Saiga Sporter rifle - How are they?

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Twiki357

Twiki357

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I just got a flyer from J&G Sales today. They have the Saiga Sporter rifles in .223, 5.45x39, and 7.62x39 for $299.95 - 16" bbl, synthetic stock, and side mount scope rail. I've read a lot of positive posts here on THR about Saigas. I'm thinking about the 7.62x39. Any input about good, bad or some where inbetween would be appreciated.
 
I can't think of anything bad at all to say about them, other than that they are neutered AKs. In fact I can't say I've really even ever heard anyone say anything bad about them other than that.
 
already had the 7.62x39 and the 5.45x39 so when these prices started floating around I ran up to JG and picked up the 223. All the saiga rifles (or shotguns) are very good AK platform firearms. The rifles really need the conversions. The triggers they put in them to make them sporter are not very good, especially the 308's. The 7.62x39 takes a bullet guide that is available for around $20 and a few minutes to install but once done it will run on standard AK mags. I use standard AK 223 mags in the saiga 223 and they work just fine although some say only saiga mags work.
 
I have a 5.45x39 Saiga. It is a wonderful trouble free (~8K rounds through mine) rifle. Mine uses ak-74 mags without a bullet guide. The 5.45x39 round has become my favorite caliber since you can pick it up for ~$0.11/shot:) I like it so much I just picked up a 5.45 AR upper to go along with my Saiga.
 
They're brand new AK-10x rifles! I have quite a few rounds through mine and it is easily my favorite rifle that I have ever owned! You can do some cool stuff with em and they'll just keep running and running and running.

Be warned though, the .308 version will have people thinking that small earthquakes are happening along with the 2' of flame that flies out of the relatively short barrel.

Just for kicks, here's mine! :D

attachment.php
 
I am very interested in one of these as well.Is the front hand guard heat shielded? Is there any issues with melting the front hand guard shooting rapidly.

Is there any functionality difference,other than balance and feel,between the sporter Saiga and a converted Saiga from Arsenal? I know standard mags won't work without altering the mag well, but do the Surefire 30 round mags cure that problem and function as well as a standard mag? I realize there may be all kinds of ergonomic issues.I just want to know if the sporter Saiga will go bang every time the trigger is pulled just as well as a converted Saiga.
 
maintenance problems this morning with JG site, back up now.

The sporter saiga runs just like any other AK, pull the trigger the round goes off every time converted is just adding mods or putting the trigger back where it belongs. There is no modification to the magwell required to handle AK mags. In the 762 39 it just requires a bullet guide ($20 part)
 
Well, I got it this afternoon. Now, just to be a pest, can someone tell me where to get that bullet guide so I'll be able to use the AK mags. It came with only one 10 round plastic mag and J&G didn't have any separate mags available.

Now I just have to comment on the packaging. It was in a plastic bag inside of the box. It looked (And smelled) like the rifle was put into the plastic bag, then the bag was filled with used motor oil and the excess oil dumped out and the bag sealed - sortof. Big sploches of oil soaked into the cardboard box. :eek:
 
i have Saigas in 7.62x39, 308 and 12 ga.

To answer some questions....

Yes, they are the best of the AK types.

No, the handguards will not melt.

Most regular AK stocks, and parts will work on it.

Yes, they will take regular AK mags if you add a bullet guide and trim the mag release. Import parts rules apply, not that anyone will ever check or know. You can make a bullet guide easily with a small piece of metal and a small screw or bolt. Cost about $2 to do it yourself.

To convert it to pistol grip version, you need trigger parts, stocks, pistol grips etc. Minimal cost to convert is around $100 if you do it yourself and find cheap furniture to use.

In sporter configuration, the triggers really suck, long, spongy, ie. terrible due to the linkage necessary to make them work. The 308 is much worse than the x39. I keep my x39 in original sporter configuration, except fixed to take AK mags (922r compliant of course) it is a great little sleeper. My factory Saiga mags still work in it as well. I particularly like that I can shoot 5 round AK mags in it. BTW, if you want compact 10 round AK mags, the 5 rounders are easy to convert to 10 rounders.

I intend to convert my 308 simply so I get a better trigger on it.
 
Twiki357 said:
Well, I got it this afternoon. Now, just to be a pest, can someone tell me where to get that bullet guide so I'll be able to use the AK mags. It came with only one 10 round plastic mag and J&G didn't have any separate mags available.

