welding bullet guide

[Red Star 38]

thats a slick lookin rifle there... I have the 20 inch version as well.

 

Thanks again for all your help sir, I really appreciate it

[Think1st 2]

I am going to move forward with the magazine modification test as well. My plan is to sacrifice a tapco magazine and build up an integral BG just like the factory magazines have.

Red Star,

 

Here are a couple of pictures of one of the Tapcos that I modified for my 7.63X39 model. The gray stuff that you see serving as the magazine-integrated bullet guide is JB Weld.

 

I taped rigid paper inside and outside the front of the magazine feed way, using it as a mold to hold the JB Weld in place until it set. I did, however, have to watch it for a couple of hours and periodically squeeze the paper to ensure that the JB Weld did not settle down below the tops of the edges of the feed lips.

 

If you choose to use this method, make sure that you thoroughly score and then clean the surfaces to which the JB Weld will bond. It has to have something to grab onto.

 

Also, don't forget to carefully file down the magazine catch. The actual AK magazines have thicker catches than the Saiga ones.

 

I have a very low round count up to this point for the testing, but the epoxy is holding quite well, and the rounds feed from the modified Tapcos as well as they do from the Saiga-specific SGM Tactical models.

 

Magazines aside, I wish you luck on getting your rifle fixed.

[Red Star 38]

Think1st, that is pretty much exactly what i was thinking.

 

I think i will also drill some very small (3/64ths) holes into the polymer underneath the jb weld, inserting some very small nails into it, and fill it with jb weld. I figure that the nails will provide more structural reinforcement.

 

I did a test with an old handguard, cut a small section out of it, drilled and pinned and jb welded it, and clamped it overnight. I cant break it, and ive tried.

 

thanks for those pics Think1st!

[BigChongus 765]

And you're gonna do that with every mag?

[Think1st 2]

And you're gonna do that with every mag?

@ W8lifter,

 

I have done that with five Tapco 10-rounders that I have, so far, something for which I have plenty of patience. I do prefer to buy the SGM tactical mags, but they cost more, and I keep them for shooting at events. The Tapcos are inexpensive alternatives for the range, and I will continue to modify each new one I buy.

 

Given the unfortunate things that can happen when drilling into a rifle's critical components, I'll stick with that option. If I ever find myself really wanting to use traditional AK magazines, and when I live where there is no curse'd assault weapons ban, I might buy an Arsenal that already has the bullet guide installed.

 

@ Red Star,

 

How are your magazines turning out? I was also thinking about using small nails to reinforce the JB Weld. It seems that it would act like the re-bar inside concrete structures.

[Red Star 38]

Hey there Think1st,

 

I finished one this weeked The most difficult part was finding the parts i needed...

 

I ended up getting a couple of 1/32 dremel drill bits, that i chucked into my drill press. I did a couple of tests, and found that a single hole drilled into the magazine just in front of the follower, and a corresponding hole drilled into a piece of polymer from a sacrificial magazine lined up quite well.

 

Once i had the holes drilled, i took a small metal rod 1/32 in diameter (these can be found on the interwebs in packs of 10), and pushed it into the magazine hole. I then took JB weld and put it over the rod, and along the bottom of the future join. I then pressed on the small polymer insert, and smeared JB weld all over the front of it to make sure it gets where it needs to go.

 

Its been curing, and i reckon that tonight i will be able to file it down to be flush with the rest of the magazine...

 

Im sorry if my descriptions sound cryptic, but i didnt take photos as i was working. I will take a photo of what it looks like pre-finishing tonight, and another one when i've got it all filed and cleaned up.

 

I know that some folks look at this as crazy, but i really enjoyed working on it. I stepped back from it thinking it was a fiddly job, and i feel like i did it well

 

Thanks for all your input Think1st, I cant wait to show you how it turns out

[Red Star 38]

Hey all!

 

I think the modified mag works! here are some pics:

 

 

This is after a bit of filing to bring the level of the mod flush with the mag... you can see how i gooped up the jb weld.

 

 

from the side.

 

 

you can see the polymer insert, as well as the steel pin.

 

All in all, it was a fiddly job that i enjoyed doing. I got some snap caps to test cycling, and it cycled every time. No failure to go into battery. I even tried holding the rifle in funny positions to see if gravity could throw it off, but it went into battery every time as well.

