need some quick help with saiga restoration...

[david8613 69]

here goes some pics of what i have, if want closer pic i can do it later. the muzzle brake has 2 holes up top and 4 holes on the inside the front opening. anyone have detailed instructions on the lower hand guard retainer, i dont want to fudge it up? i did the refinish myself not too bad for a first. oh just to make it clear that is not 30 round mag, its welded at 15 rounds...lol

[FFDP82 4]

Yeah, that's a TAPCO "AK-74 Style" muzzle brake. They are a very bad knockoff of the properly designed 24x1.5mm ones. If you put the TAPCO one next to the brake it imitates, there's virtually no similarity at all except for the general outline. They are absolutely horrible and do nothing for recoil, don't even bother with it. If you want a muzzle brake on your gun go with a 24mm front sight block and a real brake. The 14x1 ones are just a total waste. Sorry you got jipped on that man. It's all right though, lots of people unfortunately do.

 

If you want a muzzle brake that works you'll need:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?p ... 344&page=1

http://akpartskits.com/cart/index.php?m ... ucts_id=52

 

Simply cut the bayonet lug off. Then pin or weld the muzzle brake to the front sight tower. Then remove your factory tower and install this unit (many tutorials for that online). It's not only a superior muzzle brake (well, superior is a bad word, since the one you have now is just a fishing weight) but it also has less legal issues here in NJ - at no point does your gun have threads, the parts are welded/pinned before it is even put on there, etc.

[david8613 69]

ok got some good news and some bad news, i got the shroud off perfectly with a pipe cutter again but this time i took my time, very slightly tightening the cutter, i broke the last one going to quick. i noticed one thing working with these saigas and its been mentioned many times before, "nice and slow! " with everything, i know now... now the bad news which isnt so bad, i dont have threads, so this project is gonna be even more fun! i love it!

[jeff47 30]

It's nice to see you using wood. Most don't like the get the Romanian front grip and modify it, but I think it has character.

[hiker88 22]

... now the bad news which isnt so bad, i dont have threads, so this project is gonna be even more fun! i love it!

 

wow... that sucks! That means we have to wait longer to see the finished product

[FFDP82 4]

Yeah, definitely get the brake and block I mentioned above. You now have pretty much NO good reason to use the piece of shit 14x1 brake now

[david8613 69]

back to the drawing board, i think im gonna go with a "real brake" as suggested, its good to have a forum like this, thanks... i was looking over at the dinzagarms and i ran into the timbersmith wood, that furniture looks great, im thinking of selling off my stuff and ordering that instead so i can order my brake together, anyone have experience with them, and what do you guys think my stuff is worth minus the retainer and gas tube? i tempted to go with timbersmith...

[FFDP82 4]

back to the drawing board, i think im gonna go with a "real brake" as suggested, its good to have a forum like this, thanks... i was looking over at the dinzagarms and i ran into the timbersmith wood, that furniture looks great, im thinking of selling off my stuff and ordering that instead so i can order my brake together, anyone have experience with them, and what do you guys think my stuff is worth minus the retainer and gas tube? i tempted to go with timbersmith...

 

Dinzag is going to overcharge you on the sight block. He charges $70 for it, AKPartsKits charges $25. Also you need to get a .30 cal 24x1.5mm brake as the standard AK-74 one is meant for a 5.45mm and a 7.62 bullet just barely fits through its opening by a cunt hair. I'm sure you can see the issue that may cause. So you have to either get a 24x1.5mm brake and bore it out with a drill to prevent any possible issues, or just get a .30 cal one.

 

Make sure any muzzle brake you buy is listed as 24x1.5mm or do not purchase it

 

Timbersmith is nice stuff, it's a good value. I don't like the shape of the lower handguard, they went with soft contour palm swells instead of sharp contour even though most Russian/Bulgarian parts are sharp contour palm swells. As for your stuff, it's nothing special just surplus Romanian wood, worth maybe $30-40.

 

Possibly less, as surplus has taken a dive in price recently with Timbersmith being available. Timbersmith is also releasing unfinished versions of their sets which will probably devalue the surplus stuff even more, as most people buy it to refinish it.

 

There are great tutorials on the Saiga-12 Forums on how to change FSBs and pin muzzle brakes etc.

[david8613 69]

im in home depot right and cant find the die threading tool, do they carry this or is this something special?

[FFDP82 4]

im in home depot right and cant find the die threading tool, do they carry this or is this something special?

 

14X1LH Metric dies are a specialty. You will not find a 14x1LH die and a 7.62mm 14x1LH Thread Alignment Tool in a common hardware store. The only thing you will find for that project in Home Depot is the die holder itself which is just a little handle. You would need to purchase these specialty dies from a supplier and they usually run you about $100.

 

What are you doing looking for 14x1LH dies anyway? I thought you were going to use a real muzzle brake? Using a 24x1.5mm brake does not involve putting ANY threads on the barrel whatsoever. It attached to the 24mm front sight block.

 

Other than tools for pipes, like I said I have never threaded a barrel before. But I know you won't find barrel threading tools at Home Depot.

[Guest]

im in home depot right and cant find the die threading tool, do they carry this or is this something special?

 

 

 

Dinzag used to rent them out to people (i think)

[david8613 69]

i was reading on the saiga forums there is an adapter available, i think this would be easier than doing the whole fsb removal, i saw video on that and looks complicated, one guy used a giant vice and a 20 ton press, i dont have tools like that and if i get stuck my saiga is screwed! i did the mod to the lower retainer, gotta put that on next...

[FFDP82 4]

i was reading on the saiga forums there is an adapter available, i think this would be easier than doing the whole fsb removal, i saw video on that and looks complicated, one guy used a giant vice and a 20 ton press, i dont have tools like that and if i get stuck my saiga is screwed! i did the mod to the lower retainer, gotta put that on next...

 

You don't need a press or a vise to change the FSB. All you need is a dremel to cut the factory one off, a sledge hammer and wood block to pound the new one on (or you can literally just ram the thing against a stud in the wall), and a drill and drill rod/nails/screws to pin the block and brake in place permanently.

 

Also, with going the 14x1 + adapter route you will need threading tools you don't have, and welding equipment you probably don't have either. Probably will have to pay a gunsmith to do the work which will be more money too. The other route just needs a hammer and a drill for both installation and permanent attachment.

 

By going the 14x1 + adapter route you will not only spend more money but have more hassle as well.

[Guest]

http://www.dinzagarms.com/tools/tkr.html

[david8613 69]

almost done muzzle brake next with new fsb stay tuned....

 

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