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Kind of regretting my Saiga 12 purchase


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I allipied some pressure and the factory magazine fits now. I'm about to try to file the drum mag down some. What should I use?

 

I used a flat jewelers file. Your drum should come with fitting instructions; go a little at a time and make sure you know what area needs reduction, re-read the directions for the drum then double check yourself before you reduce the wrong area

Edited by TARE
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Whenever I feel even the slightest bit low about my Saiga12, I seek supernatural inspiration....

 

And about all the inspiration I've ever needed can be found in the R and R Targets video of their guns in action, and I do mean action! Look around, and you'll find the link quickly enough. If you're like me, you'll end up listing it under your 'favorites'.

 

Add that to the help these folks offer, and you'll be off and running in no time!

 

PJJ

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I fitted my latch with a latch compressor.

 

 

Same here I got a few different ones but if you can only afford one compressor get the #12 it has the most leverage and you can adjust with the most weights.

What I don't understand is why do they sell the weights in cases of 25. Walmart even sells them in 100 packs who in the hell needs 100 latch compressor weights.

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Larry - it depends what is hitting. if the mag latch is too long by a hair, you file one spot on the mag. if the rear of the magwell or front of magwell is slightly out of spec, you file something else. I have noticed on a number of the guns with magazine isnertion issues, that the problem lies in the rear of the magwell. well, if you could CALL it a magwell, that is. if you fit a mag for the other issue, and it is not the correct issue, you will have feed problems.

 

SLIGHTLY rough the rear lockup tab on the magazine itself. the "more vertical flat surface" area, not the spot the mag latch catches, but the rear part of that same area of the mag. insert the mag in and out a couple of times while holding the mag latch open so that it does not touch the roughed area. if it becomes flattened where you SLIGHTLY roughed it, then it is rubbing on the rear of the magwell and is having an issue seating fully. if it remains untouched and rough, the problem is the mag latch.

 

here, take a look at this picture. I have circled the area of the mag that should be FLUSH with the steel block. if it isnt FLUSH when your promag is not fully locking in, the problem is NOT with the magazine latch.You will need to click the photo to really see where Im referring to.

 

by the way, this is my personal UNMODIFIED OR FUCKED WITH saiga 12 that I have had since joining this forum in 2003. it has jammed three times in about 12,000 rounds, and I have not done a damn thing to it or let anyone fuck with it. if you want a proper hammer profile, take a look at mine. I "reworked" mine by never cleaning the thing and just throwing shells down it over the years. keyword here is "UNTOUCHED". It was never even properly cleaned by anyone until I loaned it to Bill Akins last year to test on a project of his. He actually called me up to tell me he had cleaned it and couldnt believe the amount of crap that came out of the gun from all areas....

 

Dont regret buying one of these.

post-83-0-69925300-1292454549_thumb.jpg

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I get a little tired of the ignorant AR comments and the same comments on AKs from the other side of the fence. Each has merits and its matter of choice. Just seems that some folks who dont know as much as they think they do pop off.

 

Didn't mean to upset ya! You have a beautiful rifle and I especially like the purple S-12!

 

We're an AR family too, the AK is my dalliance from ARs, the hubby still has his, among other makes and models. I'm kind of sick of the disparagement also, from both "sides". I was trying to encourage the OP to not worry about "hurting" his lil S-12.

 

Sorry if it chapped your ass.

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Another AR guy here. I started with ARs (LMT, LaRue, Daniel Defense and Bushmaster)and slid over to AKs (Rusky, Yugo, Bulgarian, Romys and Chicoms) soon after. As stated, both are two animals that share nothing in common and have their pros and cons. Still, I love both. The latest for me was the Saiga 12 (2009). I fed mine slugs and buck all this time and now want to see if it will eat the low brass stuff. 50/50 chance I will not need any port work but taking it out and shooting the bulk stuff will tell the tale.

 

If it were not for this forum and the folks here, I would have sold my S12 off but alas, the S12 bug bit me and I got the sickness. :super:

Edited by RABIDFOX50
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My drum was tight. The A and B fit was PERFECT. It was the width that was to tight. It would not go in at all. I used a diamond coated metal nail file.

 

I took a few strokes off of each side till it went in very snug. Then I put it in and out a few times to see just where it was binding on the sides. Then a few more strokes on the marred spots.

 

I now have a perfectly fitted drum. It is not to tight but It has not play. It still goes in very easily. It was almost right but had some drag still .. so only a very light stroke on each side was all it needed. The surface finish is also very smooth as I was very light on the touch.

 

I now can make a very smooth quick mag attach /detach. :D

 

Oh I forgot I also used the diamond nail file to break the sharp edges on the mag well. Now it's harder to shave skin off my fingers. :smoke:

 

I lost a lot of skin off my fingers working on my Saiga when I first got it. Lots of sharp edges.

