[Willie D]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here for a while since my girlfriend picked up a 7.62 Saiga 16" w/ Skeleton Stock and 30rd promag at a gunshow a while back. I was not happy when I found out about the legality of the 30 rounder, she didn't really care, figured it was ok if the shtf.

Anyhow, I finally made it to the range with it yesterday. My first experience with any AK and I had a blast. My first two 3-shot groupings were under 1" at 25 yards from the shoulder, although my performance went quickly downhill as I got tired and tried fiddling with the sights.


Problems:

1. The skeleton stock kinda sucks, monte carlo would have been better. Balance is bad. Doesn't drop down enough like a Drag stock. My shoulder only really makes contact with the lower end of the butt. Even with the cheek rest out of the way you really need to squeeze your face in to use the iron sights; a pain with earmuffs. Probably works great with an optical sight but those posps are so damn heavy. Any decent side mount red dots out there?

2. The rifle shot consistantly low and left (despite my ghetto bore sighting with a dowel that suggested it was going to shoot far right). It started out about 7" due SW from the point of aim. After cranking the front sight down most of the way shots were about 3" low which I guess would come up at longer ranges?

3. The windage was another matter. Why the hell don't these have windage on the rear sights?!! I moved the front sight way left and it was still shooting 2" left of center. Having the front sight so off center with the guard ears was extremely distracting. Any fixes here?

4. I had to buy Wolf ammo at the range for $7 a box.



I'd like to do a conversion at some point and I'm thinking it might not be that hard with this particular Saiga as it already seems to have the trigger hole cut so the only things for me to screw up would be the grip hole and bullet guide. I do have a few more questions:

5. Do you need to get the Saiga down to 7 foreign parts in order to use AK mags? Doesn't putting in the mag boost your parts count by 3?

6. Do other standard AKs have a trigger plate and does removing the trigger plate weaken the receiver/affect accuracy?

7. Is the trigger hole on factory AKs as huge as on a Saiga conversion? Looks like a dirt-trap/fingerpincher.

8. If you put in the shepards crook retaining plate you don't need the trigger springs but can NOT put in the BHO, right? If you don't use the shepards crook you DO need a retaining post?

9. The new rear trigger guard screw hole is the original front trigger guard hole? Any updates on a prefered type of bolt for the trigger guard or will anything from Home Depot with loctite do?

10. Nato or original length stock?

11. I only see 2 screws on the skeleton stock. Is there a third hiding?

12. Anyone have favorite color nail polish to paint the front sight so I can see it better?

13. Beatles or Stones?

[MrTuffPaws]

For the skeleton stock, it is basically designed for prone firing with a scope. I removed my cheek pad by driving out the pins and it is much much better for iron sights now.

As for screws, there are only two on the top. One of the tang and one under the recoil spring mount. The grip limits access to the third one.

Oh, and one last thing, Beatles.

This post has been edited by MrTuffPaws: 18 May 2007 - 12:06 PM

[scoutjoe]

Addressing some points here based off your numbers

 grandpa.gif (2.44K)
Number of downloads: 7
#5- 10 or less Non USA parts to get the goodies (pistol grip, AK mags, folding stock). So yes make sure you include your non USA mags in your parts count

#6- by trigger plate do you mean that whole thing that covers up the original trigger hole in the reciever? If that is what you mean then standard AKs don't have them, just the sporter Saigas

#7 the trigger hole in the Saiga (in sporter form) is tiny because its just the trigger. When/if you decide to go to the Saiga (in AK setup) the hole where the sporter trigger is becomes the pistol grip nut. The new trigger hole is much larger because it is the trigger along with the hook(s). If your Saiga (sporter) has the AK trigger hole cut in it then you shouldn't have to worry about cutting anything up. Hope that answered that one

#8- I didn't think the retaining plate vs the retaining wire had anything to do with the BHO. (somebody else will know for sure I left the BHO out of mine when I did my conversion). That being said you will need some sort of "post" for the retaining wire....i think. I personally went with the retaining plate made life so much easier

#9 can't help ya there I got mine tac-welded

#10- I have an "original length" stock since its a Romy sidefolder, I think I would like a longer stock but I'm not sure. That being said I'm still pretty accurate at 50yds with the shorter stock. If you have the chance to try out a NATO length vs the "original" length that would be the best way. Taller guys also seem to go with NATOs

#11- Can't say for sure about the skeleton stocks but the standard ones (I'm assuming they are the same screw setup) Has one underneath behind the trigger, one up top outside of the dust cover, and the 3rd one is under the dust cover hiding under the recoil spring

#12 still young don't need nail polish yet

#13 what no Skynyrd?

[Navy87Guy]

There are 16 countable parts for 922R compliance in an AK. You must have no more than 10 non-US parts in your rifle.

If you add a muzzle device, you need 6 US parts. If you don't have a muzzle device, you only need 5.

A US FCG group counts as 3 parts.
The magazine body, follower and floor plate each count as a separate part. Getting US-made floor plates and followers for your mags will get you 2 more parts.

Buttstock, pistol grip and forend each count as one part.

So if you install a US made buttstock, pistol grip and FCG group on your rifle - without a muzzle device - then you're legal without having to worry about the magazines. If you add a compensator or muzzle brake, just get one made in the US and you're still good. If for some reason you don't use US-made furniture, then you'll need to get floor plates and followers for your magazines.

You could also replace the gas piston - but that requires more work than the other mods.

Here's a link to a very comprehensive tutorial on Saiga conversions: http://www.cross-con...rsion/index.htm

Hope this helps,

Jim