Brian M1 50 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Recent shipments of Saiga x39's came in some time ago... but no .223's. I'm keeping an eye out because I may do another project .223 but with AR mag conversion this time. It seems we haven't seen .223's for quite some time now. Any news on that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mountain Man 20 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Legon is the only place i have found that has them in stock right now, every store I have talked to said they have no news on when they could get more. https://legionusainc.com/saiga-rifles-for-sale/factory-models.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 No more Saiga rifles will be coming in. If you want a "Saiga" you better get it now. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thebuns1 4,323 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 No more Saiga rifles will be coming in. If you want a "Saiga" you better get it now. Are they changing the product name, or is it in the package with Izhmash being renamed? I wonder what will be the replacement.....If this is the case, this could get interesting....AK12...... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mountain Man 20 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 No more Saiga rifles will be coming in. If you want a "Saiga" you better get it now. No more Saiga rifles will be coming in. If you want a "Saiga" you better get it now. Are they changing the product name, or is it in the package with Izhmash being renamed? I wonder what will be the replacement.....If this is the case, this could get interesting....AK12...... This is interesting to me whats the news on these? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 From the news stories it's supposed to be a name change, but who knows if or when we will see new rifles. VEPR seems to be the only sure bet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian M1 50 Posted August 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 Hmm... and to add to this that Arsenal dropped all 106 (5.56) line. It's starting to feel like the Saiga (or Saiga based, such as Arsenal) .223/5.56's are no more? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) Like I said. VEPR is the sure bet right now. There is also the Polish Beryl. Since they are NATO they aren't going to stop making them in 5.56. Arsenal suspended 5.56 to work a large contract in another caliber. In a couple years they will start up with 5.56 again I'm sure. Edited August 17, 2013 by liberty -r- death Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 The only possible thing I cut worry about , it is in getting a firing pin replacement for my Saiga . Any ideas as to how would I proceed to get a spare one ? thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kevinfreel 215 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 I thought a read somewhere that you can use a ak74 pin but would have to do without the firing pin spring.worst comes to worst if you have enough left to measure make friends with a machinist. I'd be more worried about the bolt head itself. I've never seen one shear a lug off but anything is possible. As it is replacement factory parts are unobtainium. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 I thought a read somewhere that you can use a ak74 pin but would have to do without the firing pin spring.worst comes to worst if you have enough left to measure make friends with a machinist. I'd be more worried about the bolt head itself. I've never seen one shear a lug off but anything is possible. As it is replacement factory parts are unobtainium. Wouldn`t a bulgarian 5.56 firing pin be better ? K-var have them ... I would assume that the bulgarian 5.56 will be better suited that the 5.45 but it is only an assumption of mine . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kevinfreel 215 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 Couldn't tell you Josey. You could be the guinea pig. Joking. What I said is maybe hearsay at best. I remember their being a thread on this quite a while ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) Well , in the mean time I better treat my firing pin very gently and with care just in case because it would have to last me a long time Edited August 17, 2013 by josey88 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 YES a standard AK-74 firing pin will work, but you do lose the spring-loaded function. There is no guarantee that a Bulgarian 5.56 firing pin will work. The length may be different (Bulgarian 5.56 bolt is a short-lug bolt) and the retention mechanism isn't likely to be the same. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 YES a standard AK-74 firing pin will work, but you do lose the spring-loaded function. There is no guarantee that a Bulgarian 5.56 firing pin will work. The length may be different (Bulgarian 5.56 bolt is a short-lug bolt) and the retention mechanism isn't likely to be the same. mancat , you are saying that a regular AK74 firing pin will work on my Saiga bolt , but I will lose the spring function ? great . Now , is there any way that you can think of to modify it to accept the spring ? K-Var is selling ak74 firing pins ... can it be one of those ? thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) You would have to weld some material to the end of the firing pin where the hammer strikes. The Saiga .223 is a standard AK-74 firing pin except for having a flared portion here that acts as a spring retainer. See this thread where I posted photos and dimensions of Saiga .223 vs AK-74 pin. http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/85834-saiga-223-firing-pin-dimensionsspring-specifications-modifying-ak74-bolt-to-be-sprung/ Like I said.. You can drop in a normal AK-74 firing pin right into the Saiga .223 bolt and will operate as normal. The Saiga .223 will also accept a complete 5.45x39 AK-74 bolt and will operate properly with it - however the bolt must be checked for headspacing. Edited August 17, 2013 by mancat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 mancat , K-var sells two AK-74 firing pin types , a romanian (AK-178) and a german (AK-178EG) if you let me know which is the one I need , or if I can use any of the two , I will order it . Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mountain Man 20 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Recent shipments of Saiga x39's came in some time ago... but no .223's. I'm keeping an eye out because I may do another project .223 but with AR mag conversion this time. It seems we haven't seen .223's for quite some time now. Any news on that? I wonder when the shipments will stop; my local gun shop just got a bunch of new 5.45's and x39's imported this month. