galil mags

[chaps2 0]

shiek,,,, did you get a chance to try out your galil mag in your saiga,or has anyone, if so what were your results

[Sheik Yerbouti 0]

I just got back from the range about 10 minutes ago.

 

Here's what I found out:

 

The Galil mags fit a little loosely. In my converted Saiga 223, they would not feed at all. Upon examination, I perceived that the geometry in the way they seat in the magazine well is slightly off. Even though I have a bullet guide in the gun, the bullet tip hits the breech face below the chamber.

 

There are two ways to fix this. The first, and probably simplest is to install a slightly thicker (or angled) bullet guide. This would probably make the Weigers more reliable, too, as I had 7 FTFs out of 100 rounds with the same symptom.

 

The second way would involve modifying the magazine and since it would probably no longer work in the Galil, I do not think it would be legal, at least before the AWB sunsets. This modification would involve building up the bottom of the front tab of the magazine and the top of the rear tab, so that the angle of the cartridge axis to the bore axis would be increased slightly. That way, when the round is stripped off the top of the magazine, it would be pointed right at the chamber and feed.

 

I think I am going to play around with the bullet guide some and see if I can't get the Galil mag to work.

[chaps2 0]

thanks for the info before i go the gun show, seems as picky as some other mags

[edman99 0]

Hello Sheik:

 

I have a Galil mag in front of me

and am noticing the front tab. I

see a very small space between the

follower and the front of the mag body.

I wonder if some type of temporary

insert could be fabricated which

could be used to change the angle of

the bullet (as you suggested) and

could be removed when being used in

a Galil. This could possibly be a

"work around" to the mag modification

requirement that it still work in the

firearm for which it was designed.

What do you think?

 

Ed

[daemon734 0]

sheik, you dont have the problem of the mags having play from front to back? i notice 5.45 mags have a little indent on top that act as a spacer between the mag and the rail. galil orlites dont have this, and dont sit the right way. they feed perfectly when the mag is pushed forward, but then there is a gap between the mag and the brace on the rail and they rock back and forth unless held. im assuming if i put a spacer on the back of the galil mag to make it fit this would not allow it to fit in the original weapon, and i dont have a .223 galil around to try it out on. i guess the spacer could be put on the bottom of the mag brace on the rail, but this would impair 5.45 mags from fitting without modification. at least the 5.45 mags would still work in the original gun with a little filing on the rear of the lip.

[inparidel 4]

I just got back from the range about 10 minutes ago.

 

Here's what I found out:

 

The Galil mags fit a little loosely.  In my converted Saiga 223, they would not feed at all.  Upon examination, I perceived that the geometry in the way they seat in the magazine well is slightly off.  Even though I have a bullet guide in the gun, the bullet tip hits the breech face below the chamber.

 

There are two ways to fix this.  The first, and probably simplest is to install a slightly thicker (or angled) bullet guide.  This would probably make the Weigers more reliable, too, as I had 7 FTFs out of 100 rounds with the same symptom.

 

The second way would involve modifying the magazine and since it would probably no longer work in the Galil, I do not think it would be legal, at least before the AWB sunsets.  This modification would involve building up the bottom of the front tab of the magazine and the top of the rear tab, so that the angle of the cartridge axis to the bore axis would be increased slightly.  That way, when the round is stripped off the top of the magazine, it would be pointed right at the chamber and feed.

 

I think I am going to play around with the bullet guide some and see if I can't get the Galil mag to work.

Actually, there is a third way of fixing the bullet points hitting the barrel just under the chamber. You can get a dremmel and grind a "feed ramp" in the raised half of the barrel at the chamber opening. Romanian's do it on their AKs in .223. I have some of those so I noticed how they adressed the problem. I ground the conical "ramp" and polished it with some 300 grit wet and dry folded over the end of a screwdriver. It works like a charm. Now my Siaga .223/AK-101 conversion will flawlessly use red-brown bakelites, black Bulgy and Russian polymers and Wieger steel mags.

 

I didn't even have to grind into the chamber as thje Romanians do a little on the right side. Also, to get vitually all modified 5.45 x 39 mags to work flawlessly, you need to take about 1/8 - 3/16" off the bottom of the lugs in the barrel extension so the mags will lock up. Initially I modified the mags to lock up in the Siaga as I read, but that resulted in my having mags that were Romanian or Siaga specific. That didn't make good tactical sense, so I modified the rifle to accept all '74 mags. The metal removed from the Siaga lug bottoms is non-essential to strength or safety. It was just over-engineered.

Edited August 16, 2004 by inparidel

[Messiah Jones 2]

Sheik,

I read that you had problems with FTF in your Saiga .223. I also noticed on your website that you have used the method of making your own feed ramp. I don't doubt your abilities at all, or anything like that... I just wanted you to know that I have converted a Saiga .223 and used a Bulgarian feed ramp from www.k-var.com . Over a dozen different Wieger mags and never any FTFs. They also fit tight with no wobble, but I was extra careful about how much metal I removed from the mag when filing it.

Have you considered buying one of the feed ramps and checking the specs to see if that could be causing the FTF problem with your Wieger mags?

Again, I respect your work and your website, and I know your are very capable and knowledgable. I just wanted to say that I've never had a problem with Wieger mags.

 

I don't know anything about Galil mags, so I apologize if I hijacked this thread.

 

I've been trying to find out if my modified Wieger mags that I use in a Saiga .223, will work in other .223 AKs. I'm building a Bulgarian .223 and I'm hoping the Wieger mags will work in it, even though they were slight'y modified for the Saiga.

If anyone knows please let me know. I think it should work perfectly but I was hoping someone would know.