ladysaiga 0 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 What is the next best upgrade besides adding a hand grip?? I have read a lot about muzzle add ons and fore grips. I must admit I am pretty new to this gun and I want to make it perfect. I just got My S 12 From MAA( great service and an awesome price. I highly recommend them ) I want to do the hand grip conversion but I am curious what others do to there guns after that. Here is a good before pic, hopefully by the end of the year it will be very different. Thanks in advance -Newbie chick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 lol Do you know what you're getting yourself into? Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 It's the Pistol Grip, plus Fire Control Group plus Stock at a minimum. That will also get you 922r compliant. Some guys really bling the guns out and some don't. It's more a matter of personal preference than anything else. Definitely restore it to pistol grip config, that will make it much better handling. Other than that it's all a matter of how much money you want to spend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Superhawk138 202 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 (edited) Welcome to the forum and addiction Newbie chick. As Tacticool stated the most important thing is to meet 922r but set some guidelines on the way you want your gun to be. You can browse for ideas in the picture post or come up with something wild and creative on your own. Either way we are here for questions and support during your adventures. I highly recommend checking the number of gas ports you have and check for reliability issues before doing any cutting or grinding on it. Cadiz Gun Works will do warranty repair for factory issues. Edited September 21, 2009 by Superhawk138 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Madwulf 0 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 There are so many parts options out there. Look around the internet sites for "Saiga-12 Accessories" and book-mark items you'd like. I made a list of http:// address locations for my last mod. You'll find lower prices amoung the crowd. Go back to the main Saiga12 page and click on the 'STORE' tab. I made my own trigger guard / grip mount - and it's not hard to do if you have the tools to do it. Buying one is better though. The original stock / trigger setup on the Saiga-12 is OK, and works well for medium-long arms. But once you start changing things, you'll fall under the rules of the often mentioned "922r" law. You might as well put as many US made parts on it as possible. Go for it and post pics here after it's done! - Liam the Long Lost http://www.madwulf.com/Saiga12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Star Arms 2,047 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 The best advice I can give is to pay close attention to what is going under the hood. The action (receiver components) and gas system are the most important part of the conversion. At the end of the day, performance is what separates a really good gun from an average gun. As far as what you want to put on the outside, the sky is the limit. I prefer a functional approach, less is more, but more can be more as well. It's all a matter of taste. For a first timer, I would recommend a drop in Tromix fire control group, and a Tromix trigger guard kit. Before you do anything, make sure your gun is cycling the way you want it to. If it isn't get the warranty work done BEFORE the conversion. Good luck, and have fun with your conversion. WS Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kwesi 39 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 The best advice I can give is to pay close attention to what is going under the hood. The action (receiver components) and gas system are the most important part of the conversion. At the end of the day, performance is what separates a really good gun from an average gun. As far as what you want to put on the outside, the sky is the limit. I prefer a functional approach, less is more, but more can be more as well. It's all a matter of taste. For a first timer, I would recommend a drop in Tromix fire control group, and a Tromix trigger guard kit. Before you do anything, make sure your gun is cycling the way you want it to. If it isn't get the warranty work done BEFORE the conversion. Good luck, and have fun with your conversion. WS +1 on the Tromix Tips then how about a Tromix folding stock or Cobra's vented gas tube cover? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
elvis christ 451 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Whatever you do, don't cheap out and get one of those Tapco no-mod stock sets with the pistol grip mounted on the bottom of the stock, you'll only be cheating yourself, and end up replacing it in the end. Like WaffenSchmied, I prefer a function over fashion, but there are a few things that I stuck on my gun simply for the aesthetic value, like the flash hider and the gas tube cover, although the functionality of both are up for debate. I would say the functionality is minimal, while the aesthetics are subtle, but really complete the look. Also, for a first timer, I would recommend the Tromix or Dinzag modified FCG, unless you're handy with a grinding wheel. It's not difficult to do yourself, but it all depends on what you feel comfortable doing. A word of warning, you may want to go ahead and learn how to do the stuff yourself, because you will want to get another Saiga, and it gets expensive if you have to pay someone to do all your conversion work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheDarkHorse 