Where to begin?

[PNW-devil 0]

Hi all, I own a Saiga-12. I love the operation of it but I really don't enjoy it in a sporting stock style. It's just not something I want to go shoot bird or trap with. Anyway, I'd like to start doing conversions for making it pistol grip and moving the trigger group forward among many other things. I read the pinned thread on what new users should read but it didn't really point me in the right direction. Are there any trustworthy youtube videos out there on how to do the conversion at home? I don't exactly live somewhere nearby an armorer and I don't want to send it out with wait times that span over months to years. Thanks if anyone could nudge me the right direction.

[vulcan16 971]

Carolina Shooter Supply has some great tutorial videos. Unfortunately, the site is down until Monday.

http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/StoreFront

[Matthew Hopkins 1,065]

go to YOUTUBE, there are tutorial videos on there as well

[PNW-devil 0]

Thanks Jetmech and Matthew, my point was to see if anyone knew of any videos on youtube that they would vouch for. I mean, something they know doesn't cut corners and shows you the proper way to do it. I've never done anything like a conversion so I wouldn't know what's right or what isn't.

[yooper14.5 84]

Use the css videos. theyre thorough.

[Castalia 19]

I used this video to do my saiga. I did not drill the barrel. My conversion came out fine. Good luck, Castalia

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sej4DugRvG0

Edited January 5, 2013 by Castalia

[PNW-devil 0]

This video looks great, Castalia! Thank you, brother.

[horatio 515]

css videos are very good. beware though, their site is very infectious. you go to look at one video, and, before you know it, somehow, you've spent $300 some of the best customer servicve out there

[PNW-devil 0]

Hahaha, i hear ya there, fatty.

[RED333 1,025]

Just send it to me, I will do it for no charge.

All that said, you have to send the kit you want put in.

You have to pay shipping to me and back to you.

You have to send LOTS of ammo to make sure it works.

You have to wait till I am done playing, um , working on you S12.

Now all that said, I am JK,

Look at what has been posted on hers, youtube, as many as you need

to feel good about what you are doing, it is easy to convert one.

I did not convert for months, them one day just did it.

[misterT 174]

It really is NOT that bad definately follow the videos on CSS, that is what I did mine works great! Take your time drilling out the rivets and use a drill press if you have access to one. Mainly so that you dont slip and leave a mark on your new gun, and some of the rivets are much easier to drill from inside. For the 3/16" plugs that go in the rear holes I installed the stock first ( you may have to clearence the bottom of the stock where it fits over the rear screw in the trigger guard (this is shown in the video). I used a ball end mill, but a rat tail (round) file would also work well. Then after installing the stock I drilled the rear holes in the receiver with the 3/16" drill bit and just pushed the plugs in. They fit good and tight and have never come loose, again I did this in a drill press so they did not get wallowed out at all. Go out and shoot it a bit make sure it works good pick out the conversion kit you want and go for it!

[rnemhrd 165]

I used this video to do my saiga. I did not drill the barrel. My conversion came out fine. Good luck, Castalia

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sej4DugRvG0

DO NOT drill the 4th port like this guy. The gas block needs to come off and it needs to be at the same angle as the others. Not at a 90 degree to the barrel. It's not that hard to do it right if it needs to be done at all.

Edited January 5, 2013 by rnemhrd

[PNW-devil 0]

Thanks guys and rnemhrd, I was wondering about that. On the video where he does that, there were a lot of hateful comments about how he "f'd" up the gasblock so before I bought a kit to do a conversion I was going to come back here and ask about that.

[misterT 174]

You do not need to worry about the gas block (drilling ports) unless you have some serious feed problems due to being undergassed. That is why it is recomended to shoot the gun awhile with various rounds from slugs to Federal 7 1/2 wall mart bulk ammo first. If you have some problems with the bulk ammo (Winchester is the worst) check to see if the ports are blocked. It can also be due to excess friction these guns take a while to get "broke in" you can also do some polishing on the innards to smooth thngs up. There are LOTS of threads on here about polishing the bolt and carrier and the FSG. Only after trying all these other things do you even consider drilling out the ports most psople do not need to mess with them! So take it out and shoot the hell out of it and let us know how it owrked for you.

[PNW-devil 0]

Thanks misterT. I've been shooting bulk Federal and Estate through it and haven't had a cyclic issue to date. If I had to approximate, I'd say about 300 rounds with no issues.

[sapper1371usmc 107]

I used this video to do my saiga. I did not drill the barrel. My conversion came out fine. Good luck, Castalia

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sej4DugRvG0

Overall, the tuturial by the above youtube is sound advice, except for part 5 where he advises to grind off the front sight and drill straight down into the barrel to make/enlarge/add gas ports. This was lazy, incorrect, and just plain bad advice. He should have removed the gas block and drilled the ports at a 45* angle as the factory ports are done.

[Nephilim7 107]

I agree that the CSS videos are great for the most part. I have seen it suggested by those who know that ports can be angled back toward the rear even sharper (around 20 degrees or so) to decrease fouling being blown into the gas system. Main thing is go slow and think before you cut.

 

Your gun sounds just like mine as far as out of the box performance. Mine has required very little to be able to shoot the lightest loads I can find. I have never needed to work on the ports or take the gas block off.

 

Also, I used a hand drill to remove rivets. The trick is to use low rpm and a cobalt bit (can be ordered from CSS). A drill press is much easier to use cleanly, but I have heard many say that grinding with a Dremel then using a punch works better than a drill.

 

Let us know how it goes, and post pics!

[PNW-devil 0]

It'll be a drawn out process as I get money to buy parts. I'm in school full time and living off my VA disability so money is scarce. I do plan to post pics though as long as I don't "F" it up as I go.

[misterT 174]

It is usually cheaper to buy the conversion as a kit than piece by piece. But right now it appears that all the vendors are "sold out' of conversion kits, magazines, and many other parts. But you can still find some good deals buying piece by piece and regualr AK parts work with minor modification so that may be your best bet. For instance I just bought a Tapco G2 FCG for $27 NIB on Egay they need some mods to work in the Saiga but its really not that bad. Then just get a pistol grip and a butt stock and you are 922R compliant.

[PNW-devil 0]

Ya, the conversion kit will be a single purchase. I just have yet to find one that I like the look of. I hear that the SAW grips feel the best. I'm talking about everything I want done to it as a whole until it's completely finished. This isn't going to have any real purpose other than to just modify it until I'm satisfied.