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1st time to shoot S12, I was not impressed.


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Took out the S12 for the first time. Was not happy with it. New 2011 model with 4 port holes. All factory set-up except Phoenix kicklight butt stock. Tried 3 different shells. I don't know if the kicklight stock would cause problems. I what to make it work using this stock.

 

Federal 4 shot = Would jam everytime in #1 on factory plug, works good, no jams in #2 plug setting.

 

Federal 7 1/2 shot bulk pack from walmart = Jams everytime in #2 plug setting

 

Winchester 8 shot bulk pack from walmart = The bolt would not even open up to try to eject empty shell.

 

Would the next step be to drill out the 4 port holes with a 5/64 bit? Then try a reduced spring with puck kit? What kit would you recommend?

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Why are you not impressed, when it did what it was supposed to do?

 

You shoot two of the worst shells to put in a stock model, it was made for slugs and buckshoot. Most have to play with some aspect of there Saiga12 to get it to run cheap bulk Walmart ammo.

Edited by Lord Ak-47
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Polish things up a bit and if it's brand new it wouldn't hurt to cycle the action 5 or 600 times, it's great fun for the kids every commercial break during spongebob.

 

Don't drill anything til you've exhausted all other options.

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When you say you tried three diferent shells how many of each did you try?

If you plan on doing nothing to it out of the box you need to shoot at least 250 rounds of high brass shells through it so it can get broken in. If you want it to shoot the light stuff you will need to do a little work. Read up on some of the pinned topics and see what needs to be done.

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Federal 4 shot = Would jam everytime in #1 on factory plug, works good, no jams in #2 plug setting.

 

These things wont cycle cheep stuff out of the box.

You have to shot High power loads or work on it to shoot low power loads.

There is a TON of info on the site on what you need to do.

Leave it factory setup till you get it to cycle low power loads.

Mine took 70+ shots to get it even close.

Then another 50 or so to get it 99% to cycle.

After close to 1000 shots, I had it out today

and shot 100 rounds with a mix of low and high power loads

and a mix of mags and had 100% cycle.

I have not polished or drilled out any hloes.

I do have a low recoil kit in it I picked up here.

I do lube the hell out of the action.

Spend some time reading, spend some time shooting.

You will have a great time and the S12 will become relible.

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I was lucky and an co-worker of mine gave me some old high brass he had I think I ran 50rds thru just those and those were 1500fps.

 

Before I did that I did try some fed bulk 7.5 and I got stove pipes and even one ftl. I had that till I got the high brass thru. I still pick up some high brass every now and then to make sure I keep that thing in check. But non will shoot straight out the box fed bulk without some high brass thru.

 

Go pick up some spendy shells or slugs or buck and blast away.

 

Now I haven't done anything to my gun but I was lucky I had 3 unobstructed gas ports. I spent alot of time on here reading before I picked my way from layby, and even before I took it to the range for the first time months after that.

Edited by montec
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OP,

If you are in NE FL or SE GA, you can come fire some of my Saiga 12s with any bulk ammo and MD-20 drums.... they do not disappoint. You will leave with a smile on your face an the inspiration to make yours run as well. They didn't run like this out of the box and I didn't beat them into submission with expensive ammo.

 

Get rid of the stock. It is absorbing some of the energy that would be better put to use cycling the action. Cycle the action?.... or avoid the recoil impulse of a fairly soft shooting semi-auto shotgun? Choice is yours.... choose wisely wink.png

Edited by evlblkwpnz
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Yup, you can spend your money shooting hundreds of pricey shells to "break it in" and then spend more money doing the things that should be done to it that will be done to it in the end.

 

Polish the internals and make the ports right. No other parts should be necessary to make it run low brass ammo on setting 2.

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Dude, when you posted about trying to shoot Winchester Universal I told you that it wasn't going to work. It's like putting 87 octane in an 8 second car and not being impressed with it's performance.

 

We can help you, you can make it better, faster, stronger. We have the technology...

 

Seriously though, if you're not comfortable with polishing things up yourself, drop a C-note with any of the vendors that do polishing and re-profiling. After that, if you still aren't happy with it's performance, try a booster puck. If you are STILL having troubles then, and only then, you should open up one or two ports.

 

Mods need to be done gradually, the last thing you want is to have to clean the block out every 200-300 rounds. Keep us updated with your progress, we'll help you out.

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Yup, you can spend your money shooting hundreds of pricey shells to "break it in" and then spend more money doing the things that should be done to it that will be done to it in the end.

 

Polish the internals and make the ports right. No other parts should be necessary to make it run low brass ammo on setting 2.

