[ARCHIVED THREAD] - SBS Saiga 12 (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/18/2025 10:51:46 PM EDT
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Who’s doing saiga 12 sbs conversions nowadays? I believe the gas block has to be moved back for them to be reliable @TonyRumore are you still doing them? |
| I don't speak for TR, but I reached out to him less than a year ago, and he said no. I would be glad to be wrong or if he changes his mind. If memory serves, if you stay above 13" or so, you can get away with just oversizing the gas ports. I have an unfired example myself gathering dust in the back of the safe that I'm looking to SBS soon. |
| I have one from Tony with an 8in barrel. It is awesome. I think you can get down to around 11 inches, or maybe 13 like the other guy said without moving the gas block. I kind of wish my barrel was a little longer because the concussion is wild, but I might just get a can for it instead. It looks like a micro galil and 20rd drums are fun! |
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Quoted: I have one from Tony with an 8in barrel. It is awesome. I think you can get down to around 11 inches, or maybe 13 like the other guy said without moving the gas block. I kind of wish my barrel was a little longer because the concussion is wild, but I might just get a can for it instead. It looks like a micro galil and 20rd drums are fun! I think I want a 12”. Could be convinced otherwise |
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Quoted: I don't speak for TR, but I reached out to him less than a year ago, and he said no. I would be glad to be wrong or if he changes his mind. If memory serves, if you stay above 13" or so, you can get away with just oversizing the gas ports. I have an unfired example myself gathering dust in the back of the safe that I'm looking to SBS soon. He's posted a few times that Saiga parts are basically unobtainable so he doesn't do them. |
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I always missed hIs sign up list at midnight it would be full in minutes. Did my own @ 12 inches and it eats everything even the low brass 100 packs from wallyworld. Wouldn't mind putting a AK FRT in it but I'm afraid of screwing up the reliability. There are a few easy things you need to do @ 12 inches to get it to 100% Don't buy a vodka special. There is a lot to IDing a vodka special but not hard. Things to look for are the correct amount of gas port holes. They are the correct size. They aren't covered IE: they are drilled in the right spot. If you address everything from the start you will have no issues getting a standard 12 inch gun running. I say do it and do it your self. |
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Quoted: How bad are Saiga 12 prices nowadays? I’m kicking myself for not buying one about 15 years ago. I also missed out on the Saiga 12's. I picked up a Chinese Lynx 12 that is a Saiga clone. Mine works fantastically at emptying out my collection of 12 gauge ammo.  
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Quoted: How bad are Saiga 12 prices nowadays? I'm kicking myself for not buying one about 15 years ago. One day he said there is a new thing out and you need it and it's only 189 bucks. That was my saiga 12. One of the very first. pre vodka specials I've had some great range days with it. Never shot a fa version, but have bump fired this one. Awesome |
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Quoted: I don't know if he's still doing them but I shot one of his full auto SBSs and that thing is badass!!!! I friend bump fired this one of mine. It was pretty cool with a fast cyclic.  I think I have three or four NIB stock S12s somewhere. Don’t have any talent to do a conversion. |
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Quoted: I missed out of them years ago. Picked up two JKS AK12s to make up for it. Next year I’m gonna SBS one of them and cut the barrel to 13in. I would like to go shorter but worried about getting it to work. Yeah I picked up a JTS M12AR which made me go dig the Saiga out of the safe and basically go “this needs to be a SBS” |
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Quoted: I don't speak for TR, but I reached out to him less than a year ago, and he said no. I would be glad to be wrong or if he changes his mind. If memory serves, if you stay above 13" or so, you can get away with just oversizing the gas ports. I have an unfired example myself gathering dust in the back of the safe that I'm looking to SBS soon. Same. I got caught up in the Saiga craze and have 2-3 in various configurations that have never been fired and never converted. |
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Quoted: I converted about 50 of them at 2A, they are not real easy to do correctly! I do still have some conversion parts floating around, so if you find someone to do it, I can probably root through my parts and see what I have. @TZLVredmist What all does it take to do one correctly? I cut mine down years ago and permanently attached a brake on it, but always wondered what it took to go shorter. |
