leglez 0 Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 I am getting ready to do my first conversion on a Saiga 5.45. Here is everything I have ordered so far, am I missing anything? Saiga 5.45 from AtlanticFirearms Tapco Fire Control Group from DinzagArms - FCGPGC1 Triggerguard and Conversion Kit from DinzagArms - CONVKIT K-Var AK Plum ButtStock - AKBSNP Houge AK Pistol Grip From HougeStore I have a Dremel, Variable Speed Drill, Vises, Pliers, High Quality Drill Bits, and Screw Drivers. I plan on ordering a rubber mallet, is there any other stuff I should order? Do I need punches or taps or whatever they are called or any files of any sort or will a dremel work for that? Any certain dremel bits I should order? I have cut off wheels, but they are the cheap kind that break real easy. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kresk 10,063 Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Retainer plate? Or are you going to reuse the shepherds crook? PG screw and nut? Plum foregrips to match the stock? If so you probably want Dinzag's lower hand guard retainer, and a regular gas tube.. Hi-cap mags? Flash hider? Bullet ramp? Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted April 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 CONVKIT conversion kit (includes Pg nut & screw, triggerguard, drills, hardware, hole plugs, etc) Right now I am going to keep the original foregrip and then next payday I plan on ordering the foregrip and all the stuff to get that on, along with more mags. I probably will not order a flash hider for a bit. And I have read a few threads on a few different forums and everyone is saying that ak74 mags will load fine in the 5.45 without the bullet ramp. So I plan on testing that out and if I run into problems then I will order the bullet ramp. I didn't even think of the retaining plate. It looks like Dinzag sells one for $8. Is it worth it to order that or reuse the shepherds crook? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L5K 162 Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 I also read that it would work fine without the bullet guide, but I got one just to be sure. When I got my mags in, I tried it just to see if everyone was right, and it hand cycled 59 out of 60 rounds fine, the one jam was when the round planted it's nose right into the bottom of the barrel.....right where a bullet guide would have made the difference. So, that night I installed the bullet guide that I had planned to do anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kresk 10,063 Posted May 1, 2010 Report Share Posted May 1, 2010 I didn't even think of the retaining plate. It looks like Dinzag sells one for $8. Is it worth it to order that or reuse the shepherds crook? The plate is much easier to install--worth the $8. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2010 I didn't even think of the retaining plate. It looks like Dinzag sells one for $8. Is it worth it to order that or reuse the shepherds crook? The plate is much easier to install--worth the $8. Ok thanks I am adding the plate plus bullet guide to my order from dinzag Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paprotective 362 Posted May 1, 2010 Report Share Posted May 1, 2010 Try to find the Fiberglass reinforced cut off wheels. The regular ones shatter REAL easy with any angle.. Harbor Freight has them for $6 (with new arbor) or try the Home Depot/Lowes. If you go from the rear of the receiver and work your way toward the front when removing the bottom plate you will be surprised how fast you can cut the rivets. Just pry the plate from the back abit (where the lower tang'y thing is) and hack the first rivet, then bend the plate up to #2 and repeat, then bend the plate again and hack off #3.. Make sure you plug the bbl (inside receiver side) with something to keep the debris out.. Lot of pics on here under EVERY section on how to... Al Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2010 I went ahead and bought a kit for my dremel. Needed some new bits for it anyways and for $20 I figured why not. Here I think I am set now. Just hoping that my FFL sent off his information to Atlantic today. He was walking out the door when I went in to drop of the info yesterday. So I left it with a note so I gotta call Monday and see if he sent it off. I also got a shipping notice from Dinzag, so I am hoping to have everything here by the time the Saiga comes in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Wow! I already received my shipment from Dinzag. Ordered Friday, shipped Saturday and it was here Monday. I called today to remind my FFL to send off his FFL information so I am hoping the Saiga goes out in the next day or two. Also waiting on my grip from Hogue to ship. The status changed to exported today so I am hoping it goes out tomorrow. Then I should have everything by the time my Saiga comes in. Now just gotta pickup some 5.45, probably going to wait till next payday and then buy 2 cases of it from Aim. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Just got a notice that the Saiga shipped via fedex today. So I should be getting it sometime between Wednesday and Friday. Saturday I am going out shooting with some buddies and I have Thursday and Friday off so I should be able to get the conversion done it time to take it out. Unfortunately I don't have any 30 round magazines or much ammo. I bought the last box of 5.45 that my FFL had, and aimsurplus ran out the 5.45 magazines today. So I am waiting for them to get more before I order ammo and magazines. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 What am I supposed to use to hold the new trigger group in place? Do I reuse the old pins? How do you get it to stay? Or do I run a screw through it. What is the easiest and most common way of doing it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paprotective 362 Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 You reuse the GRAY pins. They push thru. You need a retainer plate $8 to hold the FCG in. Hope this helps. Check the VIDEO's and pictures on here.. Albert Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 Ahh wow thats what I get for waking up early and working on this without much sleep haha. I was looking at the retainer plate on the table trying to figure out what i needed it for. I got it all together now. Only thing left is to install the bullet guide. I ordered 4x AK-74 magazines from centerfire today. If I install the bullet guide will I still be able to use this stock Saiga magazine until I get the new magazines. Also is there anywhere to buy cheap bolt on hand guard retainers? I would love to go ahead and get the handguards, but don't really want to go about pressing off the front sight and everything right now. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paprotective 362 Posted May 15, 2010 Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 You MAY use factory mags. you will have to take off about 1/8" off the top edge. (what I did with my 5.45) Better to wait and just compare the factory mags to the ones you get in to be safe with the 'removal'. Just buy a lower HG retainer from CSS (like $29) CSS also sells the gas tube w/upper retainer as well, or buy a non-modified lower HG (and gas-tube w/retainer) from 'centerfire' or maybe copes, but be warned when you modify it, its a close GREAT --- to a dismal WTF did I do and waste the $15-17 for the non-modified one.. IMHO. Albert Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 (edited) I got the bullet guide installed, and modified the original mag to fit. Its extremely tight, but I am going to wait till I get my new mags in to modify it anymore. So I am going to need to get the following to install handguards: Gas Tube - $30 Handguard Retainer - $29.95 Lower Handguard and Upper Handguard - $61 So looking at like $130 after shipping. How much does it cost to install the real hand guard retainer? Are there any individuals or companies that I can send the rifle to to have the FSB pushed off and install the handguard retainer and a new FSB and compensator? Edited May 15, 2010 by leglez Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leglez 0 Posted May 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 I got my magazines and stuff in today, they all fit perfect, once I found the right way to roll them in. Now just gotta wait for this damn rain to quit for more than 5 minutes so I can get a chance to get out to shoot it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
number1punk 17 Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Gas Tube - $30 Handguard Retainer - $29.95 Lower Handguard and Upper Handguard - $61 dumping that first 30 rounds through your converted rifle....priceless Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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