Why buy a saiga 7.62X39

[BrandonfromTampa 1]

I have a saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a saiga better than the AK47's on gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

[SAIGA-Genesis 171]

I have a Saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a Saiga better than the AK47's on Gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

It's brand new with a chrome-lined barrel and is built in the original Russian factory that has always made AKs, and on the same lines as current miltary-issued AK type rifles. It's also made to the ak100+ series rifle specifications, the updated successors of the older AK47. I got mine for around 350. There is little risk in completely screwing the gun up. It's a somewhat tedious process, but it's not very difficult. You also learn a lot about the gun while doing it. That being said, you can buy an Arsenal SGL-21 (Basically a ready-to-go already converted/restored Mil-Spec Saiga)for 650 shipped right now. It's all up to the individual. If you're really that upset about it, you should have researched the gun a bit more. It's very easy to find this information out with a quick Google search.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Why pay $600 for an AK that really isnt the rifle I want? A converted Saiga beats out 90% of the lesser rifles out there called AKs. BTW try finding a Russian AK any other way except for the SGL which I find inferior to most well done Saigas.

[davswn1986 7]

I have a saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a saiga better than the AK47's on gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

 

If you buy a saiga and convert it its made of all new parts. Were as if you buy alot of other Ak's that cost 600 or less they are usually made from parts kits with only new parts being the bare minimum for them to be legal. Also the saiga is russian made. from my personal experience the russian made ak's (saiga's in this case) are superior quality when compared to ak's of different origin. The conversion is pretty hard to mess up as long as you dont rush it. Also if you do the conversion yourself you may be spending 600 for rifle and parts but your getting the equivalent of an arsenal 800 dollar rifle. This is just my opinion of course but if you want the best quality go with a saiga. Or arsenal rifle because they are converted saigas. But arsenal rifle generally cost more than your standard saiga conversion.

[Nailbomb 10,221]

I have a saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a saiga better than the AK47's on gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

The parts you bought like the new off the factory russian made barrel with chrome lining make the package worth it.

 

Spend the $200 to convert and its worth every bit.

[jimdigriz 580]

But arsenal rifle generally cost more than your standard saiga conversion.

 

Yep, but you get more for your purchase, with less trouble. And most people will end up wanting some or all of the additional features. Arsenal guns for the intermediate calibers, and Saiga for 308, 410, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge.

[davswn1986 7]

But arsenal rifle generally cost more than your standard saiga conversion.

 

Yep, but you get more for your purchase, with less trouble. And most people will end up wanting some or all of the additional features. Arsenal guns for the intermediate calibers, and Saiga for 308, 410, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge.

 

Also with the money you dont spend building your rifle you can spend on ammo

[paprotective 362]

The parts to get to point 'A' conversion cost $92 TOTAL..

 

Some have threaded bbl's and some don't.. so for $30 you rent a thread kit and go by a BRAKE for $30 if YOU want it.

 

Total thus far is $160..

 

As all have said before Saiga's are made from NEW parts not PARTS kits and USED parts...

 

You could sell the crappy un-modified Saiga on here for $300, and go buy a ready to go WASR/Century variant for $379-400 from centerfire systems... but QUALITY and accuracy will be abit worse than what you have in the Saiga.

 

This is my opinion.. I own 3 Saiga rifles and am VERY happy with my purchases.

 

 

Al

[Nailbomb 10,221]

You could sell the crappy un-modified Saiga on here for $300, and go buy a ready to go WASR/Century variant for $379-400 from centerfire systems... but QUALITY and accuracy will be abit worse than what you have in the Saiga.

People buy that shit?

[chosenasaiga 0]

I have a saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a saiga better than the AK47's on gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

 

 

First off, saigas today are now $280 $350 range, I paid $400 for mine... 2nd it only cost me $120 to convert with shipping cost. IT IS WORTH IT, you get a totaly new gun and you get to use 30 round/75 drum mags. Why SPEND $30 on a 10 round factor magazine??? when you own 3 factory magazines YOU PAID FOR THE CONVERT!

