Yesterday's Weapons Forums

I finally picked up my Izmash Saiga M3 last saturday.
Didn't get to shoot it yet, as the range was closed over the weekend due to the heavy snowfall.
BUT, I have a question now.
The rifle comes with a 10 round magazine. I can get 30 rounders for it, but they're quite expensive.
Metal "military" AKM magazines don't fit but it looks like they would with a litlle tinkering. Has anibody tried that? Can you make them fit and function reliably?
It would be a great alternative as I can pick them up brand new at a militaria show for 10 each.
I don't want to mess with the gun, only want to work on the mags.
I'm open to suggestions ...

THX & BRGDS, A

I believe the Saiga mags have a feed ramp built in as the Saiga doesn't have one in the rifle itself. Part of the modification is to instal a feed ramp. into the rifle itself (about a 10 minute job) Have seen where folks make them from cut sections of steel pipe.

KIT


Home-Made (a little more than a 10 minute job but not too hard)


Then you may need to grind the tab on the back of the new magazines a bit if they don't fit.

The Saiga mags don't look any different from the standard military steel ones, except the steel mags lapparently need some filing on the "rear retaining lip". I don't see any feed ramp on the factory mag.
It's confusing, some people say you need toalter the gun, some say you don't...
BRGDS, A

Well the standard SAIGA magazines have a higher front end that a standard magazine, this acts as the feed ramp (or bullet guide) With standard mags the bullets feed out lower & will surely hit undr the barrel. If you looked at the links, you can see the position of the feed ramp. Check your gun to see if it has one

without feed ramp


with feed ramp

Thx, I got it now. Bullets hit under the barrel indeed (tried it).
Bummer.

BRGDS, A

Got a hacksaw & some 2.54 cm OD pipe? You an also rivet it it instead of drilling & tapping, you can just drill & rivet