Dumb saiga ?

[mrcpu]

If you get a saiga chambered in 7.62x39, so presumably some AK-ish thingie, can you use like AK47 magazines and such in it if something breaks? Or add-ons, or scope mounts, or such?

I'm still trying to get this whole AK/AR stuff sorted out mentally, and there's a heapum big pile of info out therel, some of it conflicting.

I'm looking at one of the saiga's on gunbroker, either in 7.62x39, but I would
prefer not to buy something that's so esoteric it's hard to find parts for, although my main purpose is just target/plinking, nothing serious.

 

[BobTheTomato]

If you buy a saiga in 7.62x39 you can convert the rifle so you can use AK or highcap mags. But you get into legal problems if you dont use enough US parts. Go to this site and any and all questions will be answered:

http://www.forum.saiga-12.com/

It will have info on conversions and all of the legal mumbo jumbo on high cap mags and taking the base sportster model and upgrading it to look like a real AK.

 

[FMJMIKE]

Why do you need spare parts ??? Its an AK...They don't break......just the mags wear out from using them so often.

 

[rangerruck]

if you convert standard ak mags with a dremel, and add a little screw up front, on the lip of the mag, they will work just fine. if you do this however, you must add at least 9 american made parts, to use that mag. that is easy to do; change hand guards, buttstock, gaspiston, etc. if you use american made hi cap mags, you still have to get more american made parts, but that american made mag will count for 4 parts right there; magshell, bottom , follower, and spring.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

Ranger, why would you have to convert that many parts? Especially the piston?


On a Saiga, all you'd have to replace would be:


Trigger
Disconnector
Hammer
Buttstock

Pistolgrip would be added.


Buttstock and pistolgrip are mandatory since you're converting it to AK-style, and the rest falls into the firecontrol package (G2).

That's all you need. Handguards, piston and other parts can remain the same. You can use foreign magazines with this and be ok. Law says 10 or less foreign parts. That would be exactly 10 foreign parts. Saiga does not have a rear trunion or a muzzle device.


1) Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings or
stampings
(2) Barrels
(3) Mounting blocks (trunions)
(4) Bolts
(5) Bolt carriers
(6) Gas pistons
(7) Triggers <---replace
(8) Hammers <---replace
(9) Disconnectors <---repace
(10) Buttstocks <---replace
(11) Pistol grips <---add
(12) Forearm handguards
(13) Magazine bodies
(14) Followers
(15) Floorplates


That's what the Saiga has, including a foreign magazine. 10 foreign parts. Perfect and legal.

 

[TimboKhan]

I'm looking at one of the saiga's on gunbroker, either in 7.62x39, but I would
prefer not to buy something that's so esoteric it's hard to find parts for, although my main purpose is just target/plinking, nothing serious

Well, for your purposes, a Saiga will do just peachy, although I do recommend that you convert it to AK mags, because they are cheap and plentiful and not at all esoteric. I have mine converted as such, and it works like a champ. BobtheTomato linked saiga forums, and I suggest checking them out. Pretty interesting forum.

 

[rangerruck]

well, you are right, I was not considering having a pistol grip conv yet, or the changed trigger group.