 

Also AK-47s ARE NOT $600 anymore, that was last year, and even up to $750 at my local gun stores Obama.. I think AK's run $380-$450 now, last gun show I saw one for $440 and internet places are $380ish.

 

 

P.S I heard AK wasrs are peice of crap, junk, built by monkeys.I heard people that love their 'new' wasr 10's and some people hate then, magazines wont load without filing, jams and other problems. It's really simple work, I did it myself and I am not good with tools. If you think YOU CAN NOT DO IT, take it from a 20 year old. Probly the youngest to do a convert on this forum. Now knowing how to do it, I could do another one in a day, mine took a week because I didnt punch out the holes well, as I have heard other people doing the same problem.

 

My gun has a few scratchs in the inside, WHOS GOING IT SEE IT? not going to affect the gun. A few scratches on the outside but it is a AK its built to be tough and abused(well not soaking in a mud puddle)

Edited October 5, 2010 by chosenasaiga

[paprotective 362]

People do... I don't/didn't/won't but some do.. they want it NOW and READY..

 

I want ACCURATE, and found out doing the conversion myself allow me to KNOW my weapon better..

[KC913 324]

I don't get it. People bitch because they're going to have a whopping $500.00 (total, after rifle cost and basic conversion kit) into a newly manufactured Russian AK, but they'll go out and spend $400 and some change on a piece of shit, sloppy, parts kit build.

 

It's pretty hard to fuck anything up while performing a basic conversion. Worst case scenario, you'll end up with a couple of small scratches that can easily be covered later. You literally just drill out a couple of pins and file, grind or drill out a couple of rivets, old parts fall out, new parts go in. Very simple and easy. You can do it in an hour and a half your first time and much quicker every time afterward.

 

Some conversion tutorials tend to over-complicate the process, but it's very straight forward and simple to do. You may even be able to find someone from your area on this forum who would be willing to assist you in your first conversion if needed. Many others have. But, it's a piece of cake and you will be proud of your rifle, having done it yourself. I know I was after my first conversion. And like others have said, it gives you a better understanding of your weapon and how it functions.

 

-KC913

[chosenasaiga 0]

People do... I don't/didn't/won't but some do.. they want it NOW and READY..

 

I want ACCURATE, and found out doing the conversion myself allow me to KNOW my weapon better..

 

 

Yes, I can field strip it blind folded, and take the gas pipe off. It IS my fav rifle of all time, nothing complex, easy to clean.

Edited October 5, 2010 by chosenasaiga

[paprotective 362]

But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

As a side note.. if you DON'T want to convert it.. just put a US Made HANDGUARD (Tapco Intrafuse w/rails $40) and then run your SAIGA SPECIFIC made 30 rounds mags.. (just re-read your 1st post)..

 

Most Saiga Specific mags are US Made by either Surefire/Promag/Tapco.. which means 3 US parts... you only need 1 more (Handguard) and you'd be GOLDEN..

 

If you mean STEEL Combloc/Surplus.. they will not FIT in Saiga's without the mag catch being filed down a hair... You could buy Surefire/Tapco/ProMag mags and have fun..

 

Just sayin'.....

Edited October 5, 2010 by YWHIC

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

I just bought Sx39 for $329+$25s/h, add in another $250-$300 for conversion parts and accessories, which will configure it EXACTLY how I want it.

$600-$650 gets me a brand new, custom build/colors, chrome lined chamber/barrel, Russian AK... Saiga IS Kalashnikov... The Best AK on the market.

 

Converting is too damned easy, if you can fuck up something so simple, then you shouldn't even be handling a firearm... You'll shoot your eye out kid.

 

As said, someone here will snatch that unconverted POS out your hands for $300, sell it and go spend your money on a lesser firearm.

[my762buzz 141]

I have a saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a saiga better than the AK47's on gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

 

Yep big mistake and to make matters worse you seem to have made it illegal contraban by even mentioning 30 round magazine and unconverted saiga in the same sentence.

Your in luck. I happen to have a 922r license and can do you the favor of taking the contraban off your hands before the men in black show up with the gun sniffing dogs.

