Would Saiga 7.62 be Best Low Priced AK GUN?

[benEzra]

Gun sales after the Clinton laws went into effect tanked because anyone who was even remotely thinking of buying a gun in the foreseeable future bought one before the laws went into effect.

Not the case, as I recall. A lot of people didn't wake up and realize what was going on until the ban had already passed.

BTW, it was between 1994 and 2004 that the AR-15 platform became the top-selling centerfire rifle in the United States, IIRC. There weren't many companies manufacturing AR's in 1993/1994; there were between two and three dozen companies making them by 2004.

I bought my own AK in 2003, FWIW.

The number of people interested in ARs and AKs is a small fraction of gun owners

That was the case in 1993. It's definitely not the case anymore. From Outdoor Life, 2 July 2007:

http://www.outdoorlife.com/article/Shooting/The-World's-Most-Versatile-Rifle



The butt-ugly poodle shooter has morphed into not only the longest-lived battle rifle in history, but in civilian hands a mainstay for competition, self-defense and, most recently, many flavors of hunting. In fact, walking the miles and miles of aisles at the 2007 SHOT (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade) Show made it clear that "black rifles"-rifles derived from military platforms, like the M-4/M-16, the AK-47, the M-14 and the FN-FAL-not only are the best-selling rifles in America, but are the unequivocal driving force in the industry today.

The numbers are staggering. AR-platform guns are approaching handgun-level sales and may soon surpass even Jeff Cooper's mighty 1911, which has ruled the sales roost in the firearms world for the last two decades.

What's the best-selling ammo in America? Try the .223/5.56, standard fodder for the AR-platform guns. Other top performers? Well, there's the 7.62X39, food for the AK-47 and its hundreds of variants, and, of course, the .308/7.62 NATO, feeding the more traditional "battle rifles" like the M-1A, a hot seller, and the reborn FN-FAL. Last I heard, the best-selling "traditional" hunting caliber on the list was the .45/70, of all things.

 

[Kymasabe]

Hey Duke,
Yea, it's mostly furniture and moving the fire control group. That'a really about it. Once drill out three rivets on the bottom of the receiver and remove the plate down there, it exposes the original AK trigger and pistol grip holes. They're all there, just hiding, waiting to be uncovered and used.
Mag conversion is a piece of cake. Buy the standard AK mag and see how it fits in the mag latch. Latch probably won't lock it in place and the latch is slightly longer on the Saiga so...file the mag latch for a few minutes, and try again. File and test and file and test for 15-20 minutes until the latch locks the standard AK mag in place. Last item is the bullet guide which is available in kit form with a screw, drill bit, and tap. Mark it, drill it, tap it, screw it, done. 10 minutes if you stop for coffee and danish in the middle somewhere.
Admitedly, adding a muzzlebrake is a little more complicated as you need to thread the end of the barrel but there are plenty of dies for rent out there that'll do the job quite nicely. And, some people make a big deal out of having the bayo lug but I see no need for a bayonet on a civilian version of an AK. Most ranges won't even allow them on/open at the range. What other use would the AK have? Home defense? I wouldn't want to clear my home with the bayonet on. Ranch/truck rifle? If patrolling the range, shooting coyote or whatever, who needs the bayo? Hunting rifle? If you intend to shoot your game, immediatle screwer it with the bayo and roast it over an open fire..well, them maybe. Otherwise, the bayo has no use other than hand-to-hand combat for troops or to look cool in pics for all the wannabees.

Lastly...922 compliance. How exactly is the gov't going to regulate and enforce that? BATFE would have to raid gun ranges, have shooters disassemble their rifles and physically inspect and parts count every rifle. If you're selling a rifle, well, I could see making sure it's 922 complaint because you MAY (very very slight chance) be selling to someone who is in a law enforcement position with the authority to make your life miserable if you're not complaint. Otherwise, build the rifle you want with the parts you want.
I've seen Saiga conversions with Bulgarian wood and Israeli pistol grip. God forbid, the feds may kick down their door and jail them for it!
Don't feed the panic. Clearly you don't like the Saiga's for your own personal reasons but don't make it sound like they're any less an AK than any other varient. My cheap, self-converted Saiga's are better built than most Century WASR-10's I've ever seen.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Agree re: the bayonet lug. My SAR-1 has none, and I've never missed it much. I carry my SAR-1 concealed over the shoulder one- or two- point with a sidefolder stock and a 20 round mag, and see no need for a bayonet on the little thing.

 

[MAKster]

benezra - If someone woke up in 1994 and was surprized to discover that the AWB was enacted they must have been sleeping with Rip van Winkle since there was at least a year from the time the initial bill passed the House and when it was finally signed into law. Foreign manufacturers were pumping out 30 round AK mags in such high quantities before the cutoff date that you could still buy new pre-ban magazines when the law expired 10 years later. Your comment about ARs becoming the most popular design in the country during 1994-2004 even through it was supposedly "banned" proves how foolish the hysteria is. Why spend 50 percent more than the pre-election price for an AR that may or may not be "banned" in the future when the models will still be readily available either way once the panic buying runs out of steam.

 

[chris in va]

Long thread, but here's my converted Saiga. Big hit with everyone that fires it.



Wasn't hard to do, just took my time. Ran about $150 in parts. Everything is very tight, nothing rattles like the Norinco I tried last year. Yikes.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Eww! It's an AK with boogers on it!

 

[4Freedom]

Why spend 50 percent more than the pre-election price for an AR that may or may not be "banned" in the future when the models will still be readily available either way once the panic buying runs out of steam.

Well, most manufacturers seem to be backlogged for 1 year or more on ARs and the demand is outdoing the supply. If ARs are so plentiful, how come you have to wait forever to buy one? Also, the Clinton administration is nothing compared to this ultra-radical left wing Obama administration. You have an entire fleet of gun haters/grabbers as your leaders who have all vowed to ban guns to make our country "safe"; since, they are set on the fact that "rich, bitter religious gun-clinging white folks" are the reason for all the nation's gun crimes. This attitude was not as prevalent in Clinton administration, as with the Obama one.

As for me, I just spent about 15% above the retail prices for my ARs and I didn't have to wait 1 + years either. Also, I think when any gun ban goes into effect or is even being talked about, prices will skyrocket beyond election prices.

 

[Frank4711]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=119744598 No Bids at $450....?

 

[Revy2k]

Saiga 16" 7.62x39 for under $400

Came across your post, and I thought you might be interested in this. Start reading Shotgun News. Ads for these guys in there all the time...

Arms of America: "We will do our best to match or beat all Competitor Prices!"
www.armsofamerica.com

 

[hk lover]

saiga

you can make the saiga work with 7.62X39 MAGS BY GRINDING THE MAG CATCH DOWN.dont modify the gun just the mags if u look at the differance the saiga mag tab is just a little longer grind the tab and it will work with regular ak mags

 

[nalioth]

dont modify the gun just the mags

This is not a good idea for two reasons.

1) If you've got loads of magazines, it is very time consuming to grind each one. If you own another Kalashnikov, these mags won't work very well in it, after they're ground, either.

2) If your rifle isn't modified, you can only use your "special" mags.

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