The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Swifty Boy wrote:

breacher wrote:

Swifty Boy wrote:I would like to get another Saiga 22 because a) I'm greedy like that and b) I'd like to turn the AK103 type into an AKS74 replica seeing as I have converted an AK74 magazine with a .22 insert to work with my AKM version.

Supposedly Tenbury Guns can order from Kalashnikov Concern and Jack was checking on prices and availability for me. No news yet so I shall have to chase up. Supposedly they are going to use the Saiga 22 as a 'youth-training' rifle in Russia so hopefully they will be available for some time yet.

Did you ever make your AKS 74 clone ?

Just asking as I have come across a brand new unissued AK74 mag in Bakelite...................

No, for the simple reason that Saiga 22s just aren't available outside of Russia due to the trade sanctions. I was looking forward to Chiappa's AK22 as an alternative but it seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Might look at Caledonian's VZ61 when it comes out instead.

.22 Saigas were pretty rare even before the sanctions.My interest piqued a bit with the Chiappa AK22 as it is visually pretty close to a "proper" AK, unlike the GSG attempt, but as said I've yet to see one in the UK.Its a shame a .22lr conversion kit for a .223 AK isn't available, like the ones you can get for ARs'.RomArm in Romania make a .22lr AK, the WASR 22, and they were available in the States but never seen or heard of one in the UK.

Just did a search on the Web and a guy in the States did a conversion kit for AKs' but he got done for fraud apparently.......

snayperskaya wrote:

Swifty Boy wrote:

breacher wrote: Supposedly Tenbury Guns can order from Kalashnikov Concern and Jack was checking on prices and availability for me. No news yet so I shall have to chase up. Supposedly they are going to use the Saiga 22 as a 'youth-training' rifle in Russia so hopefully they will be available for some time yet.

Did you ever make your AKS 74 clone ?

Just asking as I have come across a brand new unissued AK74 mag in Bakelite...................

No, for the simple reason that Saiga 22s just aren't available outside of Russia due to the trade sanctions. I was looking forward to Chiappa's AK22 as an alternative but it seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Might look at Caledonian's VZ61 when it comes out instead.

.22 Saigas were pretty rare even before the sanctions.My interest piqued a bit with the Chiappa AK22 as it is visually pretty close to a "proper" AK, unlike the GSG attempt, but as said I've yet to see one in the UK.Its a shame a .22lr conversion kit for a .223 AK isn't available, like the ones you can get for ARs'.RomArm in Romania make a .22lr AK, the WASR 22, and they were available in the States but never seen or heard of one in the UK.

Just did a search on the Web and a guy in the States did a conversion kit for AKs' but he got done for fraud apparently.......[/quote]

Wouldn't be ceiner would it? I think he was in trouble for ripping a good few people off.

bigfathairybiker wrote:Well, I popped over to CPG on friday lunchtime to have a look at possibly buying a 10/22...

but..

John brought out a selection of other .22's.

The STG44... wow... weighs more than several 10/22 strapped together. But what a rifle! It definitely has presence.

Then the Tanfoglio, definately furturistic with instantly changeable bolt side! Lightweight, almost pistol like.

Oh... an MP40 with folding stock and long mag. Looks the part and makes you wish it was full auto.

Then there were a selection of awesome AR15 customs.

Oh... and an L1A1...

I basically left thinking.... "damn, I need to have more slots"....

Mark

Not one of Mr B's side cocking .... how shall we say, "never shoot straight special L1A1's", yet to hear of one with a correctly timed barrel......
Anyone got one that can be sighted in with iron sights past 200yds?

huntervixen wrote:

bigfathairybiker wrote:Well, I popped over to CPG on friday lunchtime to have a look at possibly buying a 10/22...

but..

John brought out a selection of other .22's.

The STG44... wow... weighs more than several 10/22 strapped together. But what a rifle! It definitely has presence.

Then the Tanfoglio, definately furturistic with instantly changeable bolt side! Lightweight, almost pistol like.

Oh... an MP40 with folding stock and long mag. Looks the part and makes you wish it was full auto.

Then there were a selection of awesome AR15 customs.

Oh... and an L1A1...

I basically left thinking.... "damn, I need to have more slots"....

Mark

Not one of Mr B's side cocking .... how shall we say, "never shoot straight special L1A1's", yet to hear of one with a correctly timed barrel......
Anyone got one that can be sighted in with iron sights past 200yds?

Friend of mine has a decent one. He even has good sights on it. His was looked over and declared one of the good ones too.

The main issue is the near enough barrel timing on quite a number (glad your mates is a good one), no issue if you want to put a scope on it, but a right pain in the arse if you want to use the irons...

