Starting Saiga conversion soon any Suggestions?

[BlueLineFish 615]

I plan on doing my 7.62 first, then my 223. i bought a 5.45 already converted. Not sure what i will be doing with my 308, maybe a psl look alike. Then unfortunately the 12 gauge i cant do too much with

[carl_g 568]

Mine is a 7.62x39. I used this youtube how to. It was very clear and easy to follow.

[vladtepes 1,060]

To do ak in front of gun... You simply need ak furniture... AKs gas tube.... And then one of the many bolt on lower hand guard retainers... Some are nicer than others... Process is easy..

[carl_g 568]

To do ak in front of gun... You simply need ak furniture... AKs gas tube.... And then one of the many bolt on lower hand guard retainers... Some are nicer than others... Process is easy..

I'm doing the entire thing.. Lots of Bulgarin surplus parts; gas tube, gas block, FSB, lower handguard retainer, cleaning rod & 74 like brake

[ogfarmer 138]

I got my ak74 gas tube today, It's going to be a looooooong wait for my furniture since they are backordered 10-12+ weeks

[FLHX 1]

I got my ak74 gas tube today, It's going to be a looooooong wait for my furniture since they are backordered 10-12+ weeks

I don't know what type of furniture you are waiting on but these guys have unfinished sets in stock.

 

http://texasaktriggers.com/stocksets.html

[ogfarmer 138]

I ordered Ironwood Designs w/ Combloc Customs finishing.

 

Those in link are not US made, and if one was worried of 922® you'll just have to change out more parts to make up for that imported furniture.

[carl_g 568]

I got my ak74 gas tube today, It's going to be a looooooong wait for my furniture since they are backordered 10-12+ weeks

NIce.. I got mine today also. I take it that guy on AKfiles had more? I am glad that worked out for ya. 

[ogfarmer 138]

yes, thanks

[M1152 713]

I will take a look around.. the person I ordered mine from is hit or miss... sometimes he disappears for lengthy periods of time... lol ...

 

there is another company that makes one that is supposedly better than the one I used.. but I think it requires you to send the gun to them... 

 

http://www.carolinashootersclub.com/threads/125000-REVIEW-Definitive-Arms-223-Saiga-AK-conversion-with-AR-mag-adapter-and-LRBHO

 

edit

this is far superior to the mod I did..

 

http://www.definitivearms.com/

I'll agree TAK-D was a little slow and I will tell you DA was no better in my case.  I have two S223's and was going to have DA  upgrade my mag adapter on my #2 S223, I contacted  them back in Feb/March and just received a notification about 2 two weeks ago to send it in. Before I get flamed I know some other folks here used DA and got their done fairly quickly so maybe my request just got lost or they were overwhelmed and just couldn't keep up.  Anyway I declined and will going to with the stock mag-well on #2.

 

As far as being "superior", yes to your original first release adapter but that is negative on the TAK-D Bastard, The Bastard beats the snot out of the original TAK-D adapter you had, I had the original as well and there is a huge difference. In fact I did the original adapter last July when you did yours. I now have the Bastard w/LRBHO and love it. DA offers a finishing service but that's about all they have over on the Bastard IMO. If folks prefer the ALL steel DA adapter that's fine but keep in mind you have dissimilar metals on your AR.  The Bastard it anchored to the receiver in four locations and isn't going anywhere.I have no problem with the Aluminum Bastard, again its much like an AR lower. And for those that don't know the Bastard is a DIY install and the DA is done by them 

 

 

I plan on tackling this on a 223 very soon. No bullet guide needed. I have pinned 30 round sgm mags. Gotts print out all the docs and get the parts ordered

I'm no expert on these conversions but I've done a few. One thing I found that is different on the S223 an issue with using a Tapco hammer.

According to this post  here "A standard AK/Tapco hammer can beat up and damage the rear of the 223 Saiga bolt and the firing pin doesn't seem to last as long as the standard one in the 7.62x39 model". Again, this only applies to the S223.

 

I ran it by one of the long time S12 members and he agreed. The solution is simple, continue to use the original S223 hammer, it will work with your Tapco G2 Single (or Double) Hook with no problems.  The original hammer will provide the smoothest operation, since I have two S223 if when I did a side by side comparison I could actually see the original hammer land perfectly on the bolt whereas the Tapco hammer is slightly off. Some may argue this a a non issue but I'm happy I rolled back to the factory hammer and just to be safe with the 922 thing I changed out the piston to a US piston because I don't want to depend on just the mags to make it 922 complaint. So this may be something for you to consider, or maybe not..

 

 

 

Mine is a 7.62x39. I used this youtube how to. It was very clear and easy to follow.

 

Always like to watch a good Saiga video... He was doing good until he got to bullet guide. I would never stick a tap in a drill. That's a great way to bust your tap off in the hole then you have real problems. Here's the correct way to do the bullet guide, BTW very nice job so far on you build.

