SAXDM 2 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 (edited) I bought my Saiga 12 used. I took it apart yesterday to clean it. The threaded plug had been messed with by previous owner. Both the male and female threads have bad places with no thread. The tube plug started and stopped coming out. I cleaned all the fouling out of threads and it went back in same way. In my opinion, the threads need to be chased but I have no ides what size or thread dies to get. Or is there an easier fix? Thanks! I am talking about the gas tube threaded plug with 1 and 2 settings. Edited February 28, 2016 by SAXDM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MLM0358 107 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I'm 99% sure it's M21 x 1.0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pedal2alloy 206 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 See if you can post a picture of the female threads. It is possible that they were not properly done at the factory. The gas plug, you can buy a replacement and in fact there are many choices available. So that will probably prove to not be a problem for you, if yours is buggered up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 ALWAYS use anti-seeze on those threads! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAXDM 2 Posted February 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 I found a post about smacking the plug to move metal back into a thread pattern. Now I can't get back to it. Maybe that would be worth a try? It feeds everything flawlessly on 2. Buck and 00 on 1. I really don't want to put an aftermarket plug with it working this well. Unfortunately, this is a piece that must be removed often to clean the tube and puck. I really need to have this plug in and out with hand screw in. Anti-seize definitely a must. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/40615-im-cussing-mad-right-now/?hl=threads Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JonWienke 131 Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 There are other much better options for gas plugs out there. If your gun already cycles low-brass Wal-Mart ammo, the Tac-47 auto plug is a great choice. If you want manual adjustment, the CSS/DPH 6-position plug is a nice upgrade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAXDM 2 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Thank you Chile. That's the one! Say a prayer. I'm going in.........again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAXDM 2 Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I have got the DPH 6 position gas plug coming from CSS. Thanks Jon. The factory plug is really buggered for some reason and thread pattern does not look like any of the pics of others I have seen and has random areas of no thread (stripped). I carefully cleaned the female tube threads. They look just fair. I would like to chase but I feel if i take my time the DPH may get me to the point where I can go all the way in and out by hand. I will let you know how it goes when I get the plug. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Be sure to oil the plug when using it to clean up the threads. It will make a big difference whether it straightens or mars worse. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAXDM 2 Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) The DPH plug and anti-seize worked great going in. Worked with it meticulously and in and out fine by fingers now. Went out and shot 5, 3 Dram Eq at setting 5. Perfect. Came back inside and finished working on a pistol. After about 2-3 hours later, went out with same load and every 2nd round experienced either a Fail to feed, or FTE. Adjusted plug settings, mild to wild, no help. Came back in and put factory plug back in with some coaxing on setting 2, same Dram and same thing. Every 2nd rd has a failure. I even had a light primer strike this try! Tried 3.75 Dram on setting 1, same thing. I have the factory 5 rd mag and factory puck. I had a perfectly functioning gun .Now I have......????? Edited March 11, 2016 by SAXDM 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Now you have left your puck out? < - 1st guess #2> Possibly you need to screw the plug all the way in and bottom it out before backing out to the appropriate setting. biggest cutout should be facing straight down. If your threads are buggered, maybe it is feeling bottomed early. Some fouling on the puck (piston) can help it get a working seal too. #3> If big chunks of the threads are gone, you also have an escape path for gas to leak out. Teflon tape may help, with the leaks, and it definitely helps to make a fouled plug come out without a fight. 4) you have crud in your gas ports which you drove into them while getting the puck out and chasing the threads. Clean the gas ports, probe with wire to verify 4 open ports. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAXDM 2 Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 I put the puck back in the same way it came out with evidence of piston shape back vs. piston. The puck is/was in. The thread problem is basically solved with the new DPH plug fully bottomed out and backed off only enough to detent to setting. Female tube plug threads were basically OK and better now. It was working perfect before with threads missing on buggered up factory plug male threads. I only counted 3 gas ports when I cleaned the tube. Is this possible? The factory puck only has 2 grooves. Is this normal? Next step is clean the ports. I may have clogged up when I swabbed the tube. Thanks .............again! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAXDM 2 Posted March 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Even with dental mirror exam, I only see 3 gas ports. Ran a wire all the way through all 3. Cleaned the barrel with a little Hoppes on my Tico Tool and got a bunch of gunk . Smelled victory at that point. Put the 6 position DPH plug back in, took it out and shot 5 Remington Express 00 buck on setting 3. Perfect. Put 5 Field and Game Load in and for a test, left on setting 3. Fired first 2 rounds and had a stovepipe. Changed setting to 6 and shot the rest of box of Field Load flawlessly. Hope this helps someone. You guys have sure helped me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Sorry, I answered earlier, but it must not have uploaded. 3 ports used to be common. With older guns, Izhmash was pretty random about port location and size. Sometimes they were off to one side or the other and covered by the gas block. Sometimes they were undersize. Sometimes both. Around 2008 or 2009, they started paying a little more attention and got more consistent about 4 ports, but the sizes were still erratic. 3 can work, and there are plenty of people out there who never had an issue with a 3 port gun. it can be OK if they are really big ports, but if it were mine, I would knock the block off and add 1-2 more ports. - dependent on room and the size of the existing ports. 5@ .082 or .084" is probably where I would want to end up. One of mine was a 3 port and the other was 4. The 3 port is now a 5 port and the other one is OEM in that respect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
YOT 3,743 Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Sorry, I answered earlier, but it must not have uploaded. 3 ports used to be common. With older guns, Izhmash was pretty random about port location and size. Sometimes they were off to one side or the other and covered by the gas block. Sometimes they were undersize. Sometimes both. Around 2008 or 2009, they started paying a little more attention and got more consistent about 4 ports, but the sizes were still erratic. 3 can work, and there are plenty of people out there who never had an issue with a 3 port gun. it can be OK if they are really big ports, but if it were mine, I would knock the block off and add 1-2 more ports. - dependent on room and the size of the existing ports. 5@ .082 or .084" is probably where I would want to end up. One of mine was a 3 port and the other was 4. The 3 port is now a 5 port and the other one is OEM in that respect. The term "Vodka Special" rings a bell. '08-'09 is correct. Sometimes the ports weren't even drilled all the way through. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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