Saiga 7.62x39 Conversion Story

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ChileRelleno

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I ordered a new Saiga x39 from Mississippi Auto Arms, only $329+$25.s/h :D


x39_factory_saiga.gif


The conversion on this will be much easier, and yet just as much fun as my S12.
New FCG, install PG & other furniture, bullet guide & comp... Done.
About $250-$300 in parts to convert.
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MAA once again shines with their CS.

Tuesday place phone order.

Wednesday I called to check if it shipped.
MAA informed me that my FFL's license was out of date and that they'd called'em and requested a current copy but did not have it yet.
I called my local FFL and cracked the whip, made sure it was faxed, and called MAA again to make sure they had it.

Thursday around lunch time, MAA calls to say they are getting ready to ship it.

Friday my FFL calls about lunchtime and says it arrived.

Damn, what'd they do, overnite it? :confused:
Going to pick it up tomorrow morning :D
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Well she is my hands, picked'er up this afternoon.
Strolled out and put ten rounds through'er offhanded at 50 yards, firing as fast as I could get the sights back on target, all ten inside 6".

Receiver is '09, arsenal paperwork is March '09, dimpled receiver with PG hole already cut, is a plus.
Didn't get the milspec barrel I was hoping for, i.e. not stepped with lower retainer notch.
I won't know if the barrel is threaded or not, until I remove the FSB's barrel sleeve.

Disassembled and started conversion process.
This one will have to be done one part at a time if I can't scrounge up something to sell :lol:

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Dremels are proof that God still loves Man!

Grind three rivets, pound them out, pop the receiver/trigger guard plate off and presto.
PG hole is there as I already noted, and you can see the original trigger hole is setup for a single hook FCG.
Now its time to clean/degrease and paint.

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Then I cut the barrel sleeve off and... Hell Yeah! Threads :neener:
Just a lil'bit of brown crud, it cleaned right off, sometimes the crud is thick/hardened and a PITA to remove... Small blessings.
Now I just have to decide on a comp/brake, I was going to go with the AK74 style, but I also like a simple slant comp... Decisions, decisions, decisions.

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Wife said if I give up my daily energy drink(s), I could use the CC to order my conversion parts. She said the savings in one month would cover it.
I've been needing to do this, tried, failed, tried, failed... Ya get the picture.

I made my promise, no turning back now or it'll be a serious case of :fire:

1 TRIGGER GROUP-SAIGA RIFLE MODIFIED FIRE CONTROL GROUP @ $47.50 = $47.50
1 TRIGGER GUARD MOUNTING HARDWARE @ $0.95 = $0.95
1 GRIP AK/SAIGA GRIP SCREW AND BUSHING SET @ $6.60 = $6.60
1 TRIGGER GROUP HOLE PLUGS FOR SAIGA CONVERSIONS @ $0.95 = $0.95
1 BULLET GUIDE- ROUND TRUNNION 7.62X39 WITH DRILL AND TAP SET @ $18.95 = $18.95
1 AK47 14X1 PHANTOM FLASH HIDER @ $20.85 = $20.85
1 M4 STYLE STOCK MAGPUL MOE SET W/ALUMINUM TUBE (BLACK) @ $132.95 = $132.95
1 GRIP AK/SAIGA HOGUE FINGER GROOVE <B>BLACK</B> @ $22.75 = $22.75

Sub-Total: $251.50
Shipping: $12.00
Sales Tax: $0.00

carolinashooterssupply.com Total: $263.50
Click to expand...
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Pics of my new baby.

You'll notice that the AK adapter tube is not the VLTOR, it is the CAA.
I now have both, and they are both rock solid, no wobble nor rattle.
Only differences are, the storage closure and the sling attachment points.
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Sight leaf is marked for 300 meters.
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Decided to go with a Phantom flash hider over a standard AK47/74 style comp/brake.
Sticking with my 'Black Rifle' style AK.
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Just today I installed a 'Bullet Guide' (feed ramp), this allows the Saiga to accept any milsurp mag.
A big plus, $8-$20.+ milsurps vs $25-$35+ Saiga specific mags.
It is the metal tab screwed down just in front of the chamber.
I drilled and tapped the hole, blue loctite and done.
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Well, I got bored and broke out a few tools & added vents to the original handguard.
I like the look, and am thinking that a Ultimak rail and a microdot will complete this rifle.
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Nice Conversion.

Dude, how did you get to those threads on the barrel?

Mine if stock from '09 also, and I would like to get a suppressor or flash hider for it, but I heard it was a painful process and that the barrels aren't threaded?
 
GWARGHOUL said:
Nice Conversion.

Dude, how did you get to those threads on the barrel?

Mine if stock from '09 also, and I would like to get a suppressor or flash hider for it, but I heard it was a painful process and that the barrels aren't threaded?
Click to expand...
Thank you.

They can come threaded from the factory, threads are under the FSB's barrel shroud.
Factory threads are pretty much a coin toss... Even if your rifle has all the qualifiers.
'09 DOM
Dimpled receiver
Non-stepped chamber
Notch barrel for the AK handguards under the factory HG
Round trunnion

Then you cut and pray, then you might or might not have threads.
I got lucky, DOM early 09', dimples, non-stepped barrel, barrel notches, round trunnion and ..... THREADS!

If not threaded, it is actually pretty easy to thread the barrel after rolling the dice... Errr... Removing the shroud.
 
