Saiga found in Cabelas gun vault

That's a really long barrel on it. Is it in 7.62x39? Looks like it was marketed as a semi auto hunting rifle. Most AK guys want a shorter barrel, a pistol grip, and light weight stock set. The work and cost to convert the stock/grip and shorten the barrel/re-set the sight is probably why it's sitting there at that price.

That hits me in the feels. I hate the gun almost as much as the round, but that rifle screams my name. Different. I want it.

I prefer the Saiga the way they come, not the kids version.

One of our locals has a new in box saiga on consign. Didn't ask how much he wants for it.

HammsBeer said:

Is it in 7.62x39?

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Check the OP?

CptnAwesome said:

It's a salga 308

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trentcwwilson said:

That hits me in the feels. I hate the gun almost as much as the round, but that rifle screams my name. Different. I want it.

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I had a 16" version and got 1.5"-2" at 100 yards.

That's a really long barrel on it

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Many reported longer 21" version got larger shot groups due to shorter 16" barrel acting like bull barrel with less barrel whip.

How is reliability of the AK design in .308 compared to 7.62X39? Is there a difference?

Looks like a Saiga 308 V21. Back when I was into Saigas they were one of the more rare variants. However, with Veprs coming in I don't know what that means for them now. Given the price of Saigas and Veprs that probably is a pretty decent deal. I'd make sure I understood what the V21 was if I had any plans of modifying it prior to purchase though.

Being a saiga, it should go up in value.

You got a pretty good deal, I'd have snagged it for anything under $700. Cabelas pricing is all over the map. Last time I went, they had refurb, rack grade Mosin's for $350. Sitting right beside the Mosins was a like new CZ 527 Varmint with a AA grade walnut stock for $450.... It went home with me.

Honestly, the VEPR .308 is better, and the shorter barrel versions are more accurate. BUT, the Saiga .308 is still very accurate and hard-hitting. As a bonus, yours already has the trigger group in the right place, and should be able to accept VEPR stocks with no modification, or standard AK stocks with an adapter.

Very cool. My cabelas charges 2X value for everything in the gun vault and used racks. Never found a single good deal in 5 years.

The accuracty issues with the long barrel .308 Saigas appear when people thread the muzzle to put on a muzzle break or push the front sight post off. Shoot 147grn bullets through it and don't change the balance of the end of the barrel and you should see good accuracy out of it. Mine shoots 1" groups with 150gr Hornady SSTs.

I'm really jealous of your wood.

In case you guys aren't familiar with their gun library policies, they will ship from one store to another for just $25, and you don't have any obligation to buy it if you decide you don't want it.

If you do buy it, the $25 goes toward the price of the gun.

I took advantage of this to get my 7.62x39 Savage Scout, as did a friend of mine. We had them shipped to our local Cabelas from many states away, for basically free.

That's a great price for today. It's like a flashback to 2007.

Most AK guys want a shorter barrel, a pistol grip, and light weight stock set.

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I have the 16" barreled one that I converted to a pistol grip format, but kind of wish I got the 20" for added velocity. 16" is too short for 308/7.62x51 IMO. I had the same issue with my FAL and am rebarreling it to 21"

How is reliability of the AK design in .308 compared to 7.62X39? Is there a difference?

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Reliability is great. It still an AK.

The only problem I have is finding reliable mags since there are no standard milsurp mags for this caliber like x39, 5.45 and 5.56. The original Saiga mags work great. Aftermarket mags are hit and miss. Try one before buying a bunch of mags that look like a good deal.

I use the Uinta magazines in mine and don't run into problems.

In case you guys aren't familiar with their gun library policies, they will ship from one store to another for just $25, and you don't have any obligation to buy it if you decide you don't want it.

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I did this once.

The problem with the Gun Library is it doesn't show all of the used guns they have in stock. Well at least the one in Wichita, Kansas doesn't.

BSA1 said:

I did this once.

The problem with the Gun Library is it doesn't show all of the used guns they have in stock. Well at least the one in Wichita, Kansas doesn't.

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I asked them about that once and the fellow I talked to said that guns that have been around longer tend to be the ones that get listed on line.
That being said, I did get a pretty good deal on a trapdoor carbine repro that I saw at one store and had shipped to the KCK store.

I use the Uinta magazines in mine and don't run into problems.

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Guys have problems with these too.

Guys have problems with these too.

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The problems I see most with the Unita mags is related to inherant weakness in the front lug which can sometimes snap it if you impact a loaded magazine locked in the rifle.

Of course, due to the varied tolerances in the Saiga rifles, no one mag is going to work in everyones gun. JB Weld and files... the two best friends of Saiga owners trying to make mags work.

I paid $700 for mine in '09.
That one's a deal!

That's a very unusual deal from Cabela's. Typically their gun prices suck.

carbine85 said:

That's a very unusual deal from Cabela's. Typically their gun prices suck.

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It does happen from time to time... but at least the Hamburg, PA store is far from what it was. I remember going there with rows and rows of racks. Last couple times, they have maybe six or so in a cluster by the Library.