My Saiga 12 Conversion

[Wayfaerer320]

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it, but I think it turned out pretty well for my first Saiga conversion. If I can do it, anyone can...

Started with this:



Bought a Saiga 12 conversion kit from Carolina Shooters Supply and went to work:

After stripping the receiver of the factory internal parts, the trigger guard, and the factory buttstock, I painted the unfinished portions of the underbelly with some Dupli-Color engine paint and let it dry for a few hours:



And the finished product (still have to fit in a couple plugs on each side of the receiver, above the pistol grip where the old rivets were taken out):





This was such a fun project and I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about converting a Saiga 12 - it really wasn't hard at all! Took me about 2.5-3 hours total. Check out Carolina Shooters Supply - they have all the parts you need, great service, and also some great instructional videos - they make it really easy.

[StingyGunner]

Nice job. Rep point coming your way.

[Johncj5]

Nice. How does it run?

Here's mine.

[Wayfaerer320]

Nice job. Rep point coming your way.

Thank you!

[Wayfaerer320]

Nice. How does it run?

Here's mine.

Nice looking Saiga 12 you got there!

I haven't taken her to the range yet, but I'm hoping it runs as smoothly as it did with the factory set-up. We shall see.

How does yours run? Any noticeable functioning changes after the conversion?

[scoutjoe]

Should run just fine after the conversion if you put all the parts back in right

I'm assuming you got a pre-modded trigger group in that kit. If not there might be some hangups of the bottom of the bolt carrier against the new hammer.

Options to get around that is fluff and buff, or just shoot it till it wears in. Before anybody starts asking the Russian steel on the bottom of the bolt carrier wins over Tapco steel on the top of the hammer, every time.


Nice build

[Asmodeus6]

Nice. How does it run?

Here's mine.

I have that full furniture set just sitting here for when I eventually get one. I'd like the "normal" AK poly handguards on mine as well.

I know that will be more work, but worth it IMO.

Thank you for not using a SAW grip. I'm so tired of seeing those!

[Steve_NEPhila]

The Saiga is cool, no doubt. However, at a recent gunshow I saw a couple and they were 850 bucks!!! Awww hell nahhh. I would be willing to buy one if there were around 500 bucks (and no, 599 is not around 500 bucks) because I know what they are made out of. The Kalashnikov design is simple, inexpensive and uncomplicated. I would much rather buy Mossberg 930 over the Saiga for the price difference.

Which brings me to another point, why do the Saigas cost so much? Artificial demand? I saw a 5.45 Saiga for 430 bucks right next to the 12 gauge for 850 and there is no way that those two machines are almost twice the price different. In fact, the barrel for the 5.45 costs much more to manufacture than a 12 gauge tube. In my own small way, I protest the absurd prices of these cool magazine fed shotguns and refuse to buy.

[FNG19]

Which brings me to another point, why do the Saigas cost so much?

For a couple of reasons:

1) Izmash increased the wholesale cost of the Saiga 12's (S12) probably due to popularity.
2) There was an S12 import scare earlier in the year that was driving prices up.
3) S12's are becoming very popular in both their unconverted and in their converted forms.
4) They're still a little hard to come by, so there's a scarcity premium.
5) You were at a gun show.

Fortunately, when I bought mine (late 2008), I was well ahead of the curve. I think I paid about $400 or $450 for mine, unconverted. I've since had it converted and have added a little extra evil on my own.

[Wayfaerer320]

The Saiga is cool, no doubt. However, at a recent gunshow I saw a couple and they were 850 bucks!!! Awww hell nahhh. I would be willing to buy one if there were around 500 bucks (and no, 599 is not around 500 bucks) because I know what they are made out of. The Kalashnikov design is simple, inexpensive and uncomplicated. I would much rather buy Mossberg 930 over the Saiga for the price difference.

Which brings me to another point, why do the Saigas cost so much? Artificial demand? I saw a 5.45 Saiga for 430 bucks right next to the 12 gauge for 850 and there is no way that those two machines are almost twice the price different. In fact, the barrel for the 5.45 costs much more to manufacture than a 12 gauge tube. In my own small way, I protest the absurd prices of these cool magazine fed shotguns and refuse to buy.

Supply and demand. That's why. Everyone and their mother wants to buy a Saiga 12 shotgun.