Looking into it, newbie.

[Blakeman 0]

My father and I have been looking into getting similar rifles, but with the rising costs of 'normal' Ak-47 imports, the thought of that is a bit of a deterrent. I think that a conversion of a saiga to the look that appeals to us would be a fun project, but my father is worried about having to mill/cut the new trigger holes or pistol grip nut holes.

 

My question to you folks is this...

 

On a 7.62x39 Saiga, does every receiver have those aforementioned holes already drilled or are there many times when those holes need to be milled/cut out in order to move the trigger group back to the standard AK position?

 

Sorry for the long question, we just dont want to get in over our heads with a conversion.

 

 

On another note, this site is awesome and hopefully if we do end up doing this then we will definitely 'show off' here.

[mollysman420 19]

Most of the x39s & 223s that I have come across have had the pg holes already cut in them. but even if they dont it is not hard to cut the hole with a dremal. The specs are on this site someware. All the conv. parts are availableable on DINZAG ARMS >COM if interested.

 

DRAGON WOLF

[Blakeman 0]

But are the other holes such as the trigger hole already cut out, just underneath the plate that needs to be taken off? I could probably handle it if its just the pistol grip hole, just wondering about the other holes.

[Bayoupiper 738]

There is a tutorial on here (I'll try to find it) and it really is easier than you think if you have some basic skills.

[cellsworth 21]

All of the 7.62X39 Saigas should have the trigger hole already cut. It needs to be there for the factory trigger mechanism to work. This is true even though the factory trigger itself is located to the rear of the standard AK trigger position. Every Saiga 7.62X39 that I have seen has had the PG hole pre-cut as well. My understanding is that almost all of them do. I think Vultite noted that sometimes the Saigas with the "dimpled" (indentations on each side of the magwell) receivers do not have the PG holes pre-cut. If you are concerned about it, buy from a local dealer who will let you remove the receiver cover of each gun before you buy. You will be able to look down into the receiver and see if the holes are there or not. The PG hole may be harder to see, but if you look carefully you'll be able to tell if it's there.

 

I have also found that the hole needed to secure the rear of the trigger guard is already made in the receiver. When the gun is is the unconverted state, the hole is occupied by a rivet; but, once the bottom plate is removed, the rivet will be gone and you can use the hole for the trigger guard. I simply bend the trigger guard slightly to achieve the correct shape, put the front of it under the magazine catch tower, and screw the other end down. It works great. Use something like Loctite on the screws.

 

Check out dinzagarms.com for products that make the conversion especially easy. His website also has links to conversion tutorials and other useful information. There is a video series on Youtube that outlines the conversion process. The videos do not always show the best way to do certain things, but after watching them you should feel that you CAN handle doing the conversion. Do your "homework" first, and take your time. It really is not hard.

 

Once you remove the bottom plate, you will notice that the receiver is not painted underneath. Simply wipe the area off, scuff sand it, clean it with something like denatured alcohol (available at Lowe's or Home Depot), and paint it with Duplicolor low-gloss black 500-degree engine enamel (DE 1634) or a similar product. Mask off areas you don't want to paint first. I also recommend plugging the gas tube opening at the receiver, as well as the chamber, before starting the conversion to prevent debris (metal shavings, etc.) from getting in those areas.

[22_Shooter 1,560]

+1 on dimpled receivers not having the PG hole. When I got mine, I was surprised to find no PG hole like my non-dimpled x39.

 

So if you're looking for an easier convert, stick with a non-dimpled receiver if you don't want the hassle of cutting the PG hole.

[Koliadko 207]

My father and I have been looking into getting similar rifles, but with the rising costs of 'normal' Ak-47 imports, the thought of that is a bit of a deterrent. I think that a conversion of a saiga to the look that appeals to us would be a fun project, but my father is worried about having to mill/cut the new trigger holes or pistol grip nut holes.

 

My question to you folks is this...

 

On a 7.62x39 Saiga, does every receiver have those aforementioned holes already drilled or are there many times when those holes need to be milled/cut out in order to move the trigger group back to the standard AK position?

 

Sorry for the long question, we just dont want to get in over our heads with a conversion.

 

 

On another note, this site is awesome and hopefully if we do end up doing this then we will definitely 'show off' here.

 

 

Dude! Interesting SN. That was my maiden name!

[chris in va 0]

I was relieved to find my x39 already had the trigger hole cut. Honestly, the hardest part about the whole process was trying to put in the #%$! bolt hold open lever spring. Everything else was very straightforward, provided you have a dremel and cutoff wheel, vise, punches and cordless drill. The bullet guide literally took me 10 minutes. I just took it VERY slowly with the thread cutter, 1/16 of a turn at a time. And I didn't even have a handle for it, used an adjustable wrench.

 

Best of all, I really enjoyed doing it! It's fun.

[Blakeman 0]

Ok so basically if I dont want to cut anything make sure I dont get a 'dimpled' receiver. Of course my next question is what does a dimpled one look like in comparison to a normal one?

 

To the others, thanks for the encouragement. I did watch those youtube vids and read the walkthrough that is shown on another site. I think watching the member from here do it on his kitchen table really got my dad thinking we could do it, between the tools at his house and mine we should be more than set.

[22_Shooter 1,560]

Ok so basically if I dont want to cut anything make sure I dont get a 'dimpled' receiver. Of course my next question is what does a dimpled one look like in comparison to a normal one?

 

To the others, thanks for the encouragement. I did watch those youtube vids and read the walkthrough that is shown on another site. I think watching the member from here do it on his kitchen table really got my dad thinking we could do it, between the tools at his house and mine we should be more than set.

 

Here's my non-dimpled:

 

 

 

Here's my dimpled:

 

[Blakeman 0]

Thanks for that, quite obvious now that I see it.

 

Now to find a seller that actually has them in. Seems centerfire is out of stock, which is too bad since I'm local to them.

[LKB3rd 0]

I was able to make the PG hole in my .308 with a small triangle file. Labor intensive using that tool, but not difficult to do. It sat right where the trigger cut is/was, so I just had to widen it at the spot I wanted to bolt the PG down. I eyed up the placement with the pg mock installed, seeing where the bolt went through the slit, and centered the cut to that.

So, if you end up having to do that, i wouldn't worry about it being difficult.

Edited May 30, 2008 by LKB3rd