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 mancat , K-var sells two AK-74 firing pin types , a romanian (AK-178) and a german (AK-178EG) if you let me know which is the one I need , or if I can use any of the two , I will order it . Thanks EG. Romanian 5.45 bolts are of the short-lug type, so the firing pin is not the same length. There are probably better/cheaper places to get AK-74 pins. I would check out APEX Gun Parts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) What about the russian firing pins for AK-74 ? will they work ? Apex doesn`t have AK-74 firing pins , only AK-47 pins but I found 1 russian 74 firing pin available elsewhere . Apex also have bulgarian complete AK-74 bolts , have no idea if they would work on Saigas .223 , so they have them perhaps for someone who needs the whole thing , but I am only interested on the pin . Edited August 18, 2013 by josey88 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Recent shipments of Saiga x39's came in some time ago... but no .223's. I'm keeping an eye out because I may do another project .223 but with AR mag conversion this time. It seems we haven't seen .223's for quite some time now. Any news on that? I wonder when the shipments will stop; my local gun shop just got a bunch of new 5.45's and x39's imported this month. Probably new old stock found in warehouse someplace. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mountain Man 20 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Recent shipments of Saiga x39's came in some time ago... but no .223's. I'm keeping an eye out because I may do another project .223 but with AR mag conversion this time. It seems we haven't seen .223's for quite some time now. Any news on that?I wonder when the shipments will stop; my local gun shop just got a bunch of new 5.45's and x39's imported this month. Probably new old stock found in warehouse someplace. Where did the news on no more shipments pop up on? Not questioning, just interested, thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) What about the russian firing pins for AK-74 ? will they work ? Apex doesn`t have AK-74 firing pins , only AK-47 pins but I found 1 russian 74 firing pin available elsewhere . Apex also have bulgarian complete AK-74 bolts , have no idea if they would work on Saigas .223 , so they have them perhaps for someone who needs the whole thing , but I am only interested on the pin . Russian and Bulgarian AK-74 parts are identical, including firing pin and bolt. Bulgarian AK-74 bolt will work with the Saiga .223. Bulgaria didn't start to diverge from Russian design until they left the Soviet Union - most of the current milled and stamped Bulgarian designs are unique. This is why you need to be careful when ordering NEW Bulgarian parts from places like K-VAR. Edited August 18, 2013 by mancat 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 mancat , I am amazed at the deep knowledge that you have on the AK platform . We here at this forum are lucky to have someone like you that can descipher these problems . Thanks so much for your precise and correct advices ... thanks again . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) Well, I ordered one russian AK-74 firing pin . I will keep it as a replacement spare in case of a problem if ever , just in case. Cost me $10.00 plus $5.00 S/H ... it is not too bad . I think that fabricating and adding a small plate of sorts to retain the original spring and with the guidance of the original is not going to be that difficult , but I will do that only if my original Saiga firing pin break down , so , in the mean time and since it will work just like that I will keep it as a spare. And while looking for this AK74 firing pin on APEX , I found that they have in stock stainless steel firing pins for PSLs ... made in the U.S. so I ordered one ($18.00) for my PSL , also . Now, I have spare firing pins for my two AK platforms , the Saiga .223 and my PSL 7.62x54R ., so no more worries about broken firing pins , specially on my PSL Edited August 18, 2013 by josey88 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Recent shipments of Saiga x39's came in some time ago... but no .223's. I'm keeping an eye out because I may do another project .223 but with AR mag conversion this time. It seems we haven't seen .223's for quite some time now. Any news on that?I wonder when the shipments will stop; my local gun shop just got a bunch of new 5.45's and x39's imported this month. Probably new old stock found in warehouse someplace. Where did the news on no more shipments pop up on? Not questioning, just interested, thanks. Older news from Russian newspaper article announcing the Izmash was entering bankruptcy. They had orders to fill at the time and very few workers to fill standing orders for American imports. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kevinfreel 215 Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Every one said no more Twinkies too. There's a huge market for Saiga and izmash is still there. I think there will be more. I'm could be wrong but I hope not Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 (edited) mancat , I am amazed at the deep knowledge that you have on the AK platform . We here at this forum are lucky to have someone like you that can descipher these problems . Thanks so much for your precise and correct advices ... thanks again . glad to help.. learning the little details of the AK and its variants is a good outlet for my coffee-spiked adult ADHD.. it tends to happen with anything I get into collecting/interested in. I just wish I had a full build shop and the time/money to collect and build all of them.. IF I was about 20 years older, I probably could. Oh well. Edited August 19, 2013 by mancat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josey88 21 Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Well, I received both firing pins today , the PSL and the Saiga`s 5.45x39 replacement pin . Man , the PSL firing pin is huge ... I mean , huge compared to the 5.45x39.5 pin . It is twice as thick and twice the wide and way longer than the puny 5.45x39.5 pin ... it is really a monster !!! In any case , I now have replacements for both rifles for little money . Since the situation on the country keeps getting uncertain to put it mildly , I wanted to get spares for the pins . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kevinfreel 215 Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Hey Josey could you pm me the link to the 74 pin. I might as well get a spare as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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