WardenWolf
member
Saiga .223, 20.5" bull barrel, skeleton stock w/ extra 30-round magazine: $350 shipped
UTG 978 Lever-lock Dragunov-style Picatinny rail mount: $40
Leapers 3-9x40 reticle intensified red/green mil-dot scope: $60
Ammo: Black Hills 60 Grain Softpoint
100 yards, 2 MOA accuracy. No jams or any other malfunctions out of more than 100 rounds put through it. I outshot the 3 guys with AR's at the next table, and their guns were malfunctioning all day long. Given that I paid less than $500 for the whole rig, and got a perfectly reliable semi with very decent accuracy, I'm quite happy with it.
Thoughts:
The Leapers scope is excellent. Crystal clear optics, very good zoom and mangification. I could not ask for a better scope without spending hundreds of dollars. Toolless adjustment is a godsend. I would gladly mount this on any gun I own.
2 MOA isn't bad for a semi-auto rifle without dropping a LOT more money on a decent AR-15, and very good for an AK. At the ranges the .223 round is effective at, it's perfectly acceptable.
The Saiga .223 has an unusually heavy barrel, which accounts for much of its accuracy. The barrel's outer diameter is actually sized for the 7.62x39 AK-47 round, resulting in an unusually thick barrel for a .223, and an unusually rigid barrel for an AK. This results in the gun being somewhat front heavy. It is not uncomfortable, but it has some heft to it. The gun handles well and shoulders instinctively, so the weight is forgiveable.
I'd consider the Saiga .223 to be a solid contender in the price category. Considering I wound up with a gun that shoots about as well as budget AR's but is significantly more reliable at a much lower price, I would strongly recommend it. $350 normally does not get you much for a base gun, let alone a semi, but the value is pretty high on this one.
UTG 978 Lever-lock Dragunov-style Picatinny rail mount: $40
Leapers 3-9x40 reticle intensified red/green mil-dot scope: $60
Ammo: Black Hills 60 Grain Softpoint
100 yards, 2 MOA accuracy. No jams or any other malfunctions out of more than 100 rounds put through it. I outshot the 3 guys with AR's at the next table, and their guns were malfunctioning all day long. Given that I paid less than $500 for the whole rig, and got a perfectly reliable semi with very decent accuracy, I'm quite happy with it.
Thoughts:
The Leapers scope is excellent. Crystal clear optics, very good zoom and mangification. I could not ask for a better scope without spending hundreds of dollars. Toolless adjustment is a godsend. I would gladly mount this on any gun I own.
2 MOA isn't bad for a semi-auto rifle without dropping a LOT more money on a decent AR-15, and very good for an AK. At the ranges the .223 round is effective at, it's perfectly acceptable.
The Saiga .223 has an unusually heavy barrel, which accounts for much of its accuracy. The barrel's outer diameter is actually sized for the 7.62x39 AK-47 round, resulting in an unusually thick barrel for a .223, and an unusually rigid barrel for an AK. This results in the gun being somewhat front heavy. It is not uncomfortable, but it has some heft to it. The gun handles well and shoulders instinctively, so the weight is forgiveable.
I'd consider the Saiga .223 to be a solid contender in the price category. Considering I wound up with a gun that shoots about as well as budget AR's but is significantly more reliable at a much lower price, I would strongly recommend it. $350 normally does not get you much for a base gun, let alone a semi, but the value is pretty high on this one.
