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Newb in need of conversion


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First off i appreciate the site and thanks to "dad" for guiding me to copes.

 

Q: i recently bought my s12 and just put a kick lite stock on it which I like but realized i need the trigger assembly converted. I dont wanna risk nor have the time unfortunately to try and convert myself. Also was wanting ports drilled and internals polished the whole works to get my girl ebony cycling like a champ. Is there somewhere i can send her off to have this work done. Im in St Louis and cant seem to find a smith that can oblige me. Thanks for your time.

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Any of the vendors here will do a competent conversion. How important is brand recognition to you?



And like most of the regulars here, I will say that unless you are mechanically a danger to yourself, you should really look into doing a conversion your self. It is very easy, much cheaper and you don't have to let someone else keep your gun on a shelf in the back room for most of a year. Then there is personal satisfaction.

 

If reliability is an issue, most of that is easy too. There are very good stickies about all of these, and I even put links to the common reliability stuff in my signature line.

 

Believe me, you won't have any questions that haven't been asked and answered a few hundred times before.



PSS

 

Welcome to the best thing ever!

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Thanks for the replies. I looked at tromix and it appears they aren't takin jobs for quite awhile. Im not hopeless in a workshop so i believe im gonna read up some more posts and think about doing the conversion myself. As said i really dont wanna be without my girl for too long and i am still waiting on a few internal upgrade parts to arrive anyway so i have a little time to do some homework. Thanks again

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The best reading to me was Moe Zambique's sticky on conversion, followed by a very old thread of Cobra building the first converted saiga. There are easier ways to do it now, which cost a bit more. I am not going to try to talk you out of using a DIY kit or anything, but you can save some money and/or personalize by doing your own trigger mods and trigger guard setup.

 

I've linked my preference on cheap trigger choices, which I think makes for a nicer trigger than any drop in. If you can pop the dust cover and understand the funciton of each part at each stage of cycling and firing, you can probably work out how to do your trigger safely. If you are not 95% confident about that spend another $15 and just settle for a drop in trigger. It will be safe, but not nearly as sweet.

 

A warning to the new guys. Just because some of us post a lot doesn't mean i know anything. It just means I don't have a girlfreind, and lawschool doesn't leave me much of a chance to look. (unless I want to date a lawyer... and you'd have to be crazy to get together with one of them.)

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A lot of good advice here ALL the vendors doing conversions are backed WAY up, the last I heard at least 4 months and that was before the panic set in! it is not that hard and you can find all the info you need on here, first off look through the pictures thread in the Saiga 12 section to get some ideas what you want it to look like. If you like the kick lite stock you can get one for a converted S12 and sell the one you have. Take some time and shoot it to make sure it cycles good before you convert it or start drilling out the ports ( it may not need it, mine did not).During this time you can look at different vendors prices and what they offer. The heart of the whole conversion is the FCG (fire control group) after much research I just went with a modified Tapco G2 which is what most of the pros use. Good luck with your new baby and welcome to the forum!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Excellent job! Keep in mind that C & S Metal Werks is there in St. Louis. Seems like they do excellent work.

 

They may be a bit busy though, as I inquired this week about sending them some parts for work, and I haven't heard back...

 

Give us a full range report. If you can shoot Winchester Universal from the hip 100% with a drum, you've arrived.

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The only thing the guys above are not mentioning is the somewhat significant investment in tools you'll need for a proper conversion, assuming you have nothing.

 

That said, I too am of the opinion to DIY... I am of the opinion that matter the job, if you use the tool successfully once you've paid for it. Use is twice and you've made money. I started buying tools at age 14 and at age 33 I assure you I'm in over 30k and NONE of my tools have been used only once.

 

If that is not an option, I would feel comfortable sending it to many of our vendors.

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Tools? Shit! I need to start preparing a list...

 

A Leatherman will see you through 70% of life... I kid you not, earlier today took apart my USB hub at work with my XE6 Juice, plucked from my keychain.

 

If you do not have a Leatherman (or Gerber, or comparable high quality multi-tool) in your prep kit or on your body at all times, you don't have much of a prep kit.

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Tools? Shit! I need to start preparing a list...

