is the BHO feature desirable?

[brackij 1]

thanks eveyone for all the great info you guys have provided me with since joining. I also really appreciate being able to dig through the forum for all kinds of useful stuff. I hacve been getting some conflicting info since preparing for my first conversion concerning the BHO feature on the saiga etc.. can someone please confirm if the BHO is an original AK design. also when the russians went to the ak 74m rifle in the early 1990's I believe?? does the original ak 74m have a BHO feature.?? I apologize for posting this question in this area but i am conveting a 7.62 x 39 saiga and to be honest i did not know which section of the forum would be best suited to post these questions . thx guys. all my research tells me the BHO is not an original feature of the AK ?? I am not sure abou the ak 74m . I would appreciate someone confirming this for both rifles. thx again.

[Shandlanos 1,470]

The manual bolt hold open is a very new thing, the only weapons that have it, to the best of my knowledge, are Saiga rifles. They are very useful on the S-12 and S-20 (though to a greater degree in the S-12), and completely unnecessary for the rifles. It is very difficult to insert a loaded magazines into an S-12 on a closed bolt - hence the bolt hold open feature. It's easy as pie on the rifles. Ditch it.

[imarangemaster 315]

I like it. I have kept it on all the Saigas I restored. Just MHO. I trim it down so it doesn't stick your trigger finger.

[jimdigriz 580]

It can cause reliability issues if it comes loose. Has happened to many people.

[L5K 162]

If you keep it I would trim the button up on it and also cut a groove for the spring to ride in. This will keep it from coming off over the plate it's on and causing the BHO to get sucked up inside the receiver and lock the gun open.....which is less than desirable and a pain to fix.

[KC913 324]

In my opinion, it's just an extra unnecessary part that can jam your rifle up when you might need it most. I'd rather dremel a notch in my safety selector to hold my bolt back than to have the BHO stick up inside of the receiver as it has for me and many others. Even adding the notch didn't completely solve the problem on some of the rifles / shotguns that I've seen. The only reason you would ever need the BHO is for certain ranges that require you to lock your bolt back to show your weapon is clear, but a notched safety selector can be used for this scenario.

 

[jimdigriz 580]

The only reason you would ever need the BHO is for certain ranges that require you to lock your bolt back to show your weapon is clear, but a notched safety selector can be used for this scenario.

 

Or chamber flag.

[brackij 1]

thx for the opiions guys ... I did not think this was original ak design and I think will leave it off my builds. It was never an issue for me on an old Mak 90 I had so I think I prefer to just keep it simple and leave it off. thx for the opinions .

[BpS12 512]

I like it on my bullpupped S12(but do as L5K says). Its handy for loading specialty rounds or for that "one in the chamber" extra round. For the rifles, I don't see a use.

[GregM1 241]

I put mine back in both my rifles. I like it. Mainly only use it at ranges though. I never trimmed either and my finger doesnt rub against them. Also, they have never gotten stuck either. They are a pain in the ass to install the first time though.

[cobravenom39 17]

I put mine back in both my rifles. I like it. Mainly only use it at ranges though. I never trimmed either and my finger doesnt rub against them. Also, they have never gotten stuck either. They are a pain in the ass to install the first time though.

 

OMG +1 to your entire post.

 

I have it on mine, too. I'm glad I had it when I went to the range with it for the first time. No way I could have shot it without it.

[imarangemaster 315]

For ranges that require open bolts rather than chamber flags, you either have to have the BHO, or a Krebs style safety lever with charging handle catch cut in it.

[essohbe 47]

I thought it was annoying and after firing other AKs for so long I'd forget it was even on there.

[RobRez 1,895]

I like it because the range I shoot at requires an unloaded gun with open bolt when folks go downrange to switch targets.

[toshbar 36]

I like it. I have kept it on all the Saigas I restored. Just MHO. I trim it down so it doesn't stick your trigger finger.

 

X2, I trimmed it so much that when the bolt engages it going forward, it disappears into the receiver. when shooting, it might stick out 1/16 of an inch.