Which AK? Saiga conversion or Arsenal Bulgarian?

Oh, you want aesthetics.

Waste your money on an Arsenal, then.


When you want a functional AK at less expense, the Saiga is the ticket.

Saiga conversions "factory approved" at K-Var for $500... top quality, good price, all the looks you want.

Oh, you want aesthetics.

Waste your money on an Arsenal, then.

Click to expand...

Amen...they are no better in any way...other than slightly better finish work, and if that was the goal I would go with a rifle that looks good to begin with (read: not an AK).

Yup, K-var is the ticket. Basically it's like this: you want a AK-100 series side folder - get the SLR-107FR; you don't care/want as close to a real Russian AK you can/want to save cash and get a great deal - get the SGL-21.

ETA: for the haters - price out a standard Saiga, plus all of the parts (correct parts, not WECSOG) to get it to the SGL's level, then add the labor for a good smith to do the work or if you have the ability, your time. I promise it will be more than the current $500 asking price. Add a side folder to get to the SLR's level and again you're at their price point. Oh and it's a fact, some of us want an AK to look like an AK, not some bubba'd sks from 1996.

Kurt D said:

I promise it will be more than the current $500 asking price.

Click to expand...

So what about when they return to the regular price of ~$1200 ?

Whats up with the Yugo M70's being offered in a 'thick' receiver and a 'thin' (1mm thickness) receiver?

Uncle Mike said:

Whats up with the Yugo M70's being offered in a 'thick' receiver and a 'thin' (1mm thickness) receiver?

Click to expand...

To continue this thread hijack:

The Yugos made 1.0mm receivered M70s early on in their production life, and subsequently went to the beefier receivers as launching grenades tended to destroy the guns with the thinner receivers.

Next time, please start a new thread when you have a completely unrelated question to the topic at hand.

I converted a saiga because it is new construction from the factory, has a chrome lined barrel, russian, and inexpensive (260 shipped two years ago). The only difficult part getting it back to AK looks is the handguard and gas tube.

So what about when they return to the regular price of ~$1200 ?

Click to expand...

Uh, I guess we'll worry about that then. The strawman of some randomly guessed future price is irrelevent when the guns are available at less cost now. If you actually have a cogent argument as to why the OP shouldn't buy one of those Arsenal SGLs for $500, please save us the suspense.

Get "both"... I just picked up my SGL21 (Arsenal factory Saiga conversion) for $555.44 out the door, all shipping and transfer included...

Yeah, I'm real dissatisfied that I wasted my money on an Arsenal. (sarcasm there).

On a serious note, so far my opinion is that it is worth every penny over a WASR. I'll see how it shoots this weekend...

I'm actually tempted to get a second one. This is the AK I've been looking for at the price I've wanted, ever since I sold my VEPR.

ETA: for the haters - price out a standard Saiga, plus all of the parts (correct parts, not WECSOG) to get it to the SGL's level

Click to expand...

I converted my 5.45x39 Saiga last Sunday while watching the Colts beat the Texans (much better game than I'd expected!)

Got all the parts at the gun show where I got the gun except for the bullet guide:

Tapco G2 Trigger kit with retainer plate -- $20
Tapco M4 AR Stock -- $30
AK-M4 stock adapter --$13
Pistol Grip, bolt & nut -- $15
Dinzag's bullet guide kit, he generally throws in plastic hole plugs free. -- $35.

Total $113, those are out the door prices, shop around over time and you might even do better. AK74 mags are at Centerfire systems for $13 each. No mods are needed to any of the parts if you don't re-install the bolt hold open lever. If you do, you just need to grind about 0.060" off the right side of the hammer pivot tube to make room for the lever.

That's it. The 5.45 may not need the bullet guide, mine appeared to cycle from AK74 mags with the ammo I had but since my Tantal has the guide I went ahead and added it, no big deal, but it was the single largest expense.

The only difficult part getting it back to AK looks is the handguard and gas tube.

Click to expand...

For sure, and while I like the look of the standard setup better, I actually like the feel of the Saiga hand guard better when shooting. Its more expensive than difficult, more than doubling the cost of the conversion.

--wally.

Or you can just look for the Saiga308ver.21 and swap out one part and get the configuration you want with a factory wooden thumbhole stock.

ny32182 said:

Get "both"... I just picked up my SGL21 (Arsenal factory Saiga conversion) for $555.44 out the door, all shipping and transfer included...

Yeah, I'm real dissatisfied that I wasted my money on an Arsenal. (sarcasm there).

On a serious note, so far my opinion is that it is worth every penny over a WASR. I'll see how it shoots this weekend...

I'm actually tempted to get a second one. This is the AK I've been looking for at the price I've wanted, ever since I sold my VEPR.

Click to expand...

I agree. Both. It's got to do better than your 401K

If you can only get one. Get the Arsenal while it's on sale for the same price as a restored Saiga. The Saiga's are easy to find cheap later on.

while I like the look of the standard setup better, I actually like the feel of the Saiga hand guard better when shooting.

Click to expand...

slap your sporter hand gaurd on and end mill and you can have form and function....

My converted Saiga in 7.62 x39 is by far my fav gun...

http://www.arsenalinc.com/sgl21.htm

Just my quick take, good looking gun, but why are they highlighting the bayo lug on a gun with ak74 style brake? The bayo lug should be on the FSB to be functional. So its a mismash of parts and thats how they can offer them at that price?

why are they highlighting the bayo lug on a gun with ak74 style brake?

Click to expand...

Because the same features are present on the real Russian AK-103. Except for the lack of a folding stock, the SGL-21 is about as close to a real AK-103 that most of us will get.

http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/ak103.shtml

D Boone said:

Just my quick take, good looking gun, but why are they highlighting the bayo lug on a gun with ak74 style brake? The bayo lug should be on the FSB to be functional. So its a mismash of parts and thats how they can offer them at that price?

Click to expand...

It's not a bayonet lug.

It's so you can mount your grenade launcher:

My converted Saiga in 7.62 x39 is by far my fav gun...

Click to expand...

Sounds like someone who doesn't yet own an S12

i live in the communist state of NJ which allows me to have an S12 but takes ALL the fun out of it with only the smallest magazine choices allowed, and im pretty sure you can not even have PG because its Semi auto.. so that bumps the 7.62x39 up to the top!

It is still a great buy. It beats making the conversion yourself. However, once the sale is gone, it will be cheaper to do your own conversion.

Personally, I am waiting for $199 Saigas. When that happens, buy them cheap and stack em' deep.


SSN Vet: That is a nice conversion. How long did it take you to do it?