Brian; as others have mentioned; the Saiga is the REAL AK. So when you say "Cheap"; make sure you're referring to price and not quality. Non of the Romanian, WASR, or whatever ak's you see for sale on the internet, are "BETTER" quality than the brand new parts, built on the same exact assemble line as brand new full auto military AK-47, that the saiga has. This is fact; not opinion. Remember; it is the russian plant that makes the ORIGINAL AK-47. All of the romanian, polish, czech, chinese, etc... AK variants that you see, are simply clones. Many built from leftover, used, or QC rejected parts. NOT THE SAIGA!!! The saiga is the "Real Deal". Just like Colt and Springfield Armory are the real deal for 1911A1 45acp pistols and all the others are clones.
Not to say that all clones are lower quality. Not saying that at all. But for some reason, I sense a tone that you think the Saiga is of "Lower Quality". Saiga is built by the ORIGINAL COMPANY that builds/is currently building the ORIGINAL MILITARY AK-47 in Russia. By the same people, on the same assembly line, etc... Can't get any more authentic than that.
Others have already mentioned the reason for the magazine issue. But for what it's worth, if you go to sportsmansguide.com; you can buy SAIGA 7.62x39 or .223 magazines by promag; for $11 each if you buy 8. And yes, some will say that promag isn't the best magazine. But guess what? If you have a couple of good magazines set aside for "REAL BUSINESS" such as a SHTF scenario; then the promag magazines are perfectly fine for normal day to day range time. And most people even agree, that if you don't treat the promag magazines like you are in the military, and bang them around and drop your rifle, that they too work quite fine and will last a long time. Plus; Promag has a LIFETIME WARRANTY on all their magazines. So even if you do break it; they'll send you a new one... no questions asked.
So; as I mentioned in a different thread in a different forum; the advantages of a saiga are overwhelming. You get an ORIGINAL AK rifle, with ALL brand new parts, for approximately $200 less than a variant made of used/surplused/QC rejected parts. ALL the parts are interchangeable with current AK parts. And to get around the magazine issue; you can either spend $11 on a promag magazine. $28 on a Surefire magazine (Which is EXCELLENT QUALITY); or spend about $50 in parts and some time and make the gun totally capable of accepting standard traditional AK magazines. And if you have the .223 version of the saiga; you can spend the same and have it accept the galil, bulgarian, and german .223 magazines. Or spend a total of $120 from renegade, and about 30 minutes of labor, and you can shoot all the AR-15/M16 magazines you want.
You speak of the conversion as NOT BEING TRIVIAL. That is true. But guess what? You DON'T HAVE TO DO THE CONVERSION!!! Like I said, a magazine is $11. ($17 if you buy just 1). To make it "LEGAL", you can spend $10 on a gas rod or $45 on a new stock (Which most people want to do anyway to have a pistol grip). As long as they're american parts, you are now 100% legal, and you spent a total of 5 minutes to replace the stock. (It's only 4 screws). Yes, you can spend 6 hours and $200+ on a complete conversion. But that is where a lot of people are being misinformed. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. Think of the saiga as BASIC CABLE instead of a Romanian WASR-10 being expanded cable. (Forget that the saiga has NEW parts and not used). With the saiga (Basic cable); you get the basic weapon that will do what it was meant to do. And you now get to buy additional channels A-La-Carte for ONLY the channels you want; WHEN you want them. With the other variants (Saiga isn't a VARIANT, it's the real deal); you spend $150-$200 more, and you get what you get. You will still probably spend more money adapting it the way you want to. With the saiga, you make it the way you want from the beginning. I have a new telecoping stock and pistol grip; but I LIKE the original fore grip, so I leave that alone. Some like the Galil style forehand grip, mixed with the traditional AK Buttstock and pistol grip. Some like a combination of other variations. The saiga gives you flexibility to do whatever you want. At $200 less money, so you can play as you like. And if you use the $11 american magazine; and spend $10 on the american gas rod; ALL YOUR LEGAL 922r issues have been addressed. You can now modify, adapt, convert, or whatever you want to call it; the rest of the rifle any way you choose. You have options with a saiga.
