AK-10: First Range Trip, Round One (converted by ar15barrles.com)

[huntingsocal]

1st trip to the range with my converted Saiga .308 which I've dubbed my AK-10

Big thanks to Randall at www.ar15barrels.com for the conversion work, barrel threading and two-stage trigger set up.

One of the things I really enjoyed about working with Randall is that he helped me figure out ahead of time if the parts I wanted were going to work and offered suggestions along the way.



It started as a sporterized Saiga .308 with 21.8" barrel and ended up quite different.

I need one more day at the range to get it dialed. The target it is sitting on shows the first two mags I shot at paper. I got it on steel at 100 yards, then walked it in on a clay pigeon on the ground and then shot two mags at the paper.

All in all, very happy with the first round. It turned out just as I had envisioned

[kyo216]

That is a badass Saiga. Randall does some pretty good work. Can't wait to get him to convert my Saiga's rear end. Can you list the parts you got?

[Chewbaca]

That is a badass Saiga. Randall does some pretty good work. Can't wait to get him to convert my Saiga's rear end. Can you list the parts you got?

you really dont need him to convert your siaga, you can do it yourself at home with a hand drill.

[Click Boom]

you really dont need him to convert your siaga, you can do it yourself at home with a hand drill.

Seriously. Takes 45 mins.

[huntingsocal]

Sure thing, here's some of the main components:

From CSS
AR style aluminum forearm

Raptor Stock

(also got the cheek rest and recoil pad which are add ons)

JTE Main Spring

This lightened up the trigger pull pretty good. It definitely not as heavy hitting as the original and in fact we both wondered about light primer strikes but I fired over 40 rounds at the range with no failures. That was shooting PPU 145 grain. I suppose the real test will be next desert trip with Wolf but so far so good.

Tapco Muzzle Brake which is discontinued and at the time was 1 of 2 that they had in stock. Looks like it is now sold out.

Red Star Arms adjustable 2 stage trigger. I LOVE the trigger and Randall set it in his shop perfectly. There are 3 or 4 set screws and we spent some time tweaking the adjustments and it worked out very nicely. They have a new version of the trigger out now which came out about a month after I bought mine. The saiga .308 takes the VEPR/Galil version of the trigger and with mine there is a subtle side to side play in the trigger that I'm going to have fixed. I think the new version takes care of this but Brian over at www.dinzagarms.com said he'll take care of it for $15 if I ship it to him by tack welding the washer that they include with their triggers.

I also got the retaining plate from Red Star

Pistol Grip from Fab Defense via amazon

Scope mount is the newer, longer version SM-13 from K-Var. I had the shorter version but it didn't work with the scope. The SM-13 was long enough...barely

The scope is a 3rd gen Springfield 4-14x56 Govt Model that I saved from several years ago from a combo with an M1A that I bought.

There's some more parts I'm leaving out I'm sure, but this is what I can remember off the top of my head

[huntingsocal]

you really dont need him to convert your siaga, you can do it yourself at home with a hand drill.

He also threaded the barrel and did some work on another rifle so I figured might as well knock it all out in one shot.

[Mossy Man]

Looks like he welded over the old FCG holes

That's not as easy to do in your garage

[Chewbaca]

sure it is ... well at least it is in mine lol

[russ69]

...and then shot two mags at the paper...

Two mags and 11 hits? Am I missing something?

[meaty-btz]

Looks like he welded over the old FCG holes

That's not as easy to do in your garage

How is it not easy in your garage?

Get some pure copper sheeting from the hobby store or an OSH/Hardware store. Cut out your spoon. Tack then join the welds, flap-grind it smooth.. done. Challenge level is about zero and the results should be fantastic.

Just got done repairing then converting an AMD65 to an AKM fixed rear stock. Easy.. peasy.

[huntingsocal]

Two mags and 11 hits? Am I missing something?

It is a 5 1/2 round mag

[HotelCommiefornia]

How is it not easy in your garage?

It's his money



as long as he is happy, that's all it matters. Some want to covert on their own time, while others do not have the slightest time. Bill Gates will most likely not spend his own time to convert, since his time is worth much more, on the other hand, Billy is anti gun though

Nice rifle BTW!

[huntingsocal]

Well I've still got a .223 and 7.62x39 that I can try my luck at converting with the hand drill.

I went into this one knowing that there may be some machining required to fit the trigger plus I needed the barrel threaded and, as mentioned, I was also having some other work done on a different rifle so I figured I'd have it all done while I was there.

[FiveSeven]

Looks like he welded over the old FCG holes

That's not as easy to do in your garage

Saiga .308 does not have "old" FCG holes after conversion, no need to weld/plug anything.
I converted one myself, great rifle for sure.

[huntingsocal]

^ copy that, no welding required