finishman2000 2 Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 I'm converting a 5.45 saiga and building it light. i would like to remove the scope rail which would be easy but what to do with the rear trunion? one of those rivets is kinda important. bolt & nut? can i tig it? it's not like it will have to come out. any ideas? thx Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 Just leave the scope mount, maybe you or the next owner of the rifle will want to put a scope on it. How much weight would you save removing it anyway? 5oz? Sounds Bubba to me. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 When I put the UF on the wife's S-.410 the scope mount had to go. There was no replacement for that long rivet - so I used a 16D nail. Propper sized nails make GOOD rivets, they are made of better metal than some of the rivets sold for kit building! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
finishman2000 2 Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Just leave the scope mount, maybe you or the next owner of the rifle will want to put a scope on it. How much weight would you save removing it anyway? 5oz? Sounds Bubba to me. sorry but i feel scopes are a waste of time on ak's. ar's are better for optics. i usually will out shoot scoped rifles with my tech-sights which i have on all my saiga's. that real world shooting, not off a bench. less weight whereever i can save some helps, add in the fact that it is useless weight for me, i see no reason to keep it. the rear trunion is cast i believe which rules out just tig welding it to the receiver i guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 I would say leave it there, I understand you will never use but chances are eventually someone else will. To tear that off the rifle is just a bad idea, that mount hardly weighs anything. If you are going into "combat" and don't want to carry extra weight, you would be able to drop more weight by just taking a big dump before you go. It is your rifle so do what makes you happy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
preparehandbook 326 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Just leave the scope mount, maybe you or the next owner of the rifle will want to put a scope on it. How much weight would you save removing it anyway? 5oz? Sounds Bubba to me. sorry but i feel scopes are a waste of time on ak's. ar's are better for optics. i usually will out shoot scoped rifles with my tech-sights which i have on all my saiga's. that real world shooting, not off a bench. less weight whereever i can save some helps, add in the fact that it is useless weight for me, i see no reason to keep it. the rear trunion is cast i believe which rules out just tig welding it to the receiver i guess. The trunion can easily be welded, I have done some very nice builds with both front and rear trunions welded, super smooth and super strong. This is presuming you can weld. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JCP281 2 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Given where the scope mount is located... wasted effort IMO. That piece of stamped steel cant weigh more than a couple OZ. Id image a single round or 2 weighs about the same. The weight is right over the grip, if anything your just going to make it more front heavy than it already is lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
finishman2000 2 Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 nope. taking off the fsb and just putting on the smallest tapco brake and installing the krebs gas block sight combo. taking weight off the front. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 The side base does add some rigidity to the receiver, I would recommend a reinforcement plate under to PG when you take side base off. If you want to weld , weld - BUT It takes longer to set the welder up than it takes to pound in a new rivet! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
timy 1,185 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 I've removed two of them, the last one yesterday. I just drilled the rivets enough to make them let go, then popped the rail off. I then ground the front two flush with the receiver. I left the rear one sticking up a bit and then peened it flat. It sticks up slightly from the receiver but looks fine and is nice and tight. Welding is fine too if you're set up for it but does make it problematic if you ever decide to remove the rear trunion. The side base does add some rigidity to the receiver, I would recommend a reinforcement plate under to PG when you take side base off. If you want to weld , weld - BUT It takes longer to set the welder up than it takes to pound in a new rivet! I hadn't heard of this before. Not sure if I really need it but it couldn't hurt and I do like to tinker. I'm assuming this is a self fabricated piece? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
finishman2000 2 Posted May 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 well i drilled out the front and middle rivets, drilled partway the rear one. welded up all the holes so i won't be needing any plastic plugs. i hit it quick and washed with water between holes so need to put any more heat intoi the receiver than needed. the trunion , i left the rivet sticking proud and welded around it and ground all the welds flush. went quick, just have to get a abre metal filler, fill and sand. prime and wait till the krebs is in and installed for the final duracaot finish to be sprayed. more work but i'm happy with it so far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FunkedOut 91 Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 ...The side base does add some rigidity to the receiver, I would recommend a reinforcement plate under to PG when you take side base off.... ...I hadn't heard of this before. Not sure if I really need it but it couldn't hurt and I do like to tinker. I'm assuming this is a self fabricated piece? PG reinforcement plate can be purchased from a number of sources. I get mine from AK-Builder. He has two lengths available: Russian/Extended length and standard length. The Russian/extended is good for a Molot grip, SAW grip or the Hogue. Standard length for most others, including standard AKM grips and US Palm. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
timy 1,185 Posted May 2, 2012 Report Share Posted May 2, 2012 ...The side base does add some rigidity to the receiver, I would recommend a reinforcement plate under to PG when you take side base off.... ...I hadn't heard of this before. Not sure if I really need it but it couldn't hurt and I do like to tinker. I'm assuming this is a self fabricated piece? PG reinforcement plate can be purchased from a number of sources. I get mine from AK-Builder. He has two lengths available: Russian/Extended length and standard length. The Russian/extended is good for a Molot grip, SAW grip or the Hogue. Standard length for most others, including standard AKM grips and US Palm. Thank you much. I appreciate the info. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
finishman2000 2 Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 here are some pics of the welded holes, filled in importer, old machined block and "made in russia" i think it looks much better without the mount. sprayed a 2k primer, wet sanded with 600 and will be painted aug green once krebs block comes Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Quote Link to post Share on other sites
haugpatr 972 Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Does anyone want to sell their scope mounts? Send me a PM if you do. Nice work as well, looks very well done! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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