[wensitc]

Does anyone know where I can buy an extra bolt & bolt carrier for my .308. Picked up one at the gunshow this weekend and would like a spare set.

Thanks,

Wensitc

[RooK]

Carrier... I believe any standard '74 carrier will work. It appears to have all the standard dimensions of normal AKs. The bolt however is a unique 3-lug design and your only source is Izhmash or EAA.

[verdejt]

Wouldn't the bolt from my SAR1 which is in 7.62 russian work in my Saiga 308?

[Tokageko]

The dimensions on the bolt carrier itself seem to be close enough to those of the regualr AK 47 bolt carrier that it would work (mine will fit into an AK 47). The bolt on the other hand is a different animal completely. For one, it seems to be much thinner than a regular AK 47 bolt. I don't know about the 74, but I would geuss it's the same case, since the rim diameters on both are the same and russians love being able to use as few parts as possible. Consequently, the bolt carrier is made for the thinner 308 bolt.

As far as EAA goes: They don't sell the Saiga 308 bolt.

They sell the carrier and almost everything else... with the notable exception of things like the barrel, receiver, etc.

I just got my replacement bolt carrier in the mail from EAA yesterday. It looks to be in good condition. As soon as I get it installed, I'll get back to you guys on how well it works.

As far as replacements once EAA no longer carries parts, I have thought of two options. First, find a machine shop (like www.emachineshop.com) who can make another bolt for you from scratch. From there you could reinstall the firing pin, extractor, etc. from your old bolt and be back in bussiness. It might be cheaper to do this as a "group buy" on a larger run, but that's a topic for another thread.

The other option I can see would be to take a standard AK 47/74 bolt, strip it, then open up the bolt face by .033", reinstall the parts that came with it, put it in a standard AK bolt carrier and pray that the third locking lug wasn't all that important.

Obviously, one of these choices is safer than the other. Oh, also, please: someone correct me if I am wrong about the AK 74 bolt/carrier being different than the AK 47!

Ok, that's all for now.
Take care of yourselves.

[verdejt]

Well I took both of my rifles apart and inspected the bolts from the 2 They are in fact very different. The extractors are different (No real biggie) However the actual size of the face where the case goes if larger on the .308. Second the .308 bolt is 1/8 to just under 1/4 inch longer. The various locking lugs are very different and longer in the .308. My guess is that they are not interchangeable.

[RooK]

Tokageko, on Jan 19 2005, 12:27 PM, said:

The other option I can see would be to take a standard AK 47/74 bolt, strip it, then open up the bolt face by .033", reinstall the parts that came with it, put it in a standard AK bolt carrier and pray that the third locking lug wasn't all that important.

Obviously, one of these choices is safer than the other. Oh, also, please: someone correct me if I am wrong about the AK 74 bolt/carrier being different than the AK 47!

Ok, that's all for now.
Take care of yourselves.

I don't know if the 47 carrier is different than the 74, but I do know most of the Saiga rifles are patterned after the 74 series, so it was my first guess on compliance parts.

If the AK bolt did work, I wouldn't worry about the 3rd lug. People have been cutting them off for ages in mag conversions, but I've yet to hear of one breaking.

[lollygagger]

It is unlikely that you'd really need a spare bolt & carrier.

What most people aquire to cover emergency use breakage is a firing pin, extractor & extractor spring. Beyond that, some also will add (for AK's) lockwork -hammer, disconnector & associated springs.

You will NEVER find a new firearms mfg'r, importer or distributor that is going to sell you a bolt for anything -due to fitting/liability issues. They will ONLY factory fit one (if at all). This has been the norm for some time.

Lollygagger

[Tokageko]

Well, that's reassuring. I don't know, I geuss I just figure that if it was made with an extra lug, it was made that way for a reason and I'm reluctant to remove things like that. I hadn't realized that "most of the saiga rifles were patterned off of the AK74". It's not that I don't believe you, but I am curious about your source on this information.

I'll check it again tonight, to see if an AK 47 bolt/carrier will fit in the saiga 308, and lock up. If it will, this opens up a world of new possibilities... I've dreamed of AK type rifles in other calibers for quite a while.

[RooK]

The gas piston of '74s is what they use (lacks the '47 shoulder) and '74 gas tubes fit fine. Besides, these are made on the same lines as '74s used by the Russian military. Why utilize '47 parts when you can use '74 parts that you are already manufacturing?

This post has been edited by RooK: 19 January 2005 - 09:07 PM

[Tokageko]

That makes sense. I just wanted to confirm Verdejt said eariler, the lugs on the saiga 308 are longer, meaning that an AK 47 bolt won't lock up properly. Had to try it myself you know? ; ) Either way, I'm still curious on the internal differences between the 47 and the 74. I geuss it's possible that the lugs on the 74 are the same dimensions, because if I'm remembering correctly the 5.45 is a higher pressure cartridge than the 7.62. Anybody know for sure? Or am I going to have to ask in a different place? Oh well, no big deal for the moment. Thanks for the input.

[G O B]

As I understand it the 47 bolt has the large diameter tail and the74/100 has the small diameter tail. Saiga's are 100 series.

G O B

[Tokageko]

Cool, now all we have to figure out is whether the locking lugs on the 74 are close enough... oh man do I feel stupid, I was just looking at an Arsenal 223 today! One of the new pre-ban configurations. It looked/handled very nicely. but I don't know if I would pay seven hundred some for an ak. Oh well, either way, I should have stripped it and taken a look. At that price.. I doubt it's going anywhere. So I'll have another opportunity.