8 rnd mag mod...

[lollygagger 1]

Well, I finally (Today!) got my "delayed" Christmas present to myself...

 

A .308 Saiga synthetic stocked carbine.

 

Being bored, I decided that I was going to get the 8 round factory mag to accept 10 rounds and function. I did so knowing that there have been reports of problems getting 10 rounds to function reliably. I assumed it could be done.

 

Anyhoo, after spending more time, sweat & tears than a rational person would expend, I managed to do so. I thought I'd share how, as some might be interested in doing so:

 

(1) The follower was marked (after some measurements) 14mm from the bottom and cut off -you CAN'T REMOVE ANY MORE or you'll lose the follower stops (and they'll be function problems).

 

(2) Remove out of the mag the plastic plate that has two projections into the mag body, goes in before the floor plate is slid into place, and, serves to lock the floor plate. Because, it adds too much thickness...prohibiting the 10th round from loading/feeding. You can secure the floor plate "however" (I used a small wood screw in the extreme back of the floor plate to secure it from recoiling off).

 

(3) And, trim the VERY over-length mag spring (It is a 3rd longer than a 20 round FN/FAL mag!) by a full 4 LOOPS.

 

This done, you will have a nice reliable functioning 10 round mag. Why not?

 

It appears that our Russian friends at the factory are pretty good at designing in several, seemingly, small things into the standard mag that combine to prohibit unexperienced mag tweakers from being able to increase the rounds held.

 

Sneaky ol' ex-commies!!!

 

FWIW, Lollygagger

 

P.S. (4) There is a inverted "V" cut on the back bottom of the original follower...this is evidently intended to force the backs of the magazine spring coils forward when they are compressed during loading, keeping them clear of jamming the follower. This should be duplicated in the re-cut follower (not difficult).

Edited December 29, 2004 by lollygagger

[lollygagger 1]

A pic...shows what was cut-off the follower & mag spring:

 

 

Lollygagger (Yes! I test fired the mag to confirm it works O.K.)

Edited December 29, 2004 by lollygagger

[monomonk 0]

I messed up and chopped the prongs on the base plate clean off first, then realized that this did not increase capacity of the mag due to the design of the follower. When looking at the follower, I decided that chopping the bottom of the follower might reduce the reliability of the mag. As the initial poster noted, the follower has wings which fit into grooves in the mag body. Eliminate these, and the mag maight not work properly. Other factors suggest to me that adding two more rounds to this mag might not be worth the possible problems. These mags aren't cheap--I just paid about $30 per mag plus shipping. I gather that 20 rd mags for the Saiga .308 might be on the market mid-2005, or maybe never at all.

 

Monomonk

[lollygagger 1]

I messed up and chopped the prongs on the base plate clean off first, then realized that this did not increase capacity of the mag due to the design of the follower. When looking at the follower, I decided that chopping the bottom of the follower might reduce the reliability of the mag. As the initial poster noted, the follower has wings which fit into grooves in the mag body. Eliminate these, and the mag maight not work properly. Other factors suggest to me that adding two more rounds to this mag might not be worth the possible problems. These mags aren't cheap--I just paid about $30 per mag plus shipping. I gather that 20 rd mags for the Saiga .308 might be on the market mid-2005, or maybe never at all.

 

Monomonk

That's why I posted on the topic & did it in a "directions" format.

 

I sort of suspected that there were some bad experiences from some attempts to modify the mags.

 

The factory was certainly "trickey" in the designed-in features of the magazine...

 

just enough to make a mess of things if one assumes it to be easy -as it seemingly appears.

 

Sooo...

 

you have a spare mag body now? I'm thinking, it could be used with another to make a 20 round mag!!!

 

Lollygagger (Ignore it -I was born this way.)

[monomonk 0]

I assume my mag still works without the prongs on the base piece. But if not, can I replace that piece?

 

Thanks,

 

Monomonk

new owner of Saiga 7.62 by 39 and .308

[lollygagger 1]

I assume my mag still works without the prongs on the base piece. But if not, can I replace that piece?

 

Thanks,

 

Monomonk

new owner of Saiga 7.62 by 39 and .308

Yeah, I recall that EAA sells them as parts for the Saiga.

 

You might be able to repair it via adding two short "studs" to the follower that would run in the mag body track...like, use two short screws coming from the INSIDE of the mag body to the outside -filed to fit.

 

You might have to slightly raise the stop points (top of the track) in the mag body to return the follower to it's correct stop hieght.

 

A bit of a hassel, I know. But I suspect new follower & shipping isn't going to be cheap.

 

Best of luck, Lollygagger

[IffenWhen 0]

I tried the mod a few months ago but could not get the mag to fit with ten rounds in it. The rounds would go into the magazine but the upper section was bulged out just enough that it wouldn't go into the mag well. I never thought about trimming the spring!!! Oh dopey me.... kudos to Lollygagger!!! making the obivious make sense...LOL I cut 3 loops off the sprimg (just being cautious ) and viola! she feeds...Thanks LG. Now if I can find someone to do the PG conversion for me, I'll be set.

[monomonk 0]

I shot the Saiga .308 today and the mag that I worked on functioned well. I sawed off the spikes from the bottom plate but didn't shorten the follower.

