Saiga Questions

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cnorman18

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Hi, everybody! I'm a very new guy--just joined last night--and I have a few questions about purchasing a Saiga sporter in 7.62x39mm.

First: I'm looking for AK reliability and ruggedness above all, and my funds are, as they say, quite limited. From what I've seen here and elsewhere, the Saiga offers the best quality for the money in an AK platform available anywhere. Do I have that right?

Second: I don't see the point of spending megabucks on a Saiga conversion or an Arsenal AK when the quality of a stock Saiga is excellent to begin with. I DO want to use hi-cap magazines, but those seem to be available for Saigas. I don't need or want a pistol grip, a bayonet, a flash hider or any of those other bells and whistles; a sporter-style stock on a gun that ALWAYS works will suit me just fine. Am I missing something here?

Third: as you can see, my decision is all but made here; but I wouldn't mind a little more information. Does the Saiga use a 1mm or a 1.6mm receiver? Does it matter? Does it have any durability or functioning issues that I haven't heard about? In short, is there a catch?

The Saiga looks to me like the best deal since the nickel cup of coffee. They say if something looks too good to be true, it probably isn't. Does that apply here--or is the Saiga as good a deal as it looks?

For the record, I'm looking at FBMG as a source; they list the 16" model in 7.62 Russian at $290, and I'll be paying $35 for the FFL transfer.

Any advice or observations--other than that I'm too d***ed long-winded (I've been married, I know that) would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
The saiga will need to be made 922r compliant for you to use high cap mags of any providence. The nice thing is: You can achieve this w/o changing the exterior appearance.

The saiga is made on the same assembly line as the AK-100 series of rifle. The receiver is stamped and approximately 1.0mm thick.
 
Saiga rifles are one of the best deals out there you can't go wrong if that is what you get but I still wouldn't trade my Arsenal for anything.:D

The High-cap issue can be tricky do some searches and gather info, there is a big Saiga thread going on right now I think. Best not to expect to get high-caps without spending some money and maybe time.
 
You'll want to do a conversion. Trust me.

Why spend 20 to 40 bucks on a hi-cap mag when AK mags are 10 bucks or less in some case?

Still if magazine costs aren't an issue. Saigas really can't be beat. They are a better bang for your buck than an SKS.

/Has a converted Saiga 12ga & converted Saiga .308
 
REOIV said:
You'll want to do a conversion. Trust me.

Why spend 20 to 40 bucks on a hi-cap mag when AK mags are 10 bucks or less in some case?
Click to expand...

You can make your Saiga 922r compliant and not change how it looks. A feed ramp will allow you to use cheap AK mags.
 
One option for 922(r) compliance is to replace the factory trigger group with a modified Tapco G2 set that a couple of members at the Saiga-12 forum (forum.saiga-12.com) sell. Then, just install a bullet guide use some US-made hi-cap magazines. ProMags are supposed to suck, but CDNN has US-made Thermolds that supposed to work great. They're pretty light, too.
 
The Thermolds from CDNN are a great deal -- and they count as 3 US parts. You need a total of 4 US parts with a stock Saiga to be 922R compliant. The trigger and hammer (both slightly modified) from the G2 group would count as 2 parts, and you could also replace the gas piston as another part. US-made floor plates and followers in standard AK mags also count as 2 parts (1 each)

As nalioth mentioned, you need the feed ramp to have your AK work reliably with the standard AK mags. A lot of Saiga forum members have reported their unmodified Saigas working fine with the Thermold mags without the ramp -- so all you would need is one other part to be compliant if you used them exclusively.

Jim
 
what's this 922 compliance thing? foreign rifles are made of foreign parts... duh.

all the yugo SKSs and other imports that people are buying up... are they in compliance...? And 922 says "noboby can assemble...". does that mean that completed rifles can be purchased?
 
bender said:
what's this 922 compliance thing? foreign rifles are made of foreign parts... duh.

all the yugo SKSs and other imports that people are buying up... are they in compliance...? And 922 says "noboby can assemble...". does that mean that completed rifles can be purchased?
Click to expand...
Yugo SKS' are imported as "Curiios and Relics". This law keeps C&R guns out of 922r territory.

The Yugo AKs (and many other AKs) you see are built here in the USA from military parts and US parts to comply with the 922r.
 
thanks, I didn't know that.

that law seems kind of dumb... what's the purpose?
 
Purpose... well they're .GOV do they need a purpose?

While it is not a direct infringement like saying "NO more allowed, they are evil and will drive you insane with a kill kittens and fuzzy bunnies blood lust"...

They do it to make you jump through hoops, the .gov public servants figure you make people jump through enough hoops and maybe Joe or Jane Q-Public will say "screw this I'm taking up needle point or golf"...
 
everything you think about that is good, of the Saiga, is all true. they are sturdy, reliable, very functional, with a 1.mm receiver, a very good and accurate bbl, and with some minor upgrades, you can use hi cap mags. you can change out a variety of parts without adding a pistol grip, to make it compliant. Go over to http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?http://forum.saiga-12.com/

to find out what parts to change, so that it will be compliant, without making it
a pistol grip. Or heck, I'm sure some dudes will come along here, and tell you how.
 
guns imported may have no more than a certain number of evil features. if they are modified to have more of these eveil features then they must have no more than 10 listed imported parts.
 
No one makes "drop in" trigger parts that will work in a Saiga UNLESS you do the conversion (moving the trigger opening forward and using the a pistol grip.) The Saiga "sporter" trigger uses a funky plate mechanism to extend the trigger bar, allowing it to work in the rearward postion. Standard parts cannot do this.
 
S*** happens

Well, that's the way it goes.

Thanks for all the advice, but I had a fender-bender tonight and the cash I had saved up for my Saiga will be going to auto repairs.

Maybe someday.
 
that's too bad.
car repairs are always so expensive, even with insurance there is always something that isn't covered and you end up spending all your spare cash on a little fender bender :(
 
Go to your local gun store and put one on layaway. For example, drive to Fort Worth, off Berry street on the east side loop. There's a gun store there, they should have Saiga's and they will let you layaway for 2 months with 1/3 down. There's alos one in Mesquite, but they just have a 223 Saiga right now. You get your car fixed, and in two months, you get your Saiga. I am unashamed to admit that in the past two years, I have layawayed, (laidaway?), some 15 firearms in the DFW area. Pawn shops will usually give you 90 days, but few take AK's anymore. As a matter of fact, I am getting an Isreali heavy barrel kit FAL out of layaway tomorrow.
 
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