Barrel Polishing Help.

[bcmsaiga 8]

So I have figured out the deal with my 5.45x39 bullet guide trip. I think the little beveled part at the bottom of the chamber needs to be either polished or enlarged just a tad bit. I am a DIY-er for sure I can do this. How can I do this with out compromising the chamber support? Will it be ok to do this.

[JoeAK 337]

What's the need?

 

Haven't you already said it feeds fine when you're actually shooting it?

[bcmsaiga 8]

yes it does but i just wanna make sure. its actually so close now that shooting a thousand rounds through it will probobly clean it up on its own from the rounds cycling huh?

[bcmsaiga 8]

Can anyone else relate to this? I think I can take my dremel with a hard felt pointed polishing bit with some polishing compound and hit the ramp that is already there just to make it feed that much better. I just don't wanna mess anything up.

[mancat 2,368]

rifle is fine

[Sim_Player 1,939]

If it feeds, it works. ^

 

Assuming the receiver was properly heat-treated, all the rivits were (almost perfectly) crimped, and everything was spaced (within a couple thousands of perfect), to fit the receiver cover..

 

you should be fine...

 

Alter the bullet guide, as needed. You can always replace it.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Sim_Player

[Shandlanos 1,470]

Well, if you want to imitate the action of rounds feeding and polishing the ramp, to ensure you don't fuck anything up, you could do something pretty absurd and time-consuming. Buy some dies, lube your cases well, and load a mag's worth of dummy rounds. Hand cycle by letting the carrier fly forward each time. Reload the mag and go again. Do this until you've cycled the action a few thousand times. Much cheaper than burning the ammo.

[kevinfreel 215]

I think your looking to fix a problem that isn't a problem that's my 2¢

[evlblkwpnz 3,418]

Less looking, more shooting.

[pjj342 632]

Bcm you sound like me and I am an anal retentive perfectionist.

 

I dont give a fuck if polishing my chamber mouth is practical, it makes me feel like my rifle will feed better and might not put so much abuse on the tips of my bullets, er something.  I also dont care if my bolt carrier will eventually polish the face of my hammer, or if the fcg will wear itself smooth, or if my bolt doesnt need polished, because I do that shit anyways..  Just because its an ak doesnt mean it shouldnt be treated like a masterpiece.  

 

Its your rifle, make it smooth, make it clean, and make it happy.  After all, everyones perception of what makes their rifle happy is different ( some people jam ham sandwiches in the receiver because they think their rifle is hungry).

 

However,  dont expect others to understand your compulsions. 

.  

[thebuns1 4,323]

There is nothing wrong with the rifle. Trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn't exist will drive you crazy.

[bcmsaiga 8]

OK. Ya I like the master piece guy. But alright I'll just shoot it. But if it malfunctions IMa start polishing s***

[SGL 530]

Just keep in mind that hand cycling is not without risk.  I've never owned a 5.45 so I don't know if the firing pin is spring loaded or not, but if it isn't the pin is "kissing" the primer every time you chamber a round.  Russian primers are known for being hard but there is still risk involved.  Without a spring loaded pin, you can actually see a small dent in the primer of rounds that have been chambered.  This is from the momentum of the firing pin when the bolt stops moving forward.

 

The reason I mention this is that if you're going to be hand cycling at home, you need to make sure that you're pointed in a safe direction and ready for the off chance of a detonation.   I've never heard of a Saiga actually slam firing, but given the potential consequences it's something that needs to be taken into consideration.

 

Have a good back stop to aim the muzzle at and be careful!

[poolingmyignorance 2,191]

All it takes is a small burr from one of the rounds to become lodged and make the pin pertrude

[Mullet Man 2,114]

Remove the firing pin from the bolt when cycling rounds.

 

Clean up chamber ramp chamfer with a scotch brite pad. No need to get the power tools out.

[SGL 530]

Remove the firing pin from the bolt when cycling rounds.

 

Clean up chamber ramp chamfer with a scotch brite pad. No need to get the power tools out.

 

That's a great point too.  I have a personal rule against hand cycling live rounds in the house and am extra careful when loading any gun, but Mullet Man's suggestion is a good one and eliminates 95% percent of the risk involved if you need to do it for troubleshooting.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

I just polished the edge of the ramp to take off any sharp edges in the course of other polishing I did to the contact points in the rifle.

Aint hard or touchy.

 

I can say people have reported problems with some SP rounds not feeding well that was tracked to the edge on the ramp and knocking that off did the trick.

[Lone Eagle 839]

I just polished the edge of the ramp to take off any sharp edges in the course of other polishing I did to the contact points in the rifle.

Aint hard or touchy.

 

I can say people have reported problems with some SP rounds not feeding well that was tracked to the edge on the ramp and knocking that off did the trick.

The Century RPKs do this with SP and HP ammo.  I polished the feed ramp and a mild chamber job(ala the SKS 4 to 8 mod).  My Saiga already had a feed ramp/chamber job from the factory, so it digests anything I feed it.