buster charlie

I'd personally rather have had a sheet metal magazine as an alternative to the polymer ones. Oh well.

After shooting my Saiga-12 for the day I went to clean it up and I noticed the retainer pin that holds the bolt head to the bolt body is very loose. It can be blown out with some compressed air, or pressed out easily, and if shaken hard enough can start to walk out on it's own. It hasn't came out under gravity alone, but it's still pretty loose. I'm wondering what my options are? How serious is this? I'm worried it's gonna come out a bit during shooting and jam up the action.

Nobody?

Hey guys, good news is my saiga-12 is ticking like a clock, but I noticed the retainer pin that holds the bolt head to the bolt body is very loose. It can be blown out with some compressed air, or pressed out easily, and if shaken hard enough can start to walk out on it's own. It hasn't came out under gravity alone, but it's still pretty loose. I'm wondering what my options are? How serious is this? I'm worried it's gonna come out a bit during shooting and jam up the action.

Problem solved, the Federal target stuff feeds great. I had two minor issues but for the most part it was flawless. I was even able to bump fire 8 rounds straight with the Federal stuff.

I'll try the federal stuff and see what happens. I check the gas ports, I can feel the 2 forward gas ports with a bent peice of wire, but they're very close to the gas block wall/hole. I tried smoothing out where the hammer and bolt carrier contact to reduce friction. If I hold the gun REALLY steady and really lean into it I can sometimes get off a few shots without a problem, if I hold it loose it will fire and do a really nasty stovepipe. If I hold it really loose (under my arm) it'll not even strip off a round, it will just close on a empty chamber. I'll give the federal ammo a sh

I've got a unmolested 21" saiga-12, EAA import, notch sight no bolt hold open. I've cleaned the gas port and barrel and everything. I have it set to "2", "1" seems to jam a lot more. I'm using cheap winchester target ammo, the 'universal' stuff from walmart in a 100 pack. It seems to shoot allright with buckshot, but I don't want the gun to be ammo picky and everyone says they're suppose to be reliable guns. the 5 round mags are almost 100% but still get stove pipes or partial extractions or bad chambering. The 10 round mags even more, i'm lucky to get 3 shots off with the 1

I'm interested in other peoples take on this question also.

I'm right where I started. WHAT exactly is the trigger on the saiga? I could have a custom part machined, but I need to know what part to replace that would add 1 to the US parts count. So I take it the stock hammer and disconnecter would work, but what accounts for the trigger? Modifing the magazines is a non option.

If my buddy wants to use converted 30 round mags in his saiga .223 and keep it legal, without replacing the saiga's buttstock and handguard, what are his US parts count options? If I read it right he needs 4 US parts, so trigger, hammer, sear, gas piston would work. However the saiga has a weird composite trigger, what exactly is the PART that needs to be replaced? The trigger 'nub' in the traditional AK trigger pin location? The actual physical trigger you pull on? How could you replace that part? Gas piston, hammer, sear, now we're back to 3 parts. US magazines are not an option.

If my buddy wants to use converted hi-caps (with bullet guide) and keep legal, without replacing the saiga's buttstock and handguard, what are his US parts count options? If I read it right he needs 4 US parts, so trigger, hammer, sear, gas piston would work. However the saiga has a weird composite trigger, what exactly is the PART that needs to be replaced? The trigger 'nub' in the traditional AK trigger pin location? The actual physical trigger you pull on? How could you replace that part? Gas piston, hammer, sear, now we're back to 3 parts. US magazines are not an option. I gues

If you don't like how it works, simply unscrew the bolt holding the bullet guide, and you're back to standard configuration. The bullet guide addition is only as permanent as you care to make it. Read the info on dinzags post. I'm know about the bullet guide, i'm not asking about that. I think i'll just modify the mags, add th bullet guide and then otherwise leave the gun alone.

Well here is my thinking. I got two rifles, and I still want to use the factory 10 rounders. If I mess up the rifle it'll cost a lot to repair, if I don't modify both rifles to work the same then some mags wont work right in one gun. If I modify the mags then the mags will work in any saiga .223 with a bullet guide.

Oh yeah, would it make sense to file down the extra metal on the rear magazine catch so I don't have to modify the rear of the magazines?

If i have over a dozen mags (I think like 31?) to convert to fit two saiga .223 rifles, would it make any sense to try and build a 'jig' of some kind to hold the magazines to do a uniform conversion on all the mags? I was thinking of something that would align the mags bazed on the two mag catches, then act as a guide for removing materal (maybe make it so you remove to little and do the final fitting by hand). Or is it so easy I should just do it freehand? Or would it be saner to modify the rifles instead of the magazines?