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Saiga 7.62X39 problem


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I got a Saiga 7.62X39 in September '08. I shot it for the first time about 2 months ago. I shot 100 rounds with no issues. Afterward, I took it apart, a basic stripping, and cleaned everything. Today I went out to shoot it. I turned the safety down and pulled back the bolt. The first round fired fine. The next round does not fire. I pull the bolt back and a live round ejects. I pull the trigger and the round goes off. I pull the trigger again and nothing happens. Eventually, I realize that after I fire a good round I just pull back the bolt ever so slightly and I hear a click. Then I push the bolt forward and shoot another round. I keep on doing this until I go through 50 rounds. But obviously, this is not how the Saiga 7.62 works. Has anyone had a similar problem? I've stripped other guns for cleaning and never had anything like this happen. I've even stripped the dreaded Ruger Mark III and have gone back to shoot it without any issues. I've emailed RAA and am awaiting a response. I've stripped the gun again this eventing and I'm going to give it a thorough cleaning. But if it doesn't work tomorrow I may have to send it to RAA.

 

JR

 

P.S. I have been able to shoot about three or four rounds consecutively without having to pull the bolt back. And the rounds that don't fire do have a light marking showing that the firing pin has hit the round.

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It almost sounds like the trigger is not resetting after firing, until you manually cycle the action. Could it be that the bolt carrier is not moving far enough back upon firing? Is it well lubed? Is the gas tube installed correctly (does the action feel gritty at all)?

 

Edit:

Scratch that, it sounds like the hammer is falling, but the round is not igniting? It was that *click* when manually cycling the bolt that made me think trigger reset.

Edited by JulianH
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Check the part on the BOLT assy that rotates. Mine wouldn't SEAT after sitting for abit (5 months). Just a few dabs of oil on the spring on this and a few hits with the palm on the bolt handle (unloaded) (and bolt seated and bolt closed) made the rotating/locking lugs rotate properly.

 

I had not really oiled the rifle prior to firing (I'd guess 200 rounds or so) at all. So cleaning and OIL are your friend.

 

This is my experience so mileage may vary.

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Had the exact same issue on a x39 with rounds not going into full battery getting light strikes. Ran a few hundred rounds of steel case with good chamber cleanings with a 45cal brush and the problem vanished. Break-in can be a pain but things do work out. Since then a several thousand rounds with zero malfunctions of any kind.

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It almost sounds like the trigger is not resetting after firing, until you manually cycle the action. Could it be that the bolt carrier is not moving far enough back upon firing? Is it well lubed? Is the gas tube installed correctly (does the action feel gritty at all)?

 

Edit:

Scratch that, it sounds like the hammer is falling, but the round is not igniting? It was that *click* when manually cycling the bolt that made me think trigger reset.

 

I sounds like you are on to something. I took it apart last nigh and cleaned it. I put it back together but did notice the lip on the receiver cover (or dust cover) that pushes into the rifle was bent. That is just cosmetic and shouldn't have any function in performance. I'll re-open the dust cover and give the rifle a good spray with oil.

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Check the part on the BOLT assy that rotates. Mine wouldn't SEAT after sitting for abit (5 months). Just a few dabs of oil on the spring on this and a few hits with the palm on the bolt handle (unloaded) (and bolt seated and bolt closed) made the rotating/locking lugs rotate properly.

 

I had not really oiled the rifle prior to firing (I'd guess 200 rounds or so) at all. So cleaning and OIL are your friend.

 

This is my experience so mileage may vary.

 

I didn't oil the rifle before I went to the range. It sat in my nylon case for about 2 months. Maybe I didn't adequately oil it the first time. I'll oil it up now, take it out a few weeks from now and see what happens. I'm not worried that won't work right. If anything, I've already got a dialogue started with RAA. Well, actually, a monologue until they reply :).

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Sometimes with an AK, when the bolt is not fully in battery, there is the possibility for a light primer strike. Is the bolt returning fully to battery(can't smack it forward any further) after firing?

 

You know what, it didn't go fully forward a few times. There was a little space after shooting a few rounds. It didn't happen all the time, but it did happen.

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Had the exact same issue on a x39 with rounds not going into full battery getting light strikes. Ran a few hundred rounds of steel case with good chamber cleanings with a 45cal brush and the problem vanished. Break-in can be a pain but things do work out. Since then a several thousand rounds with zero malfunctions of any kind.

 

 

Thanks for the positive comment. I'm glad to see that this has happened to someone else. Once I get this badboy squared away I'll put an ungodly number of rounds through it.

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  • 3 months later...

Well about 2 weeks ago I took the rifle back to where I purchased it. The gunsmith saw that there was a mechanism used for preventing full auto that was getting in the way of the bolt, thereby preventing anything more than one shot at a time. The gunsmith fixed the issue and noted that it works fine. I'll give my 7.62 Saiga a shot tomorrow.

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  • 4 months later...

I wonder what part of your IZ-132 the gunsmith deemed "a mechanism used for preventing full auto that was getting in the way of the bolt". :unsure:

 

Afaik, semi-auto Kalashnikov rifles are made by using a different fire control group, (and lack of a "3rd pin" auto-sear); not by adding a mechanism, but by removing one.

 

Regardless, I'm glad to hear it worked out. :up:

Edited by post-apocalyptic
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