Failure to go in battery after first shot

[nismoflip 1]

Hello. New to this site and new to Saigas. I bought a Saiga 308 on consignment for my birthday. I took it out to the range twice and both times the same result. It would shoot the first round but the bolt failed to return to battery. It looks like it has another 1/2 - 1" of forward travel to go to complete the cycle. I'm not familiar with this system so I can't really tell what's prohibiting the action. I was able open up the receiver cover and pull out the bolt and return everything back into place. 2nd range trip, same exact thing. Any ideas? Also, where can the rifle be sent for repair? It's a completely stock 22".

 

Please help.

 

Thanks

[gunfun 3,931]

Hand cycle it with the cover off. It should be easy to see or feel. I can think of a possibility or two:

First guess: your 308 is converted, and the retaining plate is rubbing on the carrier underneath the left rail near the pivot of the safety. See if you can rock the carrier around as you hand cycle the empty gun with the cover off. If you can make it snag there, then the retainer needs filed down a little to clear.

 

 

or: the carrier is catching on part of the mag or is getting drag from the top shell. See if the "foot" on the bottom of the bolt that strips the round is hitting the feed lips or anything. Look in the cover and any where for rub marks too. You can fill the whole action with baby powder and cycle it too. Where it gets rubbed off are contact areas.

 

Or you might just have some paint or burrs on the rails that needs cleaned off. possibly the hammer is dragging on the underside of the carrier, or even the trigger hook is hitting the carrier.

[mscottrogers 56]

 When you load the first round, does it strip it completely from the mag and seat it or do you have to slam the carrier forward with your hand. IF IT DOES seat it then it could be a lack fo adequate gas. If the above is true then field strip it and pull the gas tube and see if there is anything partially blocking the gas port. If there isnt any blockage, then it could be some restriction that is only affected by gas cycling and not hand cycling, we need to figure out which it is.

 

If you have to slam it forward to seat the first round and since its completely stock, I would hand cycle it to the rear and let the bolt fly and see if it catches without a mag. If it doesnt, try and empty mag and then  with some dummy rounds,  one then two etc and see if its just the rounds putting to much pressure on the carrier

If it has an aftermarket buffer it might not be cycling fully to the rear. We need a baseline to see what we are dealing with. Any pics of the rifle and internals could help. It might have been on consignment for this reason. could be just the retention spring for the pins is not in correctly. Could be a lot of issues. What state are you in, might be someone living nearby that could peak at it

[nismoflip 1]

Problem solved! I looked up some vids on how to remove the gas tube and sure enough...there was a cleaning patch stuck in there. I feel like an idiot. I should have stripped the entire rifle down first before shooting (especially with it being a consignment gun).

 

Time to go shoot. Thanks gentlemen for the responses.

[gunman1 1,753]

Glad you found the problem, welcome to yer nightmare   

 

 

I mean welcome to Saiga Forum

[mscottrogers 56]

Good Job!!!!!!

[gunfun 3,931]

Problem solved! I looked up some vids on how to remove the gas tube and sure enough...there was a cleaning patch stuck in there. I feel like an idiot. I should have stripped the entire rifle down first before shooting (especially with it being a consignment gun).

 

Time to go shoot. Thanks gentlemen for the responses.

 

It's not too late, drill some holes in the barrel first!!!