Stupid things you have done with your Saiga

[zenmetsu 17]

I decided that I would start this little thread, mainly as a service to newcomers who may fall into one of these scenarios. A lot of mistakes are painful enough that you learn never to do them again, others cause considerable time to be invested to fix... but having foresight and education is often just as good as experience. Some of these are common issues that could happen with any firearm, others are specific to AK patterned weapons.

 

Post only things that you have personally encountered. With that, I begin.

 

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1. When testing the fire control group, having the hammer smash one of your fingers.

 

2. Cycling the action and getting the side of your hand pinched between the dust cover and the retreating carrier.

 

3. Closing the dust cover after cleaning, and pinching your hand between the receiver and the dust cover.

 

4. Not fully engaging the BHO and having the bolt slam shut on a finger that just happened to be in the way.

 

5. Forgetting to put the gas plug back on the #1 setting before firing slugs. (shotgun specific)

 

--

 

I am sure that there are others that I will remember. Some of these are damn humorous in retrospect. Hell, I fell prey to #1 last night during my conversion... my index finger has a nice mark on it, right on the knuckle!

[camon 233]

Heh... I'll play.

 

- Opening the gas plug over carpet and then proceeding to try to tap the puck out.

[Juggernaut 11,054]

Halo rail/charging handle bite......

[Bvamp 604]

oh, lets see here....bump fired 15 pellet buck and opened my hand up on the charging handle...

 

shot bowling pins with steel shot and proceeded to duck from the ricochets...not sure what I was thinking that time...

 

pinned a meth head to the wall that was going through my shit under my car port at 2am one night....I am pretty sure i injured the idiot with the amount of force i was exerting on the muzzle to the guy's chest....shoulda just shot him instead, thought I was going to have a visit from the local LEOs from that one.....

 

chased down some deer in the woods back home, didnt have the safety on, caught a branch....almost shot/shat myself

 

cooked off a round out of my rifle (not a saiga rifle, but its an AK either way) after practicing a moving while shooting drill in the woods, nearly took my leg off....

 

Ive done lots of stupid shit with firearms, actually....theres a couple for you all to give me shit over, though....have guns long enough, something is BOUND to happen sooner or later....

[csspecs 1,987]

I turned the safety off on my s-12 and bumped the trigger with my pinky finger while my hand was still behind the bolt.... That hurt pretty good.

 

Other one was I had the bolt locked open on my s.308 so that it could cool after shooting, I went to load the rifle back into its case grabbing in front of the bolt, I must have given just enough backward force on the bolt because the bolt slammed shut with a healthy chunk of skin pinched under the bolt.

 

I have noticed that you can smash fingers really easy on these firearms, all you have to do is have them near the bolt.

Edited September 1, 2009 by csspecs

[zenmetsu 17]

chased down some deer in the woods back home, didnt have the safety on, caught a branch....almost shot/shat myself

 

DAMN... that would scare the crap out of me. Was it a shotty or a rifle?

[Bvamp 604]

it was my 12 gauge....i had just dropped one in its tracks in heavy cover, and clipped a second in the neck as they bolted, and took off after the second one before it could get distance on me, BANG.....but I wasnt letting dinner get away

 

I think the rifle cooking off while hanging under my right armpit on a one point sling scared me more though....I was in "kill the f'n deer" mode when the shotgun AD'd, and walking back in "that was a little better" mode when the round cooked off about an inch from my leg....

 

Both times I will admit, I did have to check my shorts after I got back to the house.....hopefully my stupidity will help someone not make the same mistakes I have, cause ive come close to really getting hurt bad or even killed with a couple of my fuckups....

 

lessons learned from those two incidents? while running through brush and shit, physically cover your trigger and trigger guard with your hand, and always ALWAYS clear your weapon....I usually do, but the one time I didnt...there you go....

[tover26 18]

1. Cycling snap caps manually and looking into the breach with a flash light so that the cap popped right into my face.

2. Upgrading my gas puck, which actually meets specs into the non-spec gas tube and causing massive problems. If the gas puck don't freely move, don't shoot.

3. Buying just 1 Saiga with the expectation that I'd be satisfied with just 1.

4. Converting 1 of the Saigas but not the other one.

5. Cleaned it on my deck in Marylandistan.

[camon 233]

5. Cleaned it on my deck in Marylandistan.

 

THIS.... I have yet to try to clean mine on my porch as I'm not sure how my appt management would take it...

[DrWho 10]

after dumping 10 rounds of birdshot grabbing the barrel to put the gun down..

spending hours each time to "keep" bho... after not rebuilding in correct order. cutting up ham/hands in process..

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

Was doing a shoot-n-scoot at the range, experienced a FTFire while stopped at a target, shooting from kneeling position.

