Cold Hand Arms would be my choice locally, if he is still doing them. The only thing I would suggest not doing yourself is the gas ports. Any gunsmith should be able to open up the gas ports for you. As far as the trigger conversion...it takes about 20 minutes. The weapon is pretty simple and everything internally is very easy to get to.
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reagan
Guest
Thanks for the info guys but i am looking for someone that is interested in doing the conversion for me. Im working alot, and at the time living in a 5th wheel camper so i really dont have the place to do projects at
Honestly, with the cost of paying someone to do a Saiga conversion, you might as well buy an Arsenal. The arsenal will retain it's resell value longer and their Saiga based AK's won't have the extra holes and stuff that you'll have with a "homebrew" conversion. If you can find their Bulgarian based AK's, it'll be even cheaper.
For a total full blown conversion to a "legit" ak74 type rifle (pistol grip, trigger group, gas block, gas tube, handguard retainer, stock, front sight block, muzzle brake, piston rod, cleaning rod, bullet guide) you're talking about $300+ for just the components. You're talking $375 + shipping/transfer for the Saiga rifle in the sporter configuration + about $300 +/- for the parts and components for the conversion. That already puts you up at the upper end of $600, not including the cost of various drills and taps and equipment you would need to make the conversion and also whatever labor someone would charge to do all this. It's not hard to get into the $900's for a fully converted Saiga and you'll never be able to sell that converted Saiga AK for much more than $600.
Bulgarian Arsenal AK's were going for about $600-$700 last I checked. They may be out of stock now. I know Arsenal's converted Saiga AK's are closer to $900-$1000. The Arsenals will have higher resale value. Unless someone is willing to donate the time to help build one for you, it's really not worth paying someone to build a Saiga conversion, when you can just get an Arsenal for the same price.
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reagan
Guest
Thanks for the info. I found a Saiga that has the front furnture and gas block ect already done. i was woundering about the cost for the magazine conversion and the butt stock and the pistol grip conversion
Here is another good video on converting a Saiga, no sound though: http://vimeo.com/2787027.
Its good for people like me, whos wives won't let them spend 700 at once for a rifle, so they can get the cheaper saiga, which are well made, and slowly upgrade it without her noticing the extra costs involved, lol. I watched a video on utube on doing the conversion and it looked easy enough, but they always look easy to me until I get half-way through and I think, what the hell did I get myself into.
With Tromix conversions, and most all other high end conversions the holes are welded and sanded down before the rifle is re coated. Also Arsenal doesn't make 12 gauges.......
Shhhh, don't be giving away secrets like that so freely......Wives can read ya know.......
I did one two weeks ago and was shocked how easy it was. The vephr may be a better buy as they come converted and seem a little nicer. I have about $200 in my conversion and I want to repeat. It was not that tough to pull off. The hardest part was the bolt hold open. Lowes sell nylon plugs that fill the holes perfert and look just like the original rivets.
Most guys don't do their own LRBHO so congrats.
Ya plugs work well. I would be kind of nervous welding on a receiver unless I had some similar metal to practice a few times on. Would suck to ruin one. How does your gun run? Cycle both bird shot and buck shot well?
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