Reloading for saiga .223 and .308 any info

[jeeptim]

Love the input i get here.
Just got 2 new rifles one is a saiga .223 have reloaded most other cal just wanted to know if any quarks or cautions other then the norm.
Also 5.56 and .223 any FACTS on the difference i hear a lot of case thickness barrel twist pressure diff any info.
also what is the best bullet to load for now just shooting paper,and cans.
.308 w/21'' barrel have been loading 308 for a win 100 and M-1-A now that i am using a lee factory crimp die easy money love that thing, any thing i should be thinking about when reloading 308 on an AK platform?
Thanx

 

[rbernie]

Just about any reloads that you make will shoot out of the Saiga just fine. I have owned both 223 and 308 Saiga's and they were very load-intolerant in terms of cycling the action and basic functioning.

The Saiga will throw the brass a good ways - be sure to find a way to collect it up. The brass will also get pretty dented coming out of the ejection port (the angle on the dust cover puts a good whack on the brass as it flies by), but that's OK - it'll reload just fine.

Since the Saiga isn't a benchrest tack-driver, I would suggest that you focus on getting rounds that are repeatable and economical above all else. Oh, and note that the 223 Saiga will not shoot 75gr+ bullets well, since it has a 1:9" rifling twist rate. Mine shot well with most any 55gr bullet that I tried.

 

[jhansman]

My reload for my Saiga .223 is a 55gr. FMJBT (Hornady bulk) over 23 gr. of H335 in LC brass with a CCI 400 primer, OAL of 2.220". Works great. About as accurate as this gun can deliver; I can nail the 300 yd. gong at our range 8 out of 10 times, sometime 10 for 10.

 

[jeeptim]

Thats the helpful info I'm after yeah fired it (the 223) once and whacked up brass is an understatement just buggered up but....... reloading it anyway.
Thanx