216 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Your gun looks good in the picture, but I for one would like to see a picture of you holding it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Star Arms 2,047 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 I haven't used a Tromix folding stock on my conversions, so I can't say. Personally, I like the Tapco composite folding stock. It's reasonably priced, stable, installs easily, works well and has a lifetime guarantee. I toss out the whimpy OEM screws, drill and tap for heavy duty torque screws, mount the stock and forget about it. Cobra's gas tube cover is very tacticool (My thoughts are with him today). I haven't used it on one of my guns, but I like the way it looks. For me, less is more - so I do my own forend mods, leave the sights as they are, and concentrate on polishing the internals, getting the action as smooth as it can possibly be, and optimizing the gas system. Everyone has a different approach. Mine works best for me. I'll post an image of one of my guns below. Cheers! WS Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigafreake 27 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 look through the picture section and see what you like. Theres so much new and awesome stuff coming out now i would have never dreamed of this 3 years ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaPD 408 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Some good info has already been posted so I will just add "Welcome to the forum!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ladysaiga 0 Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I have put about 100 rounds through it. I am happy with how it works. It is way easier to clean than all my hand guns too. I am going to do the internal grip conversion. I think it cleans the gun up nicely and I heard it will run smoother also. Newbie chick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DogMan 2,343 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 (edited) Your gun looks good in the picture, but I for one would like to see a picture of you holding it... Yes, its extremely important that we have pictures of the owner. That helps us be more precise on recommending the exact type of parts and accessories for you. EDIT: Just kdding, of course. Welcome to the forum. Edited September 22, 2009 by DogMan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR Young 175 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 As stated above, you have already gotten some good info. So, I too will welcome you to the forum! As for the rest of what has been posted.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Welcome...one thing no one has mentioned, that is a $35 modification, is the Gunfixer plug. Gives you more adjustability gas settings for the different type rounds you choose to shoot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
teddyraynelson 2 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 With all the different muzzle options out there, some cool and some goofy, I opted for a vented poly choke as one of my first additions. So far I couldn't be happier, I've shot just about every type of shell with the poly on there and it's great. I've been running on X Full lately and the OO buck patterns at 30 to 40 yds are nice and tight. I even shot some trap yesterday and put on a show with my 19 incher. The range was pretty silent when I walked away with a 22 out of 25, I even shot with some rangeworkers using trap guns and they wished they were shooting S 12. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PRISONSHANK 70 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 the best upgrade i think you can do besides PG conversion would be adding better sites. there are Russian versions or Krebs sights that lengthen your sight base. by adding a front sight post your ability to make quicker, more on target shots will greatly improve. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StarPD 6 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 (edited) Lotsa good suggestions here for you. I think first thing is to add an aftermarket gas puck. I use the Kings Armory, but there are others that are reputed to be as good. Also you'll want a Gunfixr 4 position gas plug. Then you'll probably want to convert (actually restore to the original configuration) FCG (Fire Control Group) with a pistol grip and add a folding buttstock for convenience in transport. Mine has the Ace folder, and it's rock solid. Many add a Chaos or Kross multi-rail forend, but it does make the gun a little muzzle heavy, maybe not good for a woman unless you have stronger arms than the average women. To accomplish a similar (but more limited) function, that is, to have one rail for a tactical light and add vents to keep the barrel cool, I used Cobra 2's vented factory forend with a short section of rail on the bottom. I also put his vented gas tube cover to keep from burning my hands when shooting a lot. The gas tube can get hot enough to burn you if you touch it after several mags through the gun. I don't have a choke, but they are a good idea. Poly-Choke seems to be popular for those who want one. You may want to add good sights too, as mentioned by Prison shank. There are a number of them available, so just look through the forum to see what strikes your fancy. You'll also want some high capacity mags. Just remember, the more capacity, the heavier the gun is when shooting. As mentioned, there are other doo-dads you may decide to add once you have the basics covered. Those are more choice than necessary