2.75" ammo?

[Dehamma 0]

I have a Saiga .410 (old style) that shot great the first time I took it out. Since then, it jams all the time. It rips the plastic hulled shells (Federal, S& open, hanging up on the top or right side of the chamber. I've cleaned the dog snot out of it, but it still jams. I see Brown Bear ammo with a metal case that is listed as 2.75" for 3" chambers, supposed to feed in semi autos. Has anyone tried this? What about the other steel hulled ammo? I'd like to try some before I give up and sell or trade the gun. Thanks

[Aethelbert 1]

I have a Saiga .410 (old style) that shot great the first time I took it out. Since then, it jams all the time. It rips the plastic hulled shells (Federal, S& open, hanging up on the top or right side of the chamber. I've cleaned the dog snot out of it, but it still jams. I see Brown Bear ammo with a metal case that is listed as 2.75" for 3" chambers, supposed to feed in semi autos. Has anyone tried this? What about the other steel hulled ammo? I'd like to try some before I give up and sell or trade the gun. Thanks

 

What length .410s have you been using? Although the older ones were also touted as being able to use both 2 1/2" and 3" (actually 2 3/4") shells, it simply 'tweren't so. The older Saiga .410s were regulated for 3". I use Barnaul 3" slug loads and they feed fine. The much more expensive Brenneke 3" shells also feed flawlessly in my Saiga. The only time I had any feed problems was when I hadn't cleaned the gas system as religiously as I should have. Some of the others on this forum, however, have had feed problems even with steel-hulled Barnauls but not with the better quality plastic-hulled rounds. Some of the bargain-priced plastic-hulled shells have a tendency to not work reliably in the Saigas, too.

 

The legend that persists even in the Army about how any AK-type weapon can be carried and used for a year or more by some relatively backward tribesman and never cleaned and it'll still keep on chugging away? That's exactly what it is -- a legend. The gas system still has to be kept clean just as on an M-16 or M-4 if you want real reliability. That isn't apparently the problem here, though, if you've cleaned it like you say you have.

 

Also, if your gas system has the numbers "1" and "2", then it isn't an old model but a newer model.

 

So, clean (and keep it clean) the gas system real well and try some Barnaul steel .410s and it should work like a charm.

 

Keep us informed.

Edited April 25, 2006 by Aethelbert

[Dehamma 0]

Well, I'm gaining on it. This time out it (mostly) ate the federal 3" shells. I've only shot 3"ers, and I don't have the adjustable gas system. This time I emptied 2 4 round mags with no problems, and only had one jam on 5 rounds loaded into a 10 round mag. That wasn't as bad as usual, and I was able to hand chamber the round.

 

Honestly, I don't think I've ever cleaned the gas tube on my AK, and it's probably got 6,000 rounds through it. It definitely has made a difference, although I think there has been a break in factor as well. At the price of .410 ammo, I really need to consider reloading. Also, the gun has probably been fired less than 100 rounds.

 

I ordered some of the steel hulled shells. Hopefully, I'll be able to run through a 10 rounder without stopping. Thanks for the reply and suggestions!

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

I also have the old model that only shoots 3". It jammed all the time when it was new but has since gotten better now that it's broke in. The ten rdr may be part of your problem. I can run steel hull Barnaul slugs and shot all day thru my 4(5) rd mags but they jam like crazy in my ten rdrs. It's a feed angle thing attributed to the different followers. I lubed the inside of my 10s with silicone and even Armorall and that made them perform better but I still get some jams with the 3" steel hulls. For some reason the 3" plastic shells run flawlessly in my 10 rdrs.

+1 on keeping the gas system clean on the Saiga shotties. True, a normal AK in 7.62 or 5.56 can run forever on a dirty gas system. I've seen them run with no gas tube at all and even with two or three handfulls of desert sand dumped into the receiver but the shotguns are a different animal.

Good luck and have faith in your .410. They were the very first Saigas and still one of my faves.

Keep us updated on your progress.

[DEUCALION 0]

Dear Friend,

The answer to your problem, i think has two legs: the first one is using the right ammo, that is strictly the russian 3" full metal case Barnaul. After all, thats the suggestion of IZMASH.

The other leg is thorough cleaning. The gun is based on (in fact is a copy of) an army weapon. Therefore it has to be cleaned after every shooting session. The gas chamber and piston have to be cleaned every time, and every single slide has to be oiled. Take a look into your user's guide: The Russians say it clearly. Clean after every shooting session and not later than one day after.

If you shoot genuine Barnaul cartridges from a clean gun you will never have problems. Remember to turn the gas return nozzle selector to "1". (In Greece we have a great magnum 3" slug cartridge called "Nobel" in plasic case - great value for money, i wish you could test it. i fire it with no jamming at all!)

Finally check the springs of your magazines. If you are not sure about their condition, change them with genuine ones. I take you do not make basic mistakes, e.g. keeping the mags loaded all the time, if this is not absolutely necessary of course.

Do that and you will never have problems.

[G O B 3,516]

The mags may need to be "filed for most perfest fit", especially the 10 rounder's. The front lug especially, the mag needs to sit forward enough to allow the bolt to strip off a round, and also high enough to let the round feed into the chamber.

Cycle the action by hand with spent rounds- then ccompare how a mag that works differs from the ones that don't. Barnul steel hulls rock!

 

G O B