Reloading for a .223 Saiga

[codefour]

I am looking at purchasing a .223 Saiga and converting it to the AK style that will meet Federal and California requirements. I am going the .223 route because I have thousands of cases that are already processed and ready to load.

At the range the other day, someone told me the following: "Saiga .223 rifles are extremely hard on the brass. You will not get good case life out of brass fired through a .223 Saiga."

Is this true..?? Do any of THR members load for .223 Saiga..?? Any input would be gladly appreciated before I dump $700-800 for a converted rifle.

 

[LiveLife]

Someone I shoot with has a Saiga .223 (I shoot a Bushmaster).

It is hard on brass in terms of extraction and denting the case halfway down the case - http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/17788-brass-denting-cure/page__hl__dent

There are solutions to prevent this denting issue - http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/16781-valmet-ejection-buffer-works-great/


All in all, it is a decent rifle with a horrible trigger. But I can get 1.5" groups with Black Hills ammo (blue box) at 100 yards (bipod and scope).

Personally, I would recommend a good AR15 with a bullet button.

 

[jhansman]

As bds noted, you can find out plenty at the linked forums about how to keep you Saiga from mangling the brass. I have used both the Bell car door trim on the receiver cover and the liquid rubber on the handle, and and the brass comes out reasonably unmolested. As for the trigger, if you do a conversion on it, get the Tapco G2 (Dinzag is a good source for all things conversion) or similar FCG and you won't believe how good the trigger can be in an AK.

 

[LiveLife]

codefour, you may want to check out this Saiga conversion thread - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=567005.

Although it is primarily on .308 Saiga conversion, most of the information can be translated to .223 Saiga.