Help Needed - Saiga 12 Magazines

[lynnkcircle 0]

Right after the expiration of the high cap ban, I had a change to buy two brand new 5 round magazines for about $25.00 each including shipping. Since it seemed no one had firm plans to import the 8-round mags and I had only the one which came with the gun, I ordered them.

 

A lot of things intervened. Again, these were factory magazines, so I didn't think twice about if or not they'd work.

 

Well, today I tried both for the first time. Even empty, they will NOT snap under the mag release. Even if the bolt is held open, the rear tang on the magazine simply won't go under the latch.

 

Visually both look just like the one which came with the shotgun. I am wondering if perhap the extension on the magazine rear which is supposed to snap over the magazine release might be just a fraction of an inch too long, and if a light sandpapering might solve the problem. On the other hand, right now I could probably sell them and who knows -- there is probably enough variation to where they will work in someone else's weapon.

 

Suggestions will be gratefully and greatly appreciated.

 

Lynn Circle

lynnkcircle@netscape.net

[GTwannabe 1]

A light filing/smoothing the high spots and sharp edges should do the trick.

 

Now if some Russian would just block up the 8 round mags so that they only accept 5 rounds and poorly epoxy the blocks in place, I think we'd be in business. That way they would be importable (5 rounds) but the US buyer could take the mag apart and knock out the block, as there's no US law against owning a 5+ round magazine. The US retailer could even leave the blocks in and sell the mags as "tall 5 round" and let the customer perform the modification.

 

Any Russian takers? I bet the profit on this would be through the roof, as you could easily get $50/mag and that's a lot of Russian scratch!

[topmaul 42]

Lynn

 

Take a look at your mags where is the paint scrached off? I took a dremal tool the the back left and right side of my mag well on the shot gun and took off the slightest little bit and they worked fine I have one that is a "problem child" but I makred it #1 so I load that one first so that it will be out of the way I have seven 5 rd mags and two 8 rd mags. All but that problem child work well and now that it's "broken in" the brat mag is going in so well that I really can't tell the differance. If I start off the match using an eight I load nine rounds in it and fire eight if I intend to go to a five, if on the other hand I'm going for the other eight rd'er I fire all nine and lock the bolt back using my home made bolt catch, slim the eight rd with nine in it. Loading mags takes practice any way you slice it. It's an aquired skill. But when you have it you can get fast and proficient. Hope this helps

[G O B 3,516]

Lynnkcircle- Look at the notch on the front of the mag where it engauges the reciever. If this has a booger from the moulding it will not let the mag lockup properly. Check how the mag that works seats into reciever, and then see what the new mags need to do the same. A little file work should do it!

 

G O B

[kmoore 3]

I've had just one mag do this to me. It took some filing on the back of the mag (where it should fit under the catch). I used a flatfile and took my time.

 

But if all of your mags are doing this, you may have problems more in the magwell. One local Saiga owner ended up with a mag catch that went further into the well than Mick Porno's or my saiga's. His mags where more difficult to seat. Point is there may be more than one problem. Do you have another Saiga that you could check, or other mags that do work?

 

ETA, I just read your post more carefully. I think filing/sanding in the spot you mention is the right first step. Go slow, it's hard to put back on!

Edited December 26, 2004 by kmoore

[TonyRumore 1,332]

I have ten guns and ten mags, and I found that two of the guns would not allow ANY of the ten mags to clip into place. The other 8 guns worked fine with all of the mags. It would appear that in my case, the locking lever on two of the guns is just a hair too long.

[lynnkcircle 0]

Thanks, guys. The original magazine locked in fine, so I suspect it was the two extras I bought, not the gun itself. Anyhow, some careful work with flat file and all is well.