saigadummy 0 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Hello all any help would be greatly appreciated. I bought a Saiga 12 gauge, I have had it for about 5 months and everytime I fire it the dust cover pops off and hits me in the head. Is this a common occurence? It seems like the cover doesnt fit properly, is there anywhere to buy a new cover and spring? A thanks for any help. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jtoddellis 2 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 I remember this being a problem on the early models. There was an article where one of the gun magazines tested the Saiga 12 and gave it a poor rating because of that. Does yours have the button on top of the button on the bolt spring retainer. I'm not sure if you understand what I'm talking about. If I still had my 12 I would take a picture. Maybe someone else can explain it better. If there is no button on yours maybe you can get the correct ?bolt return spring retainer? for the S-12. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 (edited) The cover should fit tight! You should have to SMACK the bitch to get it on. If not, the part that slopes back on the rear where the recoil spring retainer extension protrudes may need to be straightened. The recoil spring retainer should seat all the way rearward with no bind. If someone used magnum shells on the 2 gas setting the front ot the rear trunion may be battered. If so, touch-up with a small file so that it will. Then check to see if there is a TIGHT fit between the spring loaded retainer button on the top of the recoil spring retainer and the dust cover. The front of the dust cover should be held tightly in the groove at the back of the front trunnion and the rear by the spring loaded retainer button. The fit is right when with the cover in the front groove and and the back held down, you gotta smack the top of the cover forward "like the bitch burnt the borsht" this IS a russian weapon. It is NOT delicate! Use a blackJack buffer, and shoot everything on 1, unless that type round is too 'wussy' to fully cycle the action, and only THEN use setting 2. G O B Edited January 16, 2006 by G O B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigadummy 0 Posted January 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 hello thanks for the responses. WHen I smack the cover in place like you say, it fits pretty tight, but what happens is when I fire the spring loaded retainer button goes in and catches on the way back out popping the cover. Can I file the retainer button? It seems like when everything is in place the cover lifts up some. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 First thing I would check is the INSIDE of your bolt carrier. where the bolt carrier return spring slides in and out.. make sure it is CLEAN and free of gunk and crud and that there are no burrs or anything to catch on the spring and PULL the spring forward when the bolt carrier slams home... causing the button to pull inside the receiver cover, allowing it to pop off... make sure the spring, too, is CLEAN, and well lubed... spray out the bolt carrier with brake fluid... lots of it... and shine a light inside to check for crud chunks, or anything that can cause a problem... if that doesnt help... which it totally may not... Another option... and not a QUICK one for cleaning... drill and tap the button, and install a small set screw, so that it sticks up out the top of the button so that the button CANNOT be pushed inside the dust cover. Good luck... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeric 0 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Not that it's a total fix, but you may want to try a recoil buffer from Blackjack. It may take away some of the impact that is causing you trouble. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 (edited) If all else fails, drill a hole through the retainer button and use a hairpin clip (hitchpin clip) . However , something is very wrong if the recoil spring perch is going forward. If the retainer button is popped all the way up and is seated tightly on the rear of the dust cover this should be impossible. If the area where the button bears on the dust cover is not right, straighten it. It should be flat with the rest of that area. G O B P.S. Is this a converted Saiga? If so has the hammer been ground for clearance to the bolt? There are several old posts that cover this. If the new hammer isn't ground for clearance it may be causing the problem. Edited January 16, 2006 by G O B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigadummy 0 Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 This is new and has never had anything done to it, these are some great ideas, if all else fails Im going to drill and pin it. Ive been collecting ak's and pistols for years but starting in on some different shotguns in the last couple of years, Im just not use to them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Roadkill45 0 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 This is new and has never had anything done to it, these are some great ideas, if all else fails Im going to drill and pin it. Ive been collecting ak's and pistols for years but starting in on some different shotguns in the last couple of years, Im just not use to them. I hear someone shouting "JB WELD" LOLOLOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kmoore 3 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 If you feel comfortable posting the info, you might give your city state. If you were close to me, I'd be happy go shooting with you to maybe swap a part or two (cover, springy thing ) I like the idea of a buffer. A good idea by itself, and it might just help here. GL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigadummy 0 Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 IM about an Hour west of pittsburgh, Pa. I have about 200 acres of prime shooting space here. Anyone else in Pa? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scoutjoe 276 Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 IM about an Hour west of pittsburgh, Pa. I have about 200 acres of prime shooting space here. Anyone else in Pa? right in the middle from "pennslytucky" (i'm near Altoona, bout 3 hours east of pittsburgh) i think depat is close to pittsburgh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trident 0 Posted August 2, 2007 Report Share Posted August 2, 2007 Did you ever get this fixed? I just purchased my first S-308 and am having the dust cover pop off with every shot. When the dust cover is settled in it's notch at the front correctly, has firmly locked at the base, but if you push the dust cover forward from the rear, I have about 1-2mm gap where it nestles at the back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
eodinert 1 Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 For the S12 with the ejecting dust cover, check the engagement of the top cover at the front.. With the top cover pulled to the rear as far as it can go, there should still be good engagement up front. If not, dust covers are cheap. Get an AK top cover, and trim the ejection port to match the S12. For the other ejecting top cover, try a new one. They're cheap. Trim to fit, if need be. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyRumore 1,332 Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 It's a fairly common problem on the S-12's. Sometimes the cover is just too short to engage fully into the front gas block trunion, but usually it is a problem with the trunion itself. There is a common manufacturing defect in the lower groove of the trunion where it meets up against the receiver. On some, the groove is not cut to a uniform depth and there is a "step" left on one or both sides. This keeps the gas tube trunion from seating fully against the receiver. You can remove the gas tube assembly and file that step down, but if it is bad enough, then the gas ports and gas block cross pins will no longer line up. At that point, I would just weld up the front edge of the top cover to make it longer. The problem is not only with the older guns. Even the new ones coming in now have the same problem. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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