Finally went retro with my Saiga. Got my $25, four piece Bulgarian AK74 wood from APEX (awesome) and brown US grip from a dude on another board. The wood really didn't even need refinishing. It is excellent +, but I re-finished to get it redder. All 10 of my Mil-surp combloc mags have new -KVar US followers installed, so with the US brown grip, my 922 is in order.
I love wood on AKs. I was so indoctrinated to AK103ism with the Saiga, though, I didn't think of a very simple solution until I was refinishing the Springfield Armory potbelly stock for my M1 Carbine. "Duh, just put wood on the Saiga!" Then I found the Bulgarian wood with the grooved stock and palm swell handguard and I was hooked!
I used red oak Minwax to darken the blond Bulgarian wood a bit. The wood was so dense that I used semigloss Minwax verathane instead of boiled linseed oil to seal it. Very sweet: Pictured with my modified Type 81 four cell Chinese chest rig.
That is one of the nicest looking Saiga conversions I've laid eyes on. It definitely looks better in wood than in most of the polymer sets I've seen. Good job!
__________________
Zombies tremble at the mention of my name.
Good-lookin' "standard appearance" -74 you got there!
I noticed the extended mag release you have installed... comments on that product?
Thanks!
That is the RAM2000 that replaces the standard. It is AWESOME! It is ambidextrous and makes an emergency mag change easy without practice. No trying to hit the release with the fresh mag, just press down and slap the empty mag forward antwhere on the back and it goes flying. I am NOT a gadgets guy, but this was well worth it! Carolina Shooting Supply sells them.
That is one of the nicest looking Saiga conversions I've laid eyes on. It definitely looks better in wood than in most of the polymer sets I've seen. Good job!
Thanks, I LOVE IT!
Maybe it is because I grew up in the era of the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M14, Bolt actions and lever actions: all with wood stocks. I just prefer wood on firearms than plastic. Wood and metal are both "elemental" for lake of a better term. Walnut and birch are much tougher than plastic for stocks. In my mind, the quintessential AK is not tacticool with whistle bells, and plastics. It is metal and wood, lean and mean, and nearly indestructible. I really preferred the feel of the WASR with its wood to the Saiga with its polymer. The Saiga is far superior with hammer forged barrel and latest upgrades, and that is why I kept a Saiga instead of a wood stocked Romanian. As I said, I was too dumb to think of putting wood on the Saiga until now!
Sprout, Late this spring, I sold off the non-dimpled 2008 to get the dimpled 2009 Saiga. Just had to have dimples. I do miss my 24mm FSB on that one. Right now I have the DPH AK103/74 brake on this one. Uses the standard FSB. Later, I will probably change to 24mm FSB, just because I can!
Sprout, Late this spring, I sold off the non-dimpled 2008 to get the dimpled 2009 Saiga. Just had to have dimples. I do miss my 24mm FSB on that one. Right now I have the DPH AK103/74 brake on this one. Uses the standard FSB. Later, I will probably change to 24mm FSB, just because I can!
I thought so, isn't that scary that I remember your rifle that much lol. That is funny that yours was an 08 and didn't have the dimples, my dimpled 7.62 is also an 08. Must have started that latter part of 2008?
You might want to check out the brake I slapped on my 74, I got it from Kreb's, the collar they sell for it, 14-24mm RH, has threads that cover the entire length on the stock Saiga (1-inch). It is a two-piece Russian clone with the half-moon cuts, and looks and performs really nice. I am thinking of hacking off the cheapo one on my 7.62 and replacing it with the Kreb's. Providing you don't want to go through that process again lol (though I am sure it will be easier the second time around!)
Here is the Kreb's on my 74 with the stock FSB for looks:
__________________ When I can't think of anything original to post I think to myself, 'what would Sprout say?' -PSLMAN
"ATTENTION DEPLOYED US MILITARY PERSONNEL AND US GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS
If you are part of a US military unit or a US government contractor organization currently deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, use AK rifles as part of your duties, and have issues with the rifles - Krebs Custom, Inc., a globally recognized leader in Kalashnikov system research, development, design and engineering, WANTS TO SOLVE YOUR AK PROBLEMS. Click HERE to learn more about the Krebs Custom Kalashnikov Product Improvement Program."
The are basically engineering fixes/improvements for troops/contractors that are using Kalashnikovs in the field and then sending their whole unit free products.
"Eligible units and organizations submit descriptions of the problems or shortcomings of the AK's to Krebs Custom. We will evaluate your problem reports, and if it is feasible, we will engineer a solution that can be implemented at the operator level, and develop and provide an engineering sample at no cost to you.
If you like the solution we provide, we'll provide an estimate for as many units as your organization requires at our best machine shop rate."
__________________ When I can't think of anything original to post I think to myself, 'what would Sprout say?' -PSLMAN
My saiga went retro: Bulgarian AK74 wood! 
