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odessaman

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Posts posted by odessaman

  2. Will the MidWest Industries SS handguard fit the S-308?

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    I really like the looks of the newer, smooth sided lower HG's that MI is now offering (especially the extended version.) Anyone tried installing one on their S-308? I understand a little Dremel work and longer hex bolts might be required, but I'm willing to do a little customization, if the end product is solid.

     

    For anyone who's done this successfully, pics are requested.

  6. Barrel cutting & import marks

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    I have to ask, Why cut the barrel?

    I know to make it shorter, but why?

     

    I have a 22" M14 clone, and an M1A Scout with an 18" barrel. For the type of shooting I expect of these rifles, I prefer the Scout.

    From what I've read, the Saiga doesn't lose accuracy in an 18" barrel compared to the factory 22" - some even claim improved accuracy due to less "barrel whip." I don't care for the added muzzle blast of a 16" tube, which many say is plenty accurate - so I bought this rifle with every intent of making an 18.5" rifle. Stiffer, more manueverable barrel, more complete powder burn, not quite as much concussion, and I can quickly differentiate it from my standard length AK's. (Less chance of grabbing the wrong rifle / ammo / mag combo when heading for the range.)

     

    My understanding is that the importer marks don't matter, just like the sporter stocks, they exist for importation.. However I'd say that cutting the barrel is not a huge return for the effort.

     

    If I could find someone that makes a Yugo M76 stock set for stamped receivers, I'd think real hard about leaving the barrel length as is. I love the looks of the M76, but have no desire to get into 8mm now - or spend the dough for a real M76 in .308.

  9. Barrel cutting & import marks

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    Are you in the U.S.? If so, I've never seen the import marks anywhere other than on the receiver for this brand of firearm.

     

    Yep. Right side of receiver's markerd "SAIGA -308-1" in both English and Cyrillic, left side of receiver marked "Made in Russia by Izhmash" with an '04 proof mark, and left side of barrel marked "RUSSIAN AMERICAN ARMORY COMPANY SCOTTSBURG, IN" - cutting the barrel will take out the "RUSSIAN AMERICAN ARM" part of the import mark, and threading the barrel will obliterate the "ORY" remaining in "Armory," leaving "COMPANY SCOTTSBURG, IN" as the only remaining part of the import mark.

  10. Barrel cutting & import marks

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    Anyone know definitively whether cutting a 22" S-308 barrel to 18.5" where such alteration removes part of the importer mark (stamped on the barrel) creates a legal problem? By my calculation, the majority of the words "Russian American" would be lost by shortening the barrel as described.

     

    If that's the case, guess I'll keep the barrel as is.

  15. Removing 308 FSB

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    Nicely done. I was just at Harbor Freight today, looking at pulley pullers to see if I could rig something to accomplish the same task. Did your sight begin moving right away, or did you have to "pop" it first? I've removed my pins and wailed on the rear of the sight base with a plastic, and then a brass, hammer. Mine laughed at me.

     

    There was an initial pop, then it required what I would consider not much pressure to take it the rest of the way off.

    I'm sure glad I came up with this process. I wasn't real keen on banging on the back of the base. It was more controlled and actually quite easy. It will probably turn out the be the easiest part of the putting on the brake. I have to turn down the barrel then thread it. I haven't made up my mind if I'm going to back bore the base or send it off to Dinzag and let him do it. I need to get some information from him before I can make my decision. Hoping to thread it to 5/8 24 and install a good quality brake to tame it a bit.

    What you planning to do to yours if I may be so bold as to ask?

    Later

    Don

     

    I have the 22" barrel, so I've considered a few options. One involves leaving the barrel length as is and having the end turned down and threaded to accept a brand new milled front sight base and a 14x1 LH M60 style flash hider. With this option, I'd get furniture to mimic a Yugoslavian M76 - I love the looks of those, but not crazy about the 8mm round or the cost of the rifles. Option #2 involves having the barrel cut to 18.5", then turned down for the same milled sight base and 14x1 threads.

  16. Removing 308 FSB

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    Nicely done. I was just at Harbor Freight today, looking at pulley pullers to see if I could rig something to accomplish the same task. Did your sight begin moving right away, or did you have to "pop" it first? I've removed my pins and wailed on the rear of the sight base with a plastic, and then a brass, hammer. Mine laughed at me.

  19. Beware dealing with akcruiser!!!

    in Feedback - THE GOOD, BAD, & UGLY

    Posted

    I bought a Tapco stock from akcruiser for $25 shipped, after he asked whether I had a Beryl rail to trade for it (should have been a clue, there.)

