Saiga 12 Jamming

[PaulW007 0]

OK so I buy an unconverted Saiga 12, get hooked and buy one of Tony's awesome machines. Sold the unconverted Saiga 12 to a buddy and the gun just won't seem to cycle. Here's the story.

 

He took the gun out and it would start to jam on #2 setting with 7 1/2 shot on the last round of a 5 round magazine. Slugs and buckshot on #1 setting would work fine. It seems it started to get worse, to the point now it will no longer extract the empty shells on slugs or buckshot. He came over and I completely went through the gun. His has the bolt hold open feature and I noticed the spring was in the wrong spot so we fixed that. Was hoping that would fix it. Comparring all the parts to my gun everything else looked fine.

 

The only difference I could find is the the top gas cap (not sure what it is called), was when you screwed his all the way down it would stop just pas the #1 setting where mine would stop just pass the #2 setting. I then turn mine back to stop at the #2 setting whereas his you have to go almost a full turn counter clockwise to get to the #2 setting.

 

Any ideas???

 

P.S. Cleaned all inside the gas ports and piston area.

[ArcFault 4]

It doesn't sound like its the gas regulator. Take a look at the bolt, theres a retaining pin that just loves to back out and interfere with the proper cycling of the gun. It's on the rear portion of the bolt, the part that houses the firing pin. It should not be sticking out, if it is push it back in and you can probably put a drop of locktite on it and call it a day.

 

I dont know if this is your problem but its worth a shot, good luck.

[trukreltrog 8]

I believe it does need some break in, a couple hundred rounds to smooth things out. I would try different shells too. These worked pretty good in my gun.

I had someone recommend Federal 6 shot to me, but it has'nt run too well in my gun. Its expensive but I think you have to find what the gun likes.

[MikeD 541]

When you went through it did you clean the gas system out? Clean up the piston and check that wad plastic isn't building up in the chamber or barrel ports? It doesn't sound like a breaking in problem to me if it was working fine at first and started to progressivly get worse. Sounds like a getting dirtier problem. Worth a shot.

[PaulW007 0]

The pin in the bolt is an area I had not thought of. Pison, and all the go with it have been cleaned.

 

Can you actually screw the gas cap on too far? What would happen if you set it out farther but still on #2 setting?

[ArcFault 4]

Can you actually screw the gas cap on too far? What would happen if you set it out farther but still on #2 setting?

 

You really can't screw it on to far, just screw it all the way down and back it out until it clicks in on #1. As far as backing it out to far, I haven't done it, but by the looks of things the reg. is pretty wide open on #2 so it may not make a huge difference untill its out so far that #1 no longer restricts the gas flow properly. My experience with other guns that have adjustable gas blocks is that when there is to much gas flow the carrier hits the breech so hard that it rebounds back way to fast for proper ejection. The Saiga 12 is a different animal though and I'm not sure that you would get the same effect.

 

If your friend was always unscrewing the reg. in order to adjust it then maybe this is what happened, you should only unscrew to #2 and then turn it back in for #1. If the rear trunnion is all banged up its a good sign that this what he did.

 

I'm still new to the 12 so keep posting your progress, I'm curious.

[topmaul 42]

Is this correct when you fire a round the shot goes off and the round stays connected to the bolt? If so file down the fixed claw on the front of the bolt. not the spring loaded one. Mine is worn off and runs great. or Take the bolt out of the gun then take a already shot shell and click it on to the bolt then pull it off several hundred times that should break it in a bit.

[Bvamp 604]

I agree, it sounds like something in the bolt, one or the other things mentioned above.

 

I also agree with trukreltrog. I shoot AA winchester exclusively (for bird shot loads) through mine, on gas setting #1. never had an issue with them. I have a few thousand umpties right now, and really need to get back into reloading, which this hull is excellent for doing exactly that with.I used to get 4 or 5 reloads per hull easy, before having to toss them.

[topmaul 42]

Any more info on this one? I was at the range today with a friend every round out of his gun was a stove pipe, until we used some pretty high brass ammo. Frankly I think the problem is with the gas system, we switched parts with my Saiga 12 who works great.

 

I believe that the problem is in the ports or the weapon just needs a bit of a choke. I don't buy the "it just needs to be broken in a bit" theory. I think the problem is a bit more technical.

[quinci956 1]

Any more info on this one? I was at the range today with a friend every round out of his gun was a stove pipe, until we used some pretty high brass ammo. Frankly I think the problem is with the gas system, we switched parts with my Saiga 12 who works great.

 

I believe that the problem is in the ports or the weapon just needs a bit of a choke. I don't buy the "it just needs to be broken in a bit" theory. I think the problem is a bit more technical.

I had one of my S12's doing the same thing. Unscrew the cap all the way out and look to see if all your gas ports from the barrel are unobstructed. I found that my barrel and gas chamber were improperly alined and one of the ports was covered.

[BobAsh 582]

madmilo's experience is not uncommon, the gas ports are often drilled off-center.