Saiga 12 Conversion

[TEAMRICO]

Latest step in the Saiga 12 conversion.
Did the major work cutting and filing last Friday night and order a few items from Carolina Shooter Supply that came in Thursday.
Added a TAPCO WARSAW Length Stock(Removed the T-6 stock) and then the TAPCO SAW Grip was from another project.
Reworked the inards with some items from Carolina Shooters Supply.
New Retention Plate for the pins and aftermarket Hammer Spring from CSS.
Got the TAPCO Single Hook FCG from Bravo Arms.
Did my own work with the grinding and metal removal on the BHO and FCG.
Used the original trigger guard and kept the original Safety stop.
Rustoleum Flat Black with texture blended right in nicely!
Over all it is now lighter and the trigger is smooth as a prom queens thighs!

Action is smooth, just need to put some rounds threw her to confirm everything is A O K!
Had the old iPad right there to YouTube the whole process to walk me through! HAHAHAHAHA
Future add on will be a RPK type hand guard and a raised AK style front sight.
Lay off my home made gun rack workstation! It works!

[NitroxBoss]

Nice, do you do this kind of work and if so PM me how much it would cast to rework my new / never fired one over like yours.

Thanks

Mark

[TEAMRICO]

I'm by no means a gunsmith!
I followed the YouTube videos by Carolina Shooter Supply.
I used what I could from the gun like the original trigger guard and bought the screws and 3/16 plastic plug caps at Lowe's and only ordered the butt stock and hammer spring and retainer plate along with a couple spare springs for around $60 shipped.
The metal work can be done easily with a Dremel, drill, file and disk sander to shape the hammer other parts.
Mainly this was a budget build.
TAPCO Trigger group was under $30, so my total parts was under a $100 since I had the pistol grip.
I learned a lot about trimming the parts and metal like the Bolt Hold open to save a few bucks over buying pre made pieces like the Fire Control group and BHO. A few simple holes, cuts and some filing will save you some cash.
Measure twice, cut once and sand, file and trim slowly. Now that I know what to expect having the right parts and a couple of hours you can save yourself plenty of cash.

[BPTactical]

Nice, do you do this kind of work and if so PM me how much it would cast to rework my new / never fired one over like yours.

Thanks

Mark

Check your PM's

[baglock1]

I'm a complete Saiga newbie and have heard of the infamous "conversion" but have no idea what it entails or even what it's purpose is. Can you give me the 10 cent explanation?

[BPTactical]

I'm a complete Saiga newbie and have heard of the infamous "conversion" but have no idea what it entails or even what it's purpose is. Can you give me the 10 cent explanation?

Changing out the "sporting stock"- triggergroup-welding up a couple of holes in each side of the receiver and refinishing. Sometimes changing out the gas block, cutting the barrel.
Basically returning it to the original pistol grip configuration and its full "Evil Black" glory.
You can do it on the cheap as noted above or go full out with 3-500.00 worth of parts and ensuing labor cost.
Sorta like race cars-
"Speed cost money-just how fast you want to go anyway?"

[cfortune]

I'm a complete Saiga newbie and have heard of the infamous "conversion" but have no idea what it entails or even what it's purpose is. Can you give me the 10 cent explanation?

Take a look at where your trigger is on your Saiga. Notice the trigger guard ends at the end of the receiver and the gap between the mag well? Then look at this pic of my old S308 (traded the S308 away for an S12, don't have a very good pic of my S12 showing this).



The basic conversion job allows you to restore your gun to an original AK configuration. Moves the trigger forward allowing a pistol grip to be attached to the receiver vs buying one of the stocks that a grip is attached to. There are holes already cut in your receiver to do this, they're just covered by a trigger plate on the rifles and the selector stop on the shotguns.


Its really not a hard job once you get over grinding into your gun (took me forever to man up and do my S223). To BP's point though, going through the a gunsmith is definitely a higher quality job. My first conversion had idiot marks all over it and I really don't want to get into refinishing. Not to mention the unsightly metal that lives under the trigger plate.

[El Caballo Loco]

BP, are the FCGs the same between a regular AK and a Saiga 12?

[BPTactical]

BP, are the FCGs the same between a regular AK and a Saiga 12?

No-the hammer and trigger are different to accomodate the bolt hold open.