[Mak 90 bolt peening]

Sorry about the crumby picture but my camera is going out, there is a small groove or gouge in the face of the bolt right over the thin part above the extractor, it does not go into a crack or anything, would you guys worry if you saw something like this on your bolt or is it normal ware and tear? It is not very deep but If I run my finger nail over it I can feel it.

[Bump firing]

I was hoping I can ask those who are much wiser than me when it comes to the AK platform a few questions about bump firing, I want to know if it will hurt the gun in anyway? like will it lead to throat erosion if done excessively?

I kind of keep thinking that it has to be hard on the rear trunnion or something but I could be wrong.

[feed issue, what would cause a bullet to nose dive into the ramp/chamb]

What type of mags are they? Do you have a bullet-guide in your Saiga? For example, if youre using AK mags in a Saiga without a bullet-guide it will do exactly that since Saigas need Saiga-specific (Surefire, etc) mags (regular AK mags don't have the feed ramp built into the mag).

Sorry its not even a saiga, its just a regular ak, they are 2 German and one Chinese mag. I just don't get it!

[feed issue, what would cause a bullet to nose dive into the ramp/chamb]

Just curious I have a couple of mags that I have cleaned and inspected and they look fine but the bullets nose dive into the chamber opening and dont quite make it in, it jams and wont feed. My other mags dont have this problem, I can't see any reason for it. Follower looks good spring is good! I just don't get it.

[saiga 308 barrel life]

Steel cased ammo is harder on throats than brass cased ammo.

Throat erosion is the real enemy of a barrel. Keeping the Chamber clean will help extend the life a lot.

[Back with a 7.62x39]

555JM,

 

I admit that I have always been a gun trading junkie. That is why I had an FFL for 25 years. When a financial pinch arises (it is hell getting old and having health issues), I can always liquidate something, and I always know I can wheel and deal another gun to replace it: i.e. I needed $$$ for left over med bills from the shoulder rebuild, so I liquidated the 223 Saiga. That left me with lots of expensive .223 ammo and .223 brass and accessories, which gave me the opportunity to trade switch back to my preferred 7.62x39 (after fibbing to the doctor) and be bucks ahead for bills. When I was a young buck like you guys, I did the same with cars!

 

I do have some weapons that are non-expendable, though:

 

1) 10-22 Ruger (walnut stock) given to me by my wife 38 years ago in 1972.

2) Universal 101 single shot 12 ga Christmas present from my parents in 1968.

3) CBC single shot .410 bought for my son in 1980

4) Marlin 336 .30-30 bought for my son in 1988

5) Glock 19 9mm I bought in 1994 and carried as a Duty weapon and is my current carry weapon

6) S&W Model 29-2 8 3/8" Blue Magnaported .44 Magnum I got from my cousin. He is older and the one who taught me to shoot, and got me into Law Enforcement (He is a retired Fed).

7) USGI M1 carbine I got directly from the US Government through the CMP program. My dad carried an M1 Carbine on Iwo Jima in WW2.

 

So this may help explain the pschy of an old gun trader. Make opportunities out of situations that arise.

 

I sure can relate to your having to sell and trade and if not for some needed cash just enjoying it.

I like buying new guns, and trading stuff.

I like your list of one's you wont part with, I have a few myself, some guns are more than guns!

[Back with a 7.62x39]

There was a write up in guns and ammo the complete guide to ak's about the I/O and it got a really good review.

[How to check head space of ak?]

Just an update for anyone who was interested in checking head space of there ak type gun, the way to do it is remove the dust cover and recoil spring, and the piston, take bolt out of carrier and put bolt in rails by hand moving it forward and rotating it into lugs all the way it will go, turn rifle upside down and note the position of the bolt when it is fully rotated and locked in, then pull out bolt and fit field gauge under extractor, and again rotate bolt in by hand and turn gun upside down and look through mag well at position of bolt, it should be in a different position because it cannot rotate into full lock up in lugs which means it is good to go. If it goes right back to the same position the rifle has excessive head space and should not be fired My mak 90 was in good shape, I am glad I have the gauge to test any 7.62x39 gun I get.

It's a good feeling when checking a used gun to not have to guess and always wonder in the back of your mind.

[Saiga Blues]

Well shit, now i dont know what to think, if i should even install it with the bolt or just do something different. Why would they sell them if this happens?

 

You could just get an ak like a mak 90 or yugo or something, they are not all messed up and needing someone to work on them, they just work.

I finally see the light when it comes to this, and it was after my bullet guide thing happened.

So now I still like the S12 but wouldn't buy a 39 that cant just take reg mags out of the box, and has a fake trigger.

[Saiga Blues]

I posted on here when I did my pistol grip restoration. That stuff was easy and went off without a hitch.

Then the time came to rock and roll with ak mags.Installing the bullet guide has been a nightmare.

For reference I bought mine from CSS. I put the bullet guide in,lined it up and marked the hole. then I superglued a nut on the mark to hold my drill bit in place.