Well stated. No low power springs in any of mine either. However, without that stock and with the addition of the CSS puck, the OP may get better results than he is achieving at the moment. I'd still go through the whole weapon anyways.... because it is fun! CSS puck works.... and I was skeptical, at first. They can keep the low power spring though....

 

Like a sculptor, remove the metal that doesn't look like a great running Saiga 12.... and read the stickies. Some of the info and technique is a bit crude, but it will give you an idea of what and where things needs to happen.

Edited by evlblkwpnz
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These things wont cycle cheep stuff out of the box.

 

 

I have a 2011 with four ports (same as OP). I took it out of the box and ran 100 rounds of Federal bulk from WalMart. Had two FTE, both were due to limp stance/grip on the weapon. Just finished conversion (FCG, stock, rails), now FTE every shot. So in my case "out of the box" was 98% reliable and now I'm struggling to get 1% from the same ammo.

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These things wont cycle cheep stuff out of the box.

 

 

I have a 2011 with four ports (same as OP). I took it out of the box and ran 100 rounds of Federal bulk from WalMart. Had two FTE, both were due to limp stance/grip on the weapon. Just finished conversion (FCG, stock, rails), now FTE every shot. So in my case "out of the box" was 98% reliable and now I'm struggling to get 1% from the same ammo.

 

Put the Russian hammer back in it. If (I mean when) it goes back to running like a raped ape, re-profile the Tapco to match the Russian.

Edited by Caged
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These things wont cycle cheep stuff out of the box.

 

 

I have a 2011 with four ports (same as OP). I took it out of the box and ran 100 rounds of Federal bulk from WalMart. Had two FTE, both were due to limp stance/grip on the weapon. Just finished conversion (FCG, stock, rails), now FTE every shot. So in my case "out of the box" was 98% reliable and now I'm struggling to get 1% from the same ammo.

 

Some rails are noted for causing this.

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These things wont cycle cheep stuff out of the box.

 

 

I have a 2011 with four ports (same as OP). I took it out of the box and ran 100 rounds of Federal bulk from WalMart. Had two FTE, both were due to limp stance/grip on the weapon. Just finished conversion (FCG, stock, rails), now FTE every shot. So in my case "out of the box" was 98% reliable and now I'm struggling to get 1% from the same ammo.

 

Put the Russian hammer back in it. If (I mean when) it goes back to running like a raped ape, re-profile the Tapco to match the Russian.

 

I already put the russian hammer back in, it made the carrier move very noticably smoother over the hammer when hand cycling, but still 100% FTE with factory 5rd mag. I lightly polished the hammer, bolt, and bottom of carrier, no help. I don't understand how the forgrip/rail can cause cycling problems, but I've seen enough people say it that I believe it. Seems like a heavier gun should cycle better. I think the Tapco AK butt stock and recoil pad have more to do with it. Oh... I added a left side charging handle, the extra weight there isn't helping. The gun is torn down now so I can shorten the barrel and weld on a Poly-choke, so I took the oportunity to enlarge the four gas ports to .093". Overall barrel length with choke will be same as factory, so it should not require more gas due to barrel mods (maybe less since it's choked). I ordered a TAC47 auto plug to take care of any possible over gassing with the enlarged holes, and for convenience running mixed loads later. Once I get it back together I'll try running it first without the forend, eliminate that from the equation.

 

Sorry for the thread jack, I just wanted to say that an out of the box S-12 can run cheap low power ammo, mine did.

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Like with most all new AK's a little automotive valve lapping compound on the rubbing surfaces and hand cycling it about a hundred times then a good deep cleaning and all will be great. I do this with all my AK's rifle or shotguns. My S12, S20 and S410 will shoot the lightest of light loads with no issues. The 410 and the 12 are not modified at all. I tell those who want to skip this step to get several boxes of turkey loads and have at it on the lightest setting. Does the same thing as the lapping compound just cost a little more in shells.

 

Other option send it back and let them tell you it works perfectly.

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I guess I got lucky, my 2011 4 port gun had no issues with federal bulk. I lazied(maybe a word?) out(as I am deployed, just on leave right now) and ordered the pre-converted from classic arms, and my only issue is what seemed to be false advertising. The way I understood it, I would be getting one of the so called "pre ban" guns with the rail, which is only a $200 difference. When I got it, its the $500 gun with no rail. Not a huge issue other than the money. The conversion seems to be well done, and like I said, no issues shooting federal bulk as is. Won't cycle winchester bulk, but that wasn't really a surprise.

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I was curious and wanted to check my port holes to see what size they were. One hole was block and the other 3 could hardly push a .055 drill bit thru with my fingers. So I opened them up with a 5/64 bit to factory specs since I had it apart.

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