The tolerances vary from gun to gun, but after shooting some high brass rounds to loosen the action, it should eat almost anything. They run about 600 around here.
It comes with two settings for the gas plug; one for light loads, and one for heavy recoiling stuff. If you use settng two(the light setting) with heavy loads, you can beat up the receiver, or wear out parts faster, plus you get too much recoil. You'll want to check to verify that you have three holes in your gas system, as some have said there's left the factory with less(jokingly referred to as vodka specials). You may want to check over at Saiga12.com.
Depending on what you want it for, you should look into returning it to actual AK configuration. The cost can be as little as 200 for parts and your time if you can DIY(YouTube or Saiga12com), or as much as 800 to have it professionally done. Tromix is the king of conversion, but back ordered for like two years. I'm going to have mine converted when funds allow. The conversion will allow you to customize your AK almost as much as an AR! Parts are everywhere from 20-30 round drum mags, railed handguards, different chokes, muzzle brakes, magwells to speed up reloads, extended safeties, extended magazine release(as fast as the AR's release), combat sights, folding/telescoping stocks, and the list goes on and on!
Finally, you must look into the parts count. Imported detatchable magazine shotguns can only have
so many foreign parts if you want to use the larger magazines and drums. The import law covering this is 922(r). I don't know if the magic number of rounds the mag can hold is 8,10, or 12, but I'm converting anyway so it won't matter to me, but you should read about it at Saiga12.com again, and if you think the EBR's make Leftist extrimist squeamish, and Gun enthusiast
; wait 'til you have an Evil Black Shotgun!
!
Thoughts of a verrrrrrrrry happy Saiga 12 owner
!!!!
!!
Still 2 Many Choices!?