Saw a Saiga 12 in action this weekend

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One thing I learned in the military about magazine fed weapons...do not rest the weapon on the magazine while firing.
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Sooo... you were issued a lot of Kalashnikov based weapons in the army? :D

I've been using an AK magazine as a monopod for years. I've never had a malfunction caused by doing that. Saiga mag works on the same exact principle. I also use all of my AKs mags as vertical foregrips. There is no problem.

It is far easier to shoot a string from prone with a semi (magazine fed or not) than with your 590 or any other pump. You can shoot prone with a pump, but it isn't easy or efficient.

And the 5 round mags don't hang out that much. There must be a lot of really skinny guys who can go Ninja Prone on the internet.
 
Nope...never used the AK in the military...I can only reference magazine fed M16A2 and magazines and the feeding issues thereof. It all starts with the magazine feed (slap) in the SPORTS...slap, pull, observe, release, tap..and squeeze. Magazine feed was a major contributor to malfunctions...a lot had to do with resting the mags on sandbags or ground while firing. Many types of shotguns used...many versions of Mossy and now I understand they adopted the Italian SG. Wonder why Saiga was never considered?
 

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Wonder why Saiga was never considered
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It is made in Russia? Didn't meet the RFP? At the time, there was a couple hundred in the country? Didn't come complete with an agreement for more cruise missiles stationed in a NATO country? The Four Star's wife didn't get an all expense paid shopping trip around Naples?

I've been around the .gov procurement rodeo a little bit. :)

And AR mags have quite a bit of wobble, and pressure on them can cause malfunctions. That isn't the case with AK mags. Since they rock and lock in, they don't have nearly the amount of wiggle of an AR. Try it sometime, get an AK, and use the mag like a monopod or VFG. You aren't going to make it malfunction.
 
ok...I'll buy that...and maybe I will purchase one. I guess I could always begin wearing PJs to bed with w/cargo side pockets for magazines.
 
I like 'em. That 8" shortie that tromix did over on FBMGs website?

I put 5 3" magnum 1oz slugs in the a-zone of a target in just a touch over 3 seconds. I'm a confirmed novice as far as shotguns go, too.

The HK style sights did help quite a bit.
 
I guess I could always begin wearing PJs to bed with w/cargo side pockets for magazines.
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Yeah, because those 8 rounds of 00 I have in the gun probably won't be enough. :rolleyes: I'm glad I live in a safer neighborhood than you guys.

(btw, my home defense gun isn't even a shotgun. It's a suppressed AR).
 
Are we to be impressed by "a suppressed AR" as a home defense weapon...or the insinuation that it is the appropriate weapon of choice for those in the know for home defense? I mean, is that even germane to this thread? As for eight rounds being enough...well, that is not a very objective statement, is it? One round may be enough...12 might not be enough...all depends on the situation doncha think? I would want more than one magazine of rounds in a magazine fed weapon on any occassion methinks. What the hey, if you run out of ammo you could always chuck them at the bad guys...that should take out at least one...maybe two of them. :rolleyes:
 
Alright. Let's try to keep this on track. If people want to discuss rifles vs. shotguns or magazine monopods, start a thread in the appropriate forum please.
 
I look at tit this way, I have an 870 p that holds 4 in the mag and one in the chamber. A Tac Star side saddle that holds six. If I go to investigate a bump in the night, I'm not gonna fill up my jammie pockets with more ammo.

That gives me a total of 11 rounds consisting of more than one reload and the possibility of short stroking at 0 dark thirty.

The saiga 12 with a ten round magazine gives one less round and zero chance of short stroking and NO reload.
 
No Dawg, it has nothing to do with it at all, but I just found it ironic that I was defending the Saiga for being a skeet gun (when I don't normally shoot skeet with one) and a home defense gun (when I don't use one for for home defense) and for it not being the Army's gun (when it was never even submitted as a contender and didn't fit the RFP).

And yes, it does depend on the situation, because for any gun on earth, you can come up with some out of left field argument about why that particular gun is bad. (I don't sleep in web gear, I go prone so low that 4 inches of protruding magazine will hang up, etc.)
 
No need to defend the Saiga 12...at least not to me. You convinced me. ;) A weapon is a tool and every tool has a purpose. Seriously: I'd love to have one for MOUT, ambushes, FPL, general purpose car shooting videos...and hey, it would be just cool to have. What? They don't make silencers for this yet? A well spent $1500; however, methinks I'll wait for the belt-fed model. Now that would make a cool video...and surely my gun club stature would rise substantially. Darn...now I'll have to get a reinforced rucksack to carry that ammo. Tripod...where's that tripod...I know I had one stashed somewhere in the garage.:p
 
Yeah, because those 8 rounds of 00 I have in the gun probably won't be enough. I'm glad I live in a safer neighborhood than you guys.

(btw, my home defense gun isn't even a shotgun. It's a suppressed AR).
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Wasn't that a TV show, "8 is enough"? :D My little town is rather quiet and violent crime is rare. A .38 snub is my go to home defense, but I back it up with the shotgun for the added warm fuzzies it gives me, if nothing else. :D I wouldn't go searching the house with a long gun, though, rather the revolver if I have to do that. I sort of use the baracade in the safe room (lock the bedroom door) tactic, though, and anyone banging on the door to get in will hopefully wake me up in time to grab the shotgun for a welcome greeting when he gets in, or at least thats the plan, if he's that stupid and determined. I would rather think my chances of winning the lotto are higher than ever seeing that scenario play out, though. :D But, you know, boy scouts are always prepared. I only got two rounds in my gun, but I figure it's enough to get the job done and the .38 is right there if there's more than two Santas at my door and they just keep coming in in the face of deadly fire, which I don't foresee happening, either.

With 8 rounds, why worry about reloads? That little 8 inch Saiga would about eliminate the need for a handgun, really, about as maneuverable as the handgun and a HECK of a lot more firepower. Still, i prefer a handgun I can hide if I have to go checking bumps in the night. Wouldn't wanna great a cop at the door holding a Saiga.:what: They were chasing a Mojado one night near my house and pulled up in my drive and I went to investigate, slid the .38 in a pocket and the po po never knew I had it. I'd been rather embarrassed at the least if I'd met 'em at the door with a Saiga OR even my twice pipe. :D
 
Sour grapes here. Enough tongue in cheek. In all