centerfire called about the drum for the veper

[ShadyVepr 10]

I just got a call from Centerfire systems and they wanted to know If I still wanted the SMG drum they should get them in about 10 days.

So we shall see

[MR_22 35]

I got the call, too. I was shocked. Unfortunately, I missed it, so I will have to call them back. I definitely want one! They are not listed on the Centerfire website, so it's apparently just for those who signed up for one, or possibly those who actually "purchased" one way back when, but then the order was canceled because they were not available.

 

I'm in Las Vegas at the SHOT Show so I will check out the SGM booth and see what they have to show me.

[JDeko 792]

I'd certainly like one as well, though I wish they didn't have a clear front but I guess I could just make a cloth cover or something for it.

[ShadyVepr 10]

black spray paint the inside of it

[MR_22 35]

OK, I talked to the guys in the SGM booth today at the SHOW Show in Vegas. So, here's the scoop: the drums are done, but they are still in the process of finishing up the testing to confirm that they are reliable. They don't anticipate further problems and said they will likely be available in maybe 10 days or so. I sure hope so!

[JDeko 792]

I really hope so too. They only take 2.75in shells, right?

[MR_22 35]

I really hope so too. They only take 2.75in shells, right?

 

Hmm, not sure if they fit the magnums or not.

[JDeko 792]

most drums don't, which kinda sucks for me since I have a lot of T-Shot from hunting and more or less figure that would be pretty good for home defense if need be and all those shells are 3in. 

[mike456 12]

how do i get on that list?

[ShadyVepr 10]

I dont think you can anymore at least at centerfire.

 

The list started 2 years ago when they were announced to be done and ready to ship soon lol. Some other shops may still be taking orders.

[MR_22 35]

Well, I think I'm on the list because I actually ordered one when they were taking orders, back in March 2014. I'm not sure if they are offering them to just people who are in back-order status or if they include the alert list you could sign up for later on.

 

In any case, I just got off the phone with Centerfire and my order is back on! They still haven't gotten them yet, which doesn't surprise me, given my conversation with the guy in the SGM booth last week, but they are expecting them anytime now. They said they would ship it as soon as they receive them! Can't wait!

[saltydecimator 482]

this is bizarre i feel! hey were not makin em, hey we are, holy balls!!  i wanna rent one from you guys when you done blastin it!!

[MR_22 35]

I handled one a year ago at the SHOT Show in Vegas. They have always been making them, but they had to completely re-engineer them because they were not reliable. They refused to put out a product that jammed.

 

You might be surprised at the actual development time of many of the products you buy and use. It's been very frustrating, for sure, but I don't think it's terribly unusual.

 

JMO, of course.

Edited February 6, 2016 by MR_22

[saltydecimator 482]

oh right i hear ya, i just saying last i heard they were NEVER coming out... so im just out of loop....good times!!

[MR_22 35]

Oh, good point! I guess I had almost given up, too. The guy in the SGM booth last year said they wouldn't sell them unless unless they were reliable, so the delay has been good, in a way. I mean, we wouldn't like to them if they didn't work, eh? LOL

[ShadyVepr 10]

https://www.facebook.com/SgmTactical1/posts/1032004753508478

 

update on the vepr drum

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/SgmTactical1/posts/1032004753508478

[saltydecimator 482]

from v forum:

 

Well guys, here's the latest, hot of the presses, from SGM's official facebook page only a couple hours ago....pretty good read actually....


"Update on the Vepr 12, 25 round drum. This will be a long read so I will break it up in to two or three parts.

We started the Vepr Shotgun magazine and drum project shortly after the original shipment came in the country and we saw the market was going to eat this shotgun up. So we got to work on our 10 and 12 round magazines while coming up with an idea on how to make the drum before we announced anything about it. So we completed the 10 & 12 round magazines which were delayed because we wanted them to activate the last round bolt hold open. A month or two later Boom we released the magazines and then the 3rd shipment of shotguns started shipping with a new manufacture date. Well we started to notice our magazines were not working as well as before and we didn’t change a thing with our magazines.

Once we started to realize there was something different on the shotguns we started taking a closer look at the shotguns and how they were different other than the normal AK platform variances. Now anyone in the AK industry can tell you about the mag catch height and trunnion issues along with various other things that are not uniform by any means. So, we discovered in the later part of 2013 they (Molot) started using round rivet heads instead of flat in the magazine well. They also were hit or miss on how much they crushed the rivets in. So the height of the exposed rivets are now completely random and can cause pressure on the side of our 10 &12 round magazines which in turn caused follower drag. Now unlike other magazine companies that do a generation 1,2 3 and so on, we are continually making improvements. So once we found this issue we created a pdf explaining how you can modify our magazines if you want an instant fix while we worked on our mold and changed our magazine yet again to adapt to a non milspec shotgun. This AK variant unlike the rifles are truly like trying to hit a moving target on a drum and magazines.

