meriln921 1 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 Hello all. brand new here and i was unable to find anything by doing a search on the forum. Basically, i was looking at two different saiga 545x39 on gunbroker (hope it's not against the rules to mention that?) one says converted to AK style. the other says upgraded, it shows an AR style stock. the triggers are in different places. Is there a difference? Is one better than the other? Thanks, I think I have found my newest addiction in the saiga Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CPF 80 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 The one with the trigger back is not a good deal. Get the one with the trigger forward. That is the true converted rifle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pjj342 632 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) I look on gunbroker from time to time as well. I know what you are talking about and you have to think, was this someones personal rifle, or was it just something that he bought with the intention of making money on. If you are talking the same money or 50bucks more, go with the converted. Or go for a new Arsenal for a bit more. Although you can buy an unconverted one with all the bells and whistles then convert it yourself. Just make sure what the ecessories are and how much they cost. It may involve alot of research to make sure you are getting a good deal, but in the end it is well worth it. The gunbroker premise is a good one, but sometimes you dont feel as if you have the time to fully look into what you are going to buy, especially if you think its a good deal, and bidding ends in an hour. Take your time man, this will be a rifle you have the rest of your life, make sure what you are getting is quality, and that you dont get ripped off. Be sure to ask the seller questions, and if he doesnt answer them, chances are, you may be able to do the same thing to a factory saiga that he did, minus his mark up. Good luck. Edited July 26, 2011 by Boomsick42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
meriln921 1 Posted July 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 Thank you for your reply.since I just discovered saiga yesterday and havnt had enough time to conduct adequate research I really appreciate your input. Is there anything that I should look for up front when considering where and what to buy? Can a civilian build a masterkey setup? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CPF 80 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 This forum is a wealth of info, start searching Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sickness 89 Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 Hello all. brand new here and i was unable to find anything by doing a search on the forum. Basically, i was looking at two different saiga 545x39 on gunbroker (hope it's not against the rules to mention that?) one says converted to AK style. the other says upgraded, it shows an AR style stock. the triggers are in different places. Is there a difference? Is one better than the other? Thanks, I think I have found my newest addiction in the saiga Personally, I'd never buy a converted gun from gunbroker unless I was certain it was done by a professional, or I had real reason to believe the gun functioned 100%..or possibly if the gun was marked to $200 - $300 below what I'd otherwise expect to pay. Conversion means that the factory fire control group (trigger, hammer, etc) was removed from the gun, and the guts were replaced by some USA-made aftermarket parts. Typically this means an amateur worked on the gun, and now they are selling it. There are some common techniques that are usually done like polishing/reprofiling that can seriously mess up the gun. See the problem? That said, if you are confident the gun was converted by a pro, or it is really cheap, then it might be good buy. If it doesn't work, it isn't that big of a deal to buy a new FCG and drop it in. The "upgraded" gun is just a factory gun, with bolt-on parts. If the owner wasn't confident enough to convert, it is unlikely they tried a polish/reprofile job, so it is probably in working order (or, at least, any problems with it probably came from the factory). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
N4KVE 14 Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 Also since you're new to this, remember that there are 2 different terms for the same thing. To some people they buy a bone stock Saiga & install a pistol grip, move the trigger forward & make it look like an AK, & they call it a conversion since they converted it from how it was imported. However, there are those [myself included] who would call the same "operation" a restoration, as we believe the rifles were converted to look like hunting rifles at the factory in Russia to be legally importable into the US, & once here, we are restoring them to look how they did before being converted in Russia. So these 2 terms "conversion" & "restoration" could mean the same thing when referring to a Saiga. GARY N4KVE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CPE1704TKS 24 Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 So these 2 terms "conversion" & "restoration" could mean the same thing when referring to a Saiga. GARY N4KVE Almost a matter of religion. "Restore" is my prefered term (unless someone is converting a S12 into a rifled barrel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
meriln921 1 Posted August 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Good to know.I havnt run across the term yet but I understand how it could be a concern for some people.thanks for the heads up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pjj342 632 Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 the first one is converted and the second is restored. All you have to do to convert is replace your trigger group to move your pistol grip forward, install a bullet guide and maybe thread your barrel. To really restore you need to do those three things, then swap your front sight block, gas block, and forearm to original ak parts. With doing that you can have a cleaning rod and a bayonet. Also a plunger pin for your flashider so you dont need loctite and a crush washer. first is converted, its mine, second is restored. thats how I think of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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