Are Factory 5 Rounders "Fitted" To Each Saiga?

[FRC64 2]

I've seen it mentioned recently in several posts that each factory mag is "fitted" to the shotgun it is shipped with. What confirmation is there that this is true?

 

I have many factory 5 rounders, a box full next to my desk, some strewn on benches, there's 5 or six on the file cabinet next to my computer. I have a half dozen or so factory 8 rounders at our range in PA. I do not keep the mag that comes with each of my Saiga-12s with that specific gun. I've never even given it any thought. Those of us that shoot together don't keep track of which mag belongs to who. We just leave with the same number we showed up with...well some of us do.

 

Tonight after a coversation about this, we sat down with a few Saiga-12s, two early EAA models and four 2008 models. We went through all six guns with over thirty 5 rounders I just grabbed up around my desk (no hockey on tonight ). We rocked and locked every magazine without exception and every mag fit every gun and fit well. Our factory 8's came directly from the factory without ever being paired up with a gun, that I know. All of them have been run on many Saigas without a hiccup.

 

Is there any other info from, say, a factory source?

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

I have multiple factory 5's and they all fit. The issues you hear about fitting are not with Izhmash factory magazines, but secondary brands. Some of these brands do indeed need fitting, unless you're calling a couple thousand people crazy.

 

PS Would you mind sharing what club in PA you go to? I have a feeling you go to mine

Edited May 29, 2010 by Klassy Kalashnikov

[wired 27]

The factory 5 round magazine that came with my Saiga 12 shotgun would not fit the gun when I got it and required filing. I lived in Russia for a year so I expect that of Russian consumer goods.

[Lone Star Arms 2,047]

Factory 5 round mags are in fact "fitted" to each gun. You will often find the matching number in pencil on the side of the mag. Almost every factory mag fits every factory gun, but they are not 100% interchangeable.

 

The issue isn't the mags, it is the mag catch. I'm convinced they are punched out from scrap pieces left over from receiver production, and the mag catch ends are rarely even, or the same length.

 

Rather than true up the mag catches, the factory elects to grind the mag tabs to fit. Go figure....

[TonyRumore 1,332]

Yeah, well, even the fitted mags with the penciled in serial number still may not lock into their assigned gun. Whoever is doing the fitting, is a fucking idiot.

 

Usually, it's a magwell/magazine length issue from front to back. Not all mag wells are the same length and some magazine tabs are thicker than others that create length fitment issues. Mag catch length can be an issue, but it's not the primary problem.....it's just the one that is most commonly discussed on this forum.

 

Tony

[FRC64 2]

Basically looks like I used six Saigas without magwell dimension issues for my little test.

 

I stayed up this late to call a friend of mine who lives about 45 minutes from Izhevsk and the Izhmash factory. He's a tool & die guy and actually worked at times for Izhmash in their industrial machine division. He's a fellow Saiga-12 devotee and first introduced me to the Saiga-12 years ago. I caught him just before he left his flat for the day. He said he'd call a friend of his this afternoon (his time) who still works there. I should have some more info tomorrow.

 

Just finished watching Hangover, time for bed. Its range day and it'll be a long one as another Russian friend of mine has been here for a few months now and spends Saturday afternoons with us at the range and today he gets to play with a couple of Tony's creations. We'll finish off this evening with a few bottles of Russian Standard...like I said, long day.