Help, Bullet guide. And 75 drum ?'s

[saigarifles 0]

Well, I think I am going to add a bullet guide to my converted saiga I want my saiga to feel like a GUN not cheap plastic mags. I am quite scared I do not want to SCREW IT UP!. So a few questions,

#1 I am getting it from dinzagarms, I am getting that set with the taps, but which one do I need? the round or flat one?

#2 The tap, do I need a tool to hold this tap into place? look at picture this handle thing, what is it called? where could I get one? I see the set comes with a tap but it looks like I need this handle thing to screw it down? Will any type of oil work for cooling down? I got some car oil in my closet, will this work?

#3 Drum and AK steel mags, is there any FILING to the gun mag well or the MAG ITSELF? or to the LIP of anything? I had to file down my mag lip(on the mag not the gun) to fit my plastic thermold mags into the gun. Drum's do I need to file them down?

 

Also on the drums which brand do you guys like best? Romain or China?

 

On the oil, how much do I drop on the tap/screw and how often?

Edited February 14, 2010 by saigarifles

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

#1 Look at the front trunion of your rifle, if it has a flat section just outside the chamber, you need a flat one. If the trunion is round you will need a round one.

 

#2 Yes, don't half ass it, just get a tool called a Tap Holder, one size fits all, they sell them at hardware stores cheap. I still use my grandpa's one from the 1950's!

 

#3 Yes, there is. You need to remove the "interdiction tab" on the receiver at the back of the magazine well, and then you need to file off a little bit of the magazine catch on the side facing the receiver. You can use a dremel for that, just go slow, little at a time, and keep trying mags till all fit. Some will be tighter than others but all should pop in and out easily. When filing you will find some are very tight! so tight it will take forever to get the mag out. that means take a little more off the catch.

 

#4 Put a nice amount of oil on the hole. Too much can't hurt. Do 1/8 turn, back up as much, then another 1/8, back up as much, and repeat till all the way through.

 

Also, make sure you drill, and tap, level, and at no point does the drill bit, or later the tap, bend or flex. that is bad!

 

For best fit, put the bullet guide in the rifle without drilling the hole. center it real perfectly. I use a piece of tape to hold it in place. Now, in the center of that hole, DEAD CENTER, take your dremel with the cone shape orange wheel, and slowly, slowly, grind a little tiny divot into it. Maybe 1/16" deep. That will be where you put the tip of the drillbit on to help hold it steady and not slip and drill at center.

 

As for Drums, a lot of people like the Romanian or Chinese because they can be loaded from the back and stored without the spring under tension. The Romanian usually go for like $100-110 but I have seen the Chinese go for twice as much, probably due to collector value? I'm not a drum expert however.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Klassy Kalashnikov

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

Here are some pics. First one is my flat trunion 7.62x39 with the hole drilled for the bullet guide. Second is the guide installed. I took the dremel orange cone and smoothed over the top to wear it in a little. Third pic shows the interdiction tab at the back of the magazine well ground off. That picture it was not done far enough, so I took a little more off afterwards. The fourth pic shows a properly removed tab on my other one. I don't have any pics of the shortened magazine latch.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Klassy Kalashnikov

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

Oh, and here's my other, this one is round trunion.

[jimdigriz 580]

Well, I think I am going to add a bullet guide to my converted saiga I want my saiga to feel like a GUN not cheap plastic mags. I am quite scared I do not want to SCREW IT UP!. So a few questions,

#1 I am getting it from dinzagarms, I am getting that set with the taps, but which one do I need? the round or flat one?

#2 The tap, do I need a tool to hold this tap into place? look at picture this handle thing, what is it called? where could I get one? I see the set comes with a tap but it looks like I need this handle thing to screw it down? Will any type of oil work for cooling down? I got some car oil in my closet, will this work?

#3 Drum and AK steel mags, is there any FILING to the gun mag well or the MAG ITSELF? or to the LIP of anything? I had to file down my mag lip(on the mag not the gun) to fit my plastic thermold mags into the gun. Drum's do I need to file them down?

 

Also on the drums which brand do you guys like best? Romain or China?

 

On the oil, how much do I drop on the tap/screw and how often?

 

I strongly recommend getting a screwdriver-handle tap wrench from Sears ($12.99) rather than one of those T-handle ones, which are too short and unwieldy. The one from Sears also comes with the exact size taps you might need for any conversion.

 

As for the cutting oil, you can't use too much. I kept it flowing generously for each of my 3 conversions. Every time I'd back the tap out, wipe off the shards, and blow out the debris from the hole, I'd re-oil the tap. Just leave a paper towel in the receiver to catch any that drains backward, and try to clean up the rest of the mess later.

 

Jim

Edited February 14, 2010 by Jim Digriz

[saigarifles 0]

I am filing THIS with a dremel? I am filing at the reciver, not the little latch tab?

 

NOT THIS(pic 2)

 

I didnt see this you posted, "don't have any pics of the shortened magazine latch" Do I need to file down the little latch tab after I file down the thing in the picture?(reciver part)-in picture 3 something like this? not that far up though lol

Edited February 15, 2010 by saigarifles

[my762buzz 141]

Hacking at the receiver is bad medicine.

 

The latch alone needs to be trimmed not the receiver. The Horror.

 

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

Correct, you must file the tab at the back of the magazine well, and the botom of the magazine catch needs a little bit removed, as shown above.

[jimdigriz 580]

Correct, you must file the tab at the back of the magazine well, and the botom of the magazine catch needs a little bit removed, as shown above.

