operationlattethunder 1 Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Hi. I'm Aaron. New to the forum, new to AK's. First, lemme give a big thanks to those who run this forum, as it has more information than I know what to do with, and is helpful beyond measure. Second, like the title says, I cannot wait to start this conversion. After reading endless hours through the threads on here, I was convinced to buy a Saiga and l plan on wasting no time getting it to it's true AK form. I plan on getting close to an AK74, with a few tweaks of my own. It may not appeal to the purists that prefer being historically correct and all that, but it should still prove to be pretty effin sweet. Drove to Columbus today and picked up my 'sporter' from Gun Envy. Nice guys, great price. I've sworn to myself that I'm going to shoot this thing in factory form to ensure function before I rip it apart, but I'm strugglin. Plans: I already got a hold of Mark through the for sale listings, and I'm going to snag a Bulgy furniture set, FSB, and Brake. I think I'm gonna refinish the wood in a real dark grey or almost black, as I like the look of the all black 74 but hate the plastic furniture. I still have to source a Bulgy gas tube, Tapco FCG, FHG retainer, bullet guide(round trunion), and a black pistol grip(probably Hogue). Gonna grab a couple Tapco mags, so in addition to the FCG I'll be 922r good to go. Oh- I listed in the WTB subcategory, but if anybody has the few bits I'm lookin for, let me know. Also, let me know if you fellas have any ideas that would suit my build that you think I should add. Thanks, -ASC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Well I've finally got everything together, and I'm hoping to see all the parts by Tuesday: -Hit a local gun show yesterday and snagged a gas tube, pistol grip bolt and nut, and LHG retainer that I'm gonna modify, all out of unissued parts kits. -Got my Tracking number from Mark, so my FSB, Brake, and furniture are on their way. -Just ordered from CSS, and completed the list with the Tapco G2, shepherd's hook, nylon plugs, and a couple Tapco 5.45 mags. I skipped the Bullet guide for now, as most of the reading up I've done suggests running it once it's all done to see if you need it or not. The only bit I'm really concerned about is drilling and pinning the FSB on. Other than that, should be smooth sailing. Wish me Luck! -ASC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrThunder88 912 Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Cool! Let us know how it turns out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR Young 175 Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Welcome to the forums! It doesn't matter what the 'purists' think; these guns belong to the owner and he/she can do with them as they please, or as their bank accounts allow... LOL! Where you at in Ohio? I moved back to PA after 15 years in Ohio in the Canton/Massillon area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 Where you at in Ohio? I moved back to PA after 15 years in Ohio in the Canton/Massillon area. Cincishitty.. er... nnati. Oh- And I'm makin progress. I'm in the garage typin with greasy fingers right now. Vika (the rifle) is completely stripped. Pics to follow. -ASC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK. Well, my thought to cut out the center of a regular lower handguard retainer went to shit just now when i went to press it on the barrel and the tab that I had left for the bolt and nut broke the hell off. Looks like I'm stuck buyin the bolt on one from CSS, except now, instead of the $50 they have listed, it's gonna cost me closer to $70 with the one I just threw away. FML. -ASC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 Pics as promised... Right outta the box: My rigged gun vise. Actually worked really well: Quick shout out to Greg @ CSS for a killer instructional YouTube video: Stocks off: Drillin the stock FCG hinge pins. (you can see the zip tie on the hammer/hammer spring. that's an excellent little tidbit): Now, on this, DO WHAT THE CSS VIDEO SAYS... I see a lot of tutorials on here where folks grind and dremel the rivets off from the bottom and make a mess of the receiver. DRILL THEM FROM THE TOP. So easy, and you don't make a mess of the trigger guard, so you can re-use it when you're a tight wad like me. FSB dimples drilled: Split the side of the FSB with a dremel: Came right off with a few taps from a dead blow hammer: Now we wait on the mailman: And a shout out to the Saiga 12 forum for the endless info: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NM0 586 Posted April 4, 2011 Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 Looking good. Got to love process pics. Gives the rest of us the opportunity to vicariously relive a conversion. You still may be able to reuse the factory trigger guard even with the messed up front hole. Some of us have the factory one jammed under the mag release without it being bolted. Mines been that way for a few years now and it is still as tight as ever. Look forward to the final version. Have fun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Some of us have the factory one jammed under the mag release without it being bolted. Oh I didn't mess it up... I should have been more clear. That's why I was saying to drill from the top. It let me pop the 3 rivets from the top side, and then drill the trigger guard spot weld from the top of the cover plate, leaving the trigger guard in pristine shape. ...and I plan to jam it under the mag catch as you say. -ASC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vulcan16 971 Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Some of us have the factory one jammed under the mag release without it being bolted. Oh I didn't mess it up... I should have been more clear. That's why I was saying to drill from the top. It let me pop the 3 rivets from the top side, and then drill the trigger guard spot weld from the top of the cover plate, leaving the trigger guard in pristine shape. ...and I plan to jam it under the mag catch as you say. -ASC I prefer grinding the rivets with a rotary carbide bit instead of drilling them. It leaves no holes to fill later, and