Comparing Izhmash Saiga Conversion & Arsenal/FIME Legion SGL Rifles 

I got my first Saiga in 2008 when I got back from Iraq for 600 sporterized. Had it converted in Virginia by a local gunsmith. I sold it in 2013 (like an idiot) to buy a garbage C39v2, and have always regretted it. Ever since I've been trying to get it back, and in 2019 I got a SMOKING deal on a CSS converted Saiga, and I feel whole again. Will never buy another Century as long as I live.

I kind of miss that thing now that I watched this video again. I should add that this Saiga had a stepped chamber... spent brass would have what appeared to be a step (or a crimp) on the neck of the casing. I read that this was the Russian authority's way of identifying if a firearm used was a civilian or a military firearm.

I love my SGL 21. I installed Russian Red wood furniture from Legion, and for me it’s just right. The wood furniture changes the feel of the rifle. I don’t know how to describe the difference other than to say that with the wood, it feels more alive and responsive. Sounds crazy, I know.... but it does.

Years ago I picked up a new Saiga 32-61 (5.45x39). Sent my paperwork off and a year later I had an AK105. Rifle Dynamics did the work. They converted the stock to folding, cut and crowned the barrel. My favorite SBR to this day!

Today was off to a suboptimal start but wait, there's a new mishaco video!

I picked up my SGL 31/68 the day Kalashnikov died. Just in time a few months before the absurd ban kicked in. Wish I bought a few more but I'm thankful for the one I have and it is a great shooter.... Mikhail wouldn't want it to be a safe queen.

I Missed out on the Saiga boat, but i got a collection of Veprs I'm never going to part with.

Notice also that Saiga safety lever had the small dimple far-forward on the lever...causing a "Stripe" to cut across and mar the receiver at a different location than the true military version.....which has this small dimple in a bit rear-ward location, and not so far forward..

Nice! Love my saiga more now. And I watched that AK in action from the 9-Hole review 👍

What an amazing wealth of knowledge you are Mishaco. Thank you.

Your channel has taught me so much about the Ak platform and firearms in general thank you

I like the plum furniture on 5.45 AKs than black. I know that black furniture is more modern and has improved characteristics, but in Russia we have so many deactivated training rifles/CO2 bb AKs/blank firing only guns etc. A lot of people have them and black furniture is losing its aestetic value. Even if you hold a real AK-74m/Saiga it's harder to convice people that you are holding a real rifle. Anyway, it's just my opinion coming from a Russian person. Thanks for the video, Misha. I always enjoy your videos and learn from you. I learned about AKs from you more than from any different person.

Misha, Could you talk about the Izhmash SGL22-94 (AK104) and story behind it's import for the Die Hard movie and the rarity?

Wow! Didn't realize how much had to be done to convert these beauties to their original configuration.

I have learned soo many things from this channel ... all the neat little details .

Great video, buddy! Right down my alley. No wonder the SGL 21 folders are going for $3k++.... I wonder how many 21's actually came in total. I'm very happy with my plum SGL31-68. Shoots great.

just bought a Saiga in 223/556 from gunbroker and in new condition surprisingly

Everytime I see your SGL-31 I become overwhelmed with envy. Also your SLR-104FR. Why is it so damn hard to buy a 5.45 AK?????

Thanks for the info! I had picked up a 308-1 with the 22" barrel, wood hunting furniture, 0000xxxx sn, back in 2001. Due to the initial lack of conversion support it's only had a few hundred rounds through it in the last 20 yrs. Looking around more recently it looks like it may now be a worthwhile conversion project.

As always informative and neutral. Love my SGL 31-68. Paid hefty in 2018, but its quality/dependability is worth the ticket price. Awesome vid Misha.

I think the BHO is an SGL-26, not 21-26. I bought one that the seller advertised as an SGL-21. The 26’s get less money but are a good buy for someone who wants a shooter. Thanks for the video!

I have the Arsenal Legion SGL21-61 and the Bulgarian SLR107FR31. I love these guns.

Now any AKs of quality you have to drop more than $600. I want the days of cheap Chinese AKs back, it was before my time unfortunately for me.

So glad I managed to buy two 5.45 Saigas back in 2009. I left one original for now, and the other I have converted with Bulgarian 74 front end parts and its in K-Var plum furniture. The gas block and front sight were dimple pressed and you were not kidding about how much work it took to get them off!

Right after the sanctions hit, I found a used, never really shot, fixed stock fime group Sgl21. Cablahs had listed it as a conversion for $699. Felt like I got one up on the big box store lol

I enjoy watching all your videos. Always very informative. If you ever come to Oahu hit me up I’d like to meet you and talk AK. Aloha

Thanks for the video. Its exactly the in-depth info Ive been looking for. I came across a Saiga locally with the pistol grip conversion, but im not an AK guy and it can be kind of confusing to get certain info straight. Well now I know theres a lot more that needs to be converted to be military than I realized! I really want a Russian made AK so I guess i'll have to live with the missing bayo lug, no cleaning rod mounts and non-threaded muzzle. I dont have the means to do that kindve gunsmithing myself so i wish i knew where I could go to get it done properly. I think that might mess with my OCD but I want to buy it before the new semi-auto laws take effect so I guess i'd rather settle than have no gun at all.

