Saiga .223 conversion to use Galil Orlite Mags

[AKMIKEFMJ]

Here are the photos I have taken of my Saiga conversion to use Galil Orlite mags.
1: Magazine has to have a little plastic Dremeled off so it will seat in rifle receiver.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e350/mbmphoto/maggalil.jpg
2: A bullet guide has to be made so that it extends over the mag a little. About one half the thickness of the front of the mag.
3: The area below the chamber has to be beveled a little. Hand feed a round. If the bullet tip is damaged then Dremel a little more off. Repeat until bullet does not have a visibly dinged bullet tip.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e350/mbmphoto/chamber1.jpg
4: The result will be a neat rifle that uses Galil Orlite 35 round 5.56 X 45 mags. Photo of my second conversion.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e350/mbmphoto/Saiga2.jpg
Thanks to all the people who have helped me..........Mike..... :rolleyes:
Note: I did pull back on the mag when feeding a round and the rifle chambered a round with no problems. Rifle has about 120 rounds through it so far and no problems. One misfeed was caused by a bad mag.

[O.S.O.K.]

looks great too!

I have a couple of these Orlites for my .223 and they work fine too - with the mods of course.

[AKMIKEFMJ]

OSOK...Please post a photo of your saiga. Did you convert your Saiga to use Galil Orlites ??? Thanks......Mike

[aksforme]

You left out the three most important mods for flawless Saiga .223 functioning with Galil mags (that assumes you have installed a Bulgy .223 bullet guide, without which I doubt any mag but the factory Saiga mags will work).

First, also sand the side ridges a tad, or at the worst moment, rounds will be squished and won't rise up to be stripped. Second, cut a section of plastic from the bottom of that big, useless slab of plastic on the rear top of the mags and get a soldering iron and "weld" about 1/8" MOL of plastic to the botom of the front mag lug. That will keep the front of the mag from dropping and rounds slamming into the bullet guide (yes, I also beveled the chamber opening, but without the "lift" mod, the bullet points won't make it that high in the first place). Third, get a pencil and some 100 grit sandpaper and wrap the pencil with it until you have about duplicated the .223 case diameter and then sand the inside of the feed lips to thin them the entire length and, more importantly, raise the front of the lips so the bullet points will rise above the bullet guide and not hit it.

After the above, you will have a perfect 35 rd (or 55 rd) Saiga .223 mag.

[AKMIKEFMJ]

delete