PoisonYouth 4 Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Hey guys, I found myself using this forum an awful lot during the research phase of my build. I'd like to share the wealth and immortalize "Ana" for the world to see. I wish I had a mountaintop to display her from, but this figurative perch in cyberspace will do just fine. All of these pictures are taken on my phone(Andriod), some at night, so I apologize in advance for any resolution issues. Well here she is boys. To start things out the heat shield on the gas tube was bugging me, so I decided to get rid of it: Isn't she perty?: Dremmeled the rivets and popped the receiver plate off the bottom, now she's ready for paint: Gotta love the wildflowers in the Virginia spring: Time to let her dry, I love how well the paint matched: Got her all assembled after cleaning up the bottom and oiling her up: The final product. I went with a saw grip, eye-relief scope and crappy folding stock for now: Enjoy and Happy "Sporting"!, Poison 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mullet Man 2,114 Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Feels good to convert/restore/deneuter one doesnt it?! Just wait, you'll be doing more like many of us addicts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) Feels good to convert/restore/deneuter one doesnt it?! Just wait, you'll be doing more like many of us addicts. Oh I plan on it! The trigger pull(Tapco) on this thing has to be at least 3 times smoother and lighter. Still have the hand guards and muzzle break to do along with shaving down that damn gas-block pin. We'll be in touch. Oh and 5/16 hitch pins work wonders on this particular rifle's trigger/hammer pins... almost like it was designed for them... Edited April 20, 2011 by PoisonYouth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kevsmif80 0 Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 I have been leaning towards getting a saiga but am kinda scared to take on the conversion. I have seen the videos that make it look easy and I am really considering it. I cant say that I am good with power tools but I have took on home projects and have a pretty good brain capacity for following directions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
essohbe 47 Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Do it! You know you want to, lol... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 I have been leaning towards getting a saiga but am kinda scared to take on the conversion. I have seen the videos that make it look easy and I am really considering it. I cant say that I am good with power tools but I have took on home projects and have a pretty good brain capacity for following directions. If you can maneuver your way around a dremmel and a punch you should be able to pull off the conversion. It's pretty simple, just be careful and check your progress. I'd say go for it, because there isn't a better deal for a chrome lined ak variant out there. Just try not to piss into the wind and cut your receiver up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted May 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) Speaking of the old dremmel, I popped my front sight base off and am waiting for the next paycheck to order the Bulgarian threaded front sight base from K-var. I used a sanding/grinding bit to shave a good amount of material over the dimples and gave it a couple whacks with a hammer(while holding the barrel with an old towel) and it came right off. Another picture of the dimples jutting out after being struck with the hammer I found a funny little knick under the shroud in between the dimples that couldn't have been caused by me. I was using a lead hammer to persuade it off, the picture makes it look new but it's only the flash. I wonder if it gave them hell at the factory (the scrapes were from a slip with the dremmel and are only on the surface and cannot be felt.) Same story with the scratches on the opposite side- surface scratches. Overall, I think I've done a good job removing this thing, considering I'm going for the threaded sight base anyways. I'm scared of drilling into a barrel, just doesn't seem right. This method was fast enough while staying cautious. I'll explain how I get the new one on in a couple weeks. Happy hunting! Edited May 16, 2011 by PoisonYouth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted May 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) Welp, I've taken the plunge and went for the front sight block and compensator today. I know the FSB will need a little fine tuning to fit, but it should be nice and snug(inner diameter of .560, with a barrel diameter of supposedly ".574") A little sand paper on a dowel rod should make short work of it if it needs persuasion. Just couldn't wait! As a little interlude, here's a video of some bump firing after a Sig Sauer 7.62x39 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk8yliCPNvM Edited May 16, 2011 by PoisonYouth 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 (edited) And this is where patience may have served me right, I ordered a Bulgarian FSB from AA-OK and then looked up on the reputation of the website... and apparently they like to sell airsoft parts as firearm parts from what I've read. I will be getting this thing in the mail and letting you know for sure what the deal is with this company's FSB's... Anyone want to shed any light on this particular situation? *EDIT* Well after testing the strength of the FSB, I'm going to try to make apple out of oranges and use the old gauging method with some low grit sandpaper and a dowel rod to try to fix this fudge up. Leveling shouldn't be an issue if done right. For those who have a 09 saiga 5.45; your outer diameter of the barrel at the front sight base is .571" Edited May 25, 2011 by PoisonYouth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LtDan 4 Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 (edited) For those who have a 09 saiga 5.45; your outer diameter of the barrel at the front sight base is .571" Guy find MarkW on this website in the forsale section or on AKfiles or AKForum, he has virtually new AK74 front sight block for $55 and ZigZag brakes for 30. I have bought a whole AK74 in parts from him he's a good guy. Edited