Saiga 5.45x39 Rifle Mod Thread

ohhh ok, makes sense now cuz it will stay open if I hold it with the bolt back. In that case im just gonna take it out. its not worth having in the way of the trigger. how important is it that i swap it for a washer of equal size? the gun shot fine without it but i dont wanna leave it like that if its bad for the FCG or something.
 
josh2600 said:
ohhh ok, makes sense now cuz it will stay open if I hold it with the bolt back. In that case im just gonna take it out. its not worth having in the way of the trigger. how important is it that i swap it for a washer of equal size? the gun shot fine without it but i dont wanna leave it like that if its bad for the FCG or something.
Click to expand...

Don't bother with the washer, it won't affect function at all.
 
Mine practically has a BHO in the form of the hammer. heh.
If you don't rack it all the way back and slingshot it, it will stop at the hammer due to spring pressure.
Doesn't have any effect while firing, tho.
 
josh2600 said:
Hey so I have to pin my collapsible tapco T-6 stock, is there a standard method for doing this?
Click to expand...

look here http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/59259-AR15-Remove-pins-in-collapsible-stock/page2
there are couple more threads but this one seems to be most comprehensive. good luck

IMHO AR-style stock is an insult to an AK paradigm and it looks out of place.
There are K-var NATO size fixed stocks out there and various thickens AK-specific recoil pads. Going this way you could have killed three birds in one shot. Get yourself a custom length stock, preserve authentic looks and avoid one evil feature all together.

But too each their own. I' not trying to insult your choice of accessories just expressing my opinion, either way I'm sure you'lln be happy ho wit shoots
 
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I hear ya, I didn't realize it was one of the evil features when i ordered it, I thought the rule only applied to folding stocks and I just liked the way it looked. Are you one of the guys that used wood style furniture as well? lol Honestly I'm somewhat new to firearms in general ( I figured I could handle the conversion because I'm somewhat mechanically inclined ) and this was my first rifle purchase. Price was right, didn't much matter if I had gotten an AR or an AK, I just bought what I read was a sound rifle and the conversion parts that looked cool. Like I said, I understand where you're coming from though... like putting chevy parts on a ford or something.

btw I apologize for not using the search feature and digging that up myself, but I thought I had with no luck, but that may have been a google search I was thinking of. (pet peeve of mine on other boards)
 
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ok, pinned and glued. One long pin through the whole thing and then a ton of epoxy insanity hold waterproof glue. I'd pay someone 1000 bucks if they can adjust this thing in anyway at all without using some serious blunt force.
 
The Saiga is almost done. Everything but the trigger group is in. I had to order a missing part that I never got so I can finish that.

The question I have now is will the Saiga 10 round mag that came with the rifle work in normal AK74's? Or is it good for guns with no bullet guides only?
 
Dench said:
The Saiga is almost done. Everything but the trigger group is in. I had to order a missing part that I never got so I can finish that.

The question I have now is will the Saiga 10 round mag that came with the rifle work in normal AK74's? Or is it good for guns with no bullet guides only?
Click to expand...

it should function in normal AK just fine.
 
Dench said:
The question I have now is will the Saiga 10 round mag that came with the rifle work in normal AK74's? Or is it good for guns with no bullet guides only?
Click to expand...

No, the factory 10 round mags are only designed to work in a rifle w/out a bullet guide. The Saiga mags have extra material in the front that acts as a guide so rounds will feed. If you want to still use them in a rifle with a bullet guide you'll have to Dremel the factory magazine.
 
SKS Ray said:
No, the factory 10 round mags are only designed to work in a rifle w/out a bullet guide. The Saiga mags have extra material in the front that acts as a guide so rounds will feed. If you want to still use them in a rifle with a bullet guide you'll have to Dremel the factory magazine.
Click to expand...

where do i dremel it?
 
Well, the trigger is in finally after I got some needed parts.

The Gas Tube sent from SC shooting supply is a huge POS. its rusty, doesnt fit the rifle well even after it was filed, and the gas piston will not cycle correctly allowing the bolt into battery unless i rack it as hard as i can. For now I have the original gas tube back on it, which initially also had some brief problems going back into battery. After I racked it hard about 30 times, it seems to be working better now.
 
[STRIKE]so is the gun not cycling because of too little gas pressure? Or is it out of alignment and the gas piston is dragging somewhere in the gas tube? I'm curious if it's a fit or function issue.

I have a spare gas tube meant for a type III AK47 (milled AK) that has venting holes... if you're having cycling issues, you could give this a whirl... and then tape up the holes or leave them open to try different gas pressures.[/STRIKE]

ok, so I used some Hooked On Phonics and re-read your post. Weird how the piston drags in that gas tube. What the hell is up with that?

I do have a spare gas tube that you could try. Maybe milled AK tubes might magically work better for the Saiga? My only worry is that it'll exhaust too much gas or something since they were designed for bigger gas return holes in the barrel.
 
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Dench said:
Let me try to cycle it with no tube on to make sure its not something in the receiver
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good idea. It could be rubbing somewhere in the Rear Sight Block or something. Hopefully it's the gas tube as that'd be an easier fix.

My AMD 65 rubs in the RSB and I can't do shit about it except swear at it.
 
mail.jpg


Some more action with the file and all done.

Needs to be painted eventually.
 
Dench said:
Well, the trigger is in finally after I got some needed parts.

The Gas Tube sent from SC shooting supply is a huge POS. its rusty, doesnt fit the rifle well even after it was filed, and the gas piston will not cycle correctly allowing the bolt into battery unless i rack it as hard as i can. For now I have the original gas tube back on it, which initially also had some brief problems going back into battery. After I racked it hard about 30 times, it seems to be working better now.
Click to expand...

Saiga gas tubes are beveled at a much greater angle than standard AK ones. The pic posted a while back in this thread shows the differences. The locking lever is also much tighter than standard AKs and don't forget... this is after all a new gun thats now had the old parts swapped out with new ones that weren't made by the same manufacturer that made the gun.

The term "some fitting may be required" applies to ALL Saiga builds when it comes to installing new parts and doing conversions. This isn't like swapping out your 10/22 parts or pulling 2 pins and using a different upper on a Lego set AR. This is like putting a new motor in your car. Its gonna need some breaking in.

The biggest thing is, and this goes for anyone reading this thread thats doing a Saiga conversion, if you're not sure of your work or the rifle's function have a gunsmith check it out! A few nights spent with some internet info and hand tools turning a Russian sporter into an AK configuration rifle does not make for a 100% safe to shoot rifle unless you really know what you're doing.
 
Eh if it explodes it explodes.

Its fine though, I had a pep talk with it and we're on the same page now.
 
I need to replace a broken factory-issue front handguard; if anyone has a spare after their conversion, send me a PM?

55_grain

PS: You guys are a bad influence. I ordered my conversion trigger yesterday.

Edit: all set on the handguard, thanks Dench!
 
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millcitysux said:
I have a round trunnion on my saiga. Do I need to do anything to use ak74 mags?
Click to expand...

I have round one too. on all three I have (.223, 5.45 and 7.62x39)
my 5.45 has no problem feeding from ak74 mag without even installing bullet guide. I have to note though that it's in manual cycle, I haven't actually fired it with AK74 mag yet.
 

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