Shade00

Thanks! I couldn't find a 5mm bit locally so I went with a #9. It's only about 9/1000" smaller than a 5mm. Now to get this thing drilled and finally finish my Saiga!

Got a new trigger guard from Ak-builder for my Saiga. Need to drill it for the mag catch pivot pin. What size bit should I use? Thanks.

I'm almost finished with my first conversion and did it all with a single-speed dremel and a hand drill. It's not difficult - just read everything you can about it and watch all the videos.

Dinzag's website says you have to cut a notch in the barrel for the locking lever. How did you go about this? You only have to notch the barrel if you want to press off the FSB/gas block and install a retainer like that. Dinzag's bolt-on retainer does not require notching the barrel. I chose to go an intermediate route. I shamelessly stole an idea from another poster here (can't remember who it was, so sorry for not giving you props!) I took a handguard retainer, chopped the center section on the top and then chopped enough off to where I could bend the lip enough to slide it onto

I am not one to knock someone else's firearm. It's yours to do with as you please. That said.... I concur that the Tapco grip/stock is just plain ugly. I've always thought so, and it's just my personal opinion, so take it for what it's worth (shouldn't be worth much to anybody else). I'm in the middle of converting my 7.62x39 to make it a more functional gun. The shorter stock fits me much better, and the pistol grip and ability to use standard AK magazines aren't too bad either. I just finished making a handguard retainer and notching my barrel to keep it in place so I can use regular AK

Great info guys, thanks! It pains me to have to do this conversion one step at a time, but until all my boxes get here, I'm crawling.

Got a question. Not sure what they're called. One example (and what I'm really interested in) is the lever for the handguard retainer. How do they expand the non-lever end to keep it inside the retainer assembly? Same sort of thing with the pin on the mag catch.

I may try to make my own bolt-on first. I think if I notch the barrel I'll be satisfied with it. Oh well. No time to do much work on it this week anyway. Still, can you guys recommend a gas block if I decide to take it off and I can't preserve mine?

Will this front sight base work? K-var appears to be out of gas blocks. Can you guys recommend a place to get one? Which gas blocks will work on the 7.62x39 Saiga?

Oh, snap. I feel stupid now. But now I also have to find a replacement gas block and FSB, because I don't know if I can successfully remove those without screwing them up.

Ok, I got this Saiga in 7.62x39 a couple of weeks ago and haven't shot it yet. Been waiting to do a conversion on it. I finally got a new gas tube for it and will do a pistol grip conversion soon enough. I'll probably order the bullet guide in the next week or so. Anyway, I also have a handguard retainer on the way, and I plan to remove the FSB and gas block to install it. As you can see in this picture, only one pin is exposed on my gas block. It's the one that holds the stock handguards in place. That pin is coming out easily enough, but is there another pin in the other leg? Do I need to fi