First, I'm a new member to AR15.com and just saying hello to everyone:)

Here's a review of the Saiga 12, for anyone who was interested in purchasing one. Me and a friend recently purchased Saiga 12 shotguns from Izhmash. If you don't know, a saiga 12 is essentially an AK-47 rechambered for 12 gauge. They are semi-automatic shotguns that accept detachable polymer magazines. This would make reloading it faster than a tube fed shotgun. If you were thinking about buying one, then read below because I'll tell how mine was.

My first impression of the Saiga 12 was that of disgust. I thought I had wasted my money, since it was hard to rock-and-lock a loaded magazine in place, and the shotgun seemed too 'rugged'. However, I found out that the polymer magazines had really stiff springs, and performance vastly increased after use. The shotgun is very rugged, like the AK47 - I live in Alaska, and the Saiga had no jams or misfires outside in the cold, while it was snowing quite hard. This is pretty hard for a semi-auto shotgun to accomplish. In addition, the ability to send 5 slugs downrange in a little over a second is quite impressive. Lastly, you can 'color-code' magazines using colored tape or what-not, and have magazines that are strictly slugs, flechettes, buckshot, 12 gauge flash-bang or my favorite, 12 gauge fireball :) So if you're looking to buy a unique, rugged and nice-looking shotgun, the Saiga 12 should certainly be one of your considerations :)

Magnus

How much are they going for?  Magazine cost?

You can pick them up for anywhere from $250-$500

I got my magazines for 20$ each, although you could probably get them for about 10$

I'll second this, I wish I picture of mine. I had the barrel shortened to 18" and added a red dot sight on a QD side rail mount.

The Saiga is the best autoloader shotgun design out there. You can't beat box feed.

the saiga is one great shotgun, its rough around the edges but not as rough as romanian AK.
CDNN sells 12ga mags for 20 bux each, which is really low, K-USA the importer sells them for $35 ea., ive seen dealers quote prices as high as $65 ea. for the 12ga mags.

if you have the long barrel hunting version with the internal full choke DO NOT FIRE SLUGS THROUGH IT.
the combat versions like saiga12K have shorter barrels with external removable chokes, they are available in full and half.

its a very fun shotgun, has fully adjustable sight rail, the gun was born and highly tested in russia so alaskan cold aint gonna bother it.
it also has adjustable gas settings for magnum and target loads.

it comes in 12ga, 20ga, 410ga versions, the ones available in the US are designed for SPORTING PURPOSES, converting them to pistol grips would violate the '94 federal AW ban.

www.guns.ru has a link to the saiga shotguns and much more complete write up.


the ducks arent gonna like this gun, but i think its neat as hell myself.

can you get a version different chokes??

as far as i know the only chokes available are the full and half chokes, there may be a company out there that makes different External chokes but i dont know who it is.
with the fixed internal choke its either full or mod, unless you cut the barrel down past the choke.

I haven't fired slugs through mine yet, but my friend has. What happens when you fire slugs through the hunting version? (the only version available in the US... I would kill for the short combat version:)