doesn't mess up the receiver or trigger guard. Its a method that Gregm showed me, and it looks great when done. I've done at least 7 restorations since, and each one only takes an extra 15 minutes or so to complete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tStreets 1 Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Some of us have the factory one jammed under the mag release without it being bolted. Oh I didn't mess it up... I should have been more clear. That's why I was saying to drill from the top. It let me pop the 3 rivets from the top side, and then drill the trigger guard spot weld from the top of the cover plate, leaving the trigger guard in pristine shape. ...and I plan to jam it under the mag catch as you say. -ASC I prefer grinding the rivets with a rotary carbide bit instead of drilling them. It leaves no holes to fill later, and doesn't mess up the receiver or trigger guard. Its a method that Gregm showed me, and it looks great when done. I've done at least 7 restorations since, and each one only takes an extra 15 minutes or so to complete. +1 on this technique... I was very pleased with having no holes to plug (thats what she said) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NM0 586 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 You were clear. I got your lower hand guard retainer comment mixed up with the trigger guard...oops. Anyway, keep up the good work and look forward to the final product. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Update: Got my goods from Mark. He is great to deal with. Tracking number in my email right off the bat, everything showed up quick, and packaging was excellent. Also got my goods from CSS. Props to Greg. I placed my order on Sunday, and then proceeded to FUBAR my lower HG retainer. Monday morning I called him and added a bolt on LHG retainer, and he went and found my order, stuffed it in the box, and it still made it here by today(Wednesday). Awesome. I've got her all put together and I'm happy with the way everything came out. I didn't paint the bottom of the receiver yet, and I also still plan on refinishing the furniture, so there's still a bit to do. Since EVERYTHING on this rifle is foreign, except for the FCG, I've gotta run American mags. Maybe that's not such a bad thing, since I've cycled the crap out of it, and the 5.45 is feeding out of the Tapco mags with no bullet guide with no problems. We'll see how that holds up when actually shooting. Oh, and I got finished tonight, and it was too late to go pick up a couple 1/8" roll pins for the front sight. I've got it drilled, just no pins yet. Here she is: And one with her step-sister: 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NM0 586 Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Looks good. Congrats on conversion. It will be interesting to see what you do to the furniture. Have fun running her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
operationlattethunder 1 Posted April 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 It will be interesting to see what you do to the furniture. I like the classic light wood look, but I'm still leaning towards refinishing them with a dark charcoal grey stain and switching out for a hogue grip. I may buy another set of furniture from Mark if he has them to refinish in blonde, just to have them around. Also... I beat her up a little in the process, and I think I'd like to refinish the metal now that it's all together. I have access to my father's blast cabinet for stripping purposes, but don't know what method to try for the refinish. -ASC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedmanRC 2 Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I do like my hogue grip, got all my conversion stuff from CSS, was shipped well and fast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tStreets 1 Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Has anyone figured out how to use the hollow grip of the hogue grip for anything? I attempted to shove my cleaning kit in there, but failed... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrThunder88 912 Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 I keep two CR123 batteries for my light and whatever button cell my optic uses in mine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tStreets 1 Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I keep two CR123 batteries for my light and whatever button cell my optic uses in mine. If you're being serious about this, what do you use at the bottom of the grip to retain the batteries? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrThunder88 912 Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 Hogue makes something they call a "cargo management system". I picked one up at Optics Planet. They also sell kits that include both the storage kit and the grip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tStreets 1 Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 +1 on the cargo management system...gonna have to grab one Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blowstuffup 1 Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) When I looked into buying a saiga and changing to ak hand guards (getting different gas tube and lower retainer plus furniture) from the stock saiga ones and adding the fsb, and muzzle device it came out to be more expensive to buy all the parts separately than to get an arsenal. Am I missing something? Edited April 29, 2011 by blowstuffup Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CPF 80 Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just a quick unrelated question. Your Saiga has a feature like mine that I don't see on anyone else's. Above the pistol grip, there is what looks like a nice size rectangle of little ridges that mine also has. What is that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blowstuffup 1 Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 It's where the importer marking was scratched out because the importer company changed from RAAC to Mercury Hermes. It looks terrible. I got stuck with the same thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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