Groovy Mike 36 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 My Saiga 12 will function just fine with higher pressure shells (factory loaded buckshot or my own higher pressure hand loads) but will not cycle with factory target loads. They just don’t have enough pressure to cycle the gun no matter where the gas plug setting is set on. I have tried opening the port in the gas plug without it making any difference. My next step is to open the gas port in the barrel to let a little more gas into the gas system. I only see one hole to bleed gas into the gas system from the barrel. Any reason why I shouldn’t do it? I'm thinking maybe a 1/8 drill bit…. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zenman223 460 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) Not sure what you did to the gas plug but probably only made it worse by making the internal dimensions of the gasblock bigger. It will need more gas to pressurize and work properly when you remove material from inside the GB. You should probably pick up a Gunfxr or V-plug and swap it out. Do not enlarge that single port to 1/8". Im willing to bet you have at least one more port covered by the gas block maybe 2. The standard size for a 3 port gun is .093 or 3/32( I believe). You should try and measure the size of the port/ports you have when you remove the gasblock and proceed accordingly. If it is smaller than 3/32 I would make it a 4 port gun with smaller ports. The standard size for a 4 port is 5/64. 4 smaller ports are preferred over 3 larger ones b/c it lets less fouling into the gasblock. Its been a long time since I did mine so you should double check the port sizes I gave but I think they are correct. ETA HOG76 is correct there is a process of elimination that should be followed. Enlarging the ports should be the last option. BUT if you have obstructed or missing ports IMO you might as well fix that as it is most likely the issue. Edited December 12, 2011 by big-J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 My advice is to slow down and do some reading. Grinding on the gas plug is not a good idea IMHO. There are many reasons a gun may have difficulty with the target loads and there is a logical progression of steps to take. Much more info is needed for others to offer help, is the gun converted or stock, what parts have you added etc...? Possible problems you may have: not enough gas ports drilled gas ports covered by the gas block factory gas regulator could be flawed Tapco hammers need to be re-profiled quadrails have caused problems etc...... Search the forum and there are some great threads that will help you. It would be foolish to enlarge gas ports when the problem could be somewhere else, then you would have an over gassed gun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
YOT 3,743 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 Welcome. Start reading the stickies, Mike. All the information is already there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zenman223 460 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 You may only need to do this____http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/33836-modification-to-repair-fte-issues-on-saigas-with-blocked-gas-ports/page__p__301796__hl__+gas%20+block%20+removal__fromsearch__1&do=findComment&comment=301796 Take a paper clip and bend a hook on the end and feel around to see if there are any more ports. If so this mod only needs to be done enough to uncover the ports. Also make sure they are the proper size while you have the Gas block off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mscottrogers 56 Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 How many rounds have you fired through your s12. There is a break in period for these that can be helped along with polishing the bolt or about 200 plus rounds of buck or slugs. good luck and welcome to the addiction. And of course is your s12 import sporter stock or has it been converted back to its desired specs? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Groovy Mike 36 Posted December 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Thanks guys. Ok, I'll slow down. I read through the linked pages and I will try it. I'm sure every single S12 owner feels exactly as I did - high hopes for the ultra-reliable AK design and then frustrating disappointment when the dang think doesn't work like it should! Some gunsmith could make a fortune just specializing in making the S12 work like it should! It won't hurt to order an extra 'improved' plug either. If I can get this one running I'd love to have a second anyway but dang why didn't they build the thing right to start with? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
YOT 3,743 Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Some gunsmith could make a fortune just specializing in making the S12 work like it should! You see the forum venders, right? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Groovy Mike 36 Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Some gunsmith could make a fortune just specializing in making the S12 work like it should! You see the forum venders, right? I see you are in teh northeast. I'm in upstate NY. Can you recommend anyone close to us? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Groovy Mike 36 Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Bought the "low brass reliability kit" from Carolina shooter supply and it is already en route to me. It will give me a replacement gas plug, spring, and puck. I'll swap them in and put another couple boxes of shells through her and let you know how I make out! http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-967/Saiga-12-low-brass/Detail Quote Link to post Share on other sites
YOT 3,743 Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Some gunsmith could make a fortune just specializing in making the S12 work like it should! You see the forum venders, right? I see you are in teh northeast. I'm in upstate NY. Can you recommend anyone close to us? PM sent. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kstevenson 2 Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Bought the "low brass reliability kit" from Carolina shooter supply and it is already en route to me. It will give me a replacement gas plug, spring, and puck. I'll swap them in and put another couple boxes of shells through her and let you know how I make out! http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-967/Saiga-12-low-brass/Detail Until I broke mine in and made some minor adjustments , I just ran the lighter spring from CSS and it worked fine for light loads. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Groovy Mike 36 Posted December 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 SUCCESS! the low brass reliability kit from CSS let me feed, fire, and eject EVERYTHING I put in it including federal target loads and the same reloads (17 grains bullseye behind an ounce of shot) that failed to eject before. I am a happy S12 owner now. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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