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OT: Finaly completed saiga project
15 years 4 months ago #1906
by crux
Replied by crux on topic Re:OT: Finaly completed saiga project
I did it casually over three weekends. It could easily be done in an afternoon however if you had everything lined up.
The mod involves swapping out a certain number of foreign parts and replacing them with the correct number of US parts. For the Saiga this also means one must relocate the trigger group from about where the pistol grip should be, to a place forward where it would normally be on a regular production firearm. This involves grinding and punching out some rivets, and in this case grinding out a new square for the pistol grip nut.
I have very little background as a machinist, which made the project very exciting (in good and not so good ways), and educational. All I can say is a talented machinist is worth their weight in some precious commodity. Anyway, I benefited quite a bit from the experience in terms of my confidence with drill and dremel and the ability to tweak such a machine. It was also a great way to learn the AK platform backwards and forwards.
The word of caution though is one should study compliance issues with USC Title 18 Section 922(r) in great detail before attempting such a project to ensure they stay legit. But with some careful study and some care with the tools, I've basically got an AK platform semi-auto 12 gauge mostly built by the same facility that has produced everything from the venerable Mosin Nagant bolt action rifle to the modern issue russian AK-47. It was mostly a hobby project for fun and a personal challenge to see if I could without lousing it up, but the rig certainly a centerpiece for discussion at the range. All I can say is "surplus halloween pumpkins beware"
Here's a random video of one with a 20rd drum magazine.
The mod involves swapping out a certain number of foreign parts and replacing them with the correct number of US parts. For the Saiga this also means one must relocate the trigger group from about where the pistol grip should be, to a place forward where it would normally be on a regular production firearm. This involves grinding and punching out some rivets, and in this case grinding out a new square for the pistol grip nut.
I have very little background as a machinist, which made the project very exciting (in good and not so good ways), and educational. All I can say is a talented machinist is worth their weight in some precious commodity. Anyway, I benefited quite a bit from the experience in terms of my confidence with drill and dremel and the ability to tweak such a machine. It was also a great way to learn the AK platform backwards and forwards.
The word of caution though is one should study compliance issues with USC Title 18 Section 922(r) in great detail before attempting such a project to ensure they stay legit. But with some careful study and some care with the tools, I've basically got an AK platform semi-auto 12 gauge mostly built by the same facility that has produced everything from the venerable Mosin Nagant bolt action rifle to the modern issue russian AK-47. It was mostly a hobby project for fun and a personal challenge to see if I could without lousing it up, but the rig certainly a centerpiece for discussion at the range. All I can say is "surplus halloween pumpkins beware"
Here's a random video of one with a 20rd drum magazine.
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