shooter2 5 Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 (edited) Homebrew vs. JNewt, round 1!! My two Saiga-12s. Homebrew conversion on top (my house gun), JNewt conversion on the bottom. STATS Homebrew: * 2001 vintage, 19" fixed cylinder-bore barrel, pistol-style sights, no BHO * FSE trigger group * ACE Galil pistol grip * FSE fixed "Krinkov" style stock with Bulgarian buttpad JNewt: * 2000 vintage, 19" barrel with screw chokes (Cyl. installed), pistol-style rear sight with clamp-on AK-type front tower, factory BHO * Tapco G2 trigger group * ACE Galil pistol grip * ACE sidefolding stock with buttpad THE MATCHUP Parts: Homebrew's FSE trigger has about 1/2" of takeup and a bit of a mushy break, while JNewt's Tapco trigger has ZERO takeup, and breaks very cleanly. Stocks are equally comfortable, but Homebrew's is fixed while JNewt's is a folder. Homebrew uses a modified sporter triggerguard and selector stop and a wire pin retainer (aka "shepherd's crook"); JNewt uses a modified AKM triggerguard/selector stop and a Red Star retaining plate. Advantage JNewt Sights: Homebrew has a large front post and a wide rear notch; very easy for my lousy eyes to pick up quickly. JNewt has a much longer sight radius and a narrower rear notch; it should theoretically be more accurate with slugs, but the sight arrangement is slower to use. Advantage Neither Conversion: Homebrew features button-head screws filling the leftover pin/rivet holes; JNewt's holes have been completely welded over. Advantage JNewt Finish: Homebrew retains most of the factory finish; the "scars" on the bottom from the conversion process were covered by black spraypaint. JNewt was beadblasted and entirely refinished in Gunkote after conversion, and the markings were highlighted in silver. Advantage JNewt Price: Homebrew = cost of conversion parts and stock, plus $20 to buy dinner for my buddy the machinist. JNewt = cost of stock, plus shipping to OK, plus $200 for labor and conversion parts Advantage Homebrew ROUND 1 RESULTS Homebrew = 1 JNewt = 3 Draw = 1 The JNewt conversion wins round one! Round two - SHOOTOFF! Stay tuned!! Edited August 24, 2005 by shooter2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaltPeter 6 Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 You're probably gonna find when you shoot the homebrew that the clamp on light will slide around. I had a hell of a time with a barrel clamp for my light prompting me to install a rail system. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted May 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 You're probably gonna find when you shoot the homebrew that the clamp on light will slide around. I had a hell of a time with a barrel clamp for my light prompting me to install a rail system. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've shot the Homebrew in the configuration shown. Neither the light nor the mount has shifted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaltPeter 6 Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 Must be a good clamp then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
curt 0 Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 a front sight has a lot less mass than a light so it won't move around. What kind of pistol sight did jnewt use on the rear? I'm thinking about using a Berretta 92 sight on mine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted May 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 What kind of pistol sight did jnewt use on the rear? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The rear sight is the standard pistol-style Saiga rear, not a sight off of a pistol... I believe the Russians refer to it as the "M4"; they can be found on Ebay et al. from time to time, or from Rusmilitary.com. It's the one that matches up with the bolt-on front sight tower. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CGuns 3 Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Why do you think there was a trigger difference? Was it a matter of installation, or the parts quality? (ie. Difference in quality btw FSE and Tapco?) Rgds, CGuns Quote Link to post Share on other sites
inparidel 4 Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 You're probably gonna find when you shoot the homebrew that the clamp on light will slide around. I had a hell of a time with a barrel clamp for my light prompting me to install a rail system. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ditto. Clamps. AND front FSBs are not really a help. The original design was the best that decades of R&D couls produce. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Why do you think there was a trigger difference? Was it a matter of installation, or the parts quality? (ie. Difference in quality btw FSE and Tapco?) I'm guessing the latter. The G2 trigger packs - both the new ones from Tapco and the older ones from Gordon Technologies - have always been excellent, IME. I used the FSE parts in my conversion because they were inexpensive and readily available at the time, where the G2s were not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 I've made some changes to the #2 gun since having it out for its initial range session. First and foremost, I ditched the ACE folder in favor of their "pig nose" adapter and a 6-position AR stock. MUCH more comfortable. Also added an OKO red dot sight on a Belarus mount, and got my hands on a big-boy mag. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CGuns 3 Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 SWEET!!! Was that the OKO from your M4 carbine? Is it with the 4 MOA dot or the 8 MOA dot? How does it work on there? Tapco FCG for me. You are running double hooks on both of your conversions, correct? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MadDog 3 Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Shooter2, Do you want to sell the ACE folding stock that you "ditched" as I need another one for Saiga-12 numba 2... MadDog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Was that the OKO from your M4 carbine? Is it with the 4 MOA dot or the 8 MOA dot? How does it work on there? Bonus points for paying attention in class! Actually, that OKO came off my 9mm AR. The one from my M4 went onto my M-11/9 SMG. 4 MOA dot. Fit was an issue; the spacing of the slots on the Belarus mount didn't match up with the spacing of the crossmembers on the sight's roll cage mount. Had a choice between dremeling the Belarus mount or running the sight without the roll cage. Did the latter; that also dropped the sight down another 1/2" or so (a good thing in this application). I've not had the gun out to shoot since putting the mount on there; that will happen this weekend. Tapco FCG for me. You are running double hooks on both of your conversions, correct? Nope, single hooks in both. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shooter2 5 Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Do you want to sell the ACE folding stock that you "ditched" Already long gone, my man. Thanks for asking though! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PogueMahone 0 Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 i am really liking that galil pistol grip! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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