AK variant or Saga

[Relic72]

Ok so I'm thinking of selling one of my AR-15 style Lego rifles that I built and trey something new. I have always loved the AK but never really got onto the AK bandwagon. So here is my question.

1. AK variant or Saga?

2. Witch has more aftermarket potential?

3. Quality of the two?

4. 7.62 or 5.45?

This gun is mainly going to be a go out and waist surplus ammo gun/home defense/ Bug out gun, and maybe cause we can hunt with .22 caliber guns in Oregon the occasional dear and pig gun.
Not saying I can't kill a dear with a 7.62.

 

[Roan]

I recommend the Saiga, especially if you want aftermarket potential. The Saiga community is huge and varied, allowing you to do pretty much anything you want. It is definitely a tinkerer's platform, however, so be prepared to do some simple work on your weapon.

Quality in the Saiga is good, being solid Russian make, though don't expect to get a truly fine rifle with hand-made parts.

Caliber depends on your purpose, but either are fine. I'm more partial to the 7.62x39.

 

[Babarsac]

JG Sales has both the 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 going for $299 right now. Hard to pass up!

 

[Relic72]

JG is that saga rifle or just ammo?

 

[Relic72]

I just checked JG and there 7.62 says it is not compatible with AK HIGH CAP magazines.
See these are the things I'm trying to learn, what goes with what, what works better with what, stuff like that.

 

[Sam1911]

A Saiga IS a Kalashnikov. It's just slightly altered to meet our "sporting" import rules.

They do not take standard AK mags, as delivered, but with a very simple modification they will take AK mags just fine.

There are lots of makers and importers of AK style guns. Your question is a little like asking, "Should I buy a Ford Focus, or an import car?" WHICH import car? (Which "AK variant?") Kind of comparing Macintosh apples to all the other fruit in the store.

 

[Outlawjoseywales]

I recently got a Saiga and love the little rascal.
However, a few months ago when I went to order from the various catalogues that had the Saiga's on sale-no one had any.
I was very surprised.
So, don't just look at the ads and think they'll be there.
An example was Centerfire Systems, who told my dealer it would be a few months. But he search around and found me one.

I like that the Saiga is new and that's it's made by the Russians.
I don't like that it has to be modified, but, pick your poison.

OJW

 

[Relic72]

Ok so what brand is the closet to the original quality of a true AK-47

 

[bri]

Ok so what brand is the closet to the original quality of a true AK-47

This is as close as you'll get to the latest AKM design, (the AK103 I believe):

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?productid=17015&cat=353&page=1

The AK47 had a milled receiver, vs the stamped receiver above.

 

[Ranger30-06]

Saigas are brand new Russian AKM's. The best of the best AK's. Very hard to beat as far as quality.

Saigas are also extremely easy to convert. For $150 with just a dremel, file, and screwdriver you can set them back up to "original" configuration. The 7.62x39 models can be easily modified to take AK-47 magazines and with a little work you can put a magazine well on the .223 models so that it takes AR-15 magazines. Good luck!

 

[GhostyDan]

Well i think i can help. It sounds like you want a good classic AKM. This looks good to me.
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct947.aspx
I love and collect AKs and i want to buy this one later. Ive heard its based off of Egyptian MAADI kit and MAADI's were built using Russian Equipment in Egypt. So its definatly a good gun. But still check all your options including AK74's (5.45x39). The 5.45 is an amazing round too. I hope this helped.

 

[wacki]

I don't even understand why this debate still goes on. Mikhail Kalishnikov runs the Izhmash factory... which makes Saiga. If you want a true AK from the legendary Mikhail Kalishnikov himself you only have 1 choice.

Once you have your Saiga go to Ironwooddesigns and buy his high quality wood AK grips and stocks and convert. Now the only difference between your AK and a regular Russian AK was that your birch wood stocks were made in California.

If you want a true Russian AK this really should't be a debate. Saiga is the only legally importable rifle that will have the Izhmash stamp on the receiver.

Otherwise you just buy a parts kit from J&G sales, an american made receiver from nodakspud.com and build your own.

The Saiga route is much easier and hard to screw up.

 

[LAK]

Unless you are busting down doors from the outside, the stock Saiga is as good as it gets. Trigger can be lived with and original Saiga mags are just fine.

 

[amd6547]

My stock Saiga 5.45 worked with surplus polymer mags without any alteration, and with zero jams, so far. I have put about 600 rds through it.

 

[Relic72]

Ok sorry I went mule deer hunting this last week and haven't vin buy a computer.
Thank you all for your help with this topic I understand I was vague with my question about what I should buy.
But fro
What I have read it sounds like I should just buy a stock saga in 7.62x39 and alter it to my liking.
Ok so here is my next question and I would really just like to keep it in this post topic.
On the saga verses the original how different are the to? Like what parts are interchangeable stuff like that?