Awesome video, with great info, thank you, sir!

Next level saiga conversion video could be a fully AK 100 series conversion and contrast. Just got done with a 101. Arsenal never made a sgl series in 556 and my bank account hates me 🤣

AK lore god. These guns are 3-4K now

Have a Saiga 7.62 Sporter. Guess i left it in the safe too long to long, and I'm not sure I can find parts to convert it as far back as possible to its AKM style configuration. May just take it to a local gunshope and trade it.

I wonder if Misha's other senses are heightened since he is blind. Like, he can feel certain recoils or movements or distinguishes certain blasts more finely than other people.

I’m picking up a sgl 21 and a Arsenal SLR107CR-67 tomorrow

Good video as always thanks for the detailed explanation. Regarding the front end, now I know why gunsmiths charge so much for a proper Saiga conversion.

Nice guns..... but I’ll have to stick to my budget tricked out gamer wasr10 for now! Wish I could have a saiga tho!

I love these rifles and buy them when I see them!

I go back and watch this video again from time to time. When I heard you say the SGL-20's had the Bulgarian front sight base, I went to compare mine with my SGL-21. The front sight bases are identical. However, looking online, it does appear that many (if not most) SGL-20s did indeed have short collar Bulgarian front sight bases. Could it be that later SGL-20's had the Russian ones?

It's depressing to hear the history of saiga pricing.... I would have bought crates of them and buried them in cosmoline.

Want to throw a question on the table here: Izhmash Saiga 7.62x39, converted, chromed barrel, ALG trigger, 1968 furniture, with muzzle break, unused. Found one for 2700. Thoughts?

I have a very nice s12k conversation. Russian side folder stock and front cratch installed. Soetnaz grip too

Love my Russian Saiga SGL21.

Great video keep em coming Man

Misha, in comparing a well converter Saiga in 7.62 x39mm, are there other options that are commercially available that you would choose instead? I mean, with the Saiga's appeal as a banned Russian original, and IZHMASH's reputation for quality,...

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I sold mine for double the price I bought it for but I still regret it

I have a saiga ak the front hasn't been converted but for me i like it like that. I can put my hand further forword. Its been the best damn investment I could have made. Of course i do shoot it now and then.

I love my 5.45 saiga

I have a siaga legion Ak74 factory conversion,has not been fired.what are these worth now?

Hi Misha. Where can I buy a good Saiga? I rely on your channel for information on AKs. But when it comes to purchasing the best Saiga for the money, I'm not sure exactly who to trust. Please let me know a good place to buy one. Thanks again for all this information.

САЙГА-МК 7,62 исп.30 about $560 here

Is Saiga really that much better & pricey than the Arsenal SLR 107?

I could say it's the best in Aks family. For many reasons. Reliability, Accuracy,ammo availability.

Hello Misha. I have a question Im trying to put a value on a unfired Arsenal sgl21 that is also a krebs 103. It has the krebs emblem stamp into the reciver. I have the original paper work from 2012 an Krebs has this rifle on file. It was sent to krebs directly from Arsenal then sold at my local shop.

How do you not know how to pronounce the name of the gun you rambled on about for almost half an hour? I do really appreciate the footage of the rifle though. You're great filmographer.

I had an ak74m that seemed what I thought had factory black painted buttstock,I wonder if it was originally izhmach made or done by someone.

In your opinion what are the a case we should be fine right now? Kind a like how a bunch of us miss the $300 saigas and when beryls were under 1k. Thanks all jesus

A new question for an old video. Do you think Arsenal filled up those extra holes on the sporter rifle and then painted over it for the SGL21? I somehow doubt it, it's a lot of custom works.

So what's a Arsenal SGL-10 AK-47?

The pin that holds the spring for the mag release looks weird.

I want the folder so bad I have a IZ 240 Saiga in 545 its getting a full conversion, holes welded up trigger guard replaced with Russian one s well as al the other parts. I want a folder but damn when one does pop up for sale theyre 5 grand plus

7:00 I just wanted to ask if its a polish mag. Its a Radom Generation I (metal reinforced).

Looking 4 info on siaga 5.56/ 223 target/ bull barrel.

Mishaco, Do you have any info on the Arsenal SGL 10? I walked out on purchasing one for $1.1K because I wasn't too fond of the holes from the PG conversion, but I found out the rifle sold when I asked the seller to go down on its price...

