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Catamount Fury conversion update


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Previously acquired the Fury I (with the traditional stock)

12823376_1285304671484646_19458123962703

So update as of yesterday:
CSS supplied the following mods:

  • FCG
  • TG with AR-style PG mount
  • Reliability package (recoil springs, nylon guide)
  • Adjustable regulator
  • Trunnion backplate and adjustable pig-nose
  • Hammer Springs
  • Piston
  • Rail and cover
  • Galil-like charging handle extension (I'm a lefty; it's easier for me to turn my palm and pull straight back)

Other pieces-parts include the Magpul grip on the rail, Magpul PG, and I'm ordering the Chaos HK sights for trial.

Reliability has been very good except for low brass shot.  The new gas regulator should improve that.

12742157_1285331608148619_35333561672679

 

I'll also replace the CAR stock with a Magpul ACS-L (no batteries!).  We moved the pig-nose full up and it provides a great stock weld LOS over the top of the rifle.

 

Function check following the mods is excellent:  the trigger is a little long but has a smooth, crisp letoff; the BHO functions properly; rounds 2-1/2" and 3" feed smoothly without any sense of shucking corners while entering the chamber.

 

The rail is slimmer than other Saiga quads I've seen; CSS dispensed with the wide towers that underlie each Picatinny section.  Will likely use ladder covers, although the feel tells me that the edges are chamfered.

Will relocate thread to shotgun forum if desired.

Edited by InTTruder
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Don't be surprised if the new regulator doesn't do what you think it should.

Gas regulators aren't magical and can't increase the amount of gas from the barrel side.

 

Basically, if your gun is already choked (not cycling low power shells), the aftermarket regulators aren't going to fix the problem.

Edited by Mullet Man
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  • 2 weeks later...

Went to install the Chaos HK-style sights and learned the dustcover rail is Weaver, not Picatinny!  So we'll do a little fitting on one lug of the rail to accommodate the drum rotor base.  The CSS quad rail on the handguard is Picatinny through-and-through.

CHAOS_SIGHTS.jpg

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The Chaos sights came in.  

 

On test-fit, we discovered the dustcover rail is Weaver, not Picatinny.  A few minutes with tool work should fix that.

The front sight sits perfectly in the CSS rail system.  It has small shoulders, but a small screw actually locks it in place, vice clamps.  It's elegantly simple and unadorned.

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InTTruder, on 14 Mar 2016 - 3:24 PM, said:

The Chaos sights came in.  

 

On test-fit, we discovered the dustcover rail is Weaver, not Picatinny.  A few minutes with tool work should fix that.

 

 

That's kind of poopy. You'd think someone at DDI would have caught that, or if they knew, would make it known in advertisements/specs.

 

Wonder if the Aluminum CSS rail for the V12 would work as a replacement. No idea how the DDI rail attaches.

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That's kind of poopy. You'd think someone at DDI would have caught that, or if they knew, would make it known in advertisements/specs.

 

Wonder if the Aluminum CSS rail for the V12 would work as a replacement. No idea how the DDI rail attaches.

 

 

Remember- this is a Fury 1 (F1), not a DDI.  I don't know that the two are related, although I saw one poster state that DDI was importing Chinese shotguns.  Someone refuted that assertion.

 

I'm actually not too surprised.  The Chinese probably had that copied straight off the VEPR.  Is the VEPR Picatinny?  In actuality, the impact is minimal.  A little time opening/dressing one of the rear-most slots on the rail and VOILA!  Done!

Edited by InTTruder
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Yes, that was my only surprise.  Overall, very happy with the gun and conversion.  150 rounds so far now, and runs fine.  Needs another 100 or so to sign off "ready-ready", but it was a fun project!  Will use different ammunition to test the Auto-Plug.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got the Chaos sights mounted:
12717991_1307519609263152_24040839844779

 

-and

11239363_1307519659263147_14805828648434

 

No shots fired yet, so no data on POA, utility, etc.  Used with the CSS pig nose full up, the F1 rail and CSS HG rail, the sights index to my line of sight perfectly with a solid, not mashed, cheek weld.  The Chaos sights have a great look and feel; the rotor drum indexes solidly, and the sight picture is VERY clean.  Should produce interesting results on the range with slugs.