The solution isn't cheap, as its a time consuming task, with no warranty anymore on these rifles..... after all going to see Mr B with an L1A1 might just raise a few pulses at his current address!

It means getting a gunsmith to time the barrel correctly, this might just mean a very slight adjustment then change the locking shoulder size to re-head space, or a whole box of frogs, including re cutting the chamber and trying to make the forend fit afterwards on a shorter barrel.....a real nightmare!

huntervixen wrote:The main issue is the near enough barrel timing on quite a number (glad your mates is a good one), no issue if you want to put a scope on it, but a right pain in the arse if you want to use the irons...

The solution isn't cheap, as its a time consuming task, with no warranty anymore on these rifles..... after all going to see Mr B with an L1A1 might just raise a few pulses at his current address!

It means getting a gunsmith to time the barrel correctly, this might just mean a very slight adjustment then change the locking shoulder size to re-head space, or a whole box of frogs, including re cutting the chamber and trying to make the forend fit afterwards on a shorter barrel.....a real nightmare!

It actually had problems to begin with, but This was year or so ago and thankfully was sorted by Buckland, the barrel was chambered correctly or something like that and it was blowing the necks of the brass out. It was sent off, new barrel put on and Helston gunsmith's sold him some new L1A1 sights and it works well at the ranges we use (50m and 100 yards), he doesn't have the time to go to Strensil or anywhere like that due to his job as a teacher. But it was thankfully done before Mr Buckland's move to become a resident of Her majesty's fine holiday camp for her Wayward subjects. I think had he known the issues, he'd have just bought an Anglo-Custom one while they were making or even a Suffolk rifles gun. I've even had debates with people about using parts kits to make new section 1 rifles, but I saw it, even though its not around anymore the ACPO document that stated it was ok to use parts kits and a mix of old and new and vola "Manufacturing".

Hopefully we'll see better things soon also. But its for the future.

Sorry to split hairs, but it only says Anglo Custom Rifles L1A1's are OK, it isn't industry guidance, it was specific to the rifle submitted.

Sixshot6 wrote:the ACPO document that stated it was ok to use parts kits and a mix of old and new and vola "Manufacturing".

HALODIN wrote:Sorry to split hairs, but it only says Anglo Custom Rifles L1A1's are OK, it isn't industry guidance, it was specific to the rifle submitted.

Sixshot6 wrote:the ACPO document that stated it was ok to use parts kits and a mix of old and new and vola "Manufacturing".

Oh yeah it did, but it did add everything would be done on its own merits and if the same process was repeated to the text in that document could that then not be considered following guidelines? Especially if the Firearms was an identical clone of the Anglo L1A1 in terms of method of building and parts used?

As far as I can tell Buckland started out following the whole use a Parts kit to manufacture, mix some parts up, new barrel. But gave up at the SVT-40s and was just downconverting and hoping no one would find out. How did they found out? Did someone take their's apart one day, count that there was only one set of numbers and then phone the police? Is that what happened?

Sixshot6 wrote:

HALODIN wrote:Sorry to split hairs, but it only says Anglo Custom Rifles L1A1's are OK, it isn't industry guidance, it was specific to the rifle submitted.

Sixshot6 wrote:the ACPO document that stated it was ok to use parts kits and a mix of old and new and vola "Manufacturing".

Oh yeah it did, but it did add everything would be done on its own merits and if the same process was repeated to the text in that document could that then not be considered following guidelines? Especially if the Firearms was an identical clone of the Anglo L1A1 in terms of method of building and parts used?

As far as I can tell Buckland started out following the whole use a Parts kit to manufacture, mix some parts up, new barrel. But gave up at the SVT-40s and was just downconverting and hoping no one would find out. How did they found out? Did someone take their's apart one day, count that there was only one set of numbers and then phone the police? Is that what happened?

With the SVT-40s' the giveaway would be original 1940s' dated receivers etc.I looked at one that appeared to have just had the gas port welded and the gas piston and operating rod removed, it had the original barrel complete with Arsenal stamps!.Needless to say I gave it a wide berth!.

snayperskaya wrote:

Sixshot6 wrote:

With the SVT-40s' the giveaway would be original 1940s' dated receivers etc.I looked at one that appeared to have just had the gas port welded and the gas piston and operating rod removed, it had the original barrel complete with Arsenal stamps!.Needless to say I gave it a wide berth!.

[/quote]

I'm sure you can use the receivers, the barrel could have done with being replaced (not just for the law but a new barrel at its age wouldn't have gone amiss) and whatever else is done in the L1A1 straight pulls that Neal at Suffolk rifle's and other's are doing. Plus I'm guessing a new barrel would not have the port drilled and would there be a way to avoid having the piston and all that there? I'm sure someone mentioned some early Imbel FAL straight pulls actually had gas pistons and rods in them