Edited by JohnInNH
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What should I use to file down the drum mag with? I want to do it soon.

 

Just about any small file will work. Doesn't need to be anything real specific. I've heard of one guy who even used a nail file (not recommended lol, might take a while).

Edited by Deaden
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ledslinger - not usually.

 

larry - you can also use a pocket knife with a good edge on it, and draw scrape it. thats how i "file" mine.

 

John & Larry - you wouldnt happen to have the 22" gun or one that is marked forward of the magwell on the BOTTOM of the receiver with the import markings, do you? there were some guns that bypassed germany when a law changed that are a little out of spec in the magazine well. promags dont like to fit this particular exact import version due to a narrower mag well..

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I'll never regret my S12. It's one of my favorites. Maybe I've been lucky, but every mag/drum I've tried has fit without modification needed. I do notice that the follower on my factory 5 rd mag sits up higher up inside the receiver than my factory 8 rd follower does. Consequently, the bolt carrier is easier to pull back.

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I fitted my latch with a latch compressor.

 

 

Same here I got a few different ones but if you can only afford one compressor get the #12 it has the most leverage and you can adjust with the most weights.

What I don't understand is why do they sell the weights in cases of 25. Walmart even sells them in 100 packs who in the hell needs 100 latch compressor weights.

I usually pick 2 weights a few ounces apart and use a 50/50 mix of latch compressor lube and CLP. Works like a champ.

Edited by evlblkwpnz
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The five round mags for the S12 are usually fitted by hand at the factory and as such have a partial matching serial number penciled onto the magazine. Check yours. Depending where you got your gun they may not know (or care) if they gave you the mag that came from the factory with that particular S12.

 

Ahhh I wondered what that penciled in number was on my factory mag! As for your drum, your first issue is that you bought a promag...secondly, the drums require some fine tuning and filing to fit. Mine (MD Arms 20 rd) is still a little finicky and I need to manually push forward on the mag release to click it in and lock; not a big deal to me and I don't want to file off too much!

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I allipied some pressure and the factory magazine fits now...

 

I have 3 factory 5's, and 3 factory 8's, and only about half of them fit easily into the gun. The other half require a little force, but I haven't bothered trying to "fit" any of these mags, (yet), so I guess I'm fortunate that so many factory mags lock in without modification. :smoke:

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ledslinger - not usually.

 

larry - you can also use a pocket knife with a good edge on it, and draw scrape it. thats how i "file" mine.

 

John & Larry - you wouldnt happen to have the 22" gun or one that is marked forward of the magwell on the BOTTOM of the receiver with the import markings, do you? there were some guns that bypassed germany when a law changed that are a little out of spec in the magazine well. promags dont like to fit this particular exact import version due to a narrower mag well..

 

My Saiga has only a small mark infront of the Magwell on the bottom it's a: -I What ever that is.

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If it were not for this forum and the folks here, I would have sold my S12 off but alas, the S12 bug bit me and I got the sickness. :super:

 

Word! If loving my S12's is from the S12 bug biting me and having a sickness, I'm sicker than a ham and and puke sandwhich on moldy rye bread!

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I did a few things.. Some of which may have helped

 

1) Polished all the friction points. Not just one time but after each time to the range I used a nice smooth stone and a dremel

 

2) Checked my gas ports using small Allen wrenches. I kept going up a size to the largest I could get in and then rotated it in all 4 ports to insure the ports were open and even. Free of burs or debris.

 

3) Installed the "Low Brass Reliability Kit" (MD Arms V-Plug Gas Adj Knob, Reduced Recoil Spring, & Etac Twister Puc)

 

Cycled my action a few 100 times a night for a few nights and re-polished the wear points after.

 

Check and clean the action and gas tube/gas ports after each range visit to help seat/smooth

 

The paint on the "rails" have more resistance than worn polished metal. This is the same of any wear points that are painted or phosphated. This is why I cycled and re-polished so often.

 

I also took off my SHARK breach (for now) and put on a Polychoke to help with more restriction at the muzzle. With light bird shot using a tighter choke I think it will help gas the system. After it has "run in" I can easily swap the Polychoke back for the SHARK brake when I would want it on instead of the PolyChoke. (I find the SHARK brake HEAVY! FYI)

 

Not sure if all of these things help or not.. But can't hurt.

 

Gas ports are clear now and I believe slightly more open than before I ran the Allan Wrenches in them, and the action IS a LOT smoother now... That might be some help.. The spring is probably very significant. I hear the stock Puc is fine so a spring and a new gas plug of your choice might be as good as the "kit".. I don't know. The self adjusting Plug has me interested I don't cherish having to switch the plug all the time. Not that I do much switching.. I run it on #3 for (2 3/4 slugs/Buck) and on #5 (the +) for Low Brass bird shot.

Edited by JohnInNH
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