How to ID conversion friendly Saigas by exterior markings?

Does anyone know what exterior markings if any indicate a good candidate for conversion. I just picked up my first one (7.62)and was able to look inside.

I'm going to pick up a 223 and a shotgun model. The problem is I have a good dealing working on a 223 but can't take a peek inside and the seller doesn't know what to look for. Online order.

As for the shotgun I'm thinking of hitting a shop/gunshow but I usually get the evil eye or "no way" if I ask to break down a rifle to checkout the internal condition.

I don't have a mill and don't feel like cutting the holes out. I would rather know what to look for instead of baking in the garage longer for no reason.

I can do that with a regular build and the saiga conversion is more of a need to do hassle than a project.

I've been allover www.Saiga-12.com but not finding anything.
Thanks, Dave

Most Saiga receivers with magwell dimples have no pistol grip hole. This hole is the easiest to add though. Many Saiga receivers without magwell dimples do have the square pistol grip hole. Some may not. The magazine may have a bit more side play wobble in these receivers but not enough to cause problem but the dimples "look" better. Some very rare Saiga's have trunnions machined for bullet guides. These take factory bullet guides which are more difficult to install once in the receiver than the modified bullets guides for the more common round bottom Saiga trunnions. The biggest thing to check is the barrel chamber opening. Some Saiga barrels are ramped and some are not. To feed from a high capacity magazine the barrel chamber needs to be ramped. This can be added with careful grinding with a Dremel tool or filing with a round file but it's not super easy but not too difficult. The 223 Saiga is more difficult to get to function with high capacity magazines than the 7.62x39 but can usually be made to work without too much trouble.

Most Saiga receivers with magwell dimples have no pistol grip hole. This hole is the easiest to add though. Many Saiga receivers without magwell dimples do have the square pistol grip hole. Some may not. The magazine may have a bit more side play wobble in these receivers but not enough to cause problem but the dimples "look" better. Some very rare Saiga's have trunnions machined for bullet guides. These take factory bullet guides which are more difficult to install once in the receiver than the modified bullets guides for the more common round bottom Saiga trunnions. The biggest thing to check is the barrel chamber opening. Some Saiga barrels are ramped and some are not. To feed from a high capacity magazine the barrel chamber needs to be ramped. This can be added with careful grinding with a Dremel tool or filing with a round file but it's not super easy but not too difficult. The 223 Saiga is more difficult to get to function with high capacity magazines than the 7.62x39 but can usually be made to work without too much trouble.

Thanks a million. Even those guys over at the saiga boards seem confused about it ;)

But after hours I found out about the dimpled models. I was thinking about scrapping the 223 idea and just picking up another 7.62. I've been reading alot of not so good stories about the 223s and surplus mags. I just like to have a bag of mags and go to town.

Thanks for the heads up and especially about the ramped chamber opening.

Take care, Dave

It's just a very small ramp ground in the bottom edge of the chamber mouth. Most of the newer Saiga's I've seen have it. Some of the earlier ones did not but they may still make some without it. Saiga's are always an odd mix with each lot.

There is accuracy paper inside the operator's manual. It's a separate sheet of paper. The accuracy is in mm (maybe cm) and a smaller number is a more accurate Saiga. The paper is from the factory test firing. See if you can check the serial number on it to match the rifle.

Now I know what to look for. If there is good light I should be able to take a peek at the ramp by sliding the carrier back.

The more I read the more I'm backing out of the 223.

The 7.62 I picked up today was NIB and still had the shrink wrap. The paper showing the 100 meter grouping had good numbers. (Provided it was really tested)


Thanks again

All Saigas are "conversion friendly".

http://www.novarata.net/abrams/saiga556/1024/saiga556_1246.JPG

I dig that! The SAW grip really matches the Saiga handgaurd well