Kilryth

I agree - I definitely got very eager.

Well, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one at least. I think I'll leave mine how it is. It is lame that you buy a gun for it's "quality" above the rest.. and it turns out to be no better. I guess it's all just a game of chance when it comes to the AK, lol.. or just expect to get a POS and be happy.

My rear sight block came with a slight left cant, but my barrel is straight. Didn't really notice it until halfway through installing the front sight block on my conversion. It's dimple pressed to the barrel, so there's no easy uncanting without a full removal of the RSB, GB, and FSB. Definitely not worth all that trouble to me, so I plan on leaving it. My GB is perfectly straight, but my FSB doesn't line up well with the RSB if I line it up perfectly straight. I gave the FSB a slight left cant (the lug is less than a millimeter off center with the gas block lug) to line up with the RS

I'd say a hacksaw blade would fit in there, actually. I wasn't sure if it was strong enough to cut. I will pick one of these up and try it.

I installed a bullet guide with one of Dinzag Arms' kits, and the screw extends below the front trunnion. I want to cut the extended portion off so the cleaning rod will slide down all the way. Right now, the screw is preventing the cleaning rod from going down all of the way. Of course, an easy way would be to remove the screw and dremel it down. I don't want to do this because I have already red loktited it in place. I am also afraid that the vice or dremel might damage the threads or the head of the screw. I would just like to cut the screw through the opening in the front of the re

Is the Bulgarian -74 gas block supposed to line up perfectly, or can it sometimes be off a little bit? i.e. does the rear pin hole always match up perfectly with the barrel's drilled hole? or does it usually require slight drilling to match them up? The block appears to be lined up straight, and I don't want to overturn it too much the wrong direction just to see if I can line it up another thousandth of an inch. It seems to be well positioned, since cleaning fluid and wire run down the gas block into the barrel smoothly, and the lug lines up straight with the handguard retainer.

Thanks! It's catching on the disconnector right now - I'll try filing that part down first. It shouldn't catch on the trigger, since I can install the selector with just the trigger installed & no disconnector. Thanks for the clarification!

I pushed on it hard last night while holding the trigger down, but the selector never went down. I polished both the disco and the selector with course emery cloth, and that didn't help either. Sounds like I will need to file the selector. Do I file the left side of the selector at the point of contact with the disconnector?

I bought a Power Custom retainer plate (similar to Kreb's custom plate), and it can't be installed in my SAIGA. I am using an Arsenal (USA) FCG and the SAIGA selector. The selector can't be installed after the FCG - it catches on the disconnector. It can't be turned backwards b/c it catches on the rear trunnion. What's the best/safest way to make this function without causing other problems?

Ok good! Thank you for the confirmation!

I'm new to this whole metallurgy concept of heat treating. I filed out a pretty good size chunk of my barrel to install the standard handguard retainer. I didn't file anymore than I needed to, and there's plenty of thickness left for safe passage of a bullet. Could this weaken the bonds in the steel of the factory barrel? Should I heat treat this area to make sure it retains its strength? I don't think I need to since it would probably damage the barrel's rifling, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything important.

I don't like the aftermarket handguard designs very much, and I only need a left-side picatinny rail on my Arsenal Inc. polymer handguard (with heatshield). Has anyone installed a picatinny rail to one of these? I know the Beretta CX4 has small polymer handguard rails that screw into their gun; I could use one of these possibly. I'd like to use one of these to attach my small flashlight so that I don't have to go out and buy another one. it also helps bring the Arsenal handguard more in-line with the new Russian -100 series handguard (which has a small integrated picatinny on the side)

I was able to find aluminum pipe tube at Lowe's that is the same size as the gas tube (1/2" I think), but I couldn't find any brass washers the correct size. I did find some heavy duty steel ones that fit, just in case I needed em. They didn't have a round file (except for their Kobalt stuff), so I found one with a handle at Sears for $6. If Anyone knows where to get some big brass washers to buffer between the aluminum & the gas tube, let me know. If I can't find any easily, I'll do without them.

After looking at SAIGA 12s more this weekend, I decided to hold off on the shotgun for now. Like one of the earlier posters said, "You'll likely find it more expensive to finish anyway.. might as well keep the mossberg for now." Which is a good point. I'm just going to wait on buying anything for now. Anyone else notice that some gun show vendors don't want you testing the function of their items for sell? Really annoying... it's like trying to sell a car without allowing a test drive. Speaking of which, a certain Honda dealer wouldn't allow test drives on the Honda S2000... she compa

Well, I figured out what was locking up my Mossberg's follower. I had a UTG tri-rail bolted down onto the magazine tube firmly. I was unbolting it to remove the magazine tube, and the follower sprung forward once I began loosening the UTG rail. I tightened it only slightly this time, and the magazine functions flawlessly now! The balance on it for one handed/shoulder holding (while reloading) still sucks compared to the SAIGA 12 though. I'm going to have to do some more thinking when it comes to the shotgun.