Finally Done

[kj4963]

Saiga AK conversion.[DriveBy]

[zteknik]

Nice job!!
Did you do the conversion yourself?

[CrufflerSteve]

Cool. I have a Saiga 12 begging for a conversions.

It is enough to tempt me down the NFA trust road to really convert it.

Steve

[jreifsch80]

looks great, have any trouble?

steve, i don't know what saiga 12 doesnt beg to be turned into a proper saiga 12k clone ;)

[lifeon2]

Good looking work I just finished one like that last week.

[monganian]

It looks good. I remember thinking that the stock front end actually handled very nicely. Nice job.

[palepainter]

Nice job.

[CrufflerSteve]

As long as we're discussing Saiga's I have a dumb question. I can see where the trigger was moved back to make it a sporting gun without that nasty pistol grip. Can't have that! It would be pretty easy to move it back since this just looks like afterthought engineering for the US market. I am confused by this:
http://ak-builder.com/images/thumbnails/0/120/thumbnail_saiga_gas_piston.jpg

Ak-Builder says it is a gas piston but the piston in my Saiga 12 looks like Short AK piston, not a fat washer like the picture. What am I missing?

Steve

[BPTactical]

As long as we're discussing Saiga's I have a dumb question. I am confused by this:
http://ak-builder.com/images/thumbnails/0/120/thumbnail_saiga_gas_piston.jpg

Ak-Builder says it is a gas piston but the piston in my Saiga 12 looks like Short AK piston, not a fat washer like the picture. What am I missing?

Steve

That is what is known as the "puck". It receives the gas impulse from the gas port and transfers it to the "piston" on the bolt carrier. Keeps the piston cleaner and it is tighter tolerances for gas sealing than the piston itself.

[68Charger]

As long as we're discussing Saiga's I have a dumb question. I can see where the trigger was moved back to make it a sporting gun without that nasty pistol grip. Can't have that! It would be pretty easy to move it back since this just looks like afterthought engineering for the US market. I am confused by this:
http://ak-builder.com/images/thumbnails/0/120/thumbnail_saiga_gas_piston.jpg

Ak-Builder says it is a gas piston but the piston in my Saiga 12 looks like Short AK piston, not a fat washer like the picture. What am I missing?

Steve

What Bert said- I'll add you find this by un-screwing the gas adjustment all the way, then pushing this puck out from the back (it comes out the front)

I believe they also used it to increase the surface area for more force- since shotguns are significantly lower PSI than rifle rounds.

[CrufflerSteve]

I guess I should RTFM. The first time I detail stripped it it fell out and I've called it a 'washer/buffer'. It does get pretty dirty so the gases are really hitting it. It is a good idea as you've said due to lower pressure and makes what I'd call the gas piston smaller.

I'm used to the AK style of figuring out 922r. If this is the actual gas piston, is the piston/bolt carrier now considered one piece? To do a conversion I'd get 3 US pieces from the FCG and 1 from the pistol grip. If this 'puck' is the actual piston I'd get 1 more there. Then I'd have to consider. With an 18" barrel and low pressure a US muzzle brake/flash hider is a joke but I guess I could hit 6 with a plain old ring on the muzzle if somebody makes them. That's why I said this practically begs for NFA.

Steve

[jreifsch80]

if the puck is the piston then maybe the "piston" is actually now considered an op-rod and not one piece with the carrier, though the guys at saiga12.com would know....... Gary.....lol

[SAnd]

Here is a website that has some good information about 922 compliance. It has a Saiga shotgun specific page-
http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/BuildSaigaShotgunVerifyCompliance

Have fun.