We’ve talked about the ST-1 Treatment a lot. That’s a permanent application of out Slipstream to the Bolt Carrier Group, Buffer, Spring, and Charging Handle.
The ST-2 treatment makes a huge difference. Because now you also get the trigger group, all the insides of the lower receiver, and inside the upper receiver. This is important because it slicks up the bearing surfaces where the bolt rides and he charging handle. Don’t get me wrong, ST-1 is worth it… but the ST-2 is on a whole other level. It blows other treatments, such as FailZero out of the water so hard, it isn’t even funny.
I wonder what the treatment would do for a stock Saiga rifle?
Considering how rough they are to start out with? It would feel like a whole new gun… like a rolling locked HK or something.
Now, we talk about how “Slick” and how “Smooth” the guns are after treatment. But being smooth is a Side Effect. A bonus. Icing on the cake. The purpose is to increase reliability. I have my AR-15 that I use for training, when I’m teaching. During a class, I fire a lot of shots. Let’s see… last two years… I can count on two fingers how many times it’s been cleaned. The only time it stops firing is when the bolt locks back on an empty magazine.
But maybe you don’t want this. A gun so reliable is boring. Very boring. It just bangs every time, no drama, no tension, no hasty stoppage drills.
I’m on a fixed income and I have about 1000 rounds of nasty old Wolf FMJ steel case and about 400 rounds of Cheetah in storage. So a rifle in 7.62X39 mm has a certain amount of appeal. I can get a Saiga in that caliber for about $400 to $475. The cost an work of putting in a bullet guide and working the magazine catch so I could use std. AK mags would put me back around $20.
If I stripped the rifle down, did a little buff on that flushinger transfer bar and sent the parts in for Crusader treatment after postage and stuff I’m guessing around $100. That would give me a semi-auto truck, home, defense weapon good for urban distances, If I kept it loaded with JHP ammo for at most $595 While the AR in .223 is preferable in this roll due to accuracy, I can’t get a base rifle on the AR platform even going the do it yourself route that I’d touch for less than $650. Also I’m not a big fan of the pistol grip stock. I’ve spent to many years chicken winging my hold and using my right hand to work a forward bolt.