As I am a glutton for punishment,I recently bought another 5.56 AK variant.
It is, according to the seller, a Saiga converted by Red Jacket into a Galil clone.
Looked online,found some info on the .308 conversion but not a lot on the 5.56.
Seller states it takes (10) 5.56 Bulgy mags.

So,what did I buy???

I am hoping it should be reliable enough and looks pretty good apart from all the stamps that Izhmash put all over the Saiga,and as the going rate on a Golani seems to be $700+ if it shoots well I should be good.

looks kinda like a Galil.

wondering how the gas tube attaches to the trunnion

In picture No.2 it looks like it is welded to it.

ARKAR

The gas tube is permanently attached.

see that now.

hows it shoot?

Well...it doesn't.
Has light primer strikes,believe it is a headspace issue  but no gauges so no real way of telling.

I have contacted the seller to see what they have to say about it.

Otherwise I like it
It is much lighter it seems than the Golani I had,and shorter too.

Looks like you bought a shit sandwich. But I hope not.

Well,it was cheaper than a Golani so there is that,and the receiver is not going to be an issue.
I might end up sending it to someone to work on.

You should check head space and firing pin protrusion, hammer spring condition.

Are you familiar with head spacing an AK ?

Lots of info on you tube on this. Just play it safe and remove the firing pin should you use live rounds while checking.

Gauges are highly recommended for this task.

Should you find you have a short pin Apex parts has them.

GOOD LUCK

Not because of what went on with Will Haden (sp?), but after watching the show I would never buy anything from Red Jacket. Perhaps their production process is better than what was portrayed in the show (I'm sure it is), but, I have read far too many issues with their stuff to feel comfortable with anything they built.  There are a lot of good  gun smiths out there, for you to have a gun with light primer strikes and perhaps incorrect headspace, well- there is no excuse on that rifle ever leaving their facilities.

Not sure if they are still in operation, and if so I'm sure far different from the "show days", but still- I'll stay clear.

I don't believe this was a Red Jacket built rifle after taking a look at it.

And the issues with it are pretty major,but the seller is willing to take it back minus the cost of shipping,or are willing to pay for a gunsmith to repair it.
I imagine it depends upon what needs doing-replace bolt and check headspace shouldn't be too much,if it requires a lot more work,well then things will get expensive.
A few pics of the bolt and carrier.



The two marks are how much the bolt moves in the carrier when locked forward.

Looks like Galil parts , bolt, carrier, bullet guide.
Barrel is probably Saiga.

Have you checked head space?

the bolt will move without a round in the chamber.

Just replied on the Uzi talk forum.

But my comments here may generate a different reponse than there. Because I believe you will be best served by addition reponses I will make my comments a little sharper. If only to encourage  the addition imput of course.

I would replace the bolt. I would replace the trunnion at the same time with that of an unbulged yugo trunnion. The reason I would replace the trunnion with the yugo is that the yugo trunnion has enough material to machine the groves for the galil gas tube into it. Headspacing a pinned ak barrel is easy. The time and effort involved in machining the trunnion to properly accept the galil gas tube would not be too difficult. It could even be done, improperly, by hand with a file. The gas tube itself has a shelf on the bottom that fits into the front of the trunnion. This could be filed off. The trunnion would then only need the groves filed into the sides to accept the tube.

If it were done professionally you would have a safe inexpensive clone of Valmet 76 which uses galil magazines.

If it were done by hand you could take pride in making a dangerous rifle safe.

DB

Edited for PS

Either option is very viable. This would have been a lead pipe cinch, when numbered barrels, bolt and original trunnion were all sold as a unit.

Id contact Tenngalil and send it to Hillbilly Firearms.

I'd get you $ back. With that much grinding on the bolt who knows what other monkey gunsmithing they did.

This

It is a death trap waiting to detonate next to your face.......!  Please shoot it IVO Cleveland, Ohio.  My wife is really good a trauma and plastics, and the life flight pilots enjoy chatting her up.

If it were me, I would get my money back. That bolt looks awful bad to me.  The problem I would have with getting my money back would be knowing that someone else will eventually end up with that death trap of a rifle.