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Years ago, Tapco made a pistol grip conversion frame for those who wanted to convert the straight stock configuration to a traditional AK style. Those things were a godsend. Looks like a conversion kit is now offered by Carolina Shooters. Get a Shepherds Hook retaining plate and install that too. Pair that with a folding stock adapter from ACE, and then all you need is to find someone to cut the barrel to 13. Wow this topic is making me feel old. Seems like a lifetime ago dad and I were dremeling out my Saiga receiver. |
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My Saiga12 is 3/4 through conversion (fully functional, just need to plug receiver holes and paint). BUT I'm waiting until after Jan1 so I can SBS it before applying finish. I'm going to go 12" with mine. Should be a hoot! Folding stock, autoplug, magwell, and lots of 8rd mags! |
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Yeah, I’m not necessarily taking about converting the trigger, butstock, grip, although that’s part of it More so cutting the barrel down and getting the gas system to work reliably I’m 95% sure the gas system really needs to be moved back to get a longer dwell period and cycle well with low brass loads |
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I wanted to have my S12 and have Tony put it on a Virgin receiver to make it into a AOW with his super short barrel. He declined and said he’s out of the S12 game. I ended up doing the screw conversion kit to mine with a Magpul Zukov stock for the mean time. Seems like the demand for these guns is almost non existent now. I like mine. Haven’t shot it in a while. Maybe it’s time to bust it out and do some blasting. |
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I shot one that was allegedly a Tromix gun, with a 10" barrel. It shot great, and had an adjustable choke tube, probably a poly choke. The owner was throwing stacks of eight or nine clays in the air, and hitting most of them. We were smoking clays with it at normal shotgun distances. |
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Quoted: Years ago, Tapco made a pistol grip conversion frame for those who wanted to convert the straight stock configuration to a traditional AK style. Those things were a godsend. Looks like a conversion kit is now offered by Carolina Shooters. Get a Shepherds Hook retaining plate and install that too. Pair that with a folding stock adapter from ACE, and then all you need is to find someone to cut the barrel to 13. Wow this topic is making me feel old. Seems like a lifetime ago dad and I were dremeling out my Saiga receiver. Those tapco things are garbage and always have been. Doesn't convert anything. The CSS kits get you 90% of the way to a proper conversion, maybe a bit more. I used my first CSS kit about a decade ago. |
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We have a JTS AK-T1 fake siaga, and it worked great until it didn't. The gas port is one huge hole rather than several smaller holes like in a Lynx. Small chunks of wads filled up a bunch of space causing the bolt not to go into battery. Once I cleaned it out it worked great, and now I check that area every time when I am cleaning it. It does require complete disassembly of the gas regulator. |
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Quoted: Those tapco things are garbage and always have been. Doesn't convert anything. The CSS kits get you 90% of the way to a proper conversion, maybe a bit more. I used my first CSS kit about a decade ago. Quoted: Quoted: Years ago, Tapco made a pistol grip conversion frame for those who wanted to convert the straight stock configuration to a traditional AK style. Those things were a godsend. Looks like a conversion kit is now offered by Carolina Shooters. Get a Shepherds Hook retaining plate and install that too. Pair that with a folding stock adapter from ACE, and then all you need is to find someone to cut the barrel to 13. Wow this topic is making me feel old. Seems like a lifetime ago dad and I were dremeling out my Saiga receiver. Those tapco things are garbage and always have been. Doesn't convert anything. The CSS kits get you 90% of the way to a proper conversion, maybe a bit more. I used my first CSS kit about a decade ago. You’re thinking of the stock/pistol grip combo that Tapco marketed, and yes, they were garbage. Tapco did make a short run, I think it was like 1-2 years, of the same type of framework that CSS uses for their conversion kits - a screw/rivet in place bracket that features a for an AR pistol grip screw. At least I’m pretty sure that was Tapco that made it. I did this like 20 years ago. |