[carl_g 568]

Yeah I would not use a drill to tap that hole... Other than that his videos are pretty good.

[CageFighter 236]

if u wanna part with the Ironwood Combloc Russian Rust, I'll take them.  shoot me a PM.

I am also doing mine, I ordered Ironwood furniture and had them send it to Combloc Customs to do refinishing, they told me about 6 weeks to get them. I'm doing Russian Rust, but I think I like combloc red better now.

 

[ogfarmer 138]

If I decide to order the other ones also I'll let you know. I am waiting to see whats gonna be in the new online store they are opening.

[FLHX 1]

So I got my Saiga and took it to the range. I like and the cartridge. The trigger is just so bad its seems like a 3 stage mushy then gritty the some more mush!!! Once you get it to the breaking point it breaks ok but the reset is long. So I hope the Tapco is so much better... it couldn't e worse but I want it to be like my Geisselle S3G, I don't think thats going to happen.

 

As soon as I got home I started stripping the rifle. I got it all done and was really expecting to have to do more. This was so easy I couldn't believe it. I am still waiting on my conversion kit.

 

I was thinking about Duracoating the receiver has anyone done that here? It doesn't seem to bad. I have changed my mind about the furniture so many times I need more time to think about it so duracoating it while I wait for it. What type of frontend has anyone used? Like or dislike it why or why not?

[ogfarmer 138]

CERAKOTE is better than duracoat. It much more durable

[ogfarmer 138]

I have my Ak74 gas tube and all other conversion parts, just waiting for my custom wood furniture before I start. nthen I will be getting it cerakoted to look price and purrdy. I am very ocd with my fiearms and a slight unmatched paint will drive me crazy if I do it my self

[RecessedFilter 222]

I ordered Ironwood Designs w/ Combloc Customs finishing.

 

Those in link are not US made, and if one was worried of 922® you'll just have to change out more parts to make up for that imported furniture.

 

You should have just stained it yourself brotha. I could have lent you a hand as it's super easy. Combloc over charges so much money for just refinishing.

[ogfarmer 138]

yeh I thought of that, I still havent received my stock set yet to send to combloc. I may still do it myself, but I am very particular with what I want and dont something that doesnt look right

[carl_g 568]

I got a couple updates, I am almost finished. Excuse the crappy cell phone pics..

 

Removed stock FSB & gas block

 

I notched the barrel for the real ak lower handguard retainer with a chainsaw file that I had laying around(sorry no pictures)

 

Cheap all-thread press for new gas block:

 

 

Gas block installed:

 

I now need to pin and weld the brake to the FSB before I install that. That should be done soon... let me know if you have any questions. So far I have done this with minimal tools.

[FLHX 1]

Carl looks good, I have completed the internal components and I am now working on the furniture. I went with an ACE Skel stock and I am not sure on wait to do for the front. I have made so many different choices since I started. I was only gonna do wood but my son likes the more tactical look for the ace stock and some type of railed front end. So I figured since he liked that stuff I would go with it as I will most likely be giving this to him. He doesn't know that yet, he did say why are you letting me make all the decisions!!!

 

Has anyone ever used the below hand guard and if so any opinions.

 

http://www.krebscustom.com/products/47/Krebs-Custom-Quad-Rail-ForeEnd-for-Standard-AK-Rifles

[CageFighter 236]

nice work Carl.  I need to convert mine, as well.  luckily, ur not too far from me. 

[vladtepes 1,060]

I notched the barrel for the real ak lower handguard retainer with a chainsaw file

The first time I read this I missed the word "file" and was like wtf...

[carl_g 568]

Haha that's pretty funny

[carl_g 568]

done..

[CageFighter 236]

done..

 

nice, wanna help a neighbor with a slant brake instead of the 74 brake?

[M1152 713]

done..

 

nice job!

[carl_g 568]

nice, wanna help a neighbor with a slant brake instead of the 74 brake?

I am not sure how much help I'll be. I didn't have to thread the barrel. The AK74 FSB is threaded and the brake goes onto that.

 

nice job!

Thanks! it was fun and I am glad I did the full conversion. My intention was to do an AK 103 clone. I think I got real close minus the folding stock and 30 round mag.

[ogfarmer 138]

so when you removed the original it was threaded under it?

did u use a dremel to remove it?

[carl_g 568]

so when you removed the original it was threaded under it?

did u use a dremel to remove it?

No threads underneath . Yes I cut the FSB and gas blocks off with a dremel. Be careful and check a lot.. The potential to cut into your barrel is definitely there. If you take your time and go slow you should be fine.

[ogfarmer 138]

hmm i had read somewhere that if you cut back slightly from muzzle almost to fsb that it would expose threads to add a slant brake on without haveing to thread it. I guess some are andd some arent