After all the stories of canted sights/gas tubes and bad finishes on the receiver/barrel, I'm pleasantly surprised.  For a $300 rifle, I think the finish looks pretty darn good.  No canted sights/gas tube either.  Even though I wont be using the wood stocks that came with it, they don't look that bad.  It's a 2002 model.  Guess I lucked out considering I ordered it without seeing it first.

Now for the fun part.  I get to customize it into my ultimate SHTF rifle.  I decided on the SAR-2 after reading all the suggestions Campybob made and I don't regret it one bit.  

Now, I need a suggestion on a good gunsmith I can send it to remove the current front sight block and install a threaded front sight block.  I have neither the talent nor the correct tools.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Once I get it finished, I'll post some pictures.

USPC40



NRA Life Member
GOA Life Member
SAF Supporter
SAS Supporter

This is where I'll soon be sending mine...

www.globaltrades.com/

Bradd

For a scope, I recommend a Russian 1p29. They come with 3 cams: 5.45mm, 7.62x54, and 5.45mmRPK(long barrel). They come with the regular 5.45 cam installed already too.

Very nice clear optics, 4x power. For reference, it is a modernized copy of the Jisraeli S.U.I.T. scope.

And, an English translation of the Russian manual just became available! Finally.

I already have an EOTech holosight I'm going to use mounted on an UltiMAK.  The only thing holding up the assembly now is the threaded FSB.  The wait is going to drive me nuts!  

Bradd D, have you gotten a cost for the FSB replacment?

USPC40



NRA Life Member
GOA Life Member
SAF Supporter
SAS Supporter

I'm seriously considering buying an SAR-2 rifle from Century International Arms. What kind of quality and accuracy should I expect? Thanks. OUCH

C'mon guys, do the mods to the gun yourself. Some punches, a drill and bits, a Dremel tool and a hammer are all you really need. Some cold blue/black to touch up, or one of the Brownell's finishes if you want to redo the entire gun.

It's just not that hard. And you can look at the rifle and know you've done the work to it.

Quoted: C'mon guys, do the mods to the gun yourself. Some punches, a drill and bits, a Dremel tool and a hammer are all you really need. Some cold blue/black to touch up, or one of the Brownell's finishes if you want to redo the entire gun. It's just not that hard. And you can look at the rifle and know you've done the work to it.

I plan on refinishing my SAR-2 myself with Aluma-Hyde II in matte black.  I have all the tools you mentioned.  Any step-by-step guides available for replacing a front sight assembly?  I can follow instructions.  I just don't want to experiment and screw something up.  I don't have a lot of money and it has taken me a while to collect the various parts I'll be using to customize my SAR-2.

USPC40



NRA Life Member
GOA Life Member
SAF Supporter
SAS Supporter

Taking my SAR2 with the front sight and muzzle break I got from Hassan, my friendly neighborhood AK parts dealer, to the 'smith tommorow.

I would have 'done it myself', but the verdamt new FSB doesnt have the holes drilled all the way through and I dont think my Dremil will develop enough torque to go through that metal. Besides, I dont trust myself to do a straight hole with hand tools. Looked into even getting a drill press but I dont have the space for it.

Buddy of mine ordered me a PSO-1 in 6x24 from Kalinka Optics last Friday for me, and I'm holding out for it to get here tommorow before I take the whole kit'n'kabootle off to the smith for what'll probably turn out to be a week. Guess the old Stevens 520 Riot Gun gets door duty until she get back.

Ammo is scarce around here, have to buy bulk at the gunshow, mags are best ordered mail-order too. Got six, probably will order another ten (four mag pouches, four mags each) with two spare pouches. I like the orange bakelite mags, even if low-viz will have to take the form of 100mph tape.

Was considering a 'under the table' underfolder visa-vis a conversion block but decided that if I'm going to have a 922r violation, I'd rathar have it on an original AK47 type. The muzzle break on this bastard makes it one long AK. I'll probably end up sticking an FSE krink stock on it to make it look like the Spetnaz rifles from "Red Dawn".

WOLVERINES!

:) Aint ak's grand?

USPC40 asks: I plan on refinishing my SAR-2 myself with Aluma-Hyde II in matte black. I have all the tools you mentioned. Any step-by-step guides available for replacing a front sight assembly? I can follow instructions. I just don't want to experiment and screw something up. I don't have a lot of money and it has taken me a while to collect the various parts I'll be using to customize my SAR-2. [/quote} Here's the responses I got to the same question when I asked it: What parts to buy from K-Var - ak-167 fsb ak-141 comp/brake ak-244 plunger pin ak-025 retainer pins (x2) ak-245 plunger catch spring ak-256 piunger retainer pin To do the brake legally you have to add a US part CampyBob Directions: "1. Are there illustrated instructions on installing the FSB and brake anywhere on the web?" no, but i have detailed the process numerous times on this site and on ak-47net. "{2. What size drill bit do I use to drill out the various holes in the FSB?" the oem pins must be driven out (from the left side of the rifle towards the right side). use a nail set to start the 3mm pins moving, and a 3/32" drift punch to finish driving them out. after pressing on the fsb, pre-drill the holes undersize with a .120" drill bit (that's a number 31). then stone down a 1/8" bit about a half thousandths to .1245" (just spin the drill bit against a stone to reduce its' size a tad) and open up the holes to the press fit size. reamint to .1245" is preferrable, if you have access to a undersize reamer. drive in two .1255 x 1/2" long hardened steel dowel pins (available at any local machine shop. note: dowels (like this 1/8" nominal sized dowel) are oversized by .0005" or sor to insure a tight press fit. "3. What do you guys do about the bayonet lug? Cut it off completely or just the wings, so that it can't hold a bayonet any longer?" yup, just file/mill off the two locking lugs on the sides of the bayo mount. you will need the hole to retain the cleaning rod. "4. With the exception of the plunger pin, all of the pins look alike. Is that actually the case?" no, the pin that retains the plunger pin has divots on both ends and is just smooshed with a hammer and punch after the plunger and spring are installed (install them from the rear of the fsb). "K-Var put all the pins in a single package, so there isn't a clear identification of what I ordered." do not use the 3mm (.118") pins to re-install a new base. you must displace some more bbl. material to insure a positive location for the new fsb. thus, using the 1/8" dowel pins is what i recommend. My actual experience: Put the new brake on last night. It took about 2 hours start to finish. A few comments: 1. Despite Campy telling me to drive the pins from left to right, they would only come out from right to left. 2. Aligning the new FSB with the existing pin holes made the cleaning rod a very tight fit; it just barely touches the correctly installed brake. 3. Used a little hi-temp RTV on the threads to tighten up the brake fit. It was a tiny bit loose, but the RTV did the job. 4. Dremeled the wings off the bayonet lug (grinder bit). Took only a few minutes.

I also just use a regular hand drill to drill all the holes, with a block of wood underneath the barrel/fsb when I did the drilling.

Hope this helps -

David<

Hello USPC40,

Believe me, you can do it  ! !

Get the tools listed, along with a good vise and some wood blocks, and go at it  !   Ever hear of anyone messing up and  AK ?!?!?!?

Refinished one of my AKs just last week with matte Aluma-Hyde II.  Looks much better than my SAR now  ! !  

You can definately do it.

I probably had the most trouble of anyone(at least anyone that I can recall posting) when I installed mine, and it still wasn't that bad.

If you need, I have a couple of variations of instructions in word documents that I can email.  I also have DavidC's list in a word document as well.

As long as you have punches, a vice(not necessary, but it really does make the job easier), and a hand drill(a press would be more precise, but again, not necessary), you can do this in your garage/workshop/kitchen table...