Parts list with links thread

[beerslurpy 1]

I want to make this a parts finding and buying thread.

 

Guys who have done the conversion already, please post here with links to things l like pistol grips, stocks and fire control groups. Links to buy stuff of obvious interest to saiga 12 owners like larger than stock capacity mags and the like are welcme as well but I primarily want to make this a conversion parts thread.

 

Also, if a part you are posting needs to be modified to work in our guns (like a trigger group with a disconnector that needs to be dremeled, please specify this and provide pics or a descrition.

 

The instructions for the conversion itself can be found here:

Sheik's conversion page with lots of pics

 

The cleaner we keep this thread, the easier it will be to find stuff in the future. Mods sticky this please if we get a lot of good info here.

Edited September 18, 2004 by beerslurpy

[inparidel 4]

Well. . .

 

1) first dremmel-cutting blade out the sport linkage.

 

2) Removing the cross pin that is farthest back. CAREFULLY drill out the outer flange and pull it ut. Some people also remove the second cross pin in front of the one just discussed. If you do that, you will need to buy a shepherd's hook. I left the cross-pin with the spring wire in, and use the existing wire as the shepherd's hook. It works just fine, so I left it in.

 

3) Drill out the rivets on the trigger guard and remove the guard.

 

4) I left the selector stop on by cutting the cover plate in front of it with a hacksaw. After I scored it, I folded it and it broke away. I drilled through the spot-weld onn the trigger-guard where the cover plate attaches. That's a bear. I went through carbide and cobalt bits before I got through. That's where I put the screw that holds the front of the trigger guard after I moved it up. The rear screw simply goes through the existing hle in the gurad and the rivet hole in the receiver (which I had to enlarge for the 8 x 32 stainless screws). Hold off on final attachment until after you refinish the gun.

 

5) Get a US -made trigger group (hamer, disconnector & trigger). Because you will have to grind off the top pyramid on the trigger to get it to fit under the bolt carrier, it makes more sense to use a single hook trigger. You can leave the Saiga hammer so long as you replace at least three other foreign parts, I say you might want to do that because the Saiga hammer has a slight cant to the right instead of being 90 degrees with the axis pin sleeve. This is because the bolt hold-open requires the axis pin sleeve to be shorter on the right side. You ca also dremmel-grind one side of the axis pin sleeve on the US hammer to get the right striking geometry. Either or. . . . US FCGs can be had all over the 'net. Use "AK US trigger group" as a search term and price shop. (offhand: TAPCO, Centerfire Systems, Florida Gunworks, K-Var, Global Trades, Guns n' stuff, etc.)

 

6) I used the TAPCO M-249 SAW-style PG because it kind of reminded me of what the Russians are now using on their Saiga 12 SWAT shotgun. It seemed to be pretty ergonomic. After I got iit on, I noticed two problems: (1) if you seated it all the way forward, the "length of pull" from the trigger to the web of my hand felt too thin. I use the recommended fingertip or first distal joint of my finger to fire my guns, so I thought it felt funny. So, I measured the trigger-to-web distance on another of my AKs and slid the PG back to match it. But then there's the other problem: (2) the trigger guard kind of cut into the knuckle of my middle finger because of the large valley where the guard meets the PG. I solved this by roughing up the PG side of that valley and filling it with quick-set epoxy putty.

 

The PG came with some pretty usless hardware that din't even make sense. I ended up attaching the TAPCO PG with a 1/4" carriage bolt. The square under the head of the carriage bolt fits the existing rectangular hole in the receiver perfectly. The only problem was the angle. The head comes down on the receiver bottom at a slight angle because of the PG angle. I fixed that by cutting up some fiberglass cloth and kneading it into the epoxy putty. I torqued the nut just enough for the carriage bolt head to seat into the putty with some of he putty squishing through the rest of the receiver hole. After it cured, I torqued it down. The putty fills the rectangle and beds the carriage bolt head with a strong, angled surface.

 

7) You may have to cove out the bottom of the forks at the rear of the trigger to clear the rear trigger guard nut or screw head (depending which way you put it in). A dremel does this easily.

 

8) I decided that a standard AK stock sling swivel made more sense than the Saiga sling swivel. I mounted one near the front of the forend on the left with two stainless 8 x 32 screws and matching nuts on the inside.

 

9) after you assemble the trigger guard you ae ready to refinish the black Russian engine paint with something more looksome. I used Alumahyde II satin black. I left the Russian paint on as a primer. I degreased, softened and cleaned it with Naptha, and let it THOUROUGHLY dry. Hang the barrelled action up with a coat hanger through the rear receiver tang screw hole and paint it evenly and carefully. Let Alumahyde dry for about two weeks before getting rough with it.

 

10) attach the US stock of your choice.

 

That should do it.

 

I don't have pics of the whole process, but these show the finish, trigger guard arrangement, the PG and the epoxy trigger guard "gapper" and the side-swivel.

 

I also just put an equipment rail on the bottom of the forend for a vertical grip and tactical light. No pics of that yet. There's another thread here that shows that process with a diagram. Botach Tactical (Internet) has the best prices on TDI equipment.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2004 by inparidel