So I was looking for a NIB rifle when I came across this on GilbertGuns.

http://www.gilbertsguns.com/Rifles/Saiga/S...ri+Rail+Forearm

The description of the product answers a question that we have all been asking...when the heck is someone going to start making furniture that will work on MY rifle without having to cut, hack, press and dremel. Now, while I do plan on doing a wood-stock conversion in the near future, this would look great on my existing bad black 20incher.

SO, finally we have a plug and play tacticoool tri-rail forearm that really won't break the bank.

Pretty hard for me to get all worked up over a C.A.D. drawing. I will reserve judgment till I see the real thing.

Which you will probably never see, with that outlook.



It's a chicken-and-egg scenario. They need money to manufacture them, you need a specimen to look at before you'll send money.

Gilberts does have a money back guarantee, you know.

I can picture it...it is going to look like our stock front end with integral rails. I've already got my pre-order in. I will post reviews when I get it.

looks interesting, but at 80 bucks, thats a bit much for a poly front end thats brand spanking new, when is your order due in? I'm thinking about just cutting down my stock forearm and attaching a pic rail to the bottom and saving me some $$

Gilberts has the rails in stock right now. They are just waiting on the packaging. The rifle rails will ship first and then the shotgun rails will go out. Expected delivery is about 2 weeks from today.

My primary reason for getting this forearm is because it is American made. Yes, there are other American made tacticool front ends out there but they all require retainers and such while this one bolts right in. Using this would give me an American part which would let me use a foreign pistol grip.

I had though about getting a universal strip to mount. 10 bucks a strip and you now have $30 into the hand guard. I had also thought about getting the UTG quad rail but decided that for $10 more I could get a piece that looks fairly stock and counts as a compliant part.

Vultite, let us know how your rail turns out.

hmm, well after thinking about it, i do need another compliance part to use some east euro mags, so when you get your front rail, send some pics on what it looks like....SGM made them, so they should be pretty decent after all....

Update from GilbertsGuns Blog:

Hmm, doesn't look that bad. Finally a replacement fore-end that doesn't look like utter shit. I may wind up getting one if I feel I need a compliance part. I've got a 30 round US mag for my unaltered Saiga, but living in Arizona nobody gives a crap. LEO's aren't looking for excuses to take your guns here. I'd rather just get a replacement piston, though, since I rather like my original forearm and the piston seems to be the least invasive replacement.

Yeah, well thats nice, but my time is valuable to me and I am not much on gambling when it comes to firearms. Looking to customers to provide good faith venture capital is one way to do business I guess. Just not a way that I wish to participate in. If I invest in the future of a company, I expect to make a profit, not pray I break even in returned value for my money.

Gilbert's business plan seems to be:

1. Draw a cool looking, realistic part with their CAD Program.

2. Offer the item for sale, inviting customers to send in money to buy the part, IF they ever decide that it is profitable to make it.

3. Offer "money back" guarantee if they never make the part, or it fails to perform.

I am only interested in proven products. I have noticed many folks offering Saiga items after assuming the risk/cost of development themselves, these are the kinds of businesses I usually favor.

I have no problem that you may feel more confident taking these kinds of chances then I. I have enough risk already in my life.

They are not taking money up front and will not be charging your credit card until the part actually ships

IF it has a metal insert to keep the forearm from melting off the gun during rapid fire... then it looks like a great deal.

I ahve seen to many plastic forearms get melted....

The original saiga forearm has metal where it touches the gas block pin.