How To Convert A Saiga Rifle

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Very nicely done, and a welcome update on the aging one from (?) Sheikyerbouti.

A few questions:
1) Why does the left rear of the receiver say "Mercury Hermes Lou KY"?
2) Can you elaborate on the dental floss technique for reinstalling the bolt hold-open? Did you need to grind the hammer side to make that work?
3) You keep referring to kits - what companies are selling full conversion kits? Closest I've ever seen is from Dinzag.
4) Who makes that huge cast trigger guard?

thanks!
 
1. That is the latest Saiga importer
2. Just use the dental floss to pull the BHO spring down so that you can drift the rear retaining spring through it.
3. Dinzag and Carolinashootersupply are the two that I know of.
4. Carolina Shooter Supply, it is linked to in the blog post.

There ya go! ;)
 
just buy the fore grip that gives you the look that you want. There are many places you can find out there that have the furniture you are talking about for sale.

it is basically the same configuration the the "hand guard" area
 
Very good tutorial. Most of the ones I've seen haven't replaced the BHO and I haven't seen the dental floss trick yet. Thanks.
 
2aHawaii said:
Most of the ones I've seen haven't replaced the BHO and I haven't seen the dental floss trick yet.
Click to expand...
That's because the BHO is a product of government requirements, and works about as well as most things required by the gov. .

It is only present on the Saiga to present a "sporting" point on the "sporting features" worksheet required for importation.

IMHO, it should be removed and the slot welded up as part of a conversion.
 
impartial said:
just buy the fore grip that gives you the look that you want. There are many places you can find out there that have the furniture you are talking about for sale.

it is basically the same configuration the the "hand guard" area
Click to expand...

That is incorrect. In order to use standard AK handguards on a Saiga rifle, you need to replace the gas tube (~$30 or so) and either get the lower handguard clamp to attach to the barrel (~$50 at Carolinashooterssupply.com), use a standard saiga handguard (they make wood ones too, though it still has the same shape as the standard saiga handguard), or have the barrel replaced with an AK barrel (not recommended)

You CAN attach an AK lower handguard to the rifle without the clamp, but it will only be held on with one screw and would be very loose and either break or flop around while shooting. It doesn't seem like it would be a safe situation and I do not recommend it.
 
Rail Driver said:
In order to use standard AK handguards on a Saiga rifle, you need to replace the gas tube (~$30 or so) and either get the lower handguard clamp to attach to the barrel (~$50 at Carolinashooterssupply.com), use a standard saiga handguard (they make wood ones too, though it still has the same shape as the standard saiga handguard), or have the barrel replaced with an AK barrel (not recommended)
Click to expand...
Your option #3 should be to have a military lower handguard retainer installed on your Saiga.

Replacing the whole barrel is a huge waste. Installing a military lower handguard retainer is cake on the newer imports (past 2 years or so).
 
Your option #3 should be to have a military lower handguard retainer installed on your Saiga.

Replacing the whole barrel is a huge waste. Installing a military lower handguard retainer is cake on the newer imports (past 2 years or so).
Click to expand...

You're right of course. Probably cheaper to get that retainer than buying the one from CSS anyway.
 
Rail Driver said:
nalioth said:
Your option #3 should be to have a military lower handguard retainer installed on your Saiga.
Click to expand...

Replacing the whole barrel is a huge waste. Installing a military lower handguard retainer is cake on the newer imports (past 2 years or so).
You're right of course. Probably cheaper to get that retainer than buying the one from CSS anyway.
Click to expand...
With the price of labor, the bolt-on unit is going to be cheaper.

Of course, if the bolts come loose and the bolt-on unit falls off, that argument goes out the window. .
 
I suppose you are correct, you cannot just take an AK handguard and put it on a saiga rifle. But there are many many aftermarket handguards available that WILL just slide onto a saiga rifle.

Good point though
 
I'm who here has a link to that survival site where the first Saiga conversion guide was posted? I thought it was on the Saiga forums but now I'm coming up short.
 
My .308 had a grip hole precut. Got it cut just fine, just exactly perfect. Now the problem is that I seem to have the wrong trigger from Dinzag. Safety won't fit in with the trigger group, and the trigger hangs up the hammer. So, getta RMA through Dinzag, and wait a couple weeks for the new stuff to get here, then finish the conversion.
 
the beauty of these new trigger guards from carolina shooter supply is that you don't need a pistol grip nut hole. And the pistol grip actually makes a much more flush and nicer fit up against the trigger guard... check them out they are worth it to me.
 
I retract my statement, Nalioth was able to tell me the issue, and is now working great.
 
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