absolutely no evidence that they will improve cycling. Once again, as a component of the gas system, the piston is only as effective as the volume of gas driving it.

     

    Attmpting DIY repairs to the gas system when there is a warranty service available makes about as much sense as extracting your own tooth when you have already paid for dental insurance.

     

    If you have determined that your gun is not cycling properly, your first course of action should be to see if there is warranty service available through Cadiz Gun Works. If there is, you may be able to save yourself a great deal of time and money by letting the folks the factory pays to correct problems to do their job at no expense to you.

     

    Once the gas system is supplying enough gas for efficient cycling, the work you have done on the receiver side is far more likely to start paying dividends in terms of performance.

     

    Like every other community, we have our share of folk remedies, over the counter prescriptions, and in some cases - outright snake oil. It's always great when you can do it yourself and take pride in having done so. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with turning a problem area over to someone who's job it is to solve that problem for you.

     

    The gun has been converted already. It is my understanding that once it is converted there is no warranty service. Am I mistaken? Anyways, I just took the gas block off and the ports are .080" and there are 3 of them. Everytime I have read anything about port sizes .070" and .090" are always mentioned. Is a .010" increase in port size going to make much of a difference when firing crap ammo? I just want it to run on whatever I can find if need be. You just never know how things may be in the future. How large should I go for a three port system? I understand that Gunfixer plugs aren't a fix for undergassed guns, but do offer a means of regulating the gas better. I intend to get one when Mike is stocked again. Any suggestions on size and whether or not I enlarge all three?

  9. Use Federal value pack ammo ONLY. Winchester value pack ammo doesn't work for MOST of even the best S12s.

     

    I'll try some of the Federal. The guy I bought the Saiga from said the Winchester bulk does fine in his basic conversion S12. That's the only reason I got the Winchester stuff. It had never been fired at all and I was somewhat impressed with it ejecting any of it after the first shot FTE'd. I'm pretty stubborn and I will keep trying until it works as I think it should.

  10. FTE on first shot, FTE on third shot, and FTE on 7th shot. Didn't have time to shoot more.... long story about living in the city, lol. I know I am shooting crap ammo and I will need to shoot more to break it in. From the limited shot history it has.... seems like it is getting better, lol.

     

    It is a 3 port gun, the FCG friction surfaces have been polished, underside of the bolt carrier has been polished, rails have been polished, and gas plug setting on #2. I run all of my weapons wet, so lube is not an issue. What do you think? Put more rounds through it and see if it gets better or pull the barrel and add a 4th port? I don't like wasting time or ammo. The ports are clear, but I cant tell exactly what size they are. Any help appreciated.

  11. Attached is a link which will take you to the closest NRA range. You have to be a member to join one, but I find the minimal cost is well worth it and NRA ranges are very firearm friendly. The one I shoot at even encourages members to bring and shoot their legal class III weapons.

     

    http://www.nra.org/nralocal.aspx

     

    Good luck!

     

    Michael Rogers

    Lone Star Arms

     

    Micheal,

    I appreciate the link. I am a NRA member, so I'm GTG. I used to be a Police Lodge member and they raised the yearly fee, IIRC they more than doubled it. I don't usually respond well to price increases.... I'm a cheap bastard when it comes to some things.

     

    BTW What do you charge for your Saiga handguard customization? I like the vents and would like to have a rail or two added. One on the side and one on the bottom that is solid enough to support a vert grip. I tried to find your site, but no dice....

     

    Also, yes, I have that worthless Winchester garbage you were shooting in the video. I figured that would be an excellent way to find my gun's limit of garbage ammo functionality, lol. Looks like yours loves it. Mine being basically stock, I don't think I will be in luck with that ammo. We shall see....

  12. I live in Valdosta GA> and I am a member of the Little River Gun Club( NRA affiliated ). I shoot mine every Sunday and I envite you to be my guest.

     

    That's a pretty good drive from here. If I am going that far to shoot.... I will definitely have to bring more than just the Saiga. I need to get a better scope for my favorite AR and may take you up on the offer after I get one. However, I could just spend some of that money on ammo and break the S12 in proper on that trip. I appreciate the offer

  13. Paint.... everywhere. Yes, in the chamber, a little up in the barrel, in the bolt carrier, all over the bolt, everywhere.... took me a few hours just to get to the polishing part. Even with brake cleaner and a stiff stainless brush. It's clean now, and slicker than owl snot, lol.

     

    I wish I had some desert nearby to go shooting in. I live in the burbs of NE FL.

  14. I polished all of the friction surfaces in the action of my S12. Feels about as smooth as a Kalishnakov can feel. I have discovered that it is a 3 port gun. It was an unfired DIY conversion when I got it and it still hasn't been fired. There was paint in everything and I'm pretty sure it wasn't factory. It was all over the BCG, rails, FCG,.... even in the barrel. Why? The paint is what lead to the taking it off.... which lead to the anti-friction polishing.

     

    Does inertia make the firing pin go past the bolt face when the hammer strikes it? When I press the firing pin, it doesn't go past the bolt face. Probably normal, but I was just wondering. .

     

    I haven't shot this wonderful weapon yet because I can't find a place to do it. The two ranges that I like don't allow shotguns. They just aren't set up for it. There are a couple shotgun only clubs here, but I don't want to join because I don't think I will get my money's worth as they only allow shotguns. There is a range that is nice and they allow shotguns, buuut.... there is a rule there that really pisses me off.... 2 seconds between each shot. Whether it is a .50 cal or a .22 you will get yelled at for shooting at a rate higher that 1 shot per 2 seconds. How lame is that? I call it "Gheyway", but the name is really "Gateway". Whatever you call it, it sucks. Anyone near Jacksonville know of a good place to fire a shotgun faster that one shot per 2 seconds? LOL! This is killing me. I just want to see if it will function properly and I don't even need to fire at a target. Anyone using the Walmart Winchester 100s? I know they are crap. I just want to find the limit of what it will run on.

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