 

Monomonk

[vulcan762 0]

I did this conversion the other day.

 

I on the other hand did NOT cut down my existing spring. I compared it to my FAL spring and while the Saiga spring is longer it is also THINNER guage wire meaning it needs to be longer to accomplish the same task. I also beleive that it is as long as it is because its actually designed for the 20 rd factory Saiga hi-cap. So I dont think it will be harmful to shorten it some for the 10 rd capacity.

 

Something I found helpful was to take the mag body, empty it of all parts, turn it upside down and drop the follower back in. Now stick your finger in the bottom of the mag and support the follower as the spring would. Now load ten rounds and look at what is sticking up past the floorplate slot.

 

Also, be sure to round off the "new" sharp edge of the follower after you cut it down. This helps ensure smooth feeding and helps the spring to more easily pass the back of the follower as it is compressed.

 

Either way, you definately have to ditch the inside floor plate. I wanted to keep it so I could secure my floor plate but it just takes up too much room as Lollygager pointed out.

 

Once loaded, you should be able to push the last round down a bit farther.

 

Feeds and functions perfectly.

Edited January 7, 2005 by vulcan762

[lollygagger 1]

Once loaded, you should be able to push the last round down a bit farther.

There you go, that's the clear test as to if it will work.

 

The relieved/modified mag WILL have to allow the 10th round to be further depressed into the mag body about 1/2 it's case daimeter.

 

Otherwise, it will jam.

 

Lollygagger

 

P.S -Do this same basic mod with the 10 round 7.62x39 Saiga mag and it will yield a nice 15 round cap!

Edited January 8, 2005 by lollygagger

[gunslinger308 0]

You all cut the follower and some the spring and some not. Why not cut the pegs down also?

 

I have two ten rnd mags now, the first I didn't have to cut the spring but the second wouldn't function with the full length spring so I cut 1.5 links out. I cut both followers and both lowers. The lower plate (with the pegs) is already designed to hold the floor plate and it does a good job, why throw it away?( other than to tell a modded mag from a stock one)

 

some mags need the spring cut and some don't. I hear alot of comments about stock mag springs being strong, even making it hard to pull the bolt carrier back on a full mag.

[lollygagger 1]

You all cut the follower and some the spring and some not. Why not cut the pegs down also?

 

I have two ten rnd mags now, the first I didn't have to cut the spring but the second wouldn't function with the full length spring so I cut 1.5 links out. I cut both followers and both lowers. The lower plate (with the pegs) is already designed to hold the floor plate and it does a good job, why throw it away?( other than to tell a modded mag from a stock one)

 

some mags need the spring cut and some don't. I hear alot of comments about stock mag springs being strong, even making it hard to pull the bolt carrier back on a full mag.

The floor plate lock doo-hickey (which works great for it's designed purpose)...

 

is TOO THICK to allow for a reliable 10 round mod. There is really nothing you can do about it much than remove it.

 

FWIW, I think you could fashion a thin metal replacement ala what is on a standard metal AK mag.

 

I modified my 7.62x39 mag to feed 15 rounds...

 

and had to lose the same plastic plate to get number 15 to go. But, I just used a standard AK mag metal floor plate lock to replace it -thin enough to work.

 

You can, in the latter case, just exchange the floor plate locks -the long 30 round AK mag will have no problem accepting the thicker Saiga part, and it's cap will not be effected.

 

Lollygagger

[gunslinger308 0]

If you build a thinner lock plate for your mag, Is it a US part to add to your count?

[lollygagger 1]

If you build a thinner lock plate for your mag, Is it a US part to add to your count?

Personally, I'm pretty much in the "who cares" catagory here...

 

But, I think NOT -I beleive it WOULD if it was the floor plate.

 

Lollygagger

[Bvamp 604]

the three parts that count on a magazine are the mag body, which is obvious what that is...the follower, which as we all know is what the shells are pushed up by the spring with...and the floorplate, which keeps the spring inside the magazine body.

 

the part that rests between the spring and floorplate that keep the floorplate from moving is nothing to the ATF or federal govt. and wouldnt matter if you made a new one or not.

 

just saying that for clarity.

[gunslinger308 0]

thanks

[BlenderWizard 12]

I had thought about doing this, but as mags are becoming really scarce, I don't think I'll mess with mine. That is, unless we can get Daewoo going.

[BlenderWizard 12]

we should have this as a sticky

[war_man 0]

I just did the conversion, took fifteen minutes. It did help to see what others had done. I used a bench grinder to shorten the follower and shortened the spikes leaving the floor plate retainer in place. The grinder left the plastic parts smooth and I only had to use my fingernails to trim the edges. Also shortened the spring. I would still like a 20 shot mag but a 10 shot is still better than an 8.

 

I was happy to find this thread. I looked at doing this when I got the rifle but it looked like it would cost me $50 if I screwed it up and that's if I could find a replacement at all. I tried to order a spare but everyone is out of stock on these things. Last month I completely ruined a pistol 10 mag I wanted to convert into a 13 shot. The manufacturer went to great lengths to make it almost imposable to convert the mag.