I waited 5 seconds and then braced the weapon across my upraised left knee while holding foregrip with left hand, pointed slightly down and diagonally downrange, and attempted to clear the round, finger slipped off charging handle and straight back onto the unsafed trigger... Scared the beejeesus outta me.

[RangerM9 1]

replacing FCG, had the hammer spring propped up on the hammer.....not tied there however....one slipped off stabbing the meat between thumb and finger.....ouch....

 

no negligent discharges....nor even close....thankfully

[zenmetsu 17]

replacing FCG, had the hammer spring propped up on the hammer.....not tied there however....one slipped off stabbing the meat between thumb and finger.....ouch....

 

no negligent discharges....nor even close....thankfully

 

I did not tie mine up when I was doing my FCG work... and the whole time I was thinking "Man, it would suck balls if one of those legs jumped loose right about now..."

 

I might start tying mine up just in case...

[paprotective 362]

Yeah that Hammer wire is a sharp little thing... Got me a little too.

 

And the hammer slap on the finger (just the tip though)...

 

Also remember to always pull the mag out before you dry fire/cycle, and check for EMPTY chambers.....

 

Happens more probably on pistols... But you 'NEVER KNOW'

 

Also never in NJ take pictures of anything that may even LOOK illegal on your front porch.... (or anywhere)

[Paulyski 2,227]

Not AK based but worth keeping in mind.... NEVER buy cheaply made pistols and...

BUY DUMMY ROUNDS FOR TESTING AFTER CLEANING/REPAIR.

 

I had a High-point 45. These pieces of crap require one to remove a roll pin to remove the slide for disassemblely.

This roll pin holds a piece that holds the slide down @ the rear of the pistol, as well as guides the slide during firing. this piece also is involved in supporting the firing pin spring.

 

During disassemblely I had one of those "Pops" where stuff goes flying out of the gun all over your living room. I found the spring, a sleeve, & this little support piece, but I was not CERTAIN that I found everything.

After cleaning, I (with a fully loaded Mag) attempted to chamber a round. I did this slowly while watching the breech.

I HAD NOT RE-INSTALLED THE ROLL PIN DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT TAKES AN EXTRA MINUET & I WAS TESTING SIMPLY TO SEE IF ALL THE PARTS WERE THERE & IT FUNCTIONED.

 

After chambering, with the rear roll pin removed, that little piece in the back that is SUPPOSED to be secured by the roll pin, raised up just a cunt-hair & to my surprise The pistol went full-auto blasting 2 rounds parallel to & 1" under my left forearm.

 

Luckily nobody was sitting on my couch & my dogs weren't where not there.

 

I suffered a nice little rash from the powder burns under my left forearm. I could have blown my arm completely off.

 

I sincerely thanked the Lord & I sold that pistol the next day. I will never buy a cheaply made pistol again. I will ALWAYS use DUMMY rounds when testing cycling & action.

 

Ya live, Ya learn.

Pictured are Highpoint boat anchors. Cheaply made, fixed barrel blow-back operated pistols.

[DrWho 10]

my first hand gun was a hipoint 9mm

took my wife to the range the day befor i was to start my cc class.

it jammed on her twice.

 

that night SHE took me to the gun store to buy a Springfield XD9

 

 

BTW my wife rocks! 8 year versary tomorrow.

[Paulyski 2,227]

my first hand gun was a hipoint 9mm

took my wife to the range the day befor i was to start my cc class.

it jammed on her twice.

 

that night SHE took me to the gun store to buy a Springfield XD9

 

 

BTW my wife rocks! 8 year versary tomorrow.

My 45 was dependable, it never jammed & I put over 2000 rounds through it, but it is a lot larger & heavier than a 1911 & requires tools to disassemble. Poorly constructed/designed = FAIL

[RangerM9 1]

replacing FCG, had the hammer spring propped up on the hammer.....not tied there however....one slipped off stabbing the meat between thumb and finger.....ouch....

 

no negligent discharges....nor even close....thankfully

 

I did not tie mine up when I was doing my FCG work... and the whole time I was thinking "Man, it would suck balls if one of those legs jumped loose right about now..."

 

I might start tying mine up just in case...

 

 

have not sucked balls so i cannot compare.... ....but yes it hurt plenty, bled quite well, and it is shitty spot to try to put a bandage....

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

I let a round go out of my 870 in the house.

[DogMan 2,343]

I backed into my Tromix Shark Brake while the gun was in the vise. I used every cuss word I knew and then I invented a few more.

[superA 289]

Grabbed the barrel after my brother let loose on a 30 round mag. Shot a round straight up in the air to see if I could catch it in my mouth on the way down. Okay the second one is bullshit.

[Gibbles 23]

So far I have been pretty careful

I think the worst thing I have done with my S12 in a moment of stupidity I shot a dead tree with birdshot, the bbs bounced back and pelted my face, I was wearing shooting glasses but it still stung.

