My local gun shop has a new Saiga for sale for $399 and I am thinking of buying it, h

[sigbear]

My local gun shop has a new Saiga for sale for $399 and I am thinking of buying it, however, me knowing nothing about this gun, I asked about 30 round mags, and the reply I got was pre-ban 30 round mags are OK in Massachusetts.

Do modifications have to be made for this rifle to accept 30 round mags?
Are there better AK's out there for the money or Saiga the way to go?

Sigbear

 

[Jguy101]

MA has an AWB, am I correct? If so, you can't convert the gun to pistol-grip configuration, which would eliminate any 922(r) issues if you used only American parts in the conversion.

If you can't legally convert it, you need to either find a hi-cap AK magazine made in the US before September 1994 (good luck) or replace a certain number of the Saiga's parts with American parts (I believe 4), which could be rather difficult. You can get US-made handguards and gas pistons, and I think Dinzag Arms sells US-made Tapco G2 triggers modded to fit in the stock Saiga. The no-mod Saiga pistol grip stock would count as a part replacement as well, but those things are almost universally hated.

Oh, and to use any non-Saiga-specific magazine (and hi-cap Saiga mags would be illegal in Massachusetts anyway, as they're very recent additions to the market), you'll need to file down the magazine catch and install a bullet guide.

 

[JTH]

sigbear,
Go to the Classic Arm site or J&G. The Classic site has various Saigas, 308, 7.62, and 12 ga. models. I believe the 7.62 was $369 or $339. Pawn shops are generally not good places to fine deals on rifles.
JTEX