May 26, 2011 by LtDan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted May 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 (edited) For those who have a 09 saiga 5.45; your outer diameter of the barrel at the front sight base is .571" Guy find MarkW on this website in the forsale section or on AKfiles or AKForum, he has virtually new AK74 front sight block for $55 and ZigZag brakes for 30. I have bought a whole AK74 in parts from him he's a good guy. Man, that bit of information would have saved me $80 bucks. I'm glad people in the near future can see this and help an honest businessman out. Welp, time to wait for this 3day shipping, and see what I end up with from k-var. Stay tuned. As a side note, heres the other rant about AA-OK's B.S. FSB. Edited May 27, 2011 by PoisonYouth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted June 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Alrighty, after all of the B.S. I can finally get back to posting the progress of my project. Finally got the proper front sight block on without too much of a hassle. I usually like to make my mark and do something different when I get my hands on a project, and that's the route I ended up going. I somewhat missed on my first hole drilled: as shown the picture below. This didn't happen when the FSB was on the barrel so no real harm was done and the pins fit perfectly(with a little persuasion with a punch) after the proper pin holes were cut. So I decided to make apples out of oranges... I used a string through the rear sight base to center the FSB. It seems to line up just fine(always an endearing view). Sanded and ready to be painted. Just have the compensator on the image what the finished product will be. Lastly to make my mark, I decided on putting some JB weld on the holes to slightly cover the pins and sanding flush. I think it looks like it came out of the factory(to a n00b) instead of built by me and slew a curse words/eureka moments. And we can't forget about the finished product, found some US made mag floor plates to keep it compliant. Here she is folded. I'm thinking the rest of my build will be the traditional style US made front hand guards, a hungarian folder(para-cord of course) and possibly one of dinzags bolt on hand guard retainers. Does anyone have any experience with them and would like to let me know if they work? That would be super. Thanks for all the help along the way guys, it's time to work on getting this baby to the range! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Aw man, no love on the conversion yet. You guys on vacation? hahaha Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SergeK 15 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Can you explain how you did the fsb? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 (edited) Can you explain how you did the fsb? Well sure! What I did was set the fsb in a clamp over a small piece of molding on my deck and drill from each side straight down with a slightly over sized bit. The I smashed the thing on the barrel with a rubber dead blow hammer until it made it about a quarter inch or the way. The I proceeded to find a stump in the backyard and grabbed the barrel behind the gas block and smashed until flush with then barrel. I then carefully drilled the hole while stepping the bit sizes to make the pins fit just right. Then covered in jb weld and sanded flush then painted. Edited June 8, 2011 by PoisonYouth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmac27 17 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Looks good PY...that will be the next step for me as well. I am considering getting the hand guard retainer, gas block, and front site base and then I will be putting on the kvar hand guards to match my butt stock. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted June 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 Looks good PY...that will be the next step for me as well. I am considering getting the hand guard retainer, gas block, and front site base and then I will be putting on the kvar hand guards to match my butt stock. Thanks man. So you're going the traditional press on hand guard retainer, right? I just didn't want to mess with my gas block considering it works just fine and I'm a little partial to the 90 degree gas block to begin with. I thought the saiga gas port in the barrel was a little different than the older ones. I may be wrong though, good luck on your work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted June 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 Okay, just got done with the front end conversion last night. Also went with the Hogue grip and man is it comfy. I'm going to wait a little while for the metal folder and bullet guide(the 45 rounder doesn't mind not having it). Still need to test fire, we'll see how it goes in about t-minus two weeks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 So just to let you guys know everything has held together beautifully, I didn't die and this thing is ACCURATE! These two phone were set out at 100yards, it took 5 shots to knock them both over with a hastily zeroed scope. I can't believe the old Nokia deflected the 7n6, damn those things are durable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML1yv0qG2EY I was trying to bump fire the thing from the shoulder again, couldn't quite get it to walk while trying to look down the scope. I'll post a video of the bumpfire without the scope the next time I head out there, I got close to the entire 45 rounder to empty before we left the range that day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3uaC8QFK78 Here's one of my buddy Derick rapid firing this thing, I LOVE how this compensator eliminates muzzle whip. Just thought I would post as an example of how stable the gun is in rapid fire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoisonYouth 4 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 So, all in all things have gone well with this build. The front sight base was a bit off to the left, which bothered me enough to use a laser level this time to truly level the FSB. If it's still off, it might be time for an adjustable rear sight leaf. Happy shooting! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.