Ok,

I know its a '09 DOM..
Dimpled receiver...
Had the hole cut out it the reciever for the AK style handguard..

I don't know what a non-stepped chamber is, and I'll have to check the trunion..

Would you mind explaining what "non-stepped" receiver means..

And thoroughly explain the process of cutting that shroud off.. it would be like the final contribution needed to complete all the existing SAIGA conversion how-to's out there.

Thanks!
 
Stepped Chamber:
The 'step' in the Saiga chamber is a Russian gun control measure.
This was done to differentiate between spent rounds from civilian and military weapons.

Side by side, stepped casing on left.
DSC01285.jpg

Views of Stepped & non-stepped chambers.
2a7ig3k.jpg
 
IMHO, the best way is to use a small pipe cutter, works great and won't cut too deep.
Once it completes the cut, the shroud noticeably moves/turns and/or pops off.
Most small pipe cutters will not cut all the way back, most cut back .5" (9/16"), which is just shy of the threads factory base.
You can then index against the remaining shroud with a crush/peel washer.

Dremel or hacksaw
Place barrel securely in vise
Mark shroud for cut... Circumferential.
Place a hose clamp around sleeve as a guide.
Use a new cutoff wheel
Work slowly and cautiously and don't go too deep, mark your cutoff wheel, no deeper than 1/8"-3/16" or you risk cutting into the barrel.
Once you think your close, stick a screwdriver in the cut and try to pop it off.
If not, go a **** hair deeper, repeat as necessary.
 
So a piper cutter is the best way..no way in heck am I trying a dremel.

Could you like me to a suitable pipe cutter? I'm not familiar with those type of tools. Also.. a crush/peel washer?

I REALLY appreciate your help.

Even if the threads are not there, this will need to be done in order to have a gunsmith or me thread it up anyways, right?
 
that safety lever is in the fire position soldier! Other than that good job on the conversion it looks great!
 
I paid $359 from one of the "very" reputable dealers. I probably just bought at the wrong time. Pretty much all Saigas were unavailable for awhile and I bought the day they were back in stock.
 
Nice conversion job. Honestly, it looks just as good as the Red Jacket ones sold at on Atlantic Firearms website. (Based on the pictures.) The only thing I don't care for on it is the Hogue grip. My preference is for the US PALM Battle Grip. I find it to be the most comfortable AK grip on the market. What kind of price on the CAA tube? (The VLTOR is a bit pricey.) Looks very nice overall.
 
InkEd said:
Nice conversion job.
Honestly, it looks just as good as the Red Jacket ones sold at on Atlantic Firearms website. (Based on the pictures.)
The only thing I don't care for on it is the Hogue grip. My preference is for the US PALM Battle Grip. I find it to be the most comfortable AK grip on the market.

What kind of price on the CAA tube? (The VLTOR is a bit pricey.)

Looks very nice overall.
Click to expand...
Thanks, she is just as nice as the pics show, I do quality work.
I'm not knocking Will's guys at Red Jacket, but they are now a production line for their normal Saiga conversions, employing regular guys like me, who know one end of a screw driver from another. ;)


The CAA (aluminum) tube cam as a package deal with the Magpul MOE stock for 132.99, from CSS. Available alone from CSS for, $84.99, same price as the VLTOR.

CAA - http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-180/Saiga-12-CAA-Collapsible/Detail
VLTOR - http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-589/VLTOR-RE-dsh-47-AK47-STOCK/Detail

CSS also sells the CAA/EMA polymer tube for only $39.99
But I won't use it due to reports of the set holes stripping out.
http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-373/Saiga-EMA-M4-Stock/Detail

CSS now offers another aluminum tube, the GTI-AK, for only $49.99.
http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-1152/M4-AK-Saiga-Stock/Detail

But it doesn't sit inline with the barrel, it sits at a 3' angle, similar to TAPCO's T6 & Intrafuse.
I've used the TAPCO T6, and I don't care the look nor feel of that angle.
Not that anything else was wrong, the TAPCO T6 was on my S12 for a long time and performed well.
 
Very nice conversion, simple but elegant looking.

I was on the Saiga bandwagon before it had wheels. I bought my 7.62x39 when they were less than $200. Prefer to keep it stock looking. The ultimate sleeper though I did convert my Saiga 12.
 
Quick question. The Saiga in the first picture of the second post looks like a 5.56x45 caliber Saiga and this is further reinforced by picture # five (cartridges are really long looking for an x39). The sixth pic is clearly an x39. Did you convert two of them? One old one new?
 
When I converted my Saiga awhile back I found that it was cheaper to shop around for the parts. I ended up spending about $150 (including shipping) for almost the same parts with the exception of the flash hider (AKM style, $20) and the stock (wood AK stock, $20 from a buddy) as well as using a 1911 grip adapter set instead of an AK grip (~$50). I also didn't screw anything in, except the grip. The trigger guard got welded on, and the bullet guide got welded in.
 
Hammerhead6814 said:
Quick question. The Saiga in the first picture of the second post looks like a 5.56x45 caliber Saiga and this is further reinforced by picture # five (cartridges are really long looking for an x39). The sixth pic is clearly an x39. Did you convert two of them? One old one new?
Click to expand...
All pics of the same 7.62x39 rifle/ammo.
 
So I've got the drill bit, trunnion and tap..

Stupid question... what do I turn the tap in with?

I'm going to pickup the pipe-cutter and that washer, and go at it too. maybe this weekend. I have a mossy 500 barrel to finish also.
 
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