Well shit,

I bought two Saiga 12 this year.


A) one is older but the inside in mint as can be. It has the bolt hold open lever near the trigger guard, a slightly shorter (18"?) thread barrel.


B) The newer one is imported by EAA, 20"? barrel. Dirty on the inside, clean outside. Tighter mag well.


The cleaner older one (A) only runs on high brass, and chokes on bird shot. And does not load the first round well. Dirty chamber?


The newer used one (B) runs on Birdshot, Yeah!!


So since (B) runs should I leave it? or SBS??


What about (A) SBS and fix it?


and what should I do to (A) to get it to run?


Thanks

I redrilled the gas ports, dont remember the size but it made a big difference. Saiga forum has instruction on it. Also a good cleaning and polish helped.

Are you running any type of reliability kit in either? A CSS kit will make a world of difference, also check to see if you have 2 or 3 gas ports on A. You could only have 2 which would be a give away as to why you're having issues. Also I polished the rails and the bcg on mine and its helped.

Mine has 4 gas ports (from the factory) in a diamond pattern

It runs everything I feed it on either setting

 
I still need to pull mine out and check. just busy

If you've never pulled the gas regulator before, or haven't adjusted it recently, be ready for the fight of your life

I ended up having to use a 15/16s drag link bit on a 1/2 inch breaker bar combined with a torch to get mine out

Apparently shooting massive amounts of skeet loads causes plastic to shave, melt, and fill every nook and cranny in the forward portion of the gas system

Sorry, I missed the question at the end of the op the first time around,

To see why it doesn't want to work you definitely need to pull the plug,
Check the ports, 3 is good, 4 is better
Check the puck, make sure it's not super fouled up or corroded
Get a pick with a right angle and poke through the ports while you are looking through the barrel, they may be there but clogged

Clean the hell out of the entire gas system, scrape all of the carbon and residue off everything

That's a good start to seeing if there's an actual issue

 
done!!


both of mine have 3 ports showing looks like  < with a single and then a double hole.


I will start with the bad gun.


I started with a piece of .040 lockwire. I learned that the ports have a slight angle to them. I could only get two of the 3 holes. So I dug at it and shot some CLP at it ports and finlly broke the crud out. This was the cleaner gun but the gas ports were nasty.


Like I said the rest of the gun is great, piston, bolt, trigger all great.



2nd gun was dirtier over all, (but she runs) anyway the gas ports were the same layout < I could not really the lockwire in any of the holes. They were pretty evenly caked. but the same CLP and picking and poking get it done.

I did clean this gun as is was dirty.


So wise me luck next time out!!

I've found that ak pattern or not, cleaning the gas system on the Saiga (12s) is crucial,
The powder is larger, it tends to burn dirty, and the gas system seems to collect everything,

It may be more then just powder fouling, there's a very good chance that you have was residue in there too.
If the wire fails, go to the local hardware store (harbor freight is awesome for these) and get a set of picks, between the sharp pint, the angle and the leverage allowed by the handle you should be able to get it free

If you want them to be super more reliable than they are now I would recommend finishing the diamond with a fourth port.

I overhauled mine this summer after 10 plus years of abusing it and putting it away dirty. After I got everything apart I was honestly shocked that it had been running at all.

I've been using it since September as a duck/goose gun, and I really couldn't ask for a better platform. It shoots lighter than a 20 gaugereduced skeet load, it cycles faster than my buddies bennelli, and I don't feel bad when I have to swish it in the lake/pond to get the mud out of it after it's been dropped or fell.   And it has the added bonus that when it gets dropped, kicked, slammed by a decoy, or smashed by an anchor I'm not fucking up an insanely expensive shotgun.

 
thanks again,


I just am trying to shake these out and the one that runs the best will be formed 1 SBS..


any idea on how I can drill out a 4th hole?

Easiest way is to pull the "gas block"

 
yup, I youtubed it. looks easy.


Caralina shooting supply is the go to place?

Yup they're great next day shipping flat rate cost cant go wrong.

Also if you polish your bolt rails on the gun it'll help.

Yep. Its very easy.
CSS is good to go

Whatever you do, do not follow the advice of iraqiveteran8888 on youtube in his "Gunsmithing the Saiga 12: Professional Results" video. Dude knows Mosins and shit like that, but is clueless when it comes to doing gas work on a Saiga 12. He apparently doesn't know how to remove a gas block, so he grinds off the front sight and drills a giant hole or holes straight down into the barrel through the top of the gas block. Fouling is greatly increased by stupidity like this and it is the furthest thing from a professional result that can be had in regards to gas work.


SBS the newer one if it is newer than 2009, regardless of which one runs better.