Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 So heres my first ever Saiga conversion. I'm a bit afraid now that it wont be my last. I've been bitten by the SBS Saiga 12 bug. Anyway, here we go: Heres how it looked when I picked it up. And after an hour or so on the bench. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I figured the easiest way to get MOST of the parts needed for the conversion was to buy an AK74 parts kit. It has the rear sight blade, gas block, front sight, , cleaning rod, muzzle device, trigger guard/ mag latch, gas tube, handguard retainer, and pistol grip hardware needed for the Saiga conversion. It also has the furniture that could be used but I'm not using it. This method was actually less expensive than hunting and buying all the parts individually, plus it leaves me a bunch of stuff to sell off and recoup a large portion of my money. After selling the majority of the leftovers I'm about 20 bucks in on the parts I kept. Sometimes I'm brilliant. But not usually. I didnt want to go with wood on this build so I picked up a set of K-var plum furniture. This also counts as 3 US made parts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Homemade trigger guard rivet jig. Just add 4 tons of force to smash rivets The middle piece is slotted to allow for fore and aft adjustment and the threaded stud gives adjustability for different width guards. Receiver with holes welded up and some cheap primer shot on. Had to weld up seven small rivet holes and one rectangular trigger hole. After it's built and tested it's gonna get stripped back down and gun-kote'd Bullet guide. Cycled a mag through by hand and works awesome! Stole the idea from DinzagArms ( sorry ). AK74 lower retainer, gas tube, and gas block installed. Thinking about chopping a few inches off the barrel and backing the FSB up to the gas block. I'll then pin/ weld the brake on to keep from having to buy a stamp. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Got the trigger guard riveted in! K-var stuff showed up today Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Mark 2,452 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 For your first conversion you are doing an awesome job! Looking forward to seeing her all finished up. I just recently did a plum X39 but did not do the gas block, FSB and brake. That will be a beautiful rifle when you are finished! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thehopping1 105 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 +1 to what Dave said. Looks awesome man, keep up the good work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mav 459 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Wow, great job so far, you have loads of patience, I'm jealous, looking forward to more pics, that is gonna be a FINE looking rifle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR Young 175 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 That's looking fantastic, especially for a first time build. Where are you at in Cleveland? We may have to get together and throw some lead downrange sometime! You can shoot my S12.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Thanks for the props guys! I did a bunch of lurking here, reading posts and staring at pictures for awhile before I broke out the drill bits, lol. TR Young: I'm in Old Brooklyn. Hey are you on the OFCC site? I need to buy a crown tool so I can finish this up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR Young 175 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Thanks for the props guys! I did a bunch of lurking here, reading posts and staring at pictures for awhile before I broke out the drill bits, lol. TR Young: I'm in Old Brooklyn. Hey are you on the OFCC site? I need to buy a crown tool so I can finish this up. I have an account on the OFCC site, but I haven't been there in almost a year. I would really like to put together a North Central Ohio shoot, either this fall or in the spring. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Getting closer now, took it to the range today and ran 150 rounds through it with only 1 failure to feed when I tried to bump fire it. Now I just need to get it blasted and decide which finish to apply. Notice that I even managed to reinstall the BHO Anyone notice anything odd or different? (besides the primer lol) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mav 459 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Are you talking about the FSB backed right up to the GB? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vjor 2 Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 WOW, I see people really cooking in here big time, nice gun and really nice work done on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted November 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 Blasted, parked, and Duracoated. Next up: deciding on an optic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paprotective 362 Posted November 22, 2009 Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 Wow. Very nice work Frank. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulry 50 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Just a question, by cutting back does it change the gas impulse that operates the action? Any changes needed to the recoil spring? Always wondered about this on the pistols and Krinks. It's one sweet ride my friend! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saigafreake 27 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 very nice and clean great job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mav 459 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Excellent! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank Rizzo 8 Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Thanks guys! FP: I didnt have to mess with the gas system at all ( thank goodness ). The distance from the chamber to the gas port didnt change at all. Pistols and Krinks that I have, have different gas port locations and sizes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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