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Posted: 8/7/2005 2:46:20 PM EDT
[#1]
The Vepr is actually an RPK and the saiga is a better platform for a 100 series Kalashnikov. The best way is probably through Chris Butler at www.ak-103.com The cheapest may or may not be doing it yourself. I like my Saiga conversion to an AK-103. It was locally done but the party who did it is unreliable. Makes good rifles but has timely delivery issues.
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Posted: 8/7/2005 2:49:01 PM EDT
[#2]
There is no "cheap" when you talk about 100-series conversions, if "correctness" is your goal. The folding poly stocks are hard to find and are quite pricey when you do. If you're willing to settle for the "triangle" sidefolder, the easiest route would be to buy an already-built gun from someplace like Atlantic Firearms. Alternatively, buy an Arsenal SLR-105, buy a sidefolder from K-VAR, and send it to your favorite AK-smith for installation. Unless you can do the work yourself, having a Saiga converted is not a cost-effective way to go, IME. |
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Posted: 8/7/2005 4:50:38 PM EDT
[#3]
Cheap AND Authentic is not going to happen. How "authentic" do you want to get with it? Reason I ask is some of the parts required like the punch weld front and rear sight bases and the gas bock are VERY hard to find. About the only option on those is to buy a AK-74M deactivated rifle kit from Andrei. They run $500 just for the parts kit and the kits do not include the barrel, bolt carrier, bolt or receiver. My opinion, a good base rifle would be a Arsenal SLR-105. Its built on a real deal Soviet pattern receiver, not to mention all the parts with the 74M kit will interchange. These can be had for $420 or so. Then you get into the US parts crap. Gota have 6. FCG will be 3, gas piston 1, pistol grip 1 and handgaurds 1. As you can see, to do one up as close as possible is gona cost some big bucks. By the time you bought everything, paid shipping, transfer and have someone build it all, your talking $1400-$1500 range minimum. Russian stuff is hard to get and VERY pricey, stuff adds up real quik. Of course there are other ways to go about it, that was the extream end of things.  |
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Posted: 8/7/2005 5:16:14 PM EDT
[#4]
Cheap to me is under $1000. I do all my own work so finding a smith is not a problem. I am having problems finding parts in stock such as the polymer folding stock, not the skeletonized folder from an AK74. What I meant to say with the word "cheap" is that if I can find a saiga and a vepr, which will require the least mount of parts and which will be more troublesome to perform the work on. Sourcing parts and a base rifle is my biggest problem.
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Posted: 8/7/2005 6:10:44 PM EDT
[#5]
Gotcha,
well, I am currently gathering parts for the same project you are doing. I am using a Arsenal SLR-105 as the base rifle and I plan on buying a Russian 74M deact kit from Andrei. The deact kit will give you everything needed to install on the SLR for a damn close clone, prob as close as you are going to get. Deact kits sell for $500, I can get you a SLR-105 for $420 + $25 shipping.
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Posted: 8/7/2005 7:09:38 PM EDT
[#6]
Is the gas block the same? I thought the 74 had more of an angle, while the 100 series looks more vertical?
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Posted: 8/7/2005 7:20:34 PM EDT
[#7]
Na, I got confused...lol... You will need the 100 series deact kit from him. They are $550 last I checked. |
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Posted: 8/8/2005 10:43:04 AM EDT
[#8]
Throwing on a Russian sidefolder would be the cheapest way to go.. Like Jnewt has said, the only source for the correct barrel parts are the Russian deactivated rifles. I dont even know if Andrei in Russia is still doing these, as they have been nothing but allot of customs hassle. A quicker, close enough for Gov't work deal would be for someone to simply drill in the dimples on the standard Bulgarian parts. You can either keep the Bulgarian top cover for a early model, or replace it with a Saiga for a late. Muzzle brakes can be found with some work, though there are some close US copies. Ad a very dark matte plum Izhmash mag, and you are there. It wont be a 100% collectors grade deal, but will capture the look very well as well as give you a unique rifle. |
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Posted: 8/8/2005 2:02:21 PM EDT
[#9]
As long as it looks like this, this is all I want. BTW, Id like to do it in .223.
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Posted: 9/2/2005 3:28:43 PM EDT
[#10]
I bought my AK-104 clone from a stock Saiga 7.62x39, I have about $450 into it and love it. Just need to eventually paint it.
http://home.comcast.net/~hartzpad/DSC00039.JPG |
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Posted: 9/3/2005 9:56:58 PM EDT
[#11]
If your planning on a .223 Saiga then plan on some major surgery. ALL of the dimensions on the barrel are off. (FSB,GB, HGR, they are all larger in diameterand there is no machining done for the HGR) The barrel will have to be removed, stripped and lathed. The magazine well has to be opened up and then the magazines are finiky. The Saiga 7.62 dimensions are good, so you may wish to do it.
I did both and bought some buttstocks from rusmilitary.com and a couple trunions. (Get on the backorder list) PIC |
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Posted: 9/6/2005 5:26:44 PM EDT
[#12]
I think that the easiest and perhaps least expensive way to do this right now is to get an SLR105 with the scope rail and get a Russian side-folder stock then send it to your gunsmith for installation of the stock which is not easy as the receiver has to be cut in order to accomodate the stock and the latch. Chris Butler is selling SLR105s and if you send him the stock he can build the rifle for you right away. No need to worry too much about the US parts as the rifle would have 5 parts after instalation of the russian stock, and he can provide a US-made exact replica of the 100 series break so that brings it back up to 6.
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Posted: 9/8/2005 7:15:29 AM EDT
[#13]
It's been said before but I'll toss it out again
Chris Butler at AK-USA |
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