I shot down another dead smaller tree with buckshot and birdshot with my drum before... it went much better, but it was softer wood.

 

I had some issues at work in the parking lot with both my truck and some people being mugged/having their cars stolen, so I carried very deap, I bought a Keltec PF9 just for it, I did a fluff and buff and in the end the gun worked great, but I made one big mistake, I did not put new blue loctite on the screw that holds in both the extractor and the firing pin, and it worked it's way loose over a few months of wearing it every day, then I took it out to test new carry ammo, and it made it through one shot before the firing pin flew out the back of the gun.

 

 

And I have been thinking about picking up a Hipoint for a truck gun, but I think yall talked me out of it.

Right now the truck gun is a S&W model 10 police, it works out pretty good.

[GregM1 241]

i was being lazy, i decided i didnt need a rubber mallet to get my factory handgaurd off. i instead used palm strikes. it worked, to well. the forearm shot off and my thumb got slashed open on the gas block retainer pins.

[Bvamp 604]

jeese, Im glad im not the only one LOL

[zenmetsu 17]

i was being lazy, i decided i didnt need a rubber mallet to get my factory handgaurd off. i instead used palm strikes. it worked, to well. the forearm shot off and my thumb got slashed open on the gas block retainer pins.

 

That would have been comical to watch. Hope the injury healed quickly.

[bigcec1 72]

Lets see where to start well ive built a few ak kits over the years and um the hammer spring has gotten me a few times cause I forget to tie it up some times but I think the last time did it as I had it in my hand going to place it in the gun the spring came lose caught the inside of my plam and went into my hand and like a fishing hook came out also and I had it stuck in my hand for a little while till I finaly had to just cut it out could not get it to come out.

 

the last insident does not involve a saiga but an ar15 with a tromix shark break had a single point sling on with the gun hanging at the time as the p.o.s sling mount broke well its a good mount I just had a defective one but never the less the shark break fell onto my foot stabed me on my right foot good thing hte gun did not go off :}

 

all i can think of off hand

[unclejake 428]

my first hand gun was a hipoint 9mm

took my wife to the range the day befor i was to start my cc class.

it jammed on her twice.

 

that night SHE took me to the gun store to buy a Springfield XD9

 

 

BTW my wife rocks! 8 year versary tomorrow.

Congrats Dr. !!!! I also have a rockin wife..26 years come Nov 22

[Shandlanos 1,470]

I was out shooting on a buddy's land just a week or two after I got my Saiga-12, still in 100% factory configuration, with only the five-round mag and no sling.

 

We'd just finished clearing out a dozen or so very large spider webs that had conveniently sprung up across the path in the woods that runs down to a ravine in which we've set up a small range. Since we killed the spiders using birdshot (overkill, but fun), we were still wandering around with loaded shotguns.

 

Of course (and keep in mind, this is a "being stupid" story) we didn't think to clear the weapons before starting down into the ravine... I went first. Trying to keep one's footing while descending a steep, muddy ravine with a backpack full of shotgun shells and both hands filled with a shotgun is a challenging exercise, and one at which I failed miserably. It was me or the shotgun; something was going to tumble to the bottom of the ravine. Instinct took over, and I freed my hands to grab a tree. My Saiga-12 went tumbling down, safety off, round in the chamber, to rest mud-splattered at the bottom of the ravine, barrel pointed directly at me.

 

Long story summarized, being an idiot put me and my friends in danger. Don't do that. Most friends will frown upon being injured or killed by your stupidity...

[zenmetsu 17]

My Saiga-12 went tumbling down, safety off, round in the chamber, to rest mud-splattered at the bottom of the ravine, barrel pointed directly at me.

 

of course, the million dollar question... did it discharge?

[tover26 18]

Yeah, I've grabbed the Chaos Warthog forgetting its sharp on the top.

 

My wife had a shell eject at the range, bounce on the side wall and richochet into her shirt top. That was funny albeit preventable and might apply to most women shooters at some level... appropriate clothing to avoid "catching" hot shells.

 

Grabbing the gas tube or barrel after shooting.

 

It wasn't a Saiga, but one of my wife's Mossbergs has a knoxx stock on it. We upgraded her scope and while sighting it in, I kept thinking, "the knoxx stock will flex... don't put your eye too close to the scope it'll smash your head and leave a bloody scope bite." Thinking this over and over did not at all work when after a few shots I wanted to see if the scope would retain zero with a 3" magnum high velocity slug. Nice crescent scar between my eyes forming.

 

The deck thing... I'm amazed that none of my neighbors called the police. Cleaning out lead fouling is, well, foul. And we were out there with 3 shotguns, 2 cleaning kits, power tools, etc. for about 2 hours with dissasembled parts lying around, cleaning brushes, and shoe hammers flying. What with all the solvent types, I'm sure to an uninformed observer it might have looked a bit apocalyptic.