Saiga 12 Birdshot Ammo

[cbrgator]

I'm going to shoot some clay pigeons tomorrow with my Saiga 12. It's never been fired so its obviously not broken it. I'm going to head over to Bass Pro, but I'd like to know whats the heaviest load I could use to shoot pigeons at the range that will still cycle my bolt? I think they only allow shot as big as 7 1/2. Will a 1 1/8 oz 7 1/2 shot work?

 

[cbrgator]

Nobody?

 

[Dave McCracken]

Bulk pack 1 1/8 oz stuff from a box store should work OK. Either 7 1/2s or 8s will work for trap

 

[hunter25]

None will work in mine except heavy game loads at 12 bucks a box. Some of them don't have the gas ports drilled right and only work with the heavy full power stuff unless sent back to be fixed. Don't be surprised as a lot of them are like this. Check out saiga-12.com forums for more info

 

[oneounceload]

If you are shooting at a gun club, 7-1/2 is usually the heaviest load you can use, and in a target load, NOT a field load. You can only load 2 rounds at a time - ask the personnel if you are even allowed to use a Saiga......many places will not allow it due to barrel lengths and other considerations

 

[Geneseo1911]

cbr-
My S-12 was made in 2009. It has 3 gas ports and will cycle 1 oz loads with no problem on setting "2". That said, before about 200 rnds of break-in it wouldn't fully cycle anything, including buckshot. I would suggest you buy at least 200 of the cheapest 1 1/8 oz loads you can find, and shoot em all. There's no excuse for not shooting the he** out of that gun. Just loading up a couple mags & blazing with it is fun enough; once they're broken in they cycle like lightening.

Remember that it is the weight of the payload (and the powder charge), not the size of the shot that determines recoil & gun function. Remington "gun club" with #9 shot will cycle your Saiga just as well as with #7 1/2 shot, or even #4 if they made them with that size.

Last I checked, Dick's (yes, I know they suck) had "gun club" shells on sale $5.98 a flat (10 boxes of 25), with an additional $10 mail in rebate. You won't find factory ammo any cheaper than that. Save the hulls (at least the ones the Saiga doesn't munch) and send 'em to me.

Have fun, but don't expect too much out of the Saiga. I've shot skeet with mine several times, but it's hard with a gun so light & short. It will also be lousy for trap with the non-existent choke. You'll still have fun though, my Saiga always makes me grin.

 

[cbrgator]

Yea, I don't expect much. I didn't buy it for that, but around here its really the only practice I can get, so I'll take it. Another question... What could I humanely kill with #8 birdshot?

 

[Geneseo1911]

doves; rabbits at short range, squirrels, pretty much anything around that size.

quail & chukar? not 100% sure as I've never hunted these.

clay pigeons & a partridge in a pear tree

 

[elmerfudd]

A buddy of mine and I took a converted S12 out with a box of clays and a spring loaded thrower. It was a lot of fun and we only had a couple of misfires on the first couple of mags, (brand new gun, not broken in), and after that it was completely reliable. They aren't particularly good for shooting clays though. You can do it and it is a lot of fun, but my old Stevens SxS beat the snot out of it when it came to aerial targets.

 

[dave_pro2a]

None will work in mine except heavy game loads at 12 bucks a box. Some of them don't have the gas ports drilled right and only work with the heavy full power stuff unless sent back to be fixed. Don't be surprised as a lot of them are like this. Check out saiga-12.com forums for more info

Try a KA tappet + Gunfixer gas knob. That combo might help.

 

[Girodin]

I have/had multiple S12s. Additionally I know several people that have them. There seems to be a great degree of variance in what they will cycle reliably. Mine has literally fed and ejected everything from light bird shot to buckshot and slugs from round one. Others have been a different matter entirely. I would hesitate to tell anyone what a brand new saiga will or wont cycle. There is really only one way to find out. Now you could confirm you have the proper number of gas ports and that would give a better indication. As stated gun fixer's gas knob will allow a greater degree a flexibility.

 

[cbrgator]

Well, I took it out this morning. 1/ 1/8 oz #8 shot. Had a few FTE but not too many. Got better as the day went on and it seems like I should be ok for the most part. I actually had a slamfire which scared the crap out of me. I just wasn't expecting it, but thankfully I have great habits and the barrel was pointing down range. It only happened once so I have to assume it was the ammo and not the gun.

Now I need to know the cheapest place online to fund buckshot.