Sunday, May 27, 2012

DIY: Kydex Saiga 12 Mag Pouches. No Special Tools Needed...


Not wanting to pay the wacky prices people are charging for Saiga 12 magazine pouches I decided to to make a few for myself for the cost of a sheet of Kydex from McMaster-Carr.

I just created a couple of mag pouches for my Saiga 12 magazines using the same principles that I used to make my DIY Kydex AK47 magazine pouches.

I had to modify the template and Kydex from a simple "L" shape to the one you see below. This allows for a better fit around the larger magazines that are required for the Saiga 12.

I used a 1/8" thick piece of 12"x24" Kydex for this project. I can make two pouches with one sheet.

Since the sheet didn't fit in the over whole I cut it down, while preserving the ability to make another pouch, and put that in the oven at 320 degrees.

I like to bend the Kydex around the magazine a couple of times to get it just right.


Paper template used to trace out on Kydex Sheet.

Template traced out.

Tools I used.
Twist and pull and the magazine comes out easy.

You can see the Chicago screw I added to stabilize the pouch.  

The Magazine is retained very securely.

Retention is by this piece of the magazine against the Kydex edge.

Works great! Great retention and easy access. Fits perfect too!


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude I've been looking how to build some KYDEX mag pouches - these look pretty good compared to the riveted versions. How are they in the prone or on the move? Any issues? I'm going to have to make some.

Gun eTools said...

Prone and on the move the mag pouch holds the mag nice and solid since they are "locked" in by the magazine retaining hook built into the magazine itself. The Kydex I use is 1/8" thick so as you move around vigorously the Kydex itself doesn't flex at all and really holds onto the magazine.

Anonymous said...

Do you have a PDF of the template, or the dims of the modified "L"?

Gun eTools said...

I just made a template using the saiga 12 magazine. I outlined it with a pen and then cut the paper to the shape I wanted. The problem is there are a bunch of slightly different shaped magazines and you should make your template to match your magazines.
Hope this helps...

Zach said...

Interesting design. Do you have to pry the front edge outward with your thumb to release the magazine, or will it spring loose with a firm tug?

Gun eTools said...

Just grab the magazine and rotate it so the front edge slips out. If you click on the DIY AK-47 magazine pouch article there is a video demonstrating the insertion and removal of the magazine from the pouch. It's pretty much an identical technique for the Saiga 12 magazines.