 

[Girodin]

Unless you are busting down doors from the outside, the stock Saiga is as good as it gets

No its really not. A converted saiga is much better and the improvement for the very small amount of money and time is well worth it.

The converted gun has a vastly superior trigger. People pay as much as a whole basic conversion costs to get a better trigger on other guns. The difference in trigger alone is worth it. The stock trigger is VERY far from as good as it gets.

The balance is vastly improved with a conversion. AKs can be front heavy anyways moving the grip inches behind where it is designed to be makes that much worse. The improvement in balance alone would be worth the cost and effort of a basic conversion.

Ergos: The AK safety is a long reach and having the sporter stock makes it so I cannot reach it w/o fully breaking my grip. Reloading and other weapons manipulations are made much easier with a pistol grip (and the better balance) or a converted gun.

Magazines: Being able to use standard AK mags is nice both because they are cheaper and hold more than 10 rounds.

Looks: Looks are subjective but a converted gun IMHO just looks a lot better.

I'm a huge fan of saiga rifles and I think they are the best route to having a great AK. That said the stock gun is very very far from as good as it gets. Times that assertion by 10 if we are talking about the Saiga 308 with the sporter stock (it has the worst trigger I've ever experienced on gun).

 

[Girodin]

My stock Saiga 5.45 worked with surplus polymer mags without any alteration

I guess if you don't care about flouting federal law.

On the saga

Just as an FYI, it is called a Saiga not a saga.

On the saga verses the original how different are the to? Like what parts are interchangeable stuff like that?

What do you mean by original? An AK-47 or an AKM or what. Basically the only things that are not what you'd expect from a prototypical semi auto AKM is the sporter stock, the funky wishbone trigger linkage, a magazine latch that is slightly longer to prevent AK mags from locking in (grind it down and they will), the lack of a bullet guide (drill and tap or rivet one in) the front hand guard, the front sight block (its not threaded and lacks a bayonet lug and hole for the cleaning rod.) the gas block (no hole for a cleaning rod).

The important things: receiver, barrel, bolt, bolt carrier, are all new Russian parts. You can add whatever you like to get it back as close to a AK103 clone as you like, or you can do as I do and put on parts that best suit your intended uses.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

I'd go with the Aresenal SGL21, its a Saiga converted to the military configuration by Aresenal.

Priced around 700, which is more or less what'd you pay after converting yourself.

 

[Ranger30-06]

I'd go with the Aresenal SGL21, its a Saiga converted to the military configuration by Aresenal.

Priced around 700, which is more or less what'd you pay after converting yourself.

Uhh not even close man. The gun only costs $350 right now and it only runs you about $150 to do the conversion, leaving you at $500. Unless you start moving into some more expensive/heavily customized variants, doing it yourself saves you a nice chunk of money.

 

[bri]

Uhh not even close man. The gun only costs $350 right now and it only runs you about $150 to do the conversion, leaving you at $500. Unless you start moving into some more expensive/heavily customized variants, doing it yourself saves you a nice chunk of money.

SO Grunt is correct, as he's referring to a full conversion, including the front-end.

$150 would only cover a basic conversion.

 

[Ranger30-06]

SO Grunt is correct, as he's referring to a full conversion, including the front-end.

$150 would only cover a basic conversion.

My bad. Sorry about that.

 

[Girodin]

One thing to consider now is there are sporter saigas with standard AK hand guards and a threaded muzzle (or possibly the brake) for $459. It appears not to have a bayo lug or a gas block with a spot for the cleaning rod. That said it is a good price if one want's the typical AK hand guards and a threaded brake.

Also the regular sporters are like $299 these days not $350.

 

[highpower]

You might also consider the Zastava PAP. It is manufactured by the same factory that made Yugo Ak's. They use an RPK front trunnion and are made using a 1.5mm thick receiver rather than the 1mm used on most stamped AKM rifles.

The way they look from the factory:


This is what they can look like with a little work. Ironwood stock set in American black walnut and Tapco G2 fire control group to make it 922r compliant.

 

[RatherNotSay]

Ok so I'm thinking of selling one of my AR-15 style Lego rifles that I built and trey something new. I have always loved the AK but never really got onto the AK bandwagon. So here is my question.

1. AK variant or Saga?

2. Witch has more aftermarket potential?

3. Quality of the two?

4. 7.62 or 5.45?

1. Saiga.

2. Even

3. Saiga is top tier

4. 7,62 is cheaper and more available.

My arsenal ak47 below. Arsenal inc imports saigas from russia and converts them for 922r. All brand new parts and accurate as hell.

Before



After

 

[Relic72]

Sounds like I'm just going to get an arsenal SGL that way I don't have to mess with the 922r crap. I want to make a Draco with a stock but I don't wanna deal with the SBR crap.