Now I just have to comment on the packaging. It was in a plastic bag inside of the box. It looked (And smelled) like the rifle was put into the plastic bag, then the bag was filled with used motor oil and the excess oil dumped out and the bag sealed - sortof. Big sploches of oil soaked into the cardboard box. :eek:
Click to expand...

EDIT: Make sure to throw out the plastic it's wrapped in and wash your hands. ;)



M
 
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That's a great price but CSS has them for $10 less. :)

Woops... just check and they're sold out of all the $289 rifles. That was darned quick!! :confused::(
 
Kachok said:
Never owned a Saiga but I have never shot an AK action that was really accurate past 100yd.
Click to expand...

That's a shame to hear. You must have shot a few WASR's.

My Saiga.308 isn't Bolt-action accurate, but I would not want to be shot at by mine at 600 yards.

Same with my 7.62x39. Even with Irons I can hit 18" steel plates at 565.

If you buy a 16" pencil barrel AR and a Saiga AK (in .223) and shoot them off a bench with similar optics, you will be surprised that the AR is no more accurate than the AK.

It's only the Heavy Profile, match trigger, etc etc with optics AR vs stock AK in 7.62x39 where the AR is like WOW I'm so much more accurate.

Don't be deceived. If an AK is shooting 2-3" at 100, it is shooting 4-6" at 200 etc. It doesn't magically hit 100 yards and start turning 90* from the target.
 
one should "Annihilate" the inhibitor paper

That one had me LMAO too. I just hope the rifle is as good to shoot as the manual was entertaining to decipher.:neener:

Hope to find out how it shoots next week when my ammoman.com shipment is scheduled to arrive.:)
 
I've got stock Saigas in 7.62x39, .223 and .308. Good guns. Always go bang. Easy to strip for cleaning. Tough enough to take abuse and neglect without causing worries.

The stock triggers on the x39 and .223 are heavy but consistent. I find them easy to get used to with practice. In fact, they're even consistent from gun to gun.

Accuracy of the x39 and the .223 has been 2-3MOA with cheap Russian steel cased ammo. I feel they could do better with handloads. However, both the .223 and the 7.62x39 mutilate the used brass to some extent to meet a Russian gun control requirement.

The .223 puts a ring on the case head that turns out to be pretty innocuous...you can still reload the brass that it has marked, so it's no big deal.

The 7.62x39 Saiga has a step cut into the chamber in the neck area. This does a number on fired cases, essentially making them un-reloadable. Good brass cases are usually junk after one firing and certainly after two. I had some reloads in brass originally fired in a Mini-30. The Saiga fired the reloads fine, but every fired case had neck cracks and was ruined. Since that experiment, I've stuck with Russky steel cased ammo.

To my knowledge, the .308 Saiga does not mark the brass as the smaller calibers do and should be fine for the reloader. I've only shot good 150 gr. reloads through mine at this point and have been amazed at the accuracy when the barrel is kept cool. So far, I get a lot of bullet holes touching at 100 yards, with maybe one or two fliers opening the group up to 1.5". The fliers could be first and/or last shot...not sure at this point. The .308 trigger is also consistent, but not like the smaller Saigas. It definitely takes some getting used to.

Other than not being able to reload for the 7.62x39, I've been quite happy with my Saigas and don't plan to convert.
 
I have one in 7.62x39, and it is a good rifle. Nothing fancy, but it works every time I pull the trigger, and while it certainly doesn't have gilt-edge accuracy it is more than capable of being a very competent deer rifle. In fact, I will be taking mine with me next weekend as a back up rifle for that very purpose. It's a funny little rifle in my collection, because it really doesn't fit with the rest of my collection at all. It isn't a milsurp, it isn't a lever action, and it isn't either a traditional hunting rifle or an AR. Yet, I have no intention of getting rid of it, and I would give up several of my other rifles before it. Largely that is because I don't really care about minute of angle at the ranges that I shoot this thing at (minute of paper plate is sufficient, and this rifle is more than capable of that) and it is reliable. That is not meant to start the whole "AK vs. AR" argument, it's just to say that this particular rifle has been very, very reliable.

I paid to have the conversion done so that it accepts regular AK mags, and I can honestly say that I have never had a problem with it, though I notice at the gun shows the prices on them have shot up substantially from when I bought mine. I think I paid about what J&G is selling them for now, apparently. I have routinely seen them in the $6-700 range, which is more than I would be willing to pay for this rifle.
 
Honestly they are AK100 receivers, same specs as the AK line. No joke and the 5.45 ones are complete milspec
 
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