Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Sorry, I originally posted this in the wrong forum. I got the idea to make my S12 as galilesque as possible. Thus far I have welded a front sight base and ears on the gas block, modified and fitted a Micro galil/Hadar top cover utilizing AR/A-1 sight parts, USA made galil grip from ACE LTD, Tapco G2 FCG kit, Romanian folding stock, and homemade mag baseplate. I carved the micro galil inspired forend from a chunk of walnut I had lying around. I still want to install a poly choke (which I found locally for $15). I'm going to add a galil trigger guard and try to adapt a left hand safety to go with the grip reccess which is already there. I'm also trying to decide wheather or not to do a vertical charging handle. If there was a source for galil folding stocks and a straight forward method of attachment, I'd go for it and make the transformation complete. I learned everything I know about what can be done to Saigas from these pages. Thanks for the inspiration. Now for 10 rounders. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I got the idea to make my S12 as galilesque as possible. I'd say you succeeded, brother! Holy sh*t that's a sweet gun; the sights and wood handguard look like factory items! My only suggestion would be to ditch the Romy wire folder and go with the ACE folder instead; much more Galil-esque, IMO. Oh, and send your bolt carrier off to Tony @ Tromix for the upturned handle mod. Nice job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 That stock beat the heck out of me on sunday shooting slugs and buck. I still got through 70 rounds or so. I'm going to put 2 layers of pacskin on the butt to take a little of the sting out untill I get the ACE or original Galil stock. I wonder if Tony would sell me just the bolt handle. I can weld it on myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
inparidel 4 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I got the idea to make my S12 as galilesque as possible. My only suggestion would be to ditch the Romy wire folder and go with the ACE folder instead; much more Galil-esque, IMO. Nice job! +1 on the Galilesqueness of the Ace. He'll tell you that's where he got the pattern from. Also, the ACE with a 1" buttpad will be a HELL of alot friendlier on your body than the Romy wire folder. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I want to do a S223 next. I plan on putting that Romy stock on the mouse gun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
topmaul 42 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Wildcatter, I plan to do a .223 soon too then a 308 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Man that kicks fuggin ass!! I love the Galil style forend with longer profile. That wood is beautiful also! One suggestion, it would look and handle much cooler with slots milled in it. I would also carve a matching PG from the same wood if you still have any. I looked at a receiver cover like that on a Galil at the last gunshow and was thinking about that. Does it fit well and tight enough to trust the dustcover sight mount? +1 on the ACE folder and get the 1" pad, it rox! One thing to look out for though, you have to do some custom fitting or the stock will not sit on plane with the barrel, but be high in the rear. Nice homemade floorplate too, good easy shortcut. BIGASS CUSTOM AK 12GA THUMBS UP!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Well as far as the dust cover... I had to hog out a huge amount of material for the ejection port. I copied the lines of the original and used a bench grinder and sanding wheel on the dremel. You'll notice that the Galil dust cover has a double thickness of metal along its back edge. It just so happens that this wider portion fits VERY tightly in the rear trunion groove. Also, the front tip that fits in the barrel block has to be shortened ever so slightly. The Galil top cover was made for a slightly narrower milled reciever so I had to actually spread the the bottom edges to fit the stamped reciever width. The buldge in the original cover where the bolster behind the charging handle resides in recoil is not there on the Galil top cover. I just cut a groove for the bolster to ride into in recoil. All this adds up to a VERY tight top cover and a perfect mounting platform for an accurate rear sight. Oh, I almost forgot, you also have to open the recoil spring guide rod square opening a little for the Saiga part to pass through. It sounds like alot of work but actually took me less than an hour. For the rear sight assembly, the adjustment disk of the A1 rear sight has to be tack welded to the screw that the apeture rides on. I made a trapazoidal block of the correct height for the apeture tensioning spring and apeture to bear on. This allows the apeture to flip back and forth just like on an AR. I opened on of the apetures up large for a ghost ring and left the other alone for finer aiming. The front site was more of a pain. I cut an AR front site down and contours to fit the round gas block. I did the contouring with a stack of cut-off wheel screwed together in my dremel. They happen to be the same diameter as the gas block. I welded that directly to the gas block. I cut the ears out of an old circular saw blade to match the micro galil profile i saw on the web. I just welded those to the sides of the front sight base and filed and filled the whole thing with JB Weld before painting. The sight picture is exactly the same as an AR. The higher sights work very well with a straighter stock ( I bent the Romy upwards) to reduce muzzle lift. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Gentlemen there is a man who loves his Saiga! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I did actually make a pistol grip out of the same blank to roughly a galil shape. I thought that the plastic grip is more in staying with the traditional galil design. I just swapped them on saturday. The forend has space between the barrel/gas tube and the forend for cooling. It doesn't heat up at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dodgeturbointerceptor 1 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 OMFG! I'm a purist...................BUT. I would probably offer you about $1,000.00 for that........SERIOUSLY. I know it's not for sale probably. But I just had to say it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
6500rpm 670 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 (edited) Finally found someone with my taste. Let me know if you come up with a decent thumb safety, Tony Rumore did one, but that was it for some reason? He also does a slick charging handle mod. I retrofitted a Galil/R4 stock on mine, but if I had to do it over again, once again, Tony Rumore makes a weld on back plate that puts the ACE stock on a "more normal" angle than what ACE offers and I'd go with an ACE 1" pad to help with the recoil. Nice job bud, top cover has a nice touch. Edited July 21, 2006 by 6500rpm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nycGUNguy 61 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I admire the originality of your item and applause your welding technique. I wonder, did you use a TIG, MIG, stick, or heli-arc welder? And did you use the JB weld to smooth out the weld beads? Just curious because I was thinking of using the JB weld to be sort of like a bondo product because of my unsteady MIG welding and 12,000 rpm grinding wheel methods. A 4 1/2" 12,000 wheel is not anything like a dremel wheel but my dremel wheel keeps breaking because I'm used to using the bigger machine from when I worked at the submarine shipyard in CT. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