     

    I sent him a US postal money order, which he acknowledged receiving. Two weeks later, I received an empty manilla envelope in my mailbox. The end had been torn through, and the stock was missing (I've got a complaint filed with my local PO for putting an obviously damaged and empty envelope in my mailbox with no explanation, but I digress.) The envelope was much too large for the stock, and apparently it wasn't sufficiently padded to keep the stock from sliding around inside. It had a strip of Priority Mail tape across the flap, which is not meant to be used as packing tape.

     

    I immediately contacted akcruiser and explained the situation. His response was that: (1) I had not requested or paid for insurance (on a $25 dollar, common item) and (2) the lady at the post office accepted the envelope for shipping, after he asked her "more than once" whether she thought it was sufficiently packaged (Hmmm - looks like he had his doubts from the start.)

     

    I reported the loss to my local PO, and he claims he did the same. Not surprisingly, they can do nothing. I then asked akcruiser for a refund, since the stock was lost through his inadequate packaging, and through no fault of my own. I offered to accept $20, crediting him $5 for shipping. I told him that in the unlikely event the stock turns up and is delivered to me, I'd send him payment for it. Here is his verbatim response:

     

    "Since there is no real way for me to tell if you are lying, and the fact that I am 19, broke, and in college, I cant get you a refund. If I was making over 5k a year I wouldn't have a problem refunding your money. This is very unfortunate because if I was in your position I would probably think some kid just ripped me off and sent an empty envelope. I am still going to contact my local PO and try to resolve this, other than that there is nothing else I can do sorry Mike."

     

    And, my reply:

     

    "I was 19 and broke, too - 30 years ago. It didn't keep me from having the integrity to own up to my mistakes, and make things right when I had to. I never said you sent me an empty envelope - I said I received one. It's pretty clear that there was something heavy in that envelope (in fact, too heavy for it) that broke through in transit. I sent you photos of the envelope. You admitted you had doubts about how securely it was packaged, since you asked the postal clerk "more than once" whether it was sufficiently packaged.

     

    You have not taken one ounce of ownership for these circumstances. You first blamed me for not requesting insurance, you then blamed the postal clerk for allowing you to ship the thing in a flimsey envelope, and now you've insinuated I might be lying about the whole thing. And now, it's not your problem. It's mine, and too bad about it, but you're 19, broke and in college, so that makes it OK.

     

    You need to get a clue, at your age, while you still can. The way you deal with people in general and the way you deal with your own mistakes will have a direct bearing on your success and your happiness throughout life. I really feel kind of sorry for you. In my line of work, I've encountered quite a few folks like you that just don't get it. Everyone owes them something, and their lousy lives are someone else's fault.

     

    Keep the money.

    Merry Christmas."

     

    I haven't been on this forum very long, but I've been a longstanding member on numerous other firearms forums (I have over 140 positive feedback for transactions on AR15.com) and have never encountered such a total disregard of personal responsibility on any other forum before.

     

    Look, I know it's a $25 item. I'll suck it up and move on - because I have no more time to waste on this child. I just didn't want another member here to have the same experience on a $100 item.

     

    Thanks for allowing me to vent. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

  23. Muzzle options - need some input based on your experience

    in Saiga .308

    Posted

    I'm almost done with my S308 conversion, and am now considering how to address the FSB / muzzle options.

    I have a complete Romanian 7.62 FSB, and a complete Bulgarian AK74 (26mm) FSB, both with the flash hider detent. I'm deciding between:

     

    1) Doing the Dinzag FSB one-pin push-back with the factory FSB and thread as appropriate for my barrel diameter;

     

    2) Leave the barrel length at 22" and have the barrel turned down to accept the Romanian FSB and a 14mm LH thread;

     

    3) Have the barrel cut and recrowned at 18" and turned down to accept the Bulgarian FSB for 26mm flash hiders.

     

    Lots of folks here seem to have gone with Option #1. I'd like to hear from anyone who's done Option #2 or #3 (or any variation of them) and whether you have strong feeling for or against any of them. For me, the advantage to having one of the other FSBs installed is that I already have several muzzle devices in 14m LH and 26mm RH, and could change them out easily.

     

    Thanks in advance.

  25. Anyone make Yugo M76 furniture for stamped receivers?

    in Saiga .308

    Posted · Edited by odessaman

    I really like the looks of the Yugo M76 sniper rifle, and would like to dress my S-308 in that furniture - but I think the Yugo is a milled receiver rifle. Does anyone make this style furniture for a stamped receiver? Ironwood designs does the pistol grip, but I don't see a straight comb buttstock on their site.

     

    YugoM76.jpg

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