Shop to rebarrel a Saiga 7.62x39?

[RHINOWSO]

I have circa-2000 Saiga 7.62x39 rifle. I made the mistake of tinkering with it after taking muscle relaxants for a back injury and managed to damage the chamber.

[JoshNC]

Yes, but I have polished the surfaces to where it is quite smooth. I originally did a real WECSOG job on it, adding a handgrip (fabricated from a ski pole's handle), modifying the stock and making a trigger shoe. Real Bubba stuff. Remember, it was considered an el-cheapo gun when I bought it. I have since returned it to stock configuration. I haven't been out to shoot for a number of years, but I keep hoping that might change. I was thinking that the challenge of "accurizing an AK variant" might be enough to get me off of my behind and go shooting again. After that, I might convert it, or at least switch to a different stock.

Then again, I have quite a few liberal friends, and I find the thought of having an non-evil-looking variant of the EVIL AK47 to be pretty amusing.

Part of the problem of having a dinged chamber is that I really wouldn't feel good about giving this rifle to someone else. At this point, I don't have much invested in it so it would be no great tragedy to cut up the barrel and treat it as a parts kit, of sorts.

You’re overthinking this. Either leave it as is and shoot it, or do as Bret says and buy a CHF CL Romanian barrel, send to a good smith and have it converted into a proper AK.

[Ned Christiansen]

I don't think you'll ever find a 7.62X39-compatible barrel blank that's match grade. It's probably been done somewhere at some time (like in Finland).

Were it me I would take a close look at the damage with a bore scope and then shoot it, almost regardless of whatever I saw. I mean it would have to be pretty bloody awful and a clearly unsafe condition before I wouldn't give it a try. Honestly chances are you won't notice a difference! Not that AK's can't produce acceptable groups but, you just wouldn't know if you didn't try it.

I'd like to suggest that this is the moment where you get a Lyman Bore Cam. Gun owners from mid-level enthusiast and up ought to have one. It's not "optically miraculous" but for the price of ~$300 it lets you see what's in there and that is like magic.

[nincomp]

In my defense, my injuries were so severe that I spent a number of years incapacitated and needed to take pain meds and muscle relaxants daily. After a few years of that, it is easy to make a couple of stupid mistakes. I had just planned to slug the barrel, not perform rocket surgery. After that screwup, I put my weapons away for years. I still had good enough judgement to never go out shooting, since I knew I was pretty much always impaired.

[Bret]

nincomp, no defense necessary. Glad you've made progress so you can get back in the game.

[ViperTwoSix]

If you go with the gunsmith option, maybe send an email to Kreb’s Custom. I’m not sure if they still do smith work or what they would charge, but it would be worth a try in my opinion. Kreb’s did really nice work on an AK that I inherited.