So were all of the SGL 31-94 receiver cutouts for the stock latch and trunnion cutouts done by Arsenal/FIME as well?

Why did Arsenal decide not to install a pistol grip reinforcement plate for authenticity when they installed the side folding stock?

The Saiga Genesis

I have an IZ-132 I'm currently converting. The barrel does not have a divet for the front handguard retainer. Are they easy enough to cut in to the barrel? I see that conversion has the normal retsiner.

Quality wise is there any difference between Arsenal SGL and FIME SGL?

I think i got mine around 2014 or so for 700 and the bolt holds open on the last round fired. Always thought that was weird. Im guessing the shop did a mod?

That bottom saiga has a military overrun receiver

Misha I was looking at picking up a 2nd SAIGA on GB, after being happy with my 1st one. But the one I was looking at did not have dimples, and was the reason why I didn’t end up buying. Was this a common thing for the SAIGA imports some having dimples others not..

As far as accuracy goes. They're both the same?

So what's better

Dear Guys, Are you planning on doing a vid on the new aes10b? I'd love to get your take on it. Didn't know if it was in the cards. Sincerely, Leman of the Rus'

Nowadays the difference is the Saigas sell for about 1400-1800 & the SGLs start at 2200 & up.

Saiga a true russian native

I found a partially converted Russian Saiga. It’s $599 and I’ll finish the conversion. Should I get it or are there better options?

Can't find the video u are referring to where u compare akm with ak 100 and old series ak

Only if I would have paid attention back then, now anything I think is or may be valuable in the future, I jump on immediately. Example, just felt like calling my local gun shop im a regular at, asked if there was anything in that's up my alley, they know what I like, and said yeah, got a Romanian Romak-1 all matching numbers , hardly used, immediately I said put it aside, I'm on my way! Got there and it was a beauty! Burnt yellow orange 🍊 furniture, very clean gun well taken care of, and way things are going today and AK prices hitting record highs, he said he had to atleast get $700 out of it, and I don't need to try to haggle he gives me better deals than say a regular customer, so I agreed and bought it. With the way wasr's are going up to $999 and I've seen crazy numbers on GB but nevermind that, I figured $700 for a classic that's no longer imported and in mint condition, I thought I did pretty good considering the market right now, 2 months ago I picked up a Wasr 10/63 at the same shop for $575, so I'm very happy to buy anything under $800 at this point in time, which is almost impossible. Picked up 2 mint, I mean absolute 👌 cherry 🍒 Chinese SKS, both matching, got both for $750. Hell, 5 years ago these prices would have been considered high for what I just bought lol oh well. Love the videos, look forward to them

I absolutely love my Sgl31. Svetlana is a virgin safe queen never been shot.

Woot woot 🍾🇺🇸

saiga is still different to military ak, barrel cuting is diffirent

fine work price in us dollars ?

Didn't take you long to put A sling on it.

I have a ak47 chambered in 223 and want to convert it. Is it worth it? What is the gun worth? I can send pics.

What are these guns going for now a days?

Kicking myself in the ass for trading a fully converted saiga 7.62x39 for a converted saiga 308. The 308 is cool and its more rare than the x39 saigas as far as I know. I recently wanted to buy a saiga in 7.62x39 and they are going for crazy crazy prices. The 308 I got is only going for 1k tho. Why is this the case? I understand a Ak 103 clone is more desirable but the 308 less common right? I'm actually thinking about selling it or trading it back for another saiga or may be even an arsenal slr107fr. 308 is pretty sweet but I want a military clone. I was also thinking about making my 308 saiga into a ak308 style clone. I know you can't do it right cuz they are different guns but I'm thinking if I got a ak 100 series folding trunion installed and I get the correct furniture. I have already ordered the custom made front sight and bayo lug for it. Ill be installing a 24mm Bulgarian style flash hider on it with the 24mm thread adapter to screw onto the 5/8 threads. What do you think I should do misha? Should I try and trade it for a converted saiga in 762x39 or sell it for one. Or should I hold onto to it and make it an ak 308 style clone? The previous owner already converted the trigger guard with a shitty allumnium bolt on one. The gun works perfectly though and everything is straight on it. What's your thoughts on the saiga 308? Keep it or trade it? Thanks!

Price

How much less valuable is the rifle if it has no dimples?

why do they have two bayonet lugs?

Could you explain 922r?

No rifle better than ak

I have a sgl 31 -95 which is russian i only paid 600 bucks from back in the day before sandy hook.

Russian or Usa????

Anybody changed the butt-stock of this rifle? It greatly diminishes the fun of this BTW very good rifle. Typically Russian way of doing things. Even if they do sth good, affordable and reliable they always must add some crap to the product - in this case completely wrong butt-stock.

I think Arsenal is way overrated and way overpriced My buddy waited more than 3 months for his And after all the bullshit I don't think it was all that