Who's the best at doing rivet work on an SGL-10?

[mtberen 0]

I recently purchased a Saiga/Arsenal SGL-10, and also plan on buying the corresponding conversion kit from K-Var. The conversion kit includes a different trigger guard that requires some riveting....I have no intentions of learning how to rivet on a rifle this expensive, does anyone on this forum provide this service?

[TonyRumore 1,332]

There is more to it then just riveting it in place, since the trigger guard that they provide in the kit doesn't have the latch assembly installed in it, nor is there a hole in it for the latch's hinge pin to go through. That has to be drilled, in the exact location, or the magazine is not going to fit correctly.

 

Tony Rumore

Tromix Corp

[jrance@iacwds.com 716]

So do you suggest moving the original trigger guard forward to overcome that limitation?

 

1911

[nalioth 405]

Being as the SGL-10 has the same back end as a regular Saiga, I'm not sure why you couldn't, 1911

[TonyRumore 1,332]

No, the radius of the forward curve on the OEM trigger guard is much larger then the standard AK trigger guard. The best option, if you're a good tig welder, is to part off the rear section from the K-Var trigger guard and weld it to the mag release catch tower on the SGL-10. Blend it out, and it looks dead nuts perfect like a factory installed part.

 

In the end, it looks absolutely perfect and only takes a few minutes.....best of both worlds. However, if your Tig welding skill is not that great, you'll end up with a fucked up mess.

 

Tony Rumore

Tromix Corp

[BobAsh 582]

Yep, my Arsenal/Legion/Saiga looks perfect. Thread to come.

[ThirtyCal 0]

No, the radius of the forward curve on the OEM trigger guard is much larger then the standard AK trigger guard. The best option, if you're a good tig welder, is to part off the rear section from the K-Var trigger guard and weld it to the mag release catch tower on the SGL-10. Blend it out, and it looks dead nuts perfect like a factory installed part.

 

In the end, it looks absolutely perfect and only takes a few minutes.....best of both worlds. However, if your Tig welding skill is not that great, you'll end up with a fucked up mess.

 

Tony Rumore

Tromix Corp

 

Welding is definitely the way to go. I've tried it both ways (welding and riveting), and riveting is quite difficult since the rails are already installed, and the darn trigger pin boss on the inside of the receiver (just above the rear right-side trigger guard rivet) obstructs the use of a typical trigger guard rivet mandrel. I created a two-peice mandrel to accomodate the trigger pin boss, but using it was difficult.

 

Here's a photo of a trigger guard I MIG welded. Cutting it at the right spot is important, as is notching it to accomodate the weld material (might not need to do that with TIG):

 

 

Anyway, I wanted to show that even with MIG it's possible to get good results with welded trigger guards.

 

Here's the shot before I welded it:

 

 

Here's a shot of a Saiga I riveted... Darn difficult to accomplish these results - it's better and easier to just weld a trigger hoop to the existing mag latch post:

 

 

-Thirtycal

Edited November 29, 2008 by ThirtyCal

[mtberen 0]

HMMMM, looks like the backwards OEM Saiga trigger guard method for me; I have no idea how to weld and know of no one locally who could do something like this.

[mtberen 0]

Okay, disregard my last comment, I want the welding method done and am willing to ship it out...Any Forum Business Members provide this service?