 

Wait. Why would he need to file the tab for a 7.62x39? That should only be necessary on the 223.

[icefire 10]

Now I'm confused, too. I'm about to add my bulllet guide in a couple of days on my X39, and I always read here that only the mag catch had to be filed. What is this about the "interdiction tab"?? Do I need to file this on a 7.62 or not? And, how do I know when I drill the hole, when I'm deep enough wiithout going too deep?

Thanks for clarification, and I think it'll help the OP as well.

[jimdigriz 580]

What is this about the "interdiction tab"?? Do I need to file this on a 7.62 or not?

 

I didn't have to on mine. I've never heard of doing that on anything but the .223 Saiga before today.

[my762buzz 141]

Now I'm confused, too. I'm about to add my bulllet guide in a couple of days on my X39, and I always read here that only the mag catch had to be filed. What is this about the "interdiction tab"?? Do I need to file this on a 7.62 or not? And, how do I know when I drill the hole, when I'm deep enough wiithout going too deep?

Thanks for clarification, and I think it'll help the OP as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have restored two 7.62x39 saigas and only filed the magazine latch as seen in my picture diagram above. I never filed the receiver and all surplus magazines

magazines I own fit. All 90 plus mags hungarian, bulgarian, romanian, chinese, etc... I have not restored a .223 so maybe thats what they are referring to.

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

I'm sorry, I was a bit confused. Tab removal is for .223's.

 

Icefire you will know the depth when you drill. Drill properly, and slowly, and when you pop out of the trunion you'll feel it. Worse comes to worst, the most you could possibly do is put a tiny hole in the underside of the receiver, which wouldn't harm your gun.

[oliverb 4]

Not much chance of putting a hole in the receiver if you drill slowly. The trunnion is not very thick and you will know when the drill bit gets through the trunnion. At the most, the bit will drop down and touch the inside surface of the receiver. Feels like there is something like 1/4" (at least) clearance between the trunnion and receiver. Has to be or there would not be enough room to run the tap deep enough to properly thread the hole.

[sailor 6]

Drilling the hole in the trunnion is easy, just keep it straight up and down. It is a lot thinner to drill through than you might expect. The harder part is getting the tap to start, keep it straight, and don't try to cut more than a 1/8 turn at a time - that is hard steel, and going too fast can wind up with a broken tap stuck in the hole. Of all the conversion parts to deal with, I found the trunnion tap to be the most frustrating to get started. Also, the comment for using a screwdriver-type tap driver sounds like a winner.

[saigarifles 0]

I am more scraed now to do it, filing at the reciver sounds dumb lol.. Please saigaforums memebrs post pictures of your saiga, like in the picture I posted, just the mag well part. I like to see your latch and mag well. Thanks.

 

I am quite sacred of the tap part, I am scared I will screw up the hole and leave a hole in my reciver and no bullet guide.

 

Do gun shops do this work??

 

EDIT, I might do it but depends on the questions and this pictures, picture 1 shows filing of latch tab, is that all i need to do for x39?

 

 

 

picture 2 shows filing at reciver is this for x39 or .223 ONLY? if it is for 223 only and not x39 then I will do bullet guide, I do not think filing at reciver is a good thing for me lol

Edited February 15, 2010 by saigarifles

[Mullet Man 2,114]

7.62x39 = DO NOT file the receiver! ONLY file the top of the mag catch/release!

 

Its not a hard process to install the bullet guide. There are 1,000 retards mentally challenged individuals on this site (myself included) who have done it themselves!

Edited February 15, 2010 by Mullet Man

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

As previously stated, for the third time now, tab removal is for .223

 

All that needs to be done on an x39 is drill and tap the trunion, and take a little off the magazine latch.

 

I provided multiple pictures for you and an in depth instruction on how to do it. Honestly, it's not hard. If you can't follow those instructions I don't know what to tell you.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Klassy Kalashnikov

[sailor 6]

The bullet guide is too useful not to put it in, and don't think a mistake will destroy your rifle. Most errors are repairable, or changed to a different hole size - whatever. As stated above, only file on the mag latch, not the receiver. And do the filing very slowly - not much metal to remove. If done right, milsurp and original Saiga mags will all fit well. If you are not too used to hand tools, I might suggest take some mild steel scrap, and practice a time or two with the drill and tap routine, just to give yourself some confidence - it really isn't all that hard to do, just that the receiver steel is very hard.

[saigarifles 0]

THANKS SO MUCH!! you made it more clear. I was getting confussed... Dinzagarms takes 2-4 weeks to ship correct?

 

Does anyone use those tapco intrafuse 7.62x39, 30 round magazine rugged?? I heard alot of great things on them. Some say it only holds 27-29??

[n102788 6]

They said 2-4 weeks for shipping when i got mine a while back. i ordered thursday or friday and got it monday shipped to NY

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

They say 2-4 weeks on the site, but usually I receive my stuff from dinzag within a week usually. Also Carolina Shooter's Supply sells Dinzag's products as well.

[Mullet Man 2,114]

I think Mississippi Auto Arms has them also.

[icefire 10]

Thanks all. My part is figured out. Now I know what to grind, what to drill, etc..and what not to. As soon as my Dinzag guide gets here, (this week hopefully) I will immediately install bullet guide. I have 2 combloc mil spec mags here just waiting to be cycled thru...in the meantime, i'm breaking out the dremel in the morning, and going after my mag catch...