Galil mags for Saiga(pics)

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Galil mags for Saiga(pics)

Posted: 1/8/2006 10:32:51 PM EDT

Several people have asked me how the Galil mags work in my Saiga and how to convert the mag but I had no picture and I admit the explanation was a bit confusing but since I got a digital camera at CHRISTmas and have been going cazy taking pictures I thought I would post the pics of what the mags look like converted and my Saiga.

This is the feedramp I made out of pipe from Home Depot.

As you can see what is nice about the mags is they are made for the .223 and hold 35rds.

This is all you have to do to the mag. Sand down the raised plastic at the front of the mag on each side in the same spot. Now I made my follower using these mags and went through one or two pieces of the big $2 pipe. OOOH expensive. I tried using the .223 feed ramp from KVAR but this one works a lot better for me. I hope this helps and answeres some questions for people.

Posted: 1/11/2006 7:56:24 PM EDT

[#1]

sweet!

Posted: 1/12/2006 3:54:53 AM EDT

[#2]

WOW!

Posted: 1/12/2006 5:13:43 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
i14.photobucket.com/albums/a310/brasman/000_0057.jpg

This is the follower I made out of pipe from Home Depot.

Now I made my follower using these mags and went through one or two pieces of the big $2 pipe. OOOH expensive. I tried using the .223 follower from KVAR but this one works a lot better for me.

By "follower" I assume you mean "feed ramp" or "bullet guide" rather than the part in the magazine on which the cartridges ride?

Still, great job!

Posted: 1/12/2006 11:14:23 AM EDT

[#4]

Yes.

Posted: 1/15/2006 11:12:58 PM EDT

[#5]

Have you fired many rnds with your clean set-up?
I just bought a .223 and I want a completely fuctional mod for the mag issue.
Please let us know how it worked out,looks like the best option if it works really well.
Thank You for posting,nice rifle,how do you like your ace stock?

Posted: 1/17/2006 12:05:38 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Have you fired many rnds with your clean set-up?
I just bought a .223 and I want a completely fuctional mod for the mag issue.
Please let us know how it worked out,looks like the best option if it works really well.
Thank You for posting,nice rifle,how do you like your ace stock?

About 200rds no problems at all. The ACE stock is the best one out there in my opinion. I hate the standard AK type stock and would have left my Saiga with the rifle stock on it before I put on a munchkin AK stock. To each his own though. The ACE cost a little more but was well worth it to me. I also have about a hundred rounds through some converted 74 mags but the Galil mags are esier to convert for the Saiga and are nicer in my opinion.

Posted: 1/23/2006 10:45:44 AM EDT

[#7]

I'm in the process of doing a conversion on my 223Rem Saiga. I've been able to use unaltered Galil 30rd (or 35rd?) magazines. As GenghisKhan pointed out, the plastic Galil magazines have to be altered to fit. Interestingly, the 50rd metal Galil mags won't work reliably in my Saiga because the mag catch tab is ever so slightly different. The unaltered Galil magazines are better for me because I already have plenty for my Galil. This way I have one type of magazing that works in two rifles.

Posted: 1/24/2006 12:09:45 AM EDT

[#8]

Where did you get the metal 30rd Galil mags?

Posted: 1/24/2006 5:04:47 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Where did you get the metal 30rd Galil mags?

I bought them years ago and can't remember. CDNN has 12rd metal mags for $10 each, not bad if you just want to give them a try. They also work a little better when shooting from the bench at the range.

Posted: 1/24/2006 5:47:02 AM EDT

[#10]

Botach has metal Galil mags

DSA has them also.

Posted: 1/25/2006 2:00:36 AM EDT

[#11]

Thanks.

Posted: 1/25/2006 2:44:26 AM EDT

[#12]

tagaroo!

Posted: 1/25/2006 10:11:44 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I'm in the process of doing a conversion on my 223Rem Saiga. I've been able to use unaltered Galil 30rd (or 35rd?) magazines. As GenghisKhan pointed out, the plastic Galil magazines have to be altered to fit. Interestingly, the 50rd metal Galil mags won't work reliably in my Saiga because the mag catch tab is ever so slightly different. The unaltered Galil magazines are better for me because I already have plenty for my Galil. This way I have one type of magazing that works in two rifles.

