Saiga 12 magwell

[akaddict 0]

Can the magwells for the Saiga 12 only be used with the magwell magazines? If so is it possible to modify other mags to work with the magwell?

[BobAsh 582]

It's easy to modify any mag to fit the magwell.

[pistol fixer 0]

fitting the mag to magwell is not to hard. fitting the magwell to the gun is the hard part.

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Well at least with my Russian magwell, it's a little tricky fitting some mags to work with it. The outer dimensions and shapes of all three available S-12 mag types (not including the 8 rd factory magwell mags) are totally different so each one has to be fit carefully or it won't lock in snug enough to keep the front end from moving up and down. This causes problems. In fact with mine, the factory five rdr does not even need the front lug ground down at all, it goes right in. I have asked Old and Slow several times if he is experiencing the same thing with his, but he is very old and slow to respond aparrently...I still haven't heard a word from him. He's one of the only ones around here who actually has one so I asked him first. I don't think 1911 has any 5 rd mags.

The AGP mags, you have to grind off the front lug AND the top screw boss, for it to work. I've only done one of mine so far, and that one fits a little loose in the front so I think I'm going to have to build it back up some. I haven't spent much time on the range actually firing mine with the well because it's on my shop gun that stays halfway disassembled on the bench most of the time with the LRBHO project.

The factory 8 rd mags, I think can be modded to work but are too rare and valuable, not to mention they are the best, most reliable mags for my other S-12s, to hack up to work with the magwell. I will just stick to the AGPs for now and wait on Mike D's new drop free mags to come out when he's done with the drums. The factory 8's though, are wider at the back than the rest of the mags and would require more than just grinding off the front locking lug.

Back to the fiver, I'm sure the new domestic ones are identical in shape and size to the factory 5's and will also work without mods, or at least lock into the gun. I haven't tried any of those yet nor tried my factory 5's with live fire. I guess I need to stop waiting for O&S to comment and just go try i5t myself today. My gun is still together from last weekend's shoot so I can do that.

 

I did have one other issue at the shoot last weekend, which was quite embarrassing and pissed me off! Several times when I was doing mag dumps and even when I was letting the host of the shoot test drive the S-12 with magwell for the first time, the damned mag just popped out onto the ground after a few shots!

I'm pretty sure though, that I have a handle on why that happened, and will be working to correct that in the future. It wasn't just the AGP mag either, it was the factory 8 rd drop free mag that was made to work with the magwell. Well it dropped free alright....lol.

One issue that I'm sure has something to do with it is this particular S-12 was purchased from someone who had already done a conversion on it and they fucked up the mag catch by cutting some off of it to fit their tight mags better so all my mags and the drum even, fit too loose in that gun. I need to find an extra mag catch from somewhere to replace it with....anyone have one laying around that they replaced with an AK one?

 

Another issue that may be part of the problem, not sure til I get the mag catch fixed, is I have an extended release on the gun. Now I have heard others complain about their regular mags dropping out of the gun during fire when they had one of these same extended releases on theirs. I'm not sure whether it's the small bit of added weight on the mag catch, and the recoil is making it move? Or whether it is getting accidently bumped by the shooter's trigger finger under recoil and it's happening so fast it's not noticeable? I need to do more shooting with it to figure that out too.

 

sorry for the long post

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

It's easy to modify any mag to fit the magwell.

I guess what I should have said was...Bob is right, but getting it to fit AND feed can be tricky...

[Gunfixr 76]

You know, I've put quite a bit of thought lately into a semi magwell that works with unmodified mags.

 

Haven't had any time to devote to real development, just thought so far.

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Basically, that's all the original Saiga magwell was, a mag "guide".

[BobAsh 582]

Well, gunfixr is correct, the magwell is tricky to fit. I believe if it's fitted properly you will have a lot less trouble with the individual mags, Shannon.

 

(we're only modding the AGP's, though)

Edited June 5, 2008 by BobAsh

[oldandslow 3]

The 5 rounders fit without modification in my Russian Saiga magazine well. I had modified my 5 rounders by grinding off the front "catch" and adding a bump on the back (with plastic welding) to get the right angle. Then I read Cobra's blog about them fitting without modification. I thought, "no way". Way...

 

My adventures with AGP magazines are continuing. I have had to grind off the front "catch" and the front top screw boss (removing the screw). Then I had to plastic weld the front seam.

I have created a couple of new steel mag wells. I am working on a mag well that doesn't require removing the top front screw boss. The AGP magazine still has to have the front "catch" removed and the rear screw boss has to be leveled (the screw can be retained). So far the mag will jump out with one round in it. With no rounds it still sticks. I'm getting better at measuring and cutting 16 gauge steel. My welding still sucks.

[gpqueen 545]

It's easy to modify any mag to fit the magwell.

Bob, do you have any pics of the Tromix magwell on your gun?

Greg

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Well, gunfixr is correct, the magwell is tricky to fit. I believe if it's fitted properly you will have a lot less trouble with the individual mags, Shannon.

 

(we're only modding the AGP's, though)

Hmmm...interesting...I fitted mine using the exact dimensions on the paperwork that came with it. They are in Russian but I managed to decipher it ok.

[pistol fixer 0]

hello all;

i purchesed two magwells from Oleg. i did not get any diagram with them.

Cobra 76 two, any chance of getting a copy of your instructions?

thanks

rick

[Agias 0]

The outer dimensions and shapes of all three available S-12 mag types (not including the 8 rd factory magwell mags) are totally different so each one has to be fit carefully or it won't lock in snug enough to keep the front end from moving up and down.

Ah man, where did the famous "ifitsthesamecaliberitwillworkwithit" attribute go? Parts made half a century apart used to be interchangeable and now look at what they're doing in the commercial market... you buy a few years older mag and uh-oh filing time.

Edited June 6, 2008 by Agias

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Well when you go changing the whole concept from rock and lock to plug and play, it changes everything. When MD Arms comes out with the new domestic magwell, there will be mags soon to follow, that are made to fit it.

 

pistol fixer...PM sent.

[akaddict 0]

Well when you go changing the whole concept from rock and lock to plug and play, it changes everything. When MD Arms comes out with the new domestic magwell, there will be mags soon to follow, that are made to fit it.

 

pistol fixer...PM sent.

 

 

Is adding a magwell worth it?

[oldandslow 3]

Well when you go changing the whole concept from rock and lock to plug and play, it changes everything. When MD Arms comes out with the new domestic magwell, there will be mags soon to follow, that are made to fit it.

 

pistol fixer...PM sent.

 

 

Is adding a magwell worth it?

 

If you are shooting 3 gun, where you are shooting stages with magazine changes. I can do a reload about 1 second faster with the mag well. I screw up about 1 out of 4 reloads without the mag well.

In a two reload shotgun stage, the difference is about 7 seconds. Enough time difference to not finish first.

 

Make no mistake, if you shoot a Saiga with a mag well against non-Saigas, and you don't foul up your reloads, you have a good chance to finish so far ahead on the shotgun stages that you may win the match.

 

Otherwise, no. You have to screw around ordering a mag well from Rusmilitary.com or making your own (I have done both). Then you have to modify AGP magazines to fit. Apparently, AGP has made at least three different magazine body sizes, so you have to carefully fit each one. As part of the modification, at least for me, you have to grind off the front catch and screw boss just beneath the catch. Then you have to plastic weld the seam were the front catch was. Then you have to grind off material on the back, smoothing the screw boss and cutting off "just enough" of the reinforcing rib so that the magazine "just locks into the mag well", without excessive "slop".

Edited June 9, 2008 by oldandslow

[Franky 2]

Great job everyone. FMJ.