I've got a line on an unconverted 5.45 Saiga and am considering getting it. If I do I'm leaning on doing a more modernish build since I feel like you can get pretty good components these days (compared to 15 years ago).

The real sticking point I can't decide on is if I would want to replace the front sight with a Bulgarian threaded front sight and 74 break or just thread the barrel for 1/2x28 and put a 5.56 type muzzle device on it. This wouldn't be a purist build and I like the practicality of the 1/2x28 pitch but that bell can't be unrung if I wanted to go more traditional in the future.

Thoughts?

Also, when I was younger and AKs were cheaper I trusted my garage gunsmithing skills more. Now that these things cost more than ARs I'm less inclined. Who would be a good smith to send this off to?

Won't the threaded front sight base cover the barrel threads if you later decide to upgrade? Even if the sight base doesn't fully cover them, any threads won't be visible with a muzzle device actually screwed onto it.

Cut the cap that’s in front of the front side base, and you will see that it is most likely threaded already.

Mine wasn't.

That was mainly on the 7.62 variants, but even then it wasn't likely from what I remember.

I have never seen a 5.45 that wasn't.

I admit I have only cut the cap off of a few.

Interesting. All the ones I've done haven't. It would be interesting to see what range of serials have threaded barrels.

So thread it 1/2x28 and push the threaded front sight block back a little further. The 74 brake will cover the threads and when you want to use a can the standard threads are there.