The top of the polymer insert clears the bolt by a whisker as well!

 

The last thing i need to do is take it to the range and test it with real ammo. Seeing as how the snap caps went into battery every time, Im quite confident that it will work with real ammo.

 

The only bad thing that i can see happening is the new bullet guide deflects the round too much and i get a feed failure... No biggie. And seeing as how the snap caps cycled so weell, i think i might be good to go

 

Thanks for all your help guys! Think1st, thanks again for your mags pics sir

 

 

 

 

[Think1st 2]

Red Star,

 

That magazine looks great! Using the piece of polymer inside the JB Weld looks like it will extend the life of your modification. My mod, using JB Weld only, worked just fine, but I am curious about how the inner surfaces will be after enduring the friction of several hundred rounds across them as they get fed into the chamber. Your polymer insert definitely takes the friction wear issue out of the equation, and I may plagiarize your idea during one of my own future projects

 

With regards to your concerns about the bullet guide, I seem to recall having read, before, that the raised front of the Saiga-style magazines brings the rounds up above the bullet guide so that it has no impact on feeding. You should be good to go. Enjoy that sense of satisfaction when you successfully empty your new magazine without any malfunctions during your test at the range!

[Red Star 38]

Think1st,

 

Please do take the idea and use it!

 

Here is a list of things that i used:

 

Sacrificial poly mag - I cut small sections out of the front of the sacrificial magazine to make the insert. Fitting it was pretty simple, i used a sharp knife to do the final trims to get it to fit.

 

1/32 drill bit - Dremel makes good ones that you can pick up online for pretty cheap.

 

1/32 diameter, half inch length steel rods/dowels - Again, you can pick these up online, i got mine in packs of 10

 

and of course, JB WELD!

 

First thing to do is to cut out a piece of polymer from the sacrifice mag to make the insert. a simple hacksaw will work nicely. You do need to clean up the edges a bit with a file, as the polymer will melt a bit as the saw cuts it.

 

then you need to fit the insert to the new magazine. I used a sharp knife to fine tune the fitting.

 

once you have the insert sized and fitted right, you need to mark a point on both the insert and the magazine for the holes you drill. I did this by holding the insert in place, and used a soldering iron to melt a divot where the insert and the magazine meet. When you separate the insert from the magazine (the soldering iron makes a kind of small plastic weld), you will have reference point on both the insert and the magazine for drilling.

 

i chucked up one of the 1/32 drill bits into my drill press (really the best way to get neat, straight holes. I recommend getting one, but you probably have one already.) Then, i got a small drill press vice that i clamped the magazine into. You need to use a sharp centre punch to make a small divot on both the magazine and the insert, as the small drill bits tend to flex and walk a bit.

I found that one neat hole drilled into the middle should be sufficient.

 

Grab the insert with a pair of pliers, and drill through it. Dont leave the bit spinning in there too long, the friction causes the plastic to melt, and reduces the inside diameter of the hole.

 

Grab the new magazine and drill a hole into the magazine wall.

 

Get one of the new pins (if you cant get the steel dowels, you can use a sewing needle, they are roughly the same diameter, and are just as strong), insert it into the magazine hole. push it down as far as it goes. i then slid the insert into place to make sure the holes lined up right. If they do, remove the insert, but leave the pin in the magazine.

 

Mix up your JB weld, and slather it around the pin, on the pin, and where ever the insert and magazine will meet.

 

push the insert back into place, and fill any gaps with jb weld.

 

on the inside of the magazine, clean up any overflow of JB weld to make sure the follower cant get hung up on anything.

 

Now all you have to do is wait for the jb weld to cure, and file the insert to be flush if you need to.

 

I have another magazine that I will do this process to this weekend, and i will document each step with photographs. Im sure that some of my descriptions are cryptic... sorry guys...

 

again - this is fiddly, small, precise work, but very rewarding when its all said and done.

 

Feel free to experiment and improve on this process Think1st, as with anything, collaboration brings the best results

[Red Star 38]

Went shooting today, and took the modified mag with.

 

Success! It worked perfectly!

 

I will move forward with modifying the other one, and i will document the complete process with photos.

 

Cheers all,

 

Red.