AK Sponsor
Posted: 1/1/2005 1:25:57 PM EDT
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Picked up a Saiga 16" bbl, 7.62X39 at a gun show today for $210 out the door. Thought I would offer some opinions for anyone thinking about getting one. First, my understanding is that Remington has taken over the importation of Saigas from Russia. I don't see Remington maketing AK type rifles so my thinking is they may just offer the shotguns. Maybe Big Green will still import them but market them separately. Either way, they are bound to become more expensive. Looks- I like the sporter look of the Saiga. I have a couple of regular AKs but the Saiga is kind of a sleeper AW. I know lots of people convert them to pistol grip AKs but I like the way they look and intend to keep it sporter style. Price-$210 while not cheap is pretty good for a detachable mag AK type rifle. You could order one cheaper from CDNN but with shipping, transfer fee and tax you will be pretty close. Mags-Saiga's use a 10 shot plastic detachable magazine. Regular AK mags do not work but converting to AK mags is not difficult. I understand that hi-cap Saiga mags are now being imported but I am sure they will be more expensive than AK mags. I have a couple dozen AK mags so my Saiga will most likely be converted. Trigger-Probably the worst and heaviest trigger on any AK I've ever fired. Furniture- Buttstock and forestock are black plastic. I like the look of the forestock better than on regular AKs. The buttstock is really cheap plastic which I doubt would survive much of a fall. Front sight- I am always tempted to pull off the front sight assembly on an AK and weld a HK type sight to the front of the gas tube block. Unfortunately that would reduce the already short sight radius even further. The front sight on this rifle is a heavy assembly slipped over the muzzle and held on with two cross pins. Kinda ugly IMO. An interesting feature of the Saiga is that is has a bolt hold open device, something not found but would be nice to have on other AKs. Compared with other AKs, the Saiga is pretty good looking and well made. Compared with other sporter type rifles, the Saiga is rather crudely made and ugly looking. While more expensive than an SKS, the Saige uses detachable mags, hi-caps are available and converting it to use AK mags is legal. I haven't shot this yet but it and it's AK cousins and some SKS are going out tomorrow for some range work. Overall, I am satisfied. It is what I expected. For a sporter type rifle with detachable mags to take advantage of cheap ammo prices, this is a good choice. Would I hunt with it? My experience with AKs and SKSs are that they are just not accurate enough for hunitng. I've shot enough deer with the 7.62X39 round that I am convinced that it is at best, marginal on deer. My Ruger Mini 30 has pretty much been retired and will probably be sold. No more deer hunting with the 7.62x39 round for me. |
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