ATI Strike Force handguards

[icefire 10]

Anybody used the ATI Strike Force upper and lower handguards on a Saiga 7.62?

 

Being a noob, I'm interested to know if folks liked them, as well as:

 

1. For the upper, would it fit right onto the stock saiga gas tube, or would a different tube be needed?

and

 

2. For the lower, would a retainer, like the Dinzag lower retainer be needed, or would it bolt up tight with the stock hardware?

 

it's advertized for AK's not Saigas, so I think I would probably need these other parts.

 

kinda like the 3 short rails, and it is a bit different than a K-var, but similar...

 

Thanks, Icefire

[seanie 6]

You'll need a new gas tube and some sort of lower reatainer.

[Big Boss 21]

I did some looking in to ATI because I was thinking of going with a thumbhole stock at first, but I have read a lot of negative things about ATI. You should look in to something a tad better, IMO, but to each their own.

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

Sorry for this if you have your mind made up but Midwest Industries makes a metal rail specific to a saiga rifle and it is only a few dollars more then the strike force. Shop around as distribtors are often cheper then the company. When I was looking there was a guy on here who melted his polymer rail to his barrel. I had seen a comment like that on another type of non metal rail I liked and that was part of the reason I crossed off the strike force and the Tapco Galil style rail off my list. UTG makes a nice rail but it is foreign made and thus doesn't count toward 922r compliance.

[icefire 10]

I havent made my mind up yet, just looking around and asking before I buy anything. What I'm looking for, is some kind of semi-traditional looking AK upper and lower, black plastic to match my stock, (Tapco), and SAW grip, with short rails on the bottom and sides. I'm not too fond of the Stock Saiga, "covers everything" handguard. So, for a more traditional look without using wood, I was looking at these others. I have seen the K-Var and ATI, and have not decided yet. If there was a tri rail that was short,not like the full length handguards that cover up all the way to the gas block, I would consider it...Any suggestions?

 

And I havent read anything too bad about ATI, but that's why I'm asking all of you first, to see if there IS anything about them I should know...

 

I might just mount short rails on a Saiga galil style handguard if I cant figure something else out...

 

Thanks for the comments...I'll keep looking around..

Edited February 9, 2010 by icefire

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

[photoshooter 5]

Have you looked at the Tapco offerings? I think the Intrafuse upper and lower handguards can be had with or without rails.

CSS handguard page

 

Edited to add:

Hogue has just come out with rubber overmold AK handguards. They are listed on their website but I'm not even sure if they're actually available yet. I ordered a set and have yet to get confirmation. In any case if these are as grippy and comfy as Hogue's rubber pistol grips I'm going to love them. They have rail sections that can be installed or left off.

Here is a pic from the SHOT show a few weeks ago.

 

 

Edited again to add:

My Hogue order went through so I guess the new AR furniture is shipping.

Edited February 9, 2010 by photoshooter

[Frankyoz 15]

Also I have heard mixed reviews does the galil style tapco handguard come with a heat shield. i have heard conflicting reports. I know the plastic one recently metled was a intrafuse and they do not have a heat shield.

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

The Tapco AK Galil handguard does not come with a heat shield.

[icefire 10]

TTF, Thats a nice looking handguard setup, right in line what I'm looking for. Thats made by Midwest? Do you have a part number?....I like it.

[seanie 6]

MI-AK is the standard AK handguard, and there's an MI-AK-S that's a Saiga-specific one. I haven't actually seen the Saiga one though, so I don't know what the difference between the two is.

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

That is the Midwest Industries AK guard that I ordered because I have a romanian gas tube. I found it at another distributor who has them for $109 with Free shipping...they make them in three colors earth, olive and black. PM me if you need a link. The AK one will fit the saiga gas tube with a little filing...as a friend did it...but now they make the saiga specific one. I like it because it is US made, for 922r AND it's metal.

[photoshooter 5]

I prefer quality items and in general more metal, less plastic suits me fine. I often see references to the cheaper handguards not having metal heat shields. I would always opt for a metal heat shield for my own use but just for the sake of conversation I'm sitting here tinkering with the stock Saiga handguard and see that it does not have a heat shield either. It has a small metal reinforcement panel at the very front of the handguard. It's about 2 1/4" long and looks to be there primarily as an anchor point for the sling swivel. I find this interesting. I still prefer metal.

[icefire 10]

Thanks, all. that Midwest piece looks like exactly what I'm looking for. If anyone knows of a place that sells the Saiga version for less than the Midwest company, PM me and let me know. (not the generic AK version)

Thanks