SAIGA rifle question/help?

[Coomba]

I am pretty sure my Saiga already has the pistol grip hole and the trigger hole cut for the conversion. It's a bit hard to see in there behind the trigger and such but I think I can see some corners. So there's one thing to consider if you want to go the Yithian route, which he makes a pretty good point, why the hell is that plate there? It may be easier to get that damned spot weld out and toss the plate than it will to fight through the plate to cut your holes.

Also, I notice on mine, and other owners that have Saigas with the trigger hole cut into it have noticed this as well, the fire control group actually pivots into that recess, almost as if the trigger group would have to be shorter if the trigger hole for a conversion was not there. So maybe that's what the plate's for?

Or maybe the idea of the plate was just to add for steel to it. In Soviet Russia, you could never have enough steel.

 

[Juhosaphat]

The plate is just for the 'sporter' trigger guard and FCG to fit through. Remove it if you're going to be doing the conversion. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get it off if you take your time and don't try to rush it. That's filing the heads of the rivets flat and drilling through the spot welds and rivets. Any carbide bit will suffice or a lot of regular bits will work too, just don't be sad when you break a few of them

I actually just got done doing the conversion on my S20 and it was a breeze compared to some of the horror stories I read prior to doing it online. Of course, with a shotgun you don't have to worry about a bullet guide, but that doesn't look too difficult either.



Some of the newer ones come with the PG nut hole already cut along with the trigger hole. Some only have the trigger hole cut. Some of the older ones have neither and also don't have the BHO lever installed. Which isn't a bad thing to have when using high-cap mags

 

[Willie D]

Also, I notice on mine, and other owners that have Saigas with the trigger hole cut into it have noticed this as well, the fire control group actually pivots into that recess, almost as if the trigger group would have to be shorter if the trigger hole for a conversion was not there. So maybe that's what the plate's for?

I'm pretty sure that all newer Saigas have the trigger hole already there for this reason. I've seen older models that had a completely flat bottom plate and presumeably had different trigger linkage geometry.

That's because you tried to DRILL it. A dremel with cutoff wheel takes 15 minutes.

IIRC you need a hole where the weld is to re-use the triggerguard. Where/how did you cut the weld. I'm just having trouble picturing it.

 

[Yithian]

Willie, he's talking about the rivets.
Which if IRC, he stated earlier that he had no trouble drilling them.
Odd that he says two things for the same part... LOL
Just razzing ya, Chris.

Now, drilling the spot-welds isn't easy either.
I used a milling bit in the Dremel, and took my time.
I only cut thru the trigger guard and left the doubler alone.
Cut the tang off the other end of the trigger guard.
Flip the TG around and insert the tang-cut end under the mag release bracket.
Stuff a small bolt, with nut on the inside, thru the rivet hole.
Finished.

The hole for the trigger was used in the reciever.
But, I used the Dremel to cut a smaller square hole in the doubler.
I fit it perfect to the new triger.
Less room for dirt to sneak in.
Oddly, that recessed notch for the FCG is at perfect depth. The doubler needs no recess.

As far as the pistol grip nut, we made one that fits inside the long slot left over from the old FCG, as well as overlapping a flange on the inside of the receiver.
The only adjustment was when we put the stock on.
The homemade pistol grip nut, and grip, had to move forward about 1/16th of an inch.
No problem. It just tightened up the trigger guard in the mag release bracket.

Kindness, my Saiga 308...

Here she is with her working results, and her POSP scope (8 X 42)...

The big boar was hit just behind the ribs, liquifying 9 inches of spine.
ATTT finished him with his AR, to the head.
The sow with the deflated head is hers too.
Love them V-Max's.
Kill them with Kindness.

 

[Webleymkv]

I guess the sticking point is this section of 922...


Quote:
(18) Magazine bodies
(19) Followers
(20) Floorplates

922(r) states

(a) No person shall assemble a semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun using more than 10 of the imported parts listed in paragraph (c) of this section if the assembled firearm is prohibited from importation under section 925(d)(3) as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.

So basically, 922(r) does not apply so long as the firearm in question wouldn't be banned under 925(d)(3). Since 925(d)(3) specifically excludes a detatchable mag as an "assault weapon" feature and makes no mention of capacity, 922(r) would not apply to a Saiga so long as no other "assault weapon" features are added.

 

[cnorman18]

Saiga 30-rnd mags

Atlantic Arms sells 30-round magazines for the standard, unmodified Saiga rifle @ $28 each.

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/programming/expand.asp?Prodid=462

 

[theyallhurt]

Love Seiga

I sold off my AR-15s and the civilian version of my beloved M-4. I now own three Seigas (all IZHMASH) in 12 gauge, .223 and 7.64 x 39 and, unlike the ARs, I have never had any problems with them whatsoever. Before I and a few buddies invested, we attended a demonstration and we saw them hold up to some pretty brutal treatment and still shoot flawlessly every time; treatment that would have retired an AR easily. I'm not bashing the AR-15 by any means. I carried one and or it's variants for ten years as one of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children and they're damned good weapons. I just have the opinion Seiga makes a better one.

Respectfully, I'm not sure I see a need to convert AK mags, though, since magazines made for the Seigas seem plentiful; albeit pricey at times. The way I see it, if you want to use a particular magazine, then its the gun they're meant for that you should have invested in...no? It, to me, is like retrofitting a Ford engine to work in a Chevy type of thing.

Seiga weapons are, IMHO, top shelf firearms and well worth investing in...mags and all.