Denting on the neck of the case

[terrys308 0]

[Azrial 1,091]

Can we see the primers?

 

Have you noticed any unusual brass kisses on your rifle?

[terrys308 0]

[nissantech 0]

The case is hitting the dust cover. You can put car door corner protector to try and help with the case damage.

[BKLYN_C 14]

It doesnt look like AK kiss, the hit on dust cover. Not in the right place for it and dent is too deep. More likely its the bolt of bolt carrier on its recoil trip

 

 

Edit: Missed the statement that its only 40% of the shells. Actually, it has to be 50%. Every single round on the left side of the magazine. Yep, it is bolt

Edited October 19, 2009 by BKLYN_C

[gtnichols 51]

Mine used to do that when it was newer, it happens as each round is chambered, for whatever reason mine doesn't do it any more.

[Azrial 1,091]

I agree that it appears to be the bolt as well.

 

Have you looked for brass marks on it?

[Stansplace 414]

Mine did the same thing. There is a thread on here about a machining step that was skipped on the bolt for some of these rifles. You have to get out your trusty dremel and polish on the bottom of the bolt. The thread even has some pics. I suck at searching though, maybe Nalioth or one of the other Gurus will find it for you if you are unable to. I did mine and it is good to go. Mine was so bad that it would actually rip open some cases. It is not a big deal. Good luck.

[JulianH 4]

Yeah, mine does this too, even with steel cased ammo. I'm tempted to send it in for work for the free mag, but I don't want to be without my rifle for weeks and weeks. I think I'd rather do it myself, and just spend the $$$ on another magazine. Of course, just firing a lot of steel cased ammo should eventually polish that down...

[terrys308 0]

Yes, I tool a look at the bolt face and it dose look like that is where the problem is. But How much do you need to take off? I tried to look for the link for the bolt rework but could not find it. Does anyone know where it might be or how much should be taken off?

 

Thanks Terry

[Darth AkSarBen 20]

On a Saiga .308 Winchester there is a "third" lug that contacts the cartridges. If it is not 'rounded' well, it will do this to the brass. Mine does it slightly, not overly problematic. However, I have polished the meeting part, the 3rd lug. BE VERY DISCRETIONARY on this lug as it is also used to lock into battery and is part of the strength of the rifle bolt. It has to be able to rotate and engage the lock up along with the other 2 lugs. The bolt lug meets the shell shoulder on it's way back on extraction or on the initial loading of the first round. If you have it happen on the standard 8 round magazine, check the thread on making the 8 round into a 10 round. THAT spring is the same length as some of the longer magazines that hold 20 and 25 rounds. Personally, I cut off some of the spring on my standard 8 round and it still feed wonderfully, but it is not as "tight" at the loaded end as it was before, but still has enough power to put the last bullet up in there for loading. This saves a lot of upward stress on the bullet against the 3rd lug.

 

Perhaps this thread..... http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=34785&st=20

 

Showing an EXTREME example: http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=31277

Edited October 21, 2009 by Darth AkSarBen

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Those dents are exactly what i was seeing on my 308 before adding the molding. For that matter it was on the x39 also.

 

Havent seen single dent since I got it worked out on both rifles. If you want to test the charging handle just wrap it with electrical tape to see if it helps, not permanent but it will tell you what you need. But given the consistency that gotta be the cover doing it.

[JulianH 4]

At least in my case, it's the bolt, not the dust cover. Here's an unfired round I removed from the chamber.

[JulianH 4]

At least in my case, it's the bolt, not the dust cover. Here's an unfired round I removed from the chamber.

 

Let's try this again...

[Darth AkSarBen 20]

+1 JulianH. I was about to say just that. Put in a round in the chamber from a FULLY loaded magazine and then extract the bullet and look at it. If it's dented at the case shoulder as in your example, it's the 3rd lug. If you are getting "line" dents across the case, then it's getting hit by the dust cover.

 

 

 

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

You are right I had forgotten completely about polishing that bolt. Must be getting old.

[Deussne 38]

I usually purchase an extra dust cover for AK and take off about 1/4" from the back corner/edge of that opening on the cover, that gives you enough clearance for the spent cases to fly away without getting dented with a typical line that you get on an AK. But you only should do this if yoiu plan on saving your cases for reloading. The reason being is that now the cases fly all over and behind 4 and 5 O'clock you when you fire, where they would normally go to your 1 to 3 O'clock.

Good advice on polishing the lug. I wish I saw the two threads that you posted (AKsarben) that would have saved me an hour worth of investigating lol.

Edited October 26, 2009 by Deussne

[Darth AkSarBen 20]

Case denting that is perpendicular to the case, especially if it looks like a small line, is usually the result of the force of ejection against a thin hard surface, IE, the edge of the dust cover. Cases that are pushed in at the neck line in a concentrated fashion, as in the picture well illustrated above, are from some other force other than the dust cover.

 

I have 0 incidences of case denting...... now. I reload and the cases come out pretty nice. Used a car door guard I got at Auto Zone. A 1.250" strip on the dust cover at the top opening, near the start of the slant downward is all it takes. Blends in well if done right. No more dings on the brass.