Just send the rifle to my FFL and you will be clear of this mess. You got off easy this time.

[BrandonfromTampa 1]

I guess I didn't realize that other AK's were so bad. YWHIC, that's an awesome idea about the hand guard. I want to do the full conversion. I like tinkering around with guns. I just don't have a very good track record. But I'll do the hand guard first and then I can run my 30 round magazine out of it. And I never called my gun a pos. I did say that I like the gun in my original post. I'm just nervous about taking my perfectly functioning gun and screwing around with it. I ruined my grandfather's mossberg 151m-b when I was sixteen and I spent a long time trying to fix the thing. But anyway thanks guys. The hand guard bit changes everything. Buy the rifle for $350, spend fifty all told on the hand guard, and as long as you use American hi-cap mags you're good. And as for not doing research the laws that keep you from sticking 30 round magazines in your saiga are actually a combination of several federal laws. I looked it all up last night. 922r is a very short paragraph that references another statute and when you go there it references another. When I bought the gun, I knew it didn't take AK mags, but I thought it was only unlawful if I did something to the gun. I never thought that I could buy a perfectly legal firearm and a perfectly legal magazine and then break the law by putting them together. Something that stupid never occurred to me.

Edited October 5, 2010 by BrandonfromTampa

[SAIGA-Genesis 171]

I guess I didn't realize that other AK's were so bad. YWHIC, that's an awesome idea about the hand guard. I want to do the full conversion. I like tinkering around with guns. I just don't have a very good track record. But I'll do the hand guard first and then I can run my 30 round magazine out of it. And I never called my gun a pos. I did say that I like the gun in my original post. I'm just nervous about taking my perfectly functioning gun and screwing around with it. I ruined my grandfather's mossberg 151m-b when I was sixteen and I spent a long time trying to fix the thing. But anyway thanks guys. The hand guard bit changes everything. Buy the rifle for $350, spend fifty all told on the hand guard, and as long as you use American hi-cap mags you're good. And as for not doing research the laws that keep you from sticking 30 round magazines in your saiga are actually a combination of several federal laws. I looked it all up last night. 922r is a very short paragraph that references another statute and when you go there it references another. When I bought the gun, I knew it didn't take AK mags, but I thought it was only unlawful if I did something to the gun. I never thought that I could buy a perfectly legal firearm and a perfectly legal magazine and then break the law by putting them together. Something that stupid never occurred to me.

As far as the difficulty factor goes, my Saiga was the first gun I ever purchased and I started restoring it the same day that I got it. Just study a couple of the tutorials/videos for an hour or two and you should be good to go. Even if you don't want to do it now, you should keep it as an option down the line; it's not that hard.

[my762buzz 141]

I never thought that I could buy a perfectly legal firearm and a perfectly legal magazine and then break the law by putting them together. Something that stupid never occurred to me.

 

[shades_of_grey 1,092]

...the SGL which I find inferior to most well done Saigas.

 

 

Care to elaborate?

[my762buzz 141]

...the SGL which I find inferior to most well done Saigas.

Care to elaborate?

 

I missed that part too. The paint is about the only thing I could see but big deal if its not duracoated or molyresin coated.

[shades_of_grey 1,092]

...the SGL which I find inferior to most well done Saigas.

Care to elaborate?

 

I missed that part too. The paint is about the only thing I could see but big deal if its not duracoated or molyresin coated.

 

I'll grant you that the finish was pretty fragile on my first couple SGL20's, but the finish on my SGL21's, (newer rifles), has held up very well. Of course, below the factory paint, they're parked, so it's not really an issue.

[shades_of_grey 1,092]

People do... I don't/didn't/won't but some do.. they want it NOW and READY..

 

I want ACCURATE, and found out doing the conversion myself allow me to KNOW my weapon better..

 

 

Yes, I can field strip it blind folded, and take the gas pipe off...

 

Who can't? The beauty of these weapons is their simplicity, (directly contributes to reliability).

 

Field-strip an AR blindfolded and I'll be "impressed".

[jimdigriz 580]

...the SGL which I find inferior to most well done Saigas.

