I've picked one up, before. Balance is way to the rear.
Is that a way of saying it is front heavy? Because the sporter stocked guns are very front heavy. I think it is important to distinguish whether one is comenting about a sporter stocked gun or a PG converted gun because the balance, ergos, handling, etc are pretty dramatically different IMHO, and I've shot a fair number or rounds through various converted and stock guns. I would not be real interested in owning a own with the intention of keeping the sporter stock.
I doubt military or law enforcement practice swapping shell types in the field.
Really??? I slug change over is shotgun 101 stuff. It is one of the most basic skills sets taught when one learns to run a shotgun. If LEOs are carrying shotguns and not carbines I would certainly hope they are trained in slug change overs and practice them. Having slugs makes the weapon much more versatile and useful. One example of a time it might be used is an active shooter and a distance longer than say 30 yards. We had one here not long ago, guy on his 3rd floor balcony shooting at people passing by, the responding officer had a patrol rifle and used that to subdue the threat, if he only would have had a shotgun it would have been an instance a slug changeover (and I would think a double change over) would have been very appropriate and useful. Another might be an officer working a road block who faces the potential need to fire into a vehicle if it doesn't stop. For an LEO there are lots of times a slug changeover could be useful.
A S12 isn't that bad for slug changeovers. In the real world if I were going to do any slug change over I would likely prefer to a a double slug change over, load two slugs. For that a saiga is arguably as good or better than a lot of tube guns. Get a shot timer and run the drills, no need for conjecture really.
That is a the drawback of detachable magazines, they must be removed to reloaded or topped off. One of the awesome things a tube fed shotgun has going for it is adaptability on the fly.
A mag change is pretty fast. It might take some thinking through in the set up. For example I keep a mag of slugs stocked and in a consistent location. I want a slug or slugs, I simply drop the mag thats in the gun, insert a new one and work the charging handle. For my tube guns I pull the charging handle or work the slide to the rear, "surf out the round that is on the lifter, feed a round through the port and let the charging handle go or work the slide. If I want two slugs I then feed one into the tube. I actually think the mag change is less bobble prone and all around easier. Other guns like Benelli autos are a bit easier than certain other tube guns because of how they operate.
A mag is way easier than trying to keep up with feeding the tube while shooting IMHO.
you have to have a very large, unwieldy box on the thing.
I would say the drums are unwieldy. The 12 round mags a bit much. Ten rounders aren't bad and 8 rounders really aren't IMHO.
The Saiga is a pistol gripped assault rifle with a "sporter" stock added. Length of trigger pull, to start off with, will be screwy. I've picked one up, before. Balance is way to the rear. Add one of those drum mags and, well, forget it.
