Saiga 5.56 conversion checklist

[FAL Man 0]

Alright, I'm about ready to start on my Saiga project. I believe that I've got everything I need to buy ready, but just in case I want some of you Vets to see if I'm missing anything.

 

Bullet guide:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?prod...at=0&page=1

 

Stock:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?prod...at=0&page=1

 

Trigger group/set:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?prod...at=0&page=4

 

So if I'm missing something, what is it?

[JK-47 33]

a good set of instructions perhaps? http://www.cross-conn.com/Saiga_Conversion/ Also, I belive that the K-var bullet guides don't allways drop right in, it make take some fitting and filing to fit it in. You will have to drill and tap throught the bulletguide into the trunion... the K-Var bullet guide includes a rivet but thats not usefull since the gun is assembled already. You will need a screw instead, one that matches your tap threading. You should take a look at Dinzag's bullet guides, since you may have a round trunion or you may have a square trunion; I don't think the K-var BG's will fit a square trunion at all. Look at his guide for trunion identification: http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showto...mp;#entry120821

 

I would add that the "shepards hook" is a magnificent pain in the butt to reasemble. It is a wire hook that keeps your FCG pins from drifting out... many people get very frustrated with it and replace it with E-clips or a retaining plate. they look like this: and are a avaliable at a number of online AK parts stores.

[FAL Man 0]

Those were the instructions that I was going to use. And where can I get one of Dinzag's bullet guides? I'd like to make sure that the guide fits into my rifle just fine.

 

And the "shepard's Hook" is what? I don't know the parts on an AK that well, this will be my first conversion and I'll have to really read up before I get started. And if I didn't buy the E-clips part, it would still be possible to make the conversion, right? (Albeit harder)

 

Ok I just checked, my saiga has a flat trunnion.

 

All the parts I will buy from K-VAR are for a stamped receiver, which I assume the saiga is.

Edited May 24, 2007 by FAL Man

[JK-47 33]

ok, I don't think the kvar guides will fit a flat trunion. You want to contact Dinzag who is a member here, or email him, I think its dinzzag@yahoo.com http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showto...mp;#entry120821 he makes and sells the bullet guide kits. The shepard's hook is just a piece of spring wire, on my .223 it starts wrapped around one of the transfer pins, goes under the trigger pin and over the hammer pin. It is on the opposite side as the BHO. It's just a piece of wire tensioned to keep the pins in place: when you drill out the two trigger transfer bar pins it should fall out and not be a problem to remove- its trying to replace it that is a pain. At the least get some E clips at a hardware store to serve as a replacement for the shepards hook - they are very cheap.

[FAL Man 0]

Alright, I'll look into doing that. Thank you for the info. I'm about to order the stock set and the trigger set. That, with the bullet guide I hope to get from Dinzag, I'll have enough compliance parts for the project. Thanks again.

[MD_Willington 11]

Don't forget the grip screw and the nut, you can even throw in a reinforcement tab if you feel like it.

[quinci956 1]

Don't forget the grip screw and the nut, you can even throw in a reinforcement tab if you feel like it.

Get the AKM or AK74 grip nut, it drops right in. The AK47 grip nut are rather large. I agree with JK47 about the retaining piece he has pictured. I got mine from Brownell's I don't know if they are cheaper just easier for me since I buy a lot of parts from them. I did have to trim a little off of it to get it to fit but it is not hard to do.

I used the K-VAR bullet guides in a few of mine because I did not know about Dinzag's at the time. Yes the K-VAR guides do take some fittin before they will go in. Glad I had my Dremel tool.

[9mmronin 0]

when you tap the hole for the bullet guide, put the tap in a drill press, and turn the chuck by hand to thread the hole. It was a complete failure on my conversion trying to use the cheap harbor freight tap handle. 30 minutes of trying got me no where, but with the drill press, i was done in 5 min. also spray lots of wd-40 while doing it slowly

[FAL Man 0]

Alright, thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to look into a grip-screw and the retaining piece. I've got another project I'm doing first (Remington "1740" shotgun), but the saiga will get done and I'll have pictures up of it.