though, so let your own tastes guide you on them. Welcome to the forum. You're going to have fun. And BTW, you'll find plenty of answers here for any questions you might come up with. Most of them are here somewhere, so just reading the various posts by others will teach you a lot. Good luck. Edited September 22, 2009 by StarPD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tover26 18 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Gunfixer's Plug is great and cheap and improves the functionality of the gun. If it's shooting well with the OEM plug, I'd suggest you upgrade the sights... that'll make it more fun to shoot and make you more accurate for like $90 - Krebs Custom Iron Sights. I'd also recommend the Tromix Charging Bolt for like $11 or whatever, which makes manipulating the bolt like 1,000x better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Azrial 1,091 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Welcome to the forum! Frankly after you do the pistol grip you should do something to make it load easier on a loaded mag! A magazine fed shotgun that you can not load quickly is kind of pointless. Mine is fast as a regular AK, maybe faster... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Snoofer 138 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 the MD-20 drum is a great upgrade Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vbrtrmn 167 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Where's that reputation of stomping on the noobs, come on guys Anyway, welcome to the forum! Check the picture post, to get some ideas about what you want to do with your firearm. http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=13312 If you've got basic competence and confidence with using hand tools, you can do your own conversion, there are also people who enjoy helping others work on their guns. Read through the 922r stuff, just so you know how not to get in trouble (there are some links in my sig to go along with it). Finally, we have a vendors section, be sure you buy your parts from those guys, they do pay to have a section and most of them offer extremely good advice on many many topics. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Etek 32 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Welcome, The Gunfixer knob is a must. A Drum mag is supercool Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ladysaiga 0 Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Thanks everyone for the good suggestions. I spent quite a bit of time reading all the newbie stickys that last week before I posted. There is a ton of great information already posted. I did not know that upgrading the gas puck and I am planning on doing the conversion on my own. I have a mechanical background and it sounds pretty straight forward. I appreciate every ones suggestions because they tend to differ from what is posted. You guys also have some sweet looking guns. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone and I am already planning many things for this gun. -Newbie chick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgconnor13 206 Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 (edited) Function is the first thing to look at ways to updrade. No point in having a sweet looking gun that doesn't work or is uncomfortable to shoot. Never hurts to make a list of what features you want and then go find what is closest to what you want. I do that on every gun I've built/ or modified. It's easy to spend money getting all the latest cool stuff and discover you didn't get what you really want in the end. Don't forget to get spare magazines. That an easy thing to over look. Chokes are a great way to increase the effectiveness of any shotgun. The poly choke is a great add on. Maybe look at a choke adapter if you already have a lot of chokes for shotguns you already own. Edited September 24, 2009 by Rusty truck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ladysaiga 0 Posted December 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 (edited) I finally completed the conversion. It turned out great. Was pretty easy. I had to machine a couple things to make it work but I am very happy with the results. MAA Tri-rail, MAA skeleton stock, (I think I like the Tromix one better though) Hogue grips, Modified MAA 410 trigger guard, MAA folding mechanism, MAA prototype barrel shroud, (very cool. I think they will have them for sale soon) Tromix trigger group. Thought you guys would like an update. More pics in the next few days... CP Edited December 14, 2009 by ladysaiga Quote Link to post Share on other sites
diamondback 56 Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Lady Saiga, nice job! I'm a little newer than you and nowhere near as far along (my "build" is only in the on-paper stage right now), but Positive Reinforcement is always a good thing, and us Newbs gotta stick together... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
willhutcherson 7 Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 I finally completed the conversion. It turned out great. Was pretty easy. I had to machine a couple things to make it work but I am very happy with the results. MAA Tri-rail, MAA skeleton stock, (I think I like the Tromix one better though) Hogue grips, Modified MAA 410 trigger guard, MAA folding mechanism, MAA prototype barrel shroud, (very cool. I think they will have them for sale soon) Tromix trigger group. Thought you guys would like an update. More pics in the next few days... CP SWEET. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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