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Quoted: Yeah, I’m not necessarily taking about converting the trigger, butstock, grip, although that’s part of it More so cutting the barrel down and getting the gas system to work reliably I’m 95% sure the gas system really needs to be moved back to get a longer dwell period and cycle well with low brass loads Depends on how short you cut the barrel, the orientation and size of existing port(s) on the Saiga you have, If it was a Friday Vodka gun - as they used to say on Saiga-12.com and any choke - A modified choke and a 12.5" barrel will run Federal bulk from Walmart. It won't run all cheap bulk however. In my experience a mod choke will help run light loads in an AK shotgun. Pushing back the gas block would help but I think that is more often done if you go shorter than say 12.5/13 inch range. Tony Rumore is a member here |
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Quoted: @TZLVredmist What all does it take to do one correctly? I cut mine down years ago and permanently attached a brake on it, but always wondered what it took to go shorter. Quoted: Quoted: I converted about 50 of them at 2A, they are not real easy to do correctly! I do still have some conversion parts floating around, so if you find someone to do it, I can probably root through my parts and see what I have. @TZLVredmist What all does it take to do one correctly? I cut mine down years ago and permanently attached a brake on it, but always wondered what it took to go shorter. Let's see if I can remember it all! Barrel is cut down and rethreaded correctly. Ports will sometimes be 4 holes, sometimes 2, some 3. So some work needs done there. Piston guide is redone on the short ones, piston portion is removed at the pin and reshaped. Trigger portion is converted, and holes welded shut. Back of the receiver is re-angled, and a plate is welded on at the correct angle for the stock. Those are the basics I remember. Tony is the master of these and probably should be your source of guidance if he is willing!  |
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Quoted: I didn't find it to be a very difficult conversion process, when I did this one about... 20 years ago. Now I feel old.  I kid you not - I pulled this out of the safe the other day and the red dot still worked on the original battery. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/60523/saigasbs002-3626798.jpg @kallnojoy What length is that? Gas system looks stock? |
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I still hold a little grudge that MD arms never came through with the double-stack mags. It's like Mike teased us to the point of jizzing then bailed the fuck out of everything. Claimed he was going to work on arms for the USG. I was psyched. Biggest firearms letdown I can remember. |
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Quoted: How bad are Saiga 12 prices nowadays? I’m kicking myself for not buying one about 15 years ago. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1116288628 Buy now price is only $6,888.00. |
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Quoted: I also missed out on the Saiga 12's. I picked up a Chinese Lynx 12 that is a Saiga clone. Mine works fantastically at emptying out my collection of 12 gauge ammo. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Lynx_12_folder_JPG-3626488.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Lynx_12-3626489.jpg I considered buying one of those but had heard some bad reviews.....how is yours ? |
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Quoted: Who’s doing saiga 12 sbs conversions nowadays? I believe the gas block has to be moved back for them to be reliable Negative, Ghostrider. Cut down to 12.5”, add gas port/enlarge existing ones. No moving gas black. Have you friends break it in with high brass ammo. Empties a mag before the first shell hits the concrete. Music to my ears. Giggle machine crowd pleaser. |
| I have a Saiga, Lynx and VEPR as well as many other shotguns - The Lynx is fine. It always works. I can't think of any problem with it. Not sure if the steel is as good as a Saiga - but seems fine. Thinking of SBS'ing it come January along with some others like a JTS AR12. |
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Quoted: I considered buying one of those but had heard some bad reviews.....how is yours ? Quoted: Quoted: I also missed out on the Saiga 12's. I picked up a Chinese Lynx 12 that is a Saiga clone. Mine works fantastically at emptying out my collection of 12 gauge ammo. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Lynx_12_folder_JPG-3626488.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Lynx_12-3626489.jpg I considered buying one of those but had heard some bad reviews.....how is yours ? Mine has been great, and other than a different stock and forearm, is factory. I've ran slugs, buckshot, the cheapest game loads I could find locally, and it has functioned fine with everything. Not an especially large number of rounds, but I think enough to clear up and break-in it might have needed. I paid $400 for it several years ago through Bud's, and as reliable as it has been, I think it was a good deal at that price. I haven't noticed any weakness in any of the metal, bolt lugs, or anything else that would make you think anything was soft and prone to wear out fast. The only minor issue I ever had was mag-related. There was a decent amount of flashing on the follower, and a bit inside the mag itself, where the mold seams come together, but cleaning them up with scraping with an Xacto knife and sanding with fine wet-or-dry cleaned it right up. Works fine now. |
