Flatland Shooter 22 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Thanks to Jim's 6 part DIY tutorial on YouTube, the build using Firebird Precision's F-15 Adapter is fairly straight forward. On part 3, Jim explains that .040" to .070" needs to be milled from the front of the stock MKA 1919 followers to give enough clearance that it will not hang up in the finished magazine. My question is how are fellow DIY'ers trimming their followers? I do not have a mill but I do have lots of coarse sandpaper and a few good files. Unless someone has a better idea, that's how I will proceed. So how did you trim your follower? Thanks. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starquestjoe 3 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I just did my F15 set up last night. Thank you Jim for the awesome product and videos. When I did my followers, I used a mic to see how thick the end was. It came in right around .120 + - .005. To "mill" it down I used a 5" sticky backed 120grit sanding disc stook to a flat surface. Much like Jim did in the video to face the saiga mag after you cut it. I took mine down to .070 and it was able to past thru the coupler. It's a little tight yet but I feel it's fine for me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flatland Shooter 22 Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I just did my F15 set up last night. Thank you Jim for the awesome product and videos. When I did my followers, I used a mic to see how thick the end was. It came in right around .120 + - .005. To "mill" it down I used a 5" sticky backed 120grit sanding disc stook to a flat surface. Much like Jim did in the video to face the saiga mag after you cut it. I took mine down to .070 and it was able to past thru the coupler. It's a little tight yet but I feel it's fine for me Good to hear. I'm sitting in front of the computer doing the same with an 8-1/2" x 11" piece of coarse 60 grit sandpaper. When I get it a little closer to my target I will switch to 220 grit. Thanks. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starquestjoe 3 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 And sanding block or a flat surface will work. My first mag took a coupler hours to get working. The second one took 30 min. Once that first one is done and you know what your doing its easy. I'm new to "gunsmith ing". I work on tractors and cars Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flatland Shooter 22 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I'm at the point where it needs to go to the range. I took a little over .070 off the follower. Loading shells is tough right at shell number 8. All others load just fine. Pushing the shells from the magazine and all shells seem to come out smoothly. Better to range check it than take off a little too much. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hunter308 6 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I'm at the point where it needs to go to the range. I took a little over .070 off the follower. Loading shells is tough right at shell number 8. All others load just fine. If you think you took off too much... for something like a follower, just build it back up again with something like a *good* epoxy, or Gorilla Glue, Don't use too much. Let it harden for a day or two, then file/sand and do it right this time. Should be fine. Just a thought. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starquestjoe 3 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I'm heading to the range today. I'll let everyone how well I did Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Montana3gunner 13 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Anyone know where the 5 rounders with the new follower are for sale? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flatland Shooter 22 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) Anyone know where the 5 rounders with the new follower are for sale? The only ones I've seen in stock are the camo version 5 rd mags at Centerfire. http://centerfiresystems.com/MAG-MKA-5CAMO.aspx Arms of America shows them but does not indicate if they are in stock. http://armsofamerica.com/mka191912gasemi-autoshotgun3magazine-1.aspx Edited March 30, 2013 by Flatland Shooter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starquestjoe 3 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I gon mine from gunheaven.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starquestjoe 3 Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 My two F15 mags ran great on Walmart bunk. Very happy with the kit. Now I have to work on the Salem 6 ext. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flatland Shooter 22 Posted April 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 My two F15 mags ran great on Walmart bunk. Very happy with the kit. Now I have to work on the Salem 6 ext. Still trying to get mine figured out. I've got all the parts for four 15 rd magazines but plan on doing them one at a time. As soon as I get one running 100%, then I go to the next. I'm still on the first. I tried the new magazine with several brands of ammo and it consistently will not feed the 1st round. It goes straight into the ramp and stops. Download from 15 rds to 14 rds and it runs great with everything I put in it. When it was still a stock 5 rd magazine, it ran great. I'm sure it is something simple and I will figure it out. My next step will be to watch Jim's YouTube video again (the one on magazine tuning) and see if there is something I missed. A friend at the range suggested I get a spring from a 20 rd Saiga magazine and see if that helps. Just one more option to try. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starquestjoe 3 Posted April 7, 2013 Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 Is ur 15th round seating all the way back in the mag when loaded? I noticed when loading the las round, not every time it would seat to the back of the mag. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Anubis 38 Posted April 7, 2013 Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 It goes straight into the ramp and stops. Bill Do you by chance have our ARR ramp? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flatland Shooter 22 Posted April 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 (edited) It goes straight into the ramp and stops. Bill Do you by chance have our ARR ramp? No sir. My MKA 1919 is one of the Firebird 922 compliant guns sold through Centerfire. When that first round hits the feed ramp it is perfectly parallel to the axis of the barrel. Since I only have one side of the Saiga magazine taped, I pulled the magazine apart and put the 5 round spring and baseplate back on. It feeds all five rounds perfectly. I need to adjust the feed lips to where that first round slides upward just a little bit with the 15 rd parts in place. Bill Is ur 15th round seating all the way back in the mag when loaded? I noticed when loading the las round, not every time it would seat to the back of the mag. I do not know if it sets all the way back all the time, but here at the house, using dummy rounds, the first round is all the way to the back and it still goes straight into the feed ramp. I just need to do a little tweaking and it will run. Patience is a virtue. Bill Edited April 7, 2013 by Flatland Shooter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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