Part 2
So rewind back to the later part of 2013 near 2014, we had polished/hardened the mold and produced close to 500 drums and we announced the drum and even showed it at Shot Show. We were so excited and ready to start shipping and were testing the drums in random shotguns and then the unimaginable happened. We started noticing the drum wasn’t working well or at all in some 2013 and most of the 2014 produced shotguns. So we thought “ok they changed the rivets again” should be an easy fix since we can just remove material by hand if need be. Well that wasn’t the case, unbeknownst to us they also changed the length and position of the last round bolt hold open. Now on our stick magazines it wasn’t a big deal but on the drum and how it locks in and the position of where the rounds sit it now activates the lrbho just by inserting the drum and does so every time you even try to cycle it. If you can remember the previous Saiga drums on the market (some still are) you had to fit and size each drum to the specific firearm you had. Now if you had two Saiga shotguns well you are S.O.L because the drum may not work in the other shotgun after you fit it to one.

Part 3
Fast forward to the current day, we are still working on making the necessary changes to our mold to accommodate the ever changing specifications of the Vepr shotgun. I will reiterate the same thing as before it is really a moving target. The importer decided to bring the cost down last year on the shotgun and now changed the rear of the shotgun and pinned the stock on. You would think that everything else would be the same well that isn’t the Russian way of building guns. So to give a brief history of changes I am going to list the differences of the shotguns not including the non MilSpec variances that happen on any given Vodka Monday gun.

Magazine catch height
last round bolt hold open length
last round bolt hold open position
magwell front alignment change
rivet change for the mag well
minor hammer position change

These may not seem like a big deal to most but anything that changes how the magazine feeds, locks, cycles and functions is a big deal. Just a minor change to the feed angle can make the drum not work, this isn’t a rifle with a nice open chamber and feed ramp below. This shotgun has what I like to refer to as the feed fingers of DOOM!!! (lol). So if the round is angled to high it hits the fingers of doom, if the angle is to low it crushes in to the bottom of the chamber, if it is off by a slight measurement it will cause issues by rubbing on top or bottom of the chamber and you will have failure to feed, eject or chamber.
So to sum up all that I just posted, we are still working on the drum and we are closer to having it complete than the 54R magazine. We hope to release the final version of the drum in about 2 months if everything goes well. I am also toying with the idea of releasing the 500 drums as a Legacy drum for 2012 shotguns only they will be engraved with that information."

[saltydecimator 482]

just got off atlantics site, allegedly they did sell through some legacy model drums already?! post pics and vids folks sheesh!!

 

as far as functionality, yes, if it didnt work we would be pissed. if it was easy fix, no prob, but if was hot garbage, then yes, thatd be a no go..... but good job pointing that out, sometimes we forget the obvious in our lusting!!! hahahaha

[Atlantic Firearms.com 170]

We have not sold any drums yet and are currently testing the Vepr 12 DRUM , The listing on our site states they are coming soon and encourages our friends to sign up for the Notification list .

 

 

 

 

 

[SGL 530]

[saltydecimator 482]

froim your website "We are sold out at this time & do expect more , Please enter your Email & we will notify you.

We have not sold any drums yet and are currently testing the Vepr 12 DRUM , The listing on our site states they are coming soon and encourages our friends to sign up for the Notification list .

 

 

 

 

 

[ShadyVepr 10]

well its true they are sold out

 

 Did you want them to put hey we have never had any in stock but feel free to sign up for one.

 

 

froim your website "We are sold out at this time & do expect more , Please enter your Email & we will notify you.

We have not sold any drums yet and are currently testing the Vepr 12 DRUM , The listing on our site states they are coming soon and encourages our friends to sign up for the Notification list .

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MR_22 35]

"Sold out" doesn't necessarily mean they actually sold any. It's a marketing term.

Edited February 15, 2016 by MR_22

[grima 15]

Also doubles as a Heli Pad / spare truck tyre / trash can lid.

 

I saw one flying over ROSWELL (spooky)

 

Where can I get mag pouches ????

 

Remember me? Hi all.

[mike456 12]

that drum looks gigantic, they couldnt get 30+ in that monster?

[BlackHeart762 288]

yeah  thats a monster

 

Mr VEP aches for a drum

[MR_22 35]

Well, it's been over a month since Centerfire "renewed" my order for the drum, after it was back-ordered for two years. They took my credit card info, so it seemed official. But I haven't seen anything dropped off on my porch yet. Still hopeful, though!

 

And YES, it's big! I saw one in person at the 2015 Shot Show. I was shocked at how big it was!

[ShadyVepr 10]

well makes me feel better I was not the only one now I know I was not being pranked

 

From the post on SGM facebook it looks like its still in testing.

[MR_22 35]

I think we're getting closer to having a 25-rounder in-hand! I posted a followup question to the above Facebook thread and SGM responded almost immediately and said that the final version of the drum is being tested this week. We've heard similar comments before, but hopefully this will be the final-final testing and they'll start shipping. Crossing fingers!

 

[saltydecimator 482]

2 weeks!!