Hi Bret
I have been haunting the Saiga sites and posts and the adapting of metal galil mags has
been talked about with only you having a real report.Did you install a bullet guide or in anyway
mod the rifle or mags?How many rnds. have you fired and how is the function.
Any details you can share are super helpful.
Thank You

Posted: 1/25/2006 6:19:09 PM EDT

[#14]

I'm in the process of doing the conversion. I have yet to install the feed ramp. Here are some pictures with the magazine installed.

I have functioned tested to see if the bolt would strip the cartridges and it worked. Because I don't have a feed ramp installed, the cartridges would not feed in to the chamber. The interesting thing is that the 30rd (or is it 35rd?) metal mags lock in perfectely like they were made for the rifle. The 12rd metal and 50rd metal mags lock in, but they can slip down at the back about 1.5mm. There is just an ever so slight difference in tolerances between the magazines somewhere, but I can't really tell where. 30rd Galil mags from a different lot or country may or may not work. I can't say. All I know is that these 30rd Galil mags that I have work.

Posted: 1/25/2006 6:26:12 PM EDT

[#15]

Please let us know how it works out when you run a few rounds through your
conversion.
Thank You for the follow up,looks good.

Posted: 1/30/2006 9:56:09 PM EDT

[#16]

I tried this conversion on one of the Gallil mags i have and it wont work correctly.
I trimmed the front sides of the mag to get it to fit and it latches in fine, but when
i try to get it to feed a round, the round just pushes off straight into the edge of the feed ramp.
This gun is 100% using Converted weiger and Bulgy mags, but is a total no go with the Gallils.

What i found is that the mag seems to sit lower in the front of the gun than the Weiger or Bulgy ones do.
The round in the mag sits up higher in the weiger and bulgy mags then it does in the Gallil mags
the round id too low to feed properly, hence the straight line in to the edge of the feed ramp.
Id liek to be able to use them, because they were fairly cheap, but im not sure if i really want to mess
with it any more. Im not going to replace the feed ramp in have in it because i know it is right,
and i think it is more the fault of the mag this time.

I may trade them off for weigers if i can.

KyARGuy

Posted: 2/3/2006 8:27:36 PM EDT

[#17]

Bump to keep this alive.
To mag mods- Please let us know how the mags are functioning.

Posted: 2/6/2006 6:28:10 PM EDT

[#18]

Genghis, did you get my IM?

Posted: 2/7/2006 5:30:29 PM EDT

[#19]

Take a look at the .223 area of saiga-12.com.
Tromix 223 conversion
poster is Tony Rumore

Has a through account of galil mag mods.

Posted: 2/8/2006 11:42:58 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Genghis, did you get my IM?

YES.

Posted: 2/14/2006 7:27:17 PM EDT

[#21]

Any function reports.

Posted: 2/14/2006 9:18:23 PM EDT

[#22]

Like I said about 200rds no problems. It was a mixture of ammo as well. It was the Winchester .45gr HPs, Wolf, Winchester FMJ.

Posted: 2/14/2006 9:22:15 PM EDT

[#23]

Its funny but I was reading on another forum and some guy was saying how you can not use Galil mags with out major hard work and you should send it to him and pay him instead of doing it your self. I am glad I did it my self and saved $$$$$$$. The feed ramp is the key. It took some time and several were scrapped but it paid off in the end. All I can say is that they work great for me in my rifle.

Posted: 2/14/2006 10:19:40 PM EDT

[#24]

Thanks for the solid report.
At the saiga site there are alot of posts about mags.
Seems like the most trusted is e- german steel mags.
I like the idea of the galil mags .
Guess I just have to try them myself.
Any detailed tips beyond the normal on tweaking the bullet guide.
Thanks again .

Posted: 2/19/2006 12:22:01 AM EDT

[#25]

Nothing to add. The feeding ramp was the hardest part of the whole thing.

Posted: 2/19/2006 7:19:31 AM EDT

[#26]

I did my weigers by making all mods to the mag except for filing down the protrusion at the back of the magwell. (Also feedramp). I have been reading about guys filing down something that the front of magazines hit in the receiver. It allows using unmodified magazines.