 

A Leatherman will see you through 70% of life... I kid you not, earlier today took apart my USB hub at work with my XE6 Juice, plucked from my keychain.

 

If you do not have a Leatherman (or Gerber, or comparable high quality multi-tool) in your prep kit or on your body at all times, you don't have much of a prep kit.

 

I am thinking more in terms of tools for a conversion. I've priced out everything I need as in materials but I haven't taken into consideration tools. I believe I have most items but are there any tools I might need that's specific to the job?

 

It's time I stop reading all the political crap and get to actual research...

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Well... My Ryboi cordless tool kit was $119 on sale (people can say what they want about Ryobi, but I have worked the piss out of mine)... My Dewalt drill bit set was about $70. Craftsman punch set was probably about $50 (was an xmas gift)... Plairs set is about $20 at Walmart... Something heavy to hit said punches with: $free.... Some cheap files: $10...

 

I think that pretty much covers Saiga conversion tools. Buying the quality level that I did, you'll be in about $250-$350 in today's market...

 

Now if you want a drill press, vice for said press press, padded jaws for said vice, media blasting booth, air compressor for said booth, etc, etc, etc... The price keep climbing...

 

I will again say that a dollar spent on a tool is better than two dollars in the bank. I bought my MAP gas torch for 1 stubborn bolt on an S-10 I used to have... I re-plumbed half of my house and also installed a scope on 91/30 with it.

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haha.gif That's the reaction I thought I was going to get. Thanks for the help! I've found this real easily on one of the pinned threads...

 

Tools used:

  • 1/2" drive hand drill
  • 3/16" drill bit with pilot tip
    [*}3/8" drill bit with pilot tip
  • Dremel rotary tool
  • Dremel cutting bit
  • Dremel conical grinding bit
  • center punch
  • rubber mallet
  • flathead screwdriver
  • needle nosed pliers
  • metal file
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I forgot about the tang (the above mentioned dremel requirement), but I suppose that's optional depending on the stock you select... or your COULD just file it down for days on end. Good luck with that.... My 4.5" grinder and diamond wheel will make it go away in a hurry. I still do not own a Dremel....

 

After reading that list, I would recommend a center drill as well. It's not required, but it's a lot easier to keep your primary size bit on center if you center punch, center drill, then primary drill... That said, there are guys on youtube practically using butter knives to remove the rivets and still end up with a good looking gun at the end of it.

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Dremel was key for me. Other than that, I added a punch set and ball peen hammer to my tool collection to get the job done. Gunfun, I'm 10 years out of law school and married to a lawyer. It's not as bad as you think. Domestic arguments can get interesting however.

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Any of the vendors here will do a competent conversion. How important is brand recognition to you?

 

And like most of the regulars here, I will say that unless you are mechanically a danger to yourself, you should really look into doing a conversion your self. It is very easy, much cheaper and you don't have to let someone else keep your gun on a shelf in the back room for most of a year. Then there is personal satisfaction.

 

If reliability is an issue, most of that is easy too. There are very good stickies about all of these, and I even put links to the common reliability stuff in my signature line.

 

Believe me, you won't have any questions that haven't been asked and answered a few hundred times before.

 

PSS

 

Welcome to the best thing ever!

Edited by Molotov Cocktail
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I was wondering if I should have a vice? Wrote that thought off after realizing the only table I could attach it too belongs in the kitchen.

 

You probably should do whatever you can to avoid having a vice.

 

However, a VISE is a good investment. Get a clamp on vise and put a block of wood on each side of the clamp and torque it down to the kitchen table if you have to. Make a clamp ->block of wood -> table -> block of wood -> clamp sandwich. I would also recommend a set of magnetic soft jaws so you don't mar up your gun on the steel jaws.

 

I've also used the black and decker clamp table with good results. They fold up for easy storage later. You could do your work in the driveway or sidewalk with one of those.

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That's some good stuff maxwelhse! I was going to cross this bridge when I get there but now I have a better idea of what to keep my eye out for. I might hit craigslist for a table. I can justify that purchase in so many ways...

 

Or better yet, I have a friend in the valley with a heated garage full of new tools that never get used. I might have to transfer my project over there. Not borrow, just use! laugh.png

Edited by HighPlainsDrifter
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