Saiga .223 & 7,62x39 High Capacity mags!

[wally]

Saw some SAIGA High capacity mags at today's gun show in .223 and 7.62x39. Looked like the Weiger (sp?) .223 and normal AK 7.62 30 rounders *except" the front of the mag was not "notched". Any other dimensional differences were too small to eyeball. Saw some Saiga rifles being sold with them attached. I guess the lack of the notch does the job of the bullet guide modification.

Prices however were ouch! $55 each! they had a rather large pile of each.

Maybe this is old news, but its the first unmodified 30 round mag I'd seen fit the Saigas. The vendor was T&G sales, no web sight, but you can inquire by Email if intrested [email protected] I got their card when I bought a spare Wilson's 18# 1911 recoil spring.

--wally.

 

[rbernie]

The mags are made by Surefire, and Andean has them for $45 (223) and $35 (7.62x39).

 

[trbon8r]

Will Chinese 30 round mags work in a 7.62X39 Saiga?

 

[Kymasabe]

It's easier and cheaper to just buy a bullet guide kit and use standard AK mags.

 

[rbernie]

Will Chinese 30 round mags work in a 7.62X39 Saiga?

They should, if the Saiga's been converted (bullet guide installed) so it can accept standard AK magazines.

It's easier and cheaper to just buy a bullet guide kit and use standard AK mags.

True for 7.62x39, but the 223 bullet guides are yet in flux.

I've bought a few of the Surefires, simply because they'll still work in converted Saigas as well as unconverted units.

 

[wally]

Good to to know they are available at somewhat more reasonable prices.

Thanks for the link to Andean, good selection of Pistol magazines there at decent prices!

--wally.

 

[rangerruck]

go here/ http://forum.saiga-12.com/

ther is a dude, on here who has perfect bullet guides, works on all standard mags. once you install this bullet guide, you can use standard saiga mags, or any off the shelf ak mags.
or you can take a dremel, and in 5 mins, 'adjust' any ak mag to work in the saiga. the e. german weigers are easiest though. you just need to screw down , in the front little gap in the front mag latch, a little metal screw, and loctite in place.
but the bullet guide kit, is cheap and easy, and makes all mags work , without having to install any type of 'bullet guide' on the top of any mag latch.

 

[rangerruck]

one last thing, if you make your saiga to take hi caps, you need to change out enough parts to make it 922 compliant.

 

[trbon8r]

Couldn't decide which way to go, whether 7.62X39 or .223 Saiga, so I did the most practical thing which was to buy both.

I like the .223 round more than the 7.62 short, but I'm not sure the mag and feeding issues are totally worked out on the .223 yet. From what I've been reading the Saiga is a good deal for an AK.

I'm getting both the .223 and 7.62 for $520 shipped.

 

[Simonovfan]

Good choice.

I got my .223 Saiga 16" a week ago and I think I chose right. I still have my M59 SKS for Whitetail duties and my Saiga is for Badguy work. I've been researching the mag issues on Saiga-12.com and the concensus is that either the feed ramp or the mag weld/screw addition work just fine. It's how you want to treat your rifle. Personally, the Saiga is one of the best qaulity AK's I've seen up close and I don't want to drill and tap it for a feed ramp. Cheap in price, doesn't mean cheap in qaulity. I will be trying the Galil or Poly-tech mag mods first and then I will go the factory (expensive) route and then finally I will resort to tapping it for a feed ramp in that order.

Oh, yeah. $274.75 locally. Can't go wrong for a real Russian.

 

[rangerruck]

trbon, you got them both for 520? your guilt should overcome you. when it does, send any extra money that will assuage your guilt, to me.
Oh yeah, don't let anybody tell you they ain't accurate, you will proly find at least one 762 round that is moa, and several of the 223 rounds you try, will be moa as well. i don't even scope mine anymore, just don't need to.
in the 223, try the 55 grn black hills, and also the plain jane big white box, 45 grain winny varmints.