Posted: 2/19/2006 6:42:58 PM EDT

[#27]

If you are talking about what I think you are it is a rivit or something that helps hold the rifle
together. I shoot rivits on aircraft every day some steel, aluminium and other stuff and I will pass on sanding or grinding on a strucural fastener to make my mag fit. I will mod my mags. Has any of them ever came apart? Not that I know of but I still am not doing it but to each his own.

Posted: 6/24/2006 9:00:18 PM EDT

[#28]

GK
I finally got to mod the orlite 35rnd galil mags for my saiga.
They clip in snug with almost no side to side play.
Compared them to the modified weigner that came with the rifle,location and indexing looks identical.
I will update after function test.
Thank You

Posted: 6/24/2006 9:10:29 PM EDT

[#29]

here are two links from the saiga site about grinding down
the lugs of the trunnion in order to use un modded mags
(i did this on my s223 and it worked well)

S223_1

S223_2

hope this helps

Posted: 6/24/2006 9:19:24 PM EDT

[#30]

SZ
I considered that option,but I went with 15x$10 per mag dedicated to the saiga.
I am trying to find out about reliable alternates for a a wasr 3.$25 per wiegner
is high.
Thank You

social zombie
Whats it like when you go out......................................................................quiet?

Posted: 6/24/2006 9:37:03 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
SZ
I considered that option,but I went with 15x$10 per mag dedicated to the saiga.
I am trying to find out about reliable alternates for a a wasr 3.$25 per wiegner
is high.
Thank You

social zombie
Whats it like when you go out......................................................................quiet?

yes..... and very eerie

Posted: 6/24/2006 9:38:15 PM EDT

[#32]

Posted: 7/14/2006 12:19:20 AM EDT

[#33]

I went through another 200rds last week with the Saiga and Galil mags and had zero problems with slow or rapid fire. So 400rds total so far with zero problems.

Posted: 9/6/2006 9:11:00 PM EDT

[#34]

I must have done something wrong. I just Dremeled a bit off the front of the magwell edges and the Galil mags lock right in.

Posted: 9/7/2006 3:55:58 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
I must have done something wrong. I just Dremeled a bit off the front of the magwell edges and the Galil mags lock right in.

You obviously haven't tried firing it.

Posted: 9/22/2006 9:43:38 PM EDT

[#36]

Nope. I've got a Bulgy ak74 mag and a Bulgy .223 mag to fit as well as the galil mag but can't seem to find the right design for a feed ramp.

Posted: 9/22/2006 11:43:03 PM EDT

[#37]

Go to Saiga-12.com

Look at .223 section.

Very detailed feed ramp by foreign guy,great pictures.

Posted: 9/28/2006 3:23:18 PM EDT

[#38]

Thanks GenghisKhan....... Your instructions have helped me convert 2 Saiga .223/5.56 rifles. I have a new 20 inch barreled Saiga that has a flat trunnion below the chamber. This will require something other than pipe. Here is a photo of my Galil shooting Saiga .223....

Posted: 10/2/2006 7:17:08 PM EDT

[#39]

height=8

Quoted:
Go to Saiga-12.com

Look at .223 section.

Very detailed feed ramp by foreign guy,great pictures.

HereSaiga feeds with galil orlites and bulgarian

Posted: 12/2/2006 5:04:04 PM EDT

[#40]

Finally got to try out my Saiga conversion. Some of the .223 rounds appear to be longer than others. The Bulgi 5.56 mag and three of my Orlites work great. Two of my orlites and my ak74mag w/ Robarm follower allow the rounds to dive into the trunnion, telescoping the rounds back into their cases. I've got pics I'll post later. Looks like the homemade feedramp needs tweeking. I'd post the video of it firing w/out dust cover if I knew how w/out posting my whole account contents. All the rounds went almost straight up and to the right, landing on my car 30 feet away.

Posted: 10/9/2007 6:24:36 PM EDT

[#41]

forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=19578

How to:

Posted: 12/14/2007 3:20:48 AM EDT

[#42]

Here are a few photos of my 16 inch barrel Saiga .223/5.56 conversion. The bullet guide needs to hang over the mag to get the longer .223 bullets up into the chamber. I also had to bevel the area below chamber a little. Thanks Ghenghis
Galil Orlite 35 round mag.