saigafan2008 0 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I just started my 1st saiga conversion on my brand new 7.62x39. I've never built an AK before, so I'm a total newbie at this. I've already installed the Dinzag bullet guide. Many thanks, Dinzag, this was a breeze to install! I'm now ready to work on the TG. I'm trying to just replace the original Saiga trigger guard/plate and mag catch with an AKM TG that (naturally) has the mag catch built in. Being somewhat paranoid, I don't want to modify the Saiga TG or destroy the TG plate just in case future gun laws make me revert back to the stock sporting configuration in order to keep my Saiga. The only TG I could find online was the AK-63 TG kit from AA-OK, which they say is an East German TG kit. Their description says that the TG does not have the pivot pin hole drilled in it, yet the TG I received from them already had the pivot pin hole in it. When I installed the mag catch lever, the mag catch lever does not extend past the front of the TG (in fact, the mag catch lever stays about 3/32" inside the TG housing. As I said, I'm a newbie to this, but I don't think that's gonna work too well. I'm guessing that the TG they sent me doesn't match the mag catch lever they sent me, and that for this particular mag catch lever the pivot pin hole is too far from the front of the TG. Short of modifying and using my Saiga TG, what are my options here? Can I grind down the "tongue" on the back of the mag catch lever until the mag catch lever sticks out past the front of the TG? Or would this fail because it would change to the angle of the mag catch lever relative to vertical? I'm not at home right now or I would post a pic of this. I'll try to post a pic when I get home. Any help is appreciated! Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigafan2008 0 Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 OK, I'm too tired tonight to figure out how to post pics. I'll try that tomorrow. Suffice it to say there were two problems with my AK-63 trigger guard kit. First, the 'tab' or 'tongue' on the back of the mag catch lever was too long and at the wrong angle. A little grinding fixed that problem just fine. The second problem, though, I haven't figured out how to work around yet. The second is that the pivot pin hole in the trigger guard is too high for the mag catch lever they sent me. The TG was supposed to be undrilled according to their website, but what I got was an obviously used and pre-drilled TG that doesn't work with the mag catch lever. Because the pivot pin hole is too high, the mag catch lever is about 1/16th of an inch too short, and my AK mags are too loose in the mag well. Any ideas? Thanks, Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nalioth 405 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 You didn't need to buy anything. The factory trigger gaurd can be easily re-used. As far as your "mag catch sits too low" problem, you can take it to a welder and have them build it up a little bit, at which time you can take it home and file it down to fit your mags. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigafan2008 0 Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 As far as your "mag catch sits too low" problem, you can take it to a welder and have them build it up a little bit, at which time you can take it home and file it down to fit your mags. Thanks, nalioth! I have a friend that's a welder and I'm sure he can do that for me. I was figuring I'd have to have my friend weld on another piece of metal to the mag catch lever then file it down, but your idea is both simpler and better. Funny how often "simpler" and "better" go hand in hand... Thanks again, Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kymasabe 1 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 In all my conversions, I 've reused the original trigger guard. Once I remove it, I cut a little off the long end (as described in tutorials and videos). What I haven't seen mentioned but what I do is I turn the TG 180 degrees and tuck the trimmed end under the mag catch. Looks good, fits good, and there's so much spring tension to the thing, it'll never move. And, it's MUCH easier than the project you've got going on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 If you turn it around backwards it looks funny. (to me at least...) I rebend the TG into more of a horseshoe shape, drill a hole for a rivet in the front, and reinstall it in the same direction. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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