beerslurpy 1 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Your conversion looks awesome. Thumbs up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 (edited) Thanks. Make the check out to....... The hardest parts are done. If I can figure out the left hand safety I am going to build an S223 the exact same way. I have enough walnut in that blank to make a handguard for a Sailil in each caliber. The rifles will have a shorter handguard closer to the micro galil length. nyclu3, One of the owners of the company I work for helped me with the welding. We used his flux core wire feed rig. The welds were strong but a little rough so I filled holes and recessed with JB Weld. It's tougher than hell. A dremel with the 1'2" sanding drum does a fine job of cleaning up the welds. I use the hell out of my dremel. Edited July 19, 2006 by Wildcatter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Sweet man, Sailil The Saileen AK! I swear someone just posted something recently about that left side safety mod. Wasn't it K Var that was selling those kits? I'll try to find it... That will be cool on the .223. You can use Galil mags on that. Hey BRG3 has that Galil PG thing down. I'll bet he would make you some PGs if you sent him that wood. Really nice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nycGUNguy 61 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Thanks for the reply. You havea much better welding rig than I have and I'll have to start using the JB weld. Thanks for the tip, I wasn't sure if you could use it the same way Quote Link to post Share on other sites
machineguneddie 0 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 (edited) you will have to start building and selling those Edited July 19, 2006 by machineguneddie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 You know, SARCO has a stealth page of galil parts. It doesn't show up on their rifle parts page but if you google galil and sarco inc, the page pops up. I called them and they had an obsure safety part from the galil for $5. I ordered it not knowing if it is the left safety switch or if it would even work if it was. They do have the galil trigger duards and top covers like the one I used. This saga of the saiga 12 is far from over. Cobra, I read that post about the left hand safety for a milled AK. That was what pursuaded me to keep going with this conversion instead of being happy with what I've done so far. I just hope I don't screw it up!! You know, if I had a reliable source for the top covers and a guy were to send me his gas block, I would consider doing the sight conversion. I won't lie, it did take a while to make and fit all the parts. I think the guy who sold me the top cover at the gun show had another one. I'll bet it's there on his table next show. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dinzag 31 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Bravo! Very nice build you got there! Very original - Sailil-12! Keep us updated on the thumb safety. Would be a handy mod for sure! Yeah, the fluxes suck for small clean work. I can lay a fairly good MIG bead now and got it down for the most part. I've used that on all of my builds, but it's still a bit too much for these projects. I use filler for any pin holes, but try to keep it steel. I just scored a sweet deal on a TIG so time to learn that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nycGUNguy 61 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Bravo! Very nice build you got there! Very original - Sailil-12! Keep us updated on the thumb safety. Would be a handy mod for sure! Yeah, the fluxes suck for small clean work. I can lay a fairly good MIG bead now and got it down for the most part. I've used that on all of my builds, but it's still a bit too much for these projects. I use filler for any pin holes, but try to keep it steel. I just scored a sweet deal on a TIG so time to learn that. Mr. Dinzag, How much did you pay for the TIG setup? Let us see some pics of your mad TIG skills. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PogueMahone 0 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 You know, if I had a reliable source for the top covers and a guy were to send me his gas block, I would consider doing the sight conversion. I won't lie, it did take a while to make and fit all the parts. you know, in the mean time you could offer your services if the customer provides all the required parts! i think that would be a moneymaker til you could spool up tromix-style! beautiful piece, btw! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TUnderbakke 0 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Nice work, looks good. Always been an Israeli firearms fan, just can't afford a $2k+ pre-89 Galil rifle. Very good taste. I don't know about ease of conversion, I imagine it's not easy, but if I recall, Vulcan Arms has Galil parts (under a V73 model number), including folding stocks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Good work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
6500rpm 670 Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Krebs Customs might also be able to do you some good on the LH safety, they offer it on some of their rifles but it's not listed under "parts" as far as I know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thanks ya'll. Very helpful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BattleRifleG3 16 Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Replied on the other thread as well. I too have thought that the S-12 would be an excellent candidate for a Galil style. I've favored that idea over an AKM front end due to the simpler handguard design and attachment. I actually have this combo available for any interested. Price would be $80 shipped. I have a Galil style solid stock in progress but I suspect folks would want to complement it with a folder just like Wildcatter did. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyRumore 1,332 Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 I can machine you a Galil charging handle, not a problem. Just call me at 918 251-5640 Tony Rumore Tromix Corp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KYCitizen 0 Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Not just an awesome firearm but a work of art. Love what you did with the front sight too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcatter 28 Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Tony, You chambered that Bauska barrel of mine for 458 SOCOM that I turned from a blank for my AR a few months ago. I mentioned that I wanted to do a Saiga. The project kinda ran away out of my control. I'll give you a call and thanks. Also, What does it take to adapt a galil stock to a saiga? Would you make a special adapter with the socket for the stock or just weld it to an ACE block? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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