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7/11/2013 7:12:18 PM EDT
So I have a Saiga 308 that is having some serious problems. This is the 21” version with the wood thumbhole stock. I bought it about four years ago and never shot it till the other day. It fires the first round fine but when it moves the carrier to the rear it puts deep gouges in the next shell in the magazine. I have added many pictures of the shells and bolt area.

I have another Saiga 308 that I converted and works fine. I compared the bolts/carriers and they seem identical. In the pictures below of the carriers and the bolts. The working one is on the left and the problem child is on the right. I think on the bottom of the bolt on the problem child I identified were it hit’s the round. I have circled it. I am not sure what would cause these problems. The magazines sit the same in both guns. I don’t think it is a magazine issue.

I was wondering could it be to big of a port (over gassed) and the carrier is coming back at a high speed slamming into the next round?

Please take a look and let me know any ideas you might have? I don’t know if I can sent it to RAA for them to look at or where to go with it.













7/11/2013 7:53:04 PM EDT
[#1]
bolt looks off to me, like someone ground it down to headspace it. I'd check headspace just to make sure. I'd be hesitant to round out that area due to it being a locking lug, unless I'm looking at it wrong.
7/12/2013 6:30:07 AM EDT
[#2]
The bolt face looks the same as the other bolt.
7/12/2013 7:51:43 AM EDT
[#3]
not talking about the bolt face, I'm talking about the the circled area. Looks like it was ground down. I don't own a .308, so I can't compare my bolts to yours. Can you do a close up of the 2 bolts side by side with them in the same orientation as the one with the red circle?

I'm fairly certain you have identified the right area for the problem, the question is, does the other bolt look ground down there too? From what I can see, it isn't. On a standard bolt that area is ramped to go over the rounds in the mag. Again, this is assuming I'm looking at it right.

ETA: If it was my rifle, I would take the mag out and slide just the bolt into position to see if the part gouging the rounds acts as a locking lug or not in the trunnion. If it doesn't, I'd bevel the edge similar to how the other bolt looks. If it does act as a locking lug, I stand by my previous statement as being hesitant to grind on it.

Hopefully someone with more experience chimes in. Paging Liquid....
7/12/2013 8:48:37 AM EDT
[#4]
I do not believe it is one of the locking lugs. I have attached some more pictures. I appreciate the help. It does look like I could take some material off of that area.







7/12/2013 9:59:32 AM EDT
[#6]
thx dragynn for jumping in. I'm betting you can "soften" up that edge. Definitely looks like it was ground on for some reason. I'd take a flat file and slowly clean it up to try and match your other one.
7/12/2013 3:00:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Looks like I fill have to get the file out. Maybe even the evil dremel tool. Thanks for all the help. I will let you know once I can get a chance to get out and do some shooting.
7/12/2013 5:10:03 PM EDT
[#8]
That is one of 3 locking lugs. I would still bevel those edges, they shouldn't be that sharp.
8/6/2013 6:41:53 PM EDT
[#9]
Mine does the same thing, but only on a fully loaded 25 round Surefire magazine. Won't even chamber, gets hung up, gouges the brass real bad. Have to open the bolt before inserting one. No problems after that. I think Promag had the right idea with the 24-rounders, as they start feeding on the opposite side fully loaded. No problems with my Surefire 20.
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