I might have to file down that OEM foresight cast onto the gas block just for something to do.

Edited by InTTruder
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Some closing pics.  The project is essentially done.  

  • The OEM Chinese recoil guide rod was more robust than the CSS-supplied rod, and looks well machined.  I did not install it.
  • The TAC-47 auto-plug will not thread down fully.  The Chinese gas block has shorter threading, and a stop-collar or smaller ID than perhaps the Saiga.  I'll check on that and report back.
  • The Choas sights are phenomenal.  I'll see what they do for 'precision' (it's a Shotty!) with slugs.

Without further ado-

12885864_1312856018729511_11949562209688

 

12513642_1312856032062843_74766233624128

 

12377812_1312856025396177_38634292413483

 

12525108_1312856022062844_28091480115782

 

12916258_1312856028729510_21785471431252

 

12719162_1312856095396170_73209414629703

 

 

 

12909593_1312856098729503_25552968832586

 

In the beginning, it was without form.....

12823288_1290743807607399_78875763079436

Edited by InTTruder
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  • 3 weeks later...

Sweeping the top of the dustcover where you just put saw teeth (pic rail) seems unpleasant. I think you might prefer just a fat knob such as the tromix bolt on, and a sweep with the side of your left hand palm toward your face.

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I just now bought one of these NIB for $398.95: GB auction $369.95 + $29.00 for shipping. Been following this and other write ups and looking at CSS parts and videos for a while figure what the hell it will make a good project and hope to make even a good gun out of the deal. Guess we'll see how it all goes.

 

I've been looking at the project of setting up a Catamount Fury 1 model # SG1874-N to be 922® compliant while keeping the cost down.
Now before we get started on the hi-cap legal side of the gun we need the gun to cycle. A lot of imported AK based shotguns don't want to cycle anything but high brass slugs or buckshot. If you want to run even game loads of birdshot you may have to address a few things if you want to run target loads of birdshot that may take so serious time and tinkering. These gun are gas operated and the shell has to overcome the recoil spring and the weight of the bolt carrier group plus the friction of the moving parts on everything they engage. Most common issue is too little gas with low brass target loads and on a very rare occasion you may have a gun that is over gassed and that will make the gun beat itself apart pretty quickly. Generally the gun will run better with some break in and deburring the moving parts will help the Saiga Forum has some excellent information on what it takes to get this style gun to run.
Now on to the hi-cap / legal part, you start out with 16 imported parts and you need to get that down to 10 or less. Gun cost was $398.95 including shipping plus figure to add $20 for the local FFL to receive the gun so we'll just round that to $420.00.
Seeing how this gun is a clone of a Saiga shotgun with a muzzle attachment (screw in chokes, while this was originally for external threaded barrels the could be used with a suppressor the government loves to screw with gun owners so they are letting it apply to chokes too) the same information as used by the BATF should apply.
1st thing I did was I asked the importer century arms: What parts are exchanged in the factory 922® compliant Catamount Fury 1 model SG3014-N and the standard model SG1874-N? Are they available for purchase?
Their reply: We do not sell parts. It is the trigger group (trigger, hammer, disconnect), operating rod and piston.
1st the best deal to reduce your part count is buying an American made magazine this get you -3 parts for about $40.00. Now you have a part count of 13 and you've spent $460.00.
One of the cheapest and easiest parts to change is the piston, these are available from Carolina Shooters Supply for about $20. Now you have a part count of 12 and you've spent $480.00.
Next I don't want to do a conversion and add a pistol grip so the last two parts to get the count down to 10 are a wooden butt-stock and forearm from Lucky Shot Wood Stocks found on Etsy for about $100.00 so your part count is now 10 so legal to use a hi-cap mag and you've spent a right at $600.00 when you add in the shipping cost on the items bought.
One last note of interest is on one forum I read some one had went to Trulock chokes and tried fitting a choke to match the threads in the Fury. They found one that they referred to as a "Metric Win-Choke" whatever that means. I've email Trulock to see if they remembered the fitting or know what choke the guy is referring to. If they do it would reduce your part count to 9 and their reply to the email was: "It could be one of several styles. Please send a photo of your choke alongside a ruler so I can get a sense of scale. If possible it would be much better for you to send in one of your chokes so that we can reverse engineer it. (No cost for this service)"

Edited by the 4th Doctor
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  • 2 weeks later...

