Saiga 12 Problem

[The_Vigilante]

Went to a local 3-gun match yesterday with my Saiga 12 (prepared by JT Engineering). Since it worked fine the last time I took it to a match didn't forsee any problems-Was I wrong!!! Anyway I was using Remington #4 Birdshot so it wasn't a problem with a weak load. After the first shot the bolt wouldn't pick up another shell from the magazine. I was using both a 12-rd mag and a 20-rd R&R magazine with which I had no previous problems. I had recently changed the spring to a 1911 spring. Any ideas? Thanks in advance

[rangerguy]

Did it only happen once or keep happening.

[DonT]

The first thing I would look at would be what you've changed since it worked last. The recoil spring and if you changed ammo. If this is a different ammo than you've been using it could be too hot for the new recoil spring. Anyway just saying you might want to go back to what was working before and see if that fixes the problem.

Mine ran like a top with a 1911 recoil spring using the cheapest low brass Winchester ammo I could get. It was perfect with all my mags. I could buy cheap ammo and it had low recoil and fast transitions. Then I got a drum and found out my cheap ammo has soft hulls that the drum likes to crush. So now it's ditch the drum and go with what works or change the set up that works to get the drum to work.

Good luck.

[Chuck Anderson]

Lots of factors here. Is the gas port still on the same setting. Did you clean it. Where are the empty hulls landing, close or far? What weight 1911 spring did you use?

If the shells are close you might have put too heavy a spring in or changed to a lighter gas port setting. Far away and you might have too light a spring or too much gas and outrunning the mag spring.

[Alaskapopo]

All good advice. I would also make sure the gas piston area is clean. That can stop things pretty fast when it gets dirty. I clean my before every match.

As others have said what weight 1911 recoil spring did you go to. If you have the spring too light the bolt will out run the magazine. I use a 17 pound spring myself.

Pat

Edited October 29, 2012 by Alaskapopo

[The_Vigilante]

I installed an 18-lb 1911 spring back in May, 2012 and everything worked fine at that time. Forward to last week-bolt wouldn't pick up the next round-could I already need a new spring? I hadn't made any changes since that time-in fact hadn't shot it since June. Was using the same ammo--#4 birdshot. Will check the gas piston area and order a few 1911 recoil springs.

[silverphoenix]

Could have been the ammo. Try shooting a new box of the ammo you used before the malfunctions.

Edited October 30, 2012 by silverphoenix

[Alaskapopo]

I installed an 18-lb 1911 spring back in May, 2012 and everything worked fine at that time. Forward to last week-bolt wouldn't pick up the next round-could I already need a new spring? I hadn't made any changes since that time-in fact hadn't shot it since June. Was using the same ammo--#4 birdshot. Will check the gas piston area and order a few 1911 recoil springs.

I replace my recoil springs often but not for the same reason. Generally when the spring gets weak the bolt starts out running the magazine. The shot size does not matter at all. What matters is the dram weight (powder charge) and the weight of the shot. Try 3 dram 1 1/8 ounce of shot loads.

Pat