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That’s crazy crack smoking high! |
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Quoted: I considered buying one of those but had heard some bad reviews.....how is yours ? Quoted: Quoted: I also missed out on the Saiga 12's. I picked up a Chinese Lynx 12 that is a Saiga clone. Mine works fantastically at emptying out my collection of 12 gauge ammo. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Lynx_12_folder_JPG-3626488.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Lynx_12-3626489.jpg I considered buying one of those but had heard some bad reviews.....how is yours ? Mine eats everything - low brass and high brass. Plus uses all Saiga mags. It has an adjustable gas plug that I have never adjusted. It does kick though. |
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Quoted: @kallnojoy What length is that? Gas system looks stock? I do remember it was the shortest Tony suggested at the time that was functional without relocating the gas. It looks longer than it is because of the adjustable choke adapter. IIRC, I installed an aftermarket "valve" that has more options that the stock one - allowing for more fine tuning. To get it to run the cheapest/lightest loads, I did drill out the gas ports slightly. (Again IIRC), mine has 3 or 4 ports in a diamond pattern, and they were just reachable by angling a bit through the gas block to open them up slightly. It runs like a sewing machine and is a hoot (and a workout) shooting clays out back with the drum mag and red dot! |
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Quoted: Negative, Ghostrider. Cut down to 12.5”, add gas port/enlarge existing ones. No moving gas black. Have you friends break it in with high brass ammo. Empties a mag before the first shell hits the concrete. Music to my ears. Giggle machine crowd pleaser. Quoted: Quoted: Who’s doing saiga 12 sbs conversions nowadays? I believe the gas block has to be moved back for them to be reliable Negative, Ghostrider. Cut down to 12.5”, add gas port/enlarge existing ones. No moving gas black. Have you friends break it in with high brass ammo. Empties a mag before the first shell hits the concrete. Music to my ears. Giggle machine crowd pleaser. I’m ok with 12.5”, so what am I opening the ports up to? Or trial and error? |
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VEPR is definitely the preferred AK based shotgun but are top dollar… Saiga/clones on the other hand are much more prolific and affordable, they just (typcailly) need to be broken in/tuned to run properly, which is why scoring one at an LGS for dirt cheap is common. Getting 500 rounds of ammo through them to break them in to run reliably isn’t exactly preferable/viable to most folks, but doing that along with a decent gas plug swap and other assorted bits and pieces from Carolina Shooter’s Supply will get them running like a top…but they still won’t be a VEPR. I picked up a KUSA Komrad-12 on consignment at my LGS during the “brace scare” and stole it because the owner thought he was going to end up an overnight felon. I SBS’d it and with the upgraded gas plug and spring kit and it runs great, I just need the JTE magwell parts to make reloads faster/more intuitive… |
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Quoted: I’m ok with 12.5”, so what am I opening the ports up to? Or trial and error? See posts on saiga12 forum, that's what I did. ETA:Check this out ETA:no pics :( ETA:You get the idea |
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Quoted: VEPR is definitely the preferred AK based shotgun but are top dollar Saiga/clones on the other hand are much more prolific and affordable, they just (typcailly) need to be broken in/tuned to run properly, which is why scoring one at an LGS for dirt cheap is common. Getting 500 rounds of ammo through them to break them in to run reliably isn't exactly preferable/viable to most folks, but doing that along with a decent gas plug swap and other assorted bits and pieces from Carolina Shooter's Supply will get them running like a top but they still won't be a VEPR. I picked up a KUSA Komrad-12 on consignment at my LGS during the "brace scare" and stole it because the owner thought he was going to end up an overnight felon. I SBS'd it and with the upgraded gas plug and spring kit and it runs great, I just need the JTE magwell parts to make reloads faster/more intuitive |
