how accurate is a Saiga in 223?

[offthepaper]

thinking about the next purchase. I'm considering a Saiga in 223. does anyone have experience or have a range report? I would expect it to outshoot the 7.62x39 Saiga (at least thats the hope).

 

[rbernie]

Mine is a solid one-and-a-half MOA performer. ETA - I shoot handloads thru it; standard 75gr Hornady OTM fodder that I use for HD in my ARs.

 

[rangerruck]

I bought all of them, in rifle cals. sold the 308, and the 223. then two years later, bought again a 223, and a 762.39. As was then , as is now, the 223 is so accurate, I just decided not to scope it, it just doesn't need it. with plain blue box black hills, and white box winnie 45 grainers, it was actually boring at 100 yards, moa all day long. Once, when I had the 308, i was at the range and they called 5 minutes left in session, I had a 5 inch diameter shoot n see target down on the 100. i loaded up my mags, with a variety of rounds. the rounds were all mixed up, in no particular order, and I loaded up 100 rounds.
I then started hitting away , open sites. I would say, that i shot 1 shot every 5 seconds. I emptied all 100 rounds, in the remaining time, minus the time it took to load up a few mags before i started fireing.
I ended up hitting that target 96 times, with open sites, with various ammo.
I said it before, I'll say it again, Saiga makes a damn fine bbl, their furniture might be plastic fantastic, but they are good where it counts.

 

[elmerfudd]

I get about 2.5" ten shot groups using Radway Green. I'm pretty sure that with some good ammo or handloads it would do 1.5 MOA. If you want an accurate AK, it's really the way to go.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

Expect between 2-4moa. If the rifle is a diamond in the rough and you use premium ammo (like Black Hills or Federal Gold Medal Match), perhaps 1.5.


Do not believe these MOA stories that are all over the net. If someone has a genuine 1 moa Saiga .223 - I'll pay them $1,000 on the spot for it. However, it's got to shoot 1moa 5 shot string 2 out of 3 strings, any order, or a single 10shot string into 1moa, as many tries as you want. At 100 yards. No time limit. Any ammo, rest or optics.

 

[silverlance]

saigas are damn fine rifles...their stocks are some of the worst ive ever seen on a gun. the stock on my daisy 1000x air rifle is better. if i had to describe the plastic on a saiga stock... milk jug plastic would come to mind.

 

[Loanshark]

What part of Florida are you in Don't tread?? I might bring my Saiga down ther one of these days.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

Tampa Bay area....


I own a few calipers

 

[Loanshark]

Just for my own clarification, moa is measured center to center, correct?

 

[Powderfinger]

Loanshark,
Groups (bullet holes) are measured center to center.

 

[MrTuffPaws]

saigas are damn fine rifles...their stocks are some of the worst ive ever seen on a gun. the stock on my daisy 1000x air rifle is better. if i had to describe the plastic on a saiga stock... milk jug plastic would come to mind.

Hey now. Milk jugs ain't black.

 

[rangerruck]

donttreadonme, I will take you up on that bet. any time you come to houston, or if you have trust, I have been shooting at this range for years now. I can have the range officers verify my targets, if that is good enough for you.

 

[rbernie]

Expect between 2-4moa. If the rifle is a diamond in the rough and you use premium ammo (like Black Hills or Federal Gold Medal Match), perhaps 1.5.

I don't disagree in general to this statement, but I guess it needs to be placed into perspective - my Saiga 223/7.62x39/308 will shoot damn near as accurately as a bone-stock Ruger 77MkII or Win70 or the like when loaded with the same ammo.

For an AK - that's saying something, and needs no embellishment.

 

[Clusive]

Mine shoots ~3" @ 100yds with Wolf Military Classic 55gr FMJ.