Mounting optics on a Saiga

[Malice]

I got a new Saiga 7,62 and I want to mount a red dot sight on it. Ive never mounted any optics on any gun before... how do I go about this? I was going to go to www.saiga-12.com forums but they seem to have been taken down by a virus or somthing.

Thankya

 

[Onmilo]

The best side locking scope platform that I have found for the Saigas or any AK type rifle is the mount offered by K-Var.
http://www.k-var.com/
click the catagory link for optics.
They are somewhat expensive and very well made.
They will allow any type of optic to be mounted and sit low enough that the shooter can actually get the scope to zero. HTH & Happy Holidays.

 

[jmartinson]

I have a converted Saiga and have had both a Russian 6x PSO scope, and a Russian Kobra red dot sight on it, both of them using the normal AK optics rail on the side of the receiver.

My thoughts? Both of them were very heavy, and the Kobra wasn't nearly as bright as a BSA I saw at the range that day. Add 20 rounds of 7.62x39 to that, and it was less appealing than I imagined it would be.

If you are looking for a practical shooter and not an authentic looking Russian package, I would go with a quality commercial red dot scope attached by means of a "low profile" side mount, most likely with a Weaver rail on top. Stay away from anything that mounts on the receiver cover.

Also be sure the mount you buy is for an AK, not an SVD/Dragunov. I almost bought the wrong one!

-jacob

 

[Tomac]

Check out Freedom Optics www.freedomoptics.com for a good selection of AK-specific optics that will work well with the Saiga. My personal fav for the AK is the PK-AS: sits low/left so irons are always available, doesn't need batteries for daytime use, very rugged (I accidentally dropped one 4.5' onto concrete w/o damage or loss of zero), excellent circle/dot reticle for both CQB & precision aiming. HTH...
Tomac