.308 Re-assembly

[SaturnAscends 1]

I recently disassembled my .308 and cant remember how to put the firing pin in. Here are the photos. I cant remember how I am supposed to put the piston and bolt in with the firing pin. If I leave the firing pin out it will slide in perfectly. Please help. The first phot is the firing pin and the second is me trying to get the piston and bolt in with the firing pin inserted...as you can see it doesnt fit.

Edited February 6, 2010 by SaturnAscends

[kresk 10,063]

Rotate the bolt in the bolt carrier so that the extractor is at about the eleven o'clock position when looking at the bolt face from the front. Be sure the neck of the bolt is not protruding from the back of the bolt carrier at all or the carrier will not go into the slots at the rear of the carrier rails on the receiver. Be sure the hammer is cocked. Place the rear of the carrier into the slots at the receiver's rear onto the carrier rails, and push forward and slightly down to overcome the spring tension from the cocked hammer. The whole thing should slide forward, and you're in business. There are some videos on Utube of AK disassembly and reassembly that might be useful to you.

 

Welcome to the forum.

[silleywilley 0]

I just converted my 308, and afterward it seems as though the hammer drags the bolt assy so much, that it wont fit in the rails unless I take the hammer, push it down and hook it on the disconnector-hold the trigger back to retain the hammer, and then gently slide the bolt carrier in and let the trigger go once its in far enough to stay in the rails.

[BrutalGardener 205]

I just converted my 308, and afterward it seems as though the hammer drags the bolt assy so much, that it wont fit in the rails unless I take the hammer, push it down and hook it on the disconnector-hold the trigger back to retain the hammer, and then gently slide the bolt carrier in and let the trigger go once its in far enough to stay in the rails.

 

This could be a problem. I had a similar issue before, where I had to use tricks and a little bit of force in order to get the bolt assembly back into the receiver. I dry tested the action afterwards and everything seemed fine. When I took the rifle out to the range, after the second shot, the dust cover got blown off the receiver and hit me in the face, while the bolt carrier got stock at the back.

 

Make sure that there's nothing preventing the hammer from being pushed ALL THE WAY down and please, wear safety glasses when you fire the weapon for the first time.

[silleywilley 0]

I just converted my 308, and afterward it seems as though the hammer drags the bolt assy so much, that it wont fit in the rails unless I take the hammer, push it down and hook it on the disconnector-hold the trigger back to retain the hammer, and then gently slide the bolt carrier in and let the trigger go once its in far enough to stay in the rails.

 

This could be a problem. I had a similar issue before, where I had to use tricks and a little bit of force in order to get the bolt assembly back into the receiver. I dry tested the action afterwards and everything seemed fine. When I took the rifle out to the range, after the second shot, the dust cover got blown off the receiver and hit me in the face, while the bolt carrier got stock at the back.

 

Make sure that there's nothing preventing the hammer from being pushed ALL THE WAY down and please, wear safety glasses when you fire the weapon for the first time.

 

thanks for the advice, I will def be on my guard when I fire it first time out. I worked the hammer quite a few times by hand with the bolt carrier out and it seems to work smoothly and without a hitch. so hopefully all is good.

and don't worry about safety, I was born with military birth control glasses

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

To the Op....That part you are calling the "firing pin" is actually the bolt assembly. The firing pin is inside of it.

 

That other part is called the bolt carrrier. (because it carries the bolt)

 

tritiums instructions are spot on as far as how to put them back in the gun together. Be sure you have the bolt positioned where it rotates and locks in place within the bolt carrier. When it is rotated and slid back all the way, it protrudes out of the back of the carrier. It must be rotated all the way forward before you can get it down into the track. There is a small notch in the LH rail that is most difficult of all the Saiga rifles on the 308, to fit the lug of the bolt through while pushing it down into the track to slide forward. Getting that exactly right while depressing the hammer spring at the same time, can be tricky at first. It gets easier with practice.

[SaturnAscends 1]

To the Op....That part you are calling the "firing pin" is actually the bolt assembly. The firing pin is inside of it.

 

That other part is called the bolt carrrier. (because it carries the bolt)

 

tritiums instructions are spot on as far as how to put them back in the gun together. Be sure you have the bolt positioned where it rotates and locks in place within the bolt carrier. When it is rotated and slid back all the way, it protrudes out of the back of the carrier. It must be rotated all the way forward before you can get it down into the track. There is a small notch in the LH rail that is most difficult of all the Saiga rifles on the 308, to fit the lug of the bolt through while pushing it down into the track to slide forward. Getting that exactly right while depressing the hammer spring at the same time, can be tricky at first. It gets easier with practice.

 

Can you explain what you mean when you say, "depressing the hammer spring"? Thanks everyone for your help!

[G O B 3,516]

The hammer must be cocked, and it presses on the bottom of the bolt carrier. I have to rock mine in, the right side in first and press HARD down to compress the hammer a bit to get the left side in. Takes a bit of practice, but gets easier as your hands learn the drill.