Removing the Sight Rail

[iSaiga 4]

Howzit Saigaphiles!

 

How difficult is it to remove the sight rail from the S12 receiver?

 

What are the steps in the process?

 

Any pitfalls to be avoided or special tools required?

 

Thanks in Advance.

[IVsamhell 0]

just drill out/remove the rivets. two of them are shared and will have to be replaced.

[6500rpm 670]

Pitfalls-it's easier to remove than put back on and you loose the ability to use side rail mounted optics (If you want). If you have the ability to form rivits (have you built AK's etc) it makes it easier to do it and make it look good. The front two rivits need to be removed, and just remove enough of the head on the rear (trunion) rivit to work the rail off it (best achieved with an endmill). This should leave you enough to re-form the trunion rivit without having to drill it out and replace it. I typically form the new head and mill it flat since there's not quite enough to form a good round head. The other two holes can be welded closed or use a shallow plug. It's not rocket science, but it takes a different skill set and a few more tools than a typical conversion to do and have it look factory. Makes for a good project if you like that stuff.

[iSaiga 4]

Thank You. So, do you remove the head on the rear(trunnion)rivet on the outside of the receiver and then flatten the remaining shaft to form the head of the rivet?

[6500rpm 670]

I added a few pics to help you. The first is of a gun that I removed the rail on showing the re-formed and shaved rivit at the pencil (other two holes have been Tig welded up and ground flat). Old rail is sitting above original mounting location. Rivit heads were cut off with a 1/4" end mill (If you have a decent drill press you could probably get satisfactory results), I have a small milling machine. The same endmill bit can also be used to cut the trunion rivit flat like the others on the gun after forming or just use a file.

The second picture shows a few home made tools for forming the rivit. The big one is used in a press for forming long rivits (rear trunion rivits) on AK's (note the backer on the bottom for supporting the other side of the long rivit). Also shows a down and dirty way that still gives good results that uses a air chissel (air hammer) that I shaped the insert to form the rivit head round (still uses a backer on the other side) Also pictured is the endmill. In either case you form a round headed rivit and cut it flat.

 

This link is by a guy on youtube that does the best job of explaining AK builds that I've ever found. I highly recommend everyone watch all of his stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3OOPoQVGfM