Bolt Holder lightening questions.

[jmeck 12]

I've seen several posts in the "show us your .223 conversion" thread where guys have lightened their bolt holders with a milling machine.

Is there any advantage or benifit to this? What could be the downside to this mod, if any. I'm thinking if it was a great improvement that

more conversions would include this on their lists of mods. What are your thoughts on this?

Edited November 2, 2011 by jmeck

[mancat 2,368]

FYI you are talking about the bolt carrier, not bolt "holder." Not trying to nitpick, but that's what it's called.

 

The advantages (in theory) would be less reciprocating mass and therefore less felt recoil. I've actually never heard of anyone lightening their bolt carrier, but I suppose anything is possible. The Saiga uses an AK-74 style carrier, which is already lightened in comparison to an AK-47/AKM carrier.

 

Personally I would not make any modifications to the carrier that involve removal of material or mass.

 

There is a possibility that you are also confusing "lightening" with "lightning." There is a product called the "Lightning Bolt" that provides left-hand charging on an AK. This is a pretty common mod. http://www.colorados...htningbolt.html

Edited November 2, 2011 by mancat

[jmeck 12]

There are pics of this in "picture post, lets see your .223" , on page 13. There is also anouther guy who has done this further on down in the thread but I can't remember what page.

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2011 by jmeck

[Mike38 26]

I’m no gunsmith, machinist, scientist or physicist, but I have been around the block a time or two in the past 52 years. I wouldn’t lighten the bolt carrier on a AK/Saiga. Correct me if I’m wrong here. Lightening the bolt is done to decrease cycle time, the time between the hammer falling and the next cartridge being inserted into the chamber. This is a bad idea. Let’s say the gasses that operate the bolt are 20K PSI. I don’t know that to be a fact, let’s just say they are. The weight of the bolt group, and the recoil spring dampen this pressure. Ideally, the bolt group starts rearward extracting the spent cartridge, and comes almost completely to a stop before the bolt group hit’s the frame of the rifle. Contact is made, but in a perfect world it would be just a tiny kiss. In a not so prefect world, the bolt group hit’s the frame hard. Lightening the bolt would make the cycle time faster, it also sends the bolt back faster and harder, thus hitting the frame faster and harder. Remember, you still have that 20K PSI pressure there. This increases wear and tear on the frame of your rifle. To over come this, you could install a heavier recoil spring, but that would defeat the purpose of lightening the bolt carrier. I wouldn’t do it. There are 30 million AK47 pattern rifles in the world. The design is tested and proven. It works. No need to mess with it.