Boba Debt 350 Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Why do you have 2 gas tubes listed? (I didn't even know Tapco made a gas tube) Also, the magazine is not part of a conversion. Like someone else said, you're going to need to get one (or 10) anyway...................and $20 for a combloc steel AK mag is not accurate. They can be had for around $10, all day long. That was supposed to be a Tapco piston. Mags may not be part of a conversion but the Saiga doesn't come with a 30 rounder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nalioth 405 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Why do you have 2 gas tubes listed? (I didn't even know Tapco made a gas tube) Also, the magazine is not part of a conversion. Like someone else said, you're going to need to get one (or 10) anyway...................and $20 for a combloc steel AK mag is not accurate. They can be had for around $10, all day long. That was supposed to be a Tapco piston. Mags may not be part of a conversion but the Saiga doesn't come with a 30 rounder . . . and you need a 30 rounder - why? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kope007 14 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Why do you have 2 gas tubes listed? (I didn't even know Tapco made a gas tube) Also, the magazine is not part of a conversion. Like someone else said, you're going to need to get one (or 10) anyway...................and $20 for a combloc steel AK mag is not accurate. They can be had for around $10, all day long. That was supposed to be a Tapco piston. Mags may not be part of a conversion but the Saiga doesn't come with a 30 rounder . . . and you need a 30 rounder - why? You never know when thirty paper targets are going to threaten you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boba Debt 350 Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 . . . and you need a 30 rounder - why? This has got to be the silliest question ever posted to this forum. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vbrtrmn 167 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 . . . and you need a 30 rounder - why? This has got to be the silliest question ever posted to this forum. Sillier than "Why should I buy a Saiga?"?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
evi1joe 1 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) Boba, I was in a similar boat as you about two months ago. I wanted an AK of some sort but couldn't decide. My primary concerns were: reliability, accuracy, cost & weight (in that order). I'm not big on the "look" or the "AK feel" or anything--wood is too heavy for me to lug around anyway. After lots of research, I think, AT BEST, the Saiga has a minuscule lead in "overall-brand-reliability" by like 99.999% to 99% and a slight lead in accuracy (3-5" groups versus say 3.5-7" groups), but a larger lead when it comes to cost and weight. You can find low-round count pre-converted guns for $400-$550 online (I linked to two such guns somewhere in this 7.62x39 forum a week or two ago). I ended up with a $700 pre-converted gun with an internal block ACE folding stock, ergo-grip, Surefire tri-rail handguard and a SF 30rd mag...it's painted and awesome, though I'd like to get a few more things eventually: a Tac47 muzzle brake, a bullet guide, different sights (HK or a dust-cover mounted rear sight to increase sight radius) or a Burris Fastfire LaRue red-dot--all this stuff can wait though. I seriously don't think ANY AK I've ever seen/shot for any price below $900 would compare to this gun. If I could afford a Valmet/Sako rk95 I would buy one (IF i could use standard AK mags, which I'm not sure about)...but then, if I had that kind of money, I'd probably get a 6.8mm AR style rifle with a 416 or FN SCAR type gas-piston instead (since I like the ballistics of that round more than any other) and 3000rds of that expensive ammo. Speaking of ARs, I like my Saiga so much more than my fixed-up Colt 6920, that I'm thinking about selling the Colt and using half the money for 2000rds of ammo and brake/bullet guide/mags, and putting the other $700+ in savings. The primary reason I stayed away from the WASRs and other variants is that I didn't know enough about them to KNOW how to tell whether I was getting one of the better ones (since some years or models or makes have had issues). If I knew as much as Nalioth or some of these other guys, I might have felt more comfortable with a different AK--however, after I changed all the wood to polymer, switched out the grip, and got the ACE folding stock and internal receiver, I would have spent more than the $700 I spent on the Saiga. WASRs and other rifles may or may not have chrome-lined barrels and may or may not be put together as well as Saigas--the majority of AK people I know think that in general Saiga's are better made, BUT that it doesn't matter to them because, 'hey, it's an AK, it's supposed to look and feel like crap as long as it goes boom every time I pull the trigger.' Finally, though it didn't matter, I do like the looks of the Saiga more than the classic-commie looks of the AK. The wood-style AK furniture screams terrorist or commie to me (both words conjure bad juju in my mind, as someone who was raised in the 80s). The Saiga seems to have less to snag on and a more modern look (sometimes it looks like an FAL or Valmet or--non-converted--like a M1/M14 Scout). Edited July 13, 2009 by jflow25@gmail.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 . . . and you need a 30 rounder - why? This has got to be the silliest question ever posted to this forum. Sillier than "Why should I buy a Saiga?"?? Touché! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Finally, though it didn't matter, I do like the looks of the Saiga more than the classic-commie looks of the AK. The wood-style AK furniture screams terrorist or commie to me (both words conjure bad juju in my mind, as someone who was raised in the 80s). That's exactly why I've held off for so long on getting an AK and then the Saiga's came along... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boba Debt 350 Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Thank you for taking the time to post such a comprehensive explanation about this rifle. I think you have made me re-consider the way I feel about it. I actually called Classic Arms to buy one this morning but they were out of stock I planned to convert it and if I didn't like it, I could probably sell it for $100 more then I had into it. Boba, I was in a similar boat as you about two months ago. I wanted an AK of some sort but couldn't decide. My primary concerns were: reliability, accuracy, cost & weight (in that order). I'm not big on the "look" or the "AK feel" or anything--wood is too heavy for me to lug around anyway. After lots of research, I think, AT BEST, the Saiga has a minuscule lead in "overall-brand-reliability" by like 99.999% to 99% and a slight lead in accuracy (3-5" groups versus say 3.5-7" groups), but a larger lead when it comes to cost and weight. You can find low-round count pre-converted guns for $400-$550 online (I linked to two such guns somewhere in this 7.62x39 forum a week or two ago). I ended up with a $700 pre-converted gun with an internal block ACE folding stock, ergo-grip, Surefire tri-rail handguard and a SF 30rd mag...it's painted and awesome, though I'd like to get a few more things eventually: a Tac47 muzzle brake, a bullet guide, different sights (HK or a dust-cover mounted rear sight to increase sight radius) or a Burris Fastfire LaRue red-dot--all this stuff can wait though. I seriously don't think ANY AK I've ever seen/shot for any price below $900 would compare to this gun. If I could afford a Valmet/Sako rk95 I would buy one (IF i could use standard AK mags, which I'm not sure about)...but then, if I had that kind of money, I'd probably get a 6.8mm AR style rifle with a 416 or FN SCAR type gas-piston instead (since I like the ballistics of that round more than any other) and 3000rds of that expensive ammo. Speaking of ARs, I like my Saiga so much more than my fixed-up Colt 6920, that I'm thinking about selling the Colt and using half the money for 2000rds of ammo and brake/bullet guide/mags, and putting the other $700+ in savings. The primary reason I stayed away from the WASRs and other variants is that I didn't know enough about them to KNOW how to tell whether I was getting one of the better ones (since some years or models or makes have had issues). If I knew as much as Nalioth or some of these other guys, I might have felt more comfortable with a different AK--however, after I changed all the wood to polymer, switched out the grip, and got the ACE folding stock and internal receiver, I would have spent more than the $700 I spent on the Saiga. WASRs and other rifles may or may not have chrome-lined barrels and may or may not be put together as well as Saigas--the majority of AK people I know think that in general Saiga's are better made, BUT that it doesn't matter to them because, 'hey, it's an AK, it's supposed to look and feel like crap as long as it goes boom every time I pull the trigger.' Finally, though it didn't matter, I do like the looks of the Saiga more than the classic-commie looks of the AK. The wood-style AK furniture screams terrorist or commie to me (both words conjure bad juju in my mind, as someone who was raised in the 80s). The Saiga seems to have less to snag on and a more modern look (sometimes it looks like an FAL or Valmet or--non-converted--like a M1/M14 Scout). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lakedweller 10 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) Thank you for taking the time to post such a comprehensive explanation about this rifle. I think you have made me re-consider the way I feel about it. I actually called Classic Arms to buy one this morning but they were out of stock I planned to convert it and if I didn't like it, I could probably sell it for $100 more then I had into it. Boba, Try Mississippi Auto Arms http://www.mississippiautoarms.com/index.p...products_id=229 My local gun shop always seem to have 7.62s, he charges $429 and throws in a 30 round Surefire mag..... Edited July 13, 2009 by Lakedweller Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imarangemaster 315 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Plus one on Saiga being the best. You can spend as little or as much to convert. If you want to leave stock handguards (which work well when vent holes are drilled) and no muzzle device, it can be converted for about $100 give or take depending if you go with cheap Tapco stock or better K-Var stock. I did mine in stages, adding as I could. I now have a highly converted that resembles (that's for you Nalioth) an AK103 except folding stock for under $650 including Saiga and Bulgarian bayonet! The only hole I drilled was for the $30 Dinzag bullet guide and I did no welding but used the plugs that Dinzag included with the guide. Look in page 28 or 29 of the picture thread or my recent thread about Bulgarian mags. That's my $650 faux AK103, a d it is lightyears ahead of my donkey dick grip Romanian GP WASR 10/63. My Saiga shoots 2 moa with iron sights and Silver Bear ammo. Additionally I have the pride of knowing I shaped and restored this Kalashnikov to it's intended state. I used a hand drill to drill the bullet guide hole. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imarangemaster 315 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Actually you can see it in my avitar but the photo threads have a better picture. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Juggernaut 11,054 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Why Saiga??? Because if you don't.. we dispatch a team of ninjas to your house to hide the remote to your TV..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigsal 757 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Why Saiga???Because if you don't.. we dispatch a team of ninjas to your house to hide the remote to your TV..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Juggernaut 11,054 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Exactly! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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