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Saiga Conversion Info including first Range Report


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AK-74 Project

Before:

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After:

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Materials:

Saiga IZ-240 (5.45x39mm)

Vortex Strike Fire Red dot (has green dot also with a good number of brightness settings including 2 NV settings, totally water proof)

Killflash for Vortex (honeycomb is definitely visible with this unmagnified red dot, but is not a problem)

PK-01V Russian 30mm mount (ordered from Kalinka, centers perfectly over the receiver, was a pain to mount the optics, all though I only needed 4 of the 6 screws to secure the optics to the mount, I ended up re-tapping the last two screw holes because it was not aligned enough to install the two middle screws. Not really necessary though in that the 2 top and the two bottom clamp screws are all you really need.

K-VAR Warsaw stock (probably should have ordered the Nato length stock which is 1-1/2 inches longer but it all worked out because the Russian rocket launcher pad gives me extra comfort as well and gives me a better shoulder weld)

Russian rocket launcher recoil pad (added for extra length and comfort, used electrical tape around the edge of the stock for a tighter fit on the pad)

MFT Engage EPG47 pistol grip (has waterproof compartment, perfect fit with the trigger guard)

Grip nut (needed with any pistol grip install)

RAM STG trigger guard (perfect fit and does not require any drilling and tapping)

Flat Trunnion Bullet Guide (ordered from Carolina Shooters Supply and what they sent me had problems. After installing, the bolt would get jammed in the forward position and only while manually cycling rounds through the rifle. Determined that the bullet guide in a couple of places was binding the bolt to where it could not rotate. I ended up having to remove metal in a couple of spots on the bullet guide and as well took some metal off of the bolt in order to smooth out some of the contact points. I was told by someone at the gun show yesterday that for this conversion, get the flat bullet guide for the 7.62x39 which is suppose to be thinner. Note that in the advertising for the IZ-240, the ad states that the rifle will accept all military surplus mags. WRONG! 50% of my surplus mags would not work before this installation and the rounds would not follow through into the chamber. Get the bullet guide, trust me)

Tapco G2 trigger group ordered from dinzagarms: (hammer – modified to operate with bolt hold open level, trigger, disconnector – polished for lighter trigger pull, trigger pull feels better than stock now)

Retaining plate (locks the trigger pins in and is a non-needed item that replaces the sheperds crook retaining spring)

Nylon hole plugs (4 of them needed)

4 mag carrier bag and 30 round magazine package (received Two Bulgarian arsenal 25, mold 1 mags, one Bulgarian arsenal 10, mold 2 mag, and a Russian sanitized, mold 1 mag) Note: The Saiga 10 round mag that came with the rifle has to be modified slightly in order to work after this conversion.

 

At the Range:

First trip to the range went pretty good. First let me say that if you plan on purchasing a Saiga, definitely get the front sight adjustment tool in order to battle sight-in your irons. I had too much elevation on the rifle and I discovered that it actually shoots way far to the right. I got lucky in that my red dot scope was barely able to compensate for this. Here is a pic of where my front sight sits. I guess you can’t expect perfection at a Russian plant. To battle sight the AK, I put the rear sight on 300 meters and zero’ed it out at 25 yrds. I then verified at the 100 yrd range that I was were I wanted to be as far as windage with the rear sight set on 100 meters.

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After sighting in the irons, I put the red dot scope on. The two targets below (50 yrd on top, 100 yrd on bottom) gives you an ideal where the 5.45x39mm hits at 50 yrds in comparison to 100 yrds.

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After making about a 6 moa adjustment down, I went back to the 50 yrd range to do more shooting. I noticed that the grouping was a little larger than previously and discovered upon inspection that the side rail mount was loose. After receiving it in the mail, I thought the tension on the mount was tight enough but I guess I was wrong. There might be a certain break-in period for these mounts, not sure, but it was definitely loose, to the point where I could move it forward and backwards with ease. I will have to do a tension adjustment on the rail mount after all. Instructions for this procedure is listed on Kalinka’s website. At this point the range closed so I will have to finish tweeking my system on the next trip. For the red dot, I plan on zeroing at 50 yrds for now.

 

I hope the info here helps anyone out planning to buy an IZ-240. It is my first Saiga or AK type of rifle and I have to say that it is probably the most fun shooting weapon that I own. Of course, the 13 cents a round probably has something to do with that.

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My new Saiga 5.45 shoots correctly to point of aim with the front sight in the horizontal center of the sight base. Only shot about 40 rounds so far, but have had no issues with having to move the sight for horizontal deflection. It is odd that you would have to move the sight such an extreme amount. This is the kind of thing you read about happening with other types of AKs, not SAIGAS. I wonder, is this a common issue?

 

John

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I wish I knew if it was a common issue as well, but at least the rifle groups well. The one thing I can say it that it is not being caused by the sight positions. I know this because I had to adjust my red dot with quite a bit of windage correction to compensate. Very, very odd indeed but I guess I'll have to live with it. At least it works right?

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thats very good info. i took my new saiga (unconverted yet) to the range just this past saturday and it seemed like it was shooting slightly to the left at 50 and 25 yards (i have no scope either). maybe its my aim or slight wind that was going on, but i suspect it maybe the sights.

 

where did you get the sight adjustment tool?

 

also, you said "Tapco G2 trigger group ordered from dinzagarms: (hammer – modified to operate with bolt hold open level, trigger, disconnector – polished for lighter trigger pull, trigger pull feels better than stock now)".. now, was this modfied by dinzag or did you modify these, or is that how it comes if you bought it anywhere?

 

thanks!

Edited by konoplya
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Check out amazon for a cheap NC star sight adjustment tool... its like $5 bucks with shipping if you have prime Johnboy.gifhttp://www.amazon.com/SKS-Front-Sight-Ajustment-Tool/dp/B000TN1QVU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319775309&sr=8-2

 

Also, judging by you 50 yard and 100 yard targets, when you battle sight at 25 yards, make sure you obviously hit center, but roughly 1.5 inches LOW! This will give you about an inch low at 50, and dead on at 100. Your targets were zeroed in a little too high.

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