That is one sick tube and only second to mine. I am curious to know if you are planning to chop the barrel? 

 

Ive since made a few upgrades on mine such as adding an aluminum tromix stock, vortex venom and so forth. My Saiga eats everything including bird shot. 
 

Thanks

 

9bede1f7-858a-481b-bb02-4a319782b43a_zps

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  • 5 weeks later...

That is one sick tube and only second to mine. I am curious to know if you are planning to chop the barrel? 

 

Ive since made a few upgrades on mine such as adding an aluminum tromix stock, vortex venom and so forth. My Saiga eats everything including bird shot. 

 

Thanks

 

 

Lou-

I'm not sure about cutting the barrel.  The entire thing is actually 1" shorter than my 18" barreled Remington 1100.  FOr the moment, the length is mostly an optical problem, and not a handling/pointability problem.  For that I have a nice Serbu SS.

 

Yours looks smashing!

Latest update

Done for now. TAC-47 autoplug installed. Some minor work to make it lock into the gas block. 

 

This is the F1 Catamount on which we've tinkered for several months. 

 

CSS FCG conversion

CSS Rail

CSS pignose adapter for AR buffer tube

Chaos sights- HK style

Magpul buttstock and PG 

TAC-47 autoplug

 

I haven't fired it in this configuration.  Some travel, and then off to the range.  The TAC-47 gets high marks, so I look forward to mixing ammunition in a mag and seeing what happens.

 

BTW- No deformation or peening of the BC or trunnion noted so far.  About 120 rounds fired to-date.

 

13339428_1360593877289058_69624956973581

 
 
 
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looking good there,

 

I'm a cheap lazy SOB anymore so for now I'm not doing a conversion on my Fury, been there done that on Saigas so I'm just working on Frank-N-Mags right now. 1 place has 5 round Fury II mags for 3.99 so I'm adding them to the bottoms of my Fury I mags, the mags showed up today. still toying with the thought of a mag well but that's down the road away.

 

plus been playing with recoil springs with a 14 lb one in the front the gun will run 1 oz 2 3/4 dram target loads, factory spring will run 1 1/8 oz 3 dram loads, I've got a couple of Saiga springs and a 24 lb one if I'm going to run any magnum loads. I am going to add a recoil buffer to try to avoid some damage if possible.

 

Like you so far so good on signs of wear and tear, but my gun is no where near as slicked out as yours.

 

I tried one of those TAC-47s on a Saiga but I really never shoot magnum loads so I don't think I ever really tested it out. for what I need in 3 gun the gun has to be able to shoot birdshot and slugs without changing anything during the stage, so all I can do is set the gun up to run birdshot and use managed recoil slugs.

Edited by the 4th Doctor
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What did you end up having to do to get the autoplug to work in the catamount?  I have a cat2 I am going to convert when I get the extra coin for the parts.

My gunsmith replaced the detent that locks the gas plug/regulator into position with one having a slightly larger head.  That was large enough to engage the locking slots/nicks in the head of the plug.  VOILA!

 

I'll see if I can make a decent closeup pic.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Some closing pics.  The project is essentially done.  

  • The OEM Chinese recoil guide rod was more robust than the CSS-supplied rod, and looks well machined.  I did not install it.
  • The TAC-47 auto-plug will not thread down fully.  The Chinese gas block has shorter threading, and a stop-collar or smaller ID than perhaps the Saiga.  I'll check on that and report back.
  • The Choas sights are phenomenal.  I'll see what they do for 'precision' (it's a Shotty!) with slugs.

Without further ado-

12885864_1312856018729511_11949562209688

 

12513642_1312856032062843_74766233624128

 

12377812_1312856025396177_38634292413483

 

12525108_1312856022062844_28091480115782

 

12916258_1312856028729510_21785471431252

 

12719162_1312856095396170_73209414629703

 

 

 

12909593_1312856098729503_25552968832586

 

In the beginning, it was without form.....

12823288_1290743807607399_78875763079436

Looking good! 

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