Mags and bolt

[TPABA 0]

I've been looking everywhere for mags... I guess I gotta call up russia. The mid east doesn't even have those... they're so used to war that a hunting carbine (ie. 12 guage saiga) is unheard of in their parts. Russia would be a nice place to search next.

 

This thing really uses the russian method of "beat it to shit" for it to work right. I guess the steel is good enough to last even with this fecal for finish they use. I found out the next round in the mag is what forces the used cartridge out.

 

I installed the buffer, and got really used to putting this thing together. I have a few questions.

 

The firing pin peaked its head out and I wiped it down with a que tip and then oiled it up. It didn't stick at all. Is that all I have to do to the firing pin?

 

Scratches develop on the interior parts that are painted black... this is perfectly normal, right.

 

I don't need to refinish it in order for it to last for a long time... correct?

 

A loaded mag is a bitch to load with the bolt closed, any tricks involved?

 

The saigas take 3" mags no problem, right? I know some people only use 2.75", but 3" are more powerful, can't go wrong with that... it doesn't cause excessive stress on the gun does it.

 

Too bad I only have one... russia seems to be my last hope. Would gun shows have saiga-12 mags?

[CrazyJ 0]

A loaded mag is a bitch to load with the bolt closed, any tricks involved?

Practice. I can usually get it on the first try now. Don't angle it too much.

[Tomac 0]

I've been looking everywhere for mags...

This thing really uses the russian method of "beat it to shit" for it to work right. I guess the steel is good enough to last even with this fecal for finish they use. I found out the next round in the mag is what forces the used cartridge out.

 

I installed the buffer, and got really used to putting this thing together. I have a few questions.

 

The firing pin peaked its head out and I wiped it down with a que tip and then oiled it up. It didn't stick at all. Is that all I have to do to the firing pin?

 

Scratches develop on the interior parts that are painted black... this is perfectly normal, right.

 

I don't need to refinish it in order for it to last for a long time... correct?

 

A loaded mag is a bitch to load with the bolt closed, any tricks involved?

 

The saigas take 3" mags no problem, right? I know some people only use 2.75", but 3" are more powerful, can't go wrong with that... it doesn't cause excessive stress on the gun does it.

 

Too bad I only have one... russia seems to be my last hope. Would gun shows have saiga-12 mags?

Mags: http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/c-deact_magazines.htm

The finish is susceptible to strong solvents, Elite Firearms refinished mine in DuraCoat when they converted them. It'd be easy to refinish yourself in Brownell's AlumaHyde-II.

As long as the firing pin isn't stuck sticking out it should be fine.

Scratches on the interior finish, see about finish above.

I use the SWIFT notched AK safety as a bolt hold-open on my Saiga-12s which makes inserting a loaded mag *much* easier.

The Saiga takes all 2.75" & 3" shells. However, the gas port setting of '1' is for heavier loads and '2' is for lighter loads. Some Saigas take a couple of hundred rds before they become reliable w/light loads on any setting and some are eventually reliable with all loads on '1'.

HTH...

Tomac

[Stuart2 0]

Hi guys

 

have had the shotgun out, to see if it was true that you could load the magazine with the bolt closed.

 

At first I was going to give up, due to the pressure on the magazine, forcing the mag into the well of the saiga.

 

I used a 5 round magazine with only 5 rounds in the mag.

 

After a little bit of playing around I found that putting pressure on the front part of the flower. Pushing the mag up the well, but clearly putting more pressure forward. Pushing the mag forward was the key.

 

 

Hope you can understand.

 

Conclusion: when I could do this with the 5 rounds & bolt closed I tried with 6 round & yes it worked.

 

So 6 rounds in the mag & one in the chamber.

 

Stu

[TPABA 0]

I tried with the mag, over and over again... all it did was scratch up the plastic on the top round. I guess more practice is needed.

 

I don't care about the paint being scratched on the inside and outside... as long as it doesn't interfere with the workings of the gun... and as long as it doesn't rust up.

 

My winchester uses some shitty steel because it rusts up easy as hell... and the finish isn't nearly as fecal orientated as the saiga. The barrel is so incredibly thin in the winchester, the saiga seems to use some good steel... so I guess I shouldn't worry much about rust.... I bought this thing so it works... and reliability is a factor also... I don't care about looks and scratches... as long as it works, and works good... I have no problems. That's what the kalashnikov action is for... to work when it is needed to work... even if others fail under the same conditions.

[G O B 3,516]

TPABA- The saiga is parkerized (sort of) under the crappy black paint, oil it up good with synthetic oil and it should be as durable as any military weapon.

 

FIRING PIN The firing pin should be FREE. With the bolt out, push on the hammer end of the firing pin and the business end should peek out of the bolt face.

It should return IMMEDIATLY and FREELY. Any "sticky" feel is a NO-NO. If the firingpin is NOT free remove that weapon from service untill it is cleaned/repaired.

Usually it will only need to have the firing pin removed and the chanell cleaned.This is very easy to do with the Saigas. The drift that comes with the saiga is for tapping out the the pin that retains the firing pin. Look for the end of the retainer pin that does not reach the outside of the bolt. Insert the drift there and tap gently. I usually put the bolt in an old sock when doing this so that if the damned parts try to fly away they are contained. The Saiga shotguns have a 2 piece firing pin. The firing pin itself looks like a small nail and the 'head' is struck by the transfer rod wich is the other part. Clean it all up especially the channel in the bolt. oil lightly and re-assemble. The spring goes in first,followed by the firing pin. The relay rod has one or two 'ears'. My S-12 has one ear, the wifes .410 has two. The ear closest to the bolt face is what is trapped by the retainer pin. Make shure that the ear is on the retainer pin side and the xfer rod is forward (rear at least flush with the end of the tail or slightly inside) , then push the retainer pin in from the side it came out of. Push it flush and you should be good to go.

The above explanation is a little long, but i don't have a way to post pictures at the moment, and I am trying to make it clear. This is much easier to do than to explain!

 

NEVER FIRE ANY SEMI_AUTO IN WICH THE STICKS PAST THE BOLT FACE!!!!

 

G O B

Edited January 22, 2005 by G O B

[TPABA 0]

Thanks GOB... the pin peaked out and didn't stick one bit... I wiped it and oiled it up nicely... the gun is oiled up and ready to go. I don't think I have to take apart the entire bolt... I mean, the pin doesn't stick... so it should be good.

 

I'm really happy about this buy. If it wasn't for this forum, I probably wouldn't have bought it. I didn't take apart the gas port or the barrel... everything seems nice and clean... maybe a bit scratched up, but a few scratches never bothered me. As long as it works, I'm a happy man. Thanks to all you people... now I finally got myself a 12 guage that is also semi auto... can't wait to take this thing out in the field.... too bad I'm so snowed in I have to dig a tunnel to get to the garage.