Advice on Saiga AK47

[LoneStar]

Just curious, I was presented with a deal to buy a lightly used Saiga AK47 for $350. Im looking at getting into an AK, but dont know if thats a good price for one. Any help?

[BPTactical]

Just curious, I was presented with a deal to buy a lightly used Saiga AK47 for $350. Im looking at getting into an AK, but dont know if thats a good price for one. Any help?

Is this a Saiga rifle conversion back to the AK configuration or just a Saiga rifle?

If it is a conversion it is a good price, if it is just a plain Saiga rifle-Meh, its an ok price.

[LoneStar]

I dont know these rifles well enough to know the difference. What should I be looking for?

[mikedubs]

I dont know these rifles well enough to know the difference. What should I be looking for?

A non converted Saiga looks like a hunting rifle (no pistol grip, a Monte Carlo type stock), and a converted one looks like, well...an AK47

Conversion requires repositioning of the trigger and trigger guard and adding a pistol grip, and replacement of the existing handguards and stock.

What else did I miss, BPTac?

[BPTactical]

Some folks will change out the gas block and FSB, add a slant brake or such but you pretty well hit it.....

To the OP- It will be very obvious and as Mikedubs said, a converted one looks like your classic Avtomat Kalishnakova M 47

[LoneStar]

Ok well that seems easy enough. It's a conversion going on the advise.

[BPTactical]

Sounds like a deal as long as the conversion was done well. It will be pretty obvious if it is a "Hack" job. Look for signs of good craftsmanship. Vise grip/vise marks-hammer tracks-file marks that look out of place etc. are all warning signs.
Find out who did the conversion if possible.
Trust your gut.

[steveopia]

Ok well that seems easy enough. It's a conversion going on the advise.

It'd be a great price for a conversion and a decent price for a sporter. When you do the conversion you actually move the entire trigger group forward. Tapco (and others) have stocks that have pistol grips connected to the stock made to look like the conversion has been done. If there's room inbetween the trigger guard and the mag release it has not been done. If that area is really tight then more than likely it has.

Refer to this website (http://www.cross-conn.com/Saiga_Conversion/)to compare to the one you're talking about. And if you don't end up wanting it turn me onto the guy so I can snatch it up. [Tooth]

[ERNO]

I dont know these rifles well enough to know the difference. What should I be looking for?

My first AK was a Krebs Custom Saiga. I ordered the rifle from a gun shop. Took it to the range, fired it, looked at the spent shell casings.Vola, bad rifle chamber,neck of spent shell casing was expanded 360 degrees about 1/8" in circumference

I called Mr. Krebs and he had the audacity to say there was nothing wrong with the gun. Sent gun back and he rebarrreled it.

Next AK bought was a Polish Tantal WASR 88 AK-74.
Barrel was bent to right,could not zero. Luckily paperwork hadn't been sent out, so gunshop gave me another TANTAL, since he had bought 3.

Also the Tantal's have been known to keyhole Russian Silver Bear ammo; like mine does, because of not proper bullet diameter.

The Century Tantal is very sweet, it has the Tapco trigger group for extreme rapid fire in 5.45x39; plus a solid bar swing aside steel bar stock which I built up with foam, rubber recoil pad, taped up with cloth tape from BROWNELLS.
I would suggest that you test fire the gun, before gunshop sends your paperwork away.

[TennVol]

I would suggest that you test fire the gun, before gunshop sends your paperwork away.

What gunshop will let you test fire a weapon prior to purchase?

Also, a FFL doesn't "send" your paperwork anywhere - the ATF 4473 is kept on file for at least five years in the shop's files.

[86k10]

What gunshop will let you test fire a weapon prior to purchase?

Also, a FFL doesn't "send" your paperwork anywhere - the ATF 4473 is kept on file for at least five years in the shop's files.

i was under the impression that they have to hold it for 12 to 20 years. i am not sure about that but 5 years sounds too short.

[TennVol]

i was under the impression that they have to hold it for 12 to 20 years. i am not sure about that but 5 years sounds too short.

I didn't have time to look it up when I was at work, so I put at least five years.

...I just looked it up - the form needs to be maintained for 20 years.

[BPTactical]

i was under the impression that they have to hold it for 12 to 20 years. i am not sure about that but 5 years sounds too short.

It has to be maintained for the life of the business by the business. If the business folds then they MUST be sent to BATF Records in Virginia within 30 days. If the business changes names/owners they are then retained by the new business.
If the business is in business for more than 20 years theoretically they may be destroyed.

[86k10]

and dont they go on micro film when the ATF gets them from a closed dealer? is that correct from what i heard?

[BPTactical]

and dont they go on micro film when the ATF gets them from a closed dealer? is that correct from what i heard?

From what I understand they just get warehoused. Imagine the logistics involved with trying to transfer all that data onto microfiche.