 

 

I found that hard to believe too. Maybe he's only seen guns done by people like Nailbomb and Nalioth and others who are quite adept with this stuff. ;-) My Saiga 5.45 and .223 rifles are good rifles, but they will never be as well done as my SGL31. And they've caused me a lot more trouble, as well as being more expensive (once everything is done).

[paprotective 362]

I feel an SGL would be great.. but I wanted a K' now (last July) and building/tweaking it gives me something to do.. I finally got my 3 straight and reliable.. no FTF/Crap on the 762x39 at all in 1 1/4 years.. just adjusting the new red dot is my concern to be 'spot-on'.

 

The good news is with the irons I'm good out to 100 yards with 4-6" swaths.. so thats GE for me..

 

All done redressing the 762x39 and 545x39 Saiga's.. I think the 308 is done also.. as that is TIGHT now also..

 

maybe an AR to assemble is next...

 

 

 

Al

[KC913 324]

I ruined my grandfather's mossberg 151m-b when I was sixteen and I spent a long time trying to fix the thing.

 

AK internals are way simpler than any other firearm you will ever mess with. It was designed for simplicity and reliability. The receiver isn't filled with 200 moving parts. You have your fire control group (FCG) which is held in place by 1 pin and your hammer and spring which is held in place by another pin, then your recoil spring and bolt / bolt carrier which slides right in place.. Theres really no way to mess it up. You may lose an axis pin, but those kind of parts are easy to come by and very cheap. I keep a few spares of small parts like that, just in case.

 

Hold onto your Saiga and tear it apart after you have spent some time reading more info on this forum and feel comfortable doing it. You won't regret it. Plus, just the money you end up saving when you're able to legally use $9.00 surplus steel AK magazines makes the conversion all worth it. Not to mention how much more comfortable and balanced the rifle is when it's in proper configuration.

 

-KC913

[s2thalayer 13]

I have a saiga 7.62x39, and I like it. It's never jammed on me, and it's accurate enough for what I want it to do. It's fun and cheap to shoot. But the other day I found out that if I put in a 30 round magazine, that has been specifically made for my gun, I'm breaking federal law. Yesterday my friend asked me if I recommend it, and I had to say no. Why spend $400 on a rifle that's going to cost an additional $200 to convert to the gun you really want, when you can just buy an AK47 for $600 and go have fun, without having to buy a whole bunch of parts and without risking turning your rifle into a a hunk of junk? Why is a saiga better than the AK47's on gunbroker? Can anyone convince me that I didn't make a huge mistake buying this thing.

 

if you obey the 922 r law, there is no problem...and personally i passed it with flying colors. i love me some american parts. The conversion in my opinion was fun, taught me a lot about the AK's i knew nothing about after working with AR's. It was a knowledge experience and if you truly love firearms as a hobby, i think gunsmithing is just something that is so fun to do. Loosen up, the conversion shouldnt be a burden...its very simple. Plus you also can brag at the range about how you built yours. In a remote city like Danville, VA where i live...i usually have the only black rifles at the range...and i can say Yeah, i pretty much built this rifle from the reciever. Nothing like the pride of that first shot through it.

 

Also, the idea of personalization. When you convert your rifle and customize it to exactly the way you want it, you should have little to no downsides to your rifle. It should be just how you want it...instead of buying some piece of shit romanian and saying "I love how it shoots but gah i hate this, and this, and this....but ill put up with it". Your gun is personalized to your liking, and now im addicted to that advantage.

 

and lastly, but DEFINITELY not least...performance. Im going to be honest, and maybe this is a radical claim to make, I think my 7.62 Saiga has very comparable accuracy to my AR. at 150 i get around 2 MOA....havent tried it further cause thats the maximum space at the range. im building one on my property so im interested to see how it does further. BUT ANYWAY. Saiga is the ultimate hybrid AK IMHO. And i will probably never buy any other kind unless it is just for collection purposes. Took me a while to buy into them, but now im just that...completely bought into them.

 

P.S. Aresenal sucks. Harry Reid lovin bastards. I'll be damned if they'll get a dollar from me, and their little dog kvar too.