Jump to content

Saiga .308 enters the conversion phase


Recommended Posts

  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

If the pistolgrip, stock, and trigger group is american - you should be covered. Doesn't the hammer, hook, and latch, count seperatly? I followed sheiks instructions and the part count kinda fell into place.

I've never done it, but there is a pressed pin that has to be hammered out with a punch.

red star arms instruction page says this on the subject:

GAS PISTON INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

 

1.INSURE THE RIFLE IS UNLOADED AND REMOVE THE BOLT CARRIER ASSEMBLY FROM THE RIFLE.

 

2. REMOVE THE BOLT FROM THE CARRIER.

 

3. LOCATE THE 3MM DIAMETER CROSS-PIN (THE PIN SIZE MAY VARY BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN) THAT RETAINS THE GAS PISTON TO THE CARRIER. IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE FINISH FROM THE CARRIER IN ORDER TO LOCATE THE CROSS-PIN ENTRANCE AND EXIT HOLES IN THE CARRIER.

 

4. USE A NAIL SET OR DRIFTPUNCH TO START THE CROSS PIN MOVING AND A DRIFT PIN PUNCH TO DRIVE THE PIN THRU THE HOLE. IF EXCESSIVE FORCE IS REQUIRED TO DRIVE THE CROSS-PIN OR IF THE CROSS-PIN REFUSES TO MOVE, CENTERPUNCH ONE END OF THE CROSS-PIN AND USE A 3MM DRILL BIT TO DRILL .10" DEEP INTO THE CROSS-PIN. DRIVE THE CROSS-PIN OUT FROM THE SIDE YOU HAVE DRILLED.

 

NOTE: THE CROSS-PINS ARE OFTEN PEINED INTO COUNTERSUNK AREAS ON THE CARRIER. WHEN DRIVING THE CROSS PIN OUT IT IS NECESSARY TO DISPLACE THIS METAL BEFORE THE PIN WILL MOVE.

 

5. CHUCK A 3MM DRILL BIT INTO A DRILL PRESS AND INSERT THE BIT THRU BOTH HOLES IN THE BOLT CARRIER WITH THE BOLT CARRIER HELD LOOSELY IN A DRILL VISE. USING THE DRILL BIT TO POSITION THE BOLT CARRIER, TIGHTEN THE DRILL PRESS VICE SECURELY AGAINST THE BOLT CARRIER.

 

6. THREAD THE RED STAR ARMS GAS PISTON INTO THE CARRIER. IT SHOULD SCREW IN USING ONLY THE HAND. A PAIR OF PLIERS, PADDED WITH A THIN RUBBER SHEET, MAY BE REQUIRED. IN CASES IN WHICH THE FEMALE THREAD OF THE CARRIER HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY THE REMOVAL OF THE CROSS-PIN A 12MM X 1.25MM TAP SHOULD BE USED TO CHASE THE THREADS.

 

7. DRILL THRU THE GAS PISTON USING THE 3MM DRILL BIT ON THE SAME LOCATION AS THE TWO 3MM HOLES IN THE BOLT CARRIER.

 

8. INSERT A NEW 3MM CROSS-PIN INTO THE HOLE. THE CROSS PIN SHOULD BE LONGER THAN THE HOLE IS DEEP, AND EXCESS STOCK SHOULD BE POSITIONED EQUALLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BOLT CARRIER. USE A HAMMER AND PUNCH TO PEIN THE ENDS OF THE CROSS-PIN INTO THE COUNTERSINKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BOLT CARRIER HOLE. DRESS THE ENDS OF THE CROSS-PIN FLUSH WITH THE SURFACE OF THE BOLT CARRIER.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I got an answer on my post on the General Saiga part of the forum, Mrapathy2000 said he thinks the piston is just peened to hold it in place and that there is no pin. When I looked at mine I thought that the pin might have been welded in because of the indents, but they do look like pressed in dimples. I will try to drill out the dimples and that should do it even if they are pinned.

 

I am using a Romanian stock so I have to go for the extra part. Pistol grip, three FCG pieces and the gas piston.

 

The issue is that the Saigas are based on a newer AK and some things are different, like the length of the piston being shorter. A lot of the stuff on the web is for AK47 or early AKM based rifles.

 

More later, how's your s going? Did you get it back yet?

Link to post
Share on other sites

The U.S. made pistons are a bit longer than the factory unit but they will work,I put one in my 7.62x39 conversion,it just sits a little deeper in the gas block but still behind the gas port so it will work fine,the piston is pinned,the dimples peen the ends of the pin so it doesnt walk out.If you sand the paint off the end of the bolt carrier and apply a bit of diluted cold blue the two different steels(bolt carrier and pin) will take on different colors enough that you can see the pin and select the proper size drill bit.Drill out the pin and remove and replace the piston with the U.S. unit.Go to ace hdwr and get a roll pin or tension pin and grind it to length and install in place of the factory pin-or-if you have a hobby shop nearby that has a K&G metal center(a little disply that holds brass and aluminum rods,tubes and sheets)get the size brass rod that fits snugly in the hole,cut it 1/16" too long on both sides and slip it in the hole then peen the ends and grind it flush,repaint with hi-temp enamel and youre done,you should have a bit of wiggle in the piston but if you dont it`s still O.K.

Bossman

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

You raise a question I've been wondering about as well. The .308 cartridge is a half inch longer than the 7.62x39, so I'm guessing the gas piston is a half inch shorter to allow sufficient travel to fully cycle the action. This means an AK47 piston won't work in the .308. Anybody know for sure?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Chatbox

    Load More
    You don't have permission to chat.
×
×
  • Create New...