Saiga-practical applications

[The Deer Hunter]

So, I was just browsing the Saiga 12 forums, and was thinking about what practical applications could be applied to a saiga.

Would a regular trap club allow use of the saigas? And are they good for hunting?

I have nothing against them, i wouldn't mind having one sometime either, but are there any practical applications in which they are chosen over a standard shotgun and more useful than a regular shotgun? Or do most people see them as just a regular shotgun?

Hands down they must be excellent for HD, because the box magazines you can have a 19" barrel and a 10 round mag. and its fast to reload too.

 

[pacodelahoya]

It's practically the funnest gun I have to shoot.


Now, if'n I could get it to swallow cheap game loads!!

 

[Cesiumsponge]

I would say it excels anywhere you want a rifle-configuration, but with shotshells. Mine does work off the cheapo 100 round boxes of game shot.

I faintly remember on the S12 forums there was an issue with several that wouldn't feed reliably. It had to do with an undersized gas port I believe or misalignment, so only full powered loads pushed enough gas through a restrictive port to cycle the AK piston assembly.

 

[Robert Hairless]

I spent a small part of an afternoon shooting trap with one. The larger part of that afternoon was watching everybody who came to watch take a turn at shooting it.

The first couple of people came to see if it was an AK-47. It was enjoyable watching people have fun with it. I wanted to do it again a few days ago but my wife said "no" because she wanted to shoot trap instead of being an amusement park.

I haven't done much more than play with mine. It shoots well, is comfortable, and I agree that it's fun.

 

[jlbraun]

@paco

Is your gas port setting on "2" for game loads? "1" is for magnum. My saiga will FTE if I shoot game loads on "1".

 

[pacodelahoya]

Jbraun, yep it is on two, first time I Shot it, it worked swell, second time out to the range slugs and buck were fine but when I switched to # 2 setting all the game loads FTE'd. I started a thread on it here and got some opinions but I still can't find out what's wrong with her.

 

[WeedWhacker]

pacodelahoya, this has likely already been suggested, but have you cleaned the bore with something to remove lead deposits and then checked and cleaned the gas cylinder area for crud? All sorts of crap can build up in that area, from lead to plastic bits from the wad, and in some cases, can clog some of the gas ports. You should be able to clean out the ports with a bent steel pick, in the worst-case scenario...

 

[pacodelahoya]

Nope, but I"m gonna do it today. I'll post back with a range report if it ever stops snowing.:banghead: Maybe next weekend.

 

[pacodelahoya]

Ok guys, just cleaned out the gas port(s). There were four little holes inside one big hole in the gas block. Is that right? And yes, I had to fight a tiny allen wrench down three of the four.