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I've developed an affinity for the AK47 platform so naturally I discovered the Saiga. So my latest project was to attempt a conversion. I was able to find a Saiga .410 (pre-ATF study price) as they're not as high demand as the 12s right now.

Purchased all my parts and hi-cap magazines from Carolina Shooting Supplies. Being my first conversion I took my sweet time. Overall, it took about 2.5 hours not including dry time for paint. Drilling/filing the rivets and removing the old triggerguard took me a full hour. Installing all the new parts were a breeze and can be done with basic hand tools and a drill. Here's a list of parts I used:

• Tapco G2 FCG
• CSS DIY Triggerguard
• CSS retaining plate
• Hogue pistol grip
• K-Var Warsaw stock

For anyone thinking about trying a conversion, I say go for it. It's easier that assembling an AR15 and can be done with with basic tools. If the Saiga 12s ever come back down in price I'll give it another shot and try installing an internal reciever block. Here's a few pics of the progression:

Pre-Conversion



Post-Conversion

Sweetness...

I am looking to get me a Saiga .308 soon. Going to do the conversion, with 4 or 6 point buttstock, 3 way rail for the front hand guard, and some optics!!!

what was the cost of conversion versus buying an Arsenal converted one (currently $750-ish)?

RPB wrote:what was the cost of conversion versus buying an Arsenal converted one (currently $750-ish)?

Paid $350 for the Saiga and $170 in conversion parts. Could be done cheaper if I would have used Tapco grip and stock.

uthornsfan wrote:Sweetness...

I am looking to get me a Saiga .308 soon. Going to do the conversion, with 4 or 6 point buttstock, 3 way rail for the front hand guard, and some optics!!!

Make sure you check out Carolina Shooting Supplies for your conversion parts. They are great to deal with. They have fair shipping prices and ship everything I've bought from them USPS Priority. So I had my parts in 2 days.

OH, and use the promo code "CSS" and you'll get 5% off.

Looks nice.

I converted a Saiga 7.62x39. I got to know the innards of an AK47 that way...and learned a thing or two about drilling steel.

RiverCity.45 wrote:I converted a Saiga 7.62x39. I got to know the innards of an AK47 that way...and learned a thing or two about drilling steel.

Same here. It really isn't all that difficult. And you do become intimately familiar with how your rifle works.

And to be sarcastic, if you're going to shoot someone with a .410, you've got the right idea using a magazine fed, easily reloadable .410!

Heard a clerk at the local fun store recommend a single shot .410 to a new gun owner as a home defense weapon. I had to leave or they would have kicked me out for calling him a jerk for telling someone to trust their life to a single shot .410

jeeperbryan wrote:

uthornsfan wrote:Sweetness...

I am looking to get me a Saiga .308 soon. Going to do the conversion, with 4 or 6 point buttstock, 3 way rail for the front hand guard, and some optics!!!

Make sure you check out Carolina Shooting Supplies for your conversion parts. They are great to deal with. They have fair shipping prices and ship everything I've bought from them USPS Priority. So I had my parts in 2 days.

OH, and use the promo code "CSS" and you'll get 5% off.

I'm a long-time, happy customer of theirs too

That is a sweet job you did. I think my next project will be a side folding AK74 converted from a Saiga. Let us know how she shoots...

Oh, man, I have so many questions to ask about this. I can't decide whether to do a 7.62x39 conversion or just get a cheapo WASR. I want to do a conversion, but I'm overly cautious and nervous about drilling into something I'll spend $400 on. It seems like how-tos and parts lists are scattered around various sources. Was there a definitive guide you guys used?

Snap E Tom wrote:Oh, man, I have so many questions to ask about this. I can't decide whether to do a 7.62x39 conversion or just get a cheapo WASR. I want to do a conversion, but I'm overly cautious and nervous about drilling into something I'll spend $400 on. It seems like how-tos and parts lists are scattered around various sources. Was there a definitive guide you guys used?

Do you have a very basic knowledge? As in, have you ever used a drill before on metal? There is a ton of info on the Saiga forum http://forum.saiga-12.com/. I did use a guide, but the bookmark was on my laptop which is now dead.

If you've ever used a drill and can go slow and keep it straight, this is not something you should be afraid of doing yourself. I'd never done any "gunsmithing" type work before I converted mine, but it wasn't difficult.

I've never shot a WASR, but held a friends and just from that comparison, I think the Saiga is above and beyond the WASR in quality.

That being said, an AK is an AK and as long as its not too messed up, it will work no matter what the name on the side is!

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