I managed to drill through the trunion with the supplied bit with no problem. I even managed to tap the hole easily and without incident... but then when I went to put the bullet guide in the hole was a lil bit further back than the hole in the guide. It wasnt off by much so I just filed a little off the recessed side of the guide and got the damn screw in. Now the trouble in paradise truly begins. My bolt was catching on the screw top. So I decided to torqe that fucker down has hard as I could...well I managed to strip out my new threads.Now the screw can be pushed in and pulled out and only spins in place.Not one to give up I found a nut that mated with the screw and after much wiggling and cursing got the nut between the trunion and the reciver onto the screw. However the bolt contact problem is still there. So I try to get the screw back out, but the nut is on crooked and wont let go. I end up stripping out the head of the screw now.The bullet guide seems to be in there pretty solid, and I dont seem to have a way to get it out, so I drilled the head of the screw flat.

I dunno if there is still contact with the bolt now, the bolt seems to close when I let the carrier fly without a mag,but Im afraid to do this with a loaded mag for safetys sake

in the house. Letting the bolt go has hard as I dare off the range its not quite closing. Hopefull when I get her to the range and test this gun out everything will be alright. In which case I will just reinforce the current install with some jb weld.But if not Im gonna be lost. Then theres my mags, I got 2 east german mags from the gunshow, one of em has a small dent in the side that freezes the follower. I didnt notice it till I got home, and I cant seem to get that steel to move at all with a screw driver pressing inside and I dunno how Im gonna fix it. Im feeling kinda blue about all this, but I just gotta keep telling myself it will work out.

 

A bullet guide nightmare happened to me too, I used a dinzag bullet guide but drilled the hole to far forward as my bit slipped, what a nightmare, I wish I wouldn't of tried and bought the stock saiga mags instead. I took it off and sold that saiga. I like the s12 but stick with non neutered aks now.

[How to check head space of ak?]

Its a AK... It don't need no fucking headspacing, cleaning or whatever else primadonna bullshit... Load, fire & repeat.

 

 

 

 

 

Look at Brownells/Midway USA, they have cartridge type gauges, insert in chamber and there ya're.

 

Thanks Chile, so I don't have to worry about the extractor? or anything?

Do I do it with the recoil spring in or just by hand?

[How to check head space of ak?]

I have the gauges coming for the 7.62x39 and was wondering how one goes about checking the head space, is it different for a semi auto than it is for a bolt action?

I heard that on a bolt action you have to remove a few things,basically strip the bolt! but I was wondering if a semi like an ak is real simple like just dropping in the field gauge and allowing the bolt to close.

Any tips would be appreciated by this noob

[mak 90]

They also state that the chinese parts do not easily interchange with euro parts so either there has been thousands of AK builds made with chinese parts internals on american receivers or people have been repairing plenty of rifles...

 

Thanks for the reply, so there are no chinese parts kits available, and a euro bolt won't work? Dang, I hope nothing breaks Have you ever tried to fit a non chinese bolt to one?

 

 

 

 

I just took my MAK-90 down and swapped the bolt assembly out with a Century Arms built Yugo M70, it seemed to fit fine; I didn't fire it, but it seemed to fit pretty much the same as the original. The M70 was purchased new from a dealer about a year ago.

So now you just have to headspace right?

I heard the mak90s have a stepped hammer and shorter bolts so reg ak bolts won't work, so much for trusting what everything you read on the internet.

[mak 90]

So far on the internet the only soft bolt/broken bolt case is the one on the glock talk forum, and it has been copied to other sites.

Thats a pretty good record for all the mak 90s there are. I am feeling better about the one I got and just picked up another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I want to know is where have the thousands of spare chinese AK bolts and bolt parts gone that polytech parts had on stock

since the 1990s in Atlanta GA. They state on their website that their overall parts supply is nearly gone and no more can be imported from China.

They also state that the chinese parts do not easily interchange with euro parts so either there has been thousands of AK builds made with chinese parts

internals on american receivers or people have been repairing plenty of rifles. I do not recall ever seeing chinese parts built onto a commercially sold

varient. Most domestic builds I have ever seen were euro or russian parts. According to someone on the thread link I posted, the chinese bolts will not work

on a euro carrier because of the camming angle. I remember seeing how the polytech barrel assemblies were used some years ago by some big name builders but do not remember any other parts used. Anyway, I hope they turn out well for you. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the reply, so there are no chinese parts kits available, and a euro bolt won't work? Dang, I hope nothing breaks Have you ever tried to fit a non chinese bolt to one?

[mak 90]

So far on the internet the only soft bolt/broken bolt case is the one on the glock talk forum, and it has been copied to other sites.

Thats a pretty good record for all the mak 90s there are. I am feeling better about the one I got and just picked up another.

[mak 90]

So no one has owned or does own a mak 90?

Just my luck lol

[mak 90]

I have one and was wondering if those who own one or have owned them could give me their opinion of them.

I have read some stuff about soft bolts and carriers and firing pins breaking. Do they really have a low service life?

I know its not a saiga, but just wanted to ask. I have a s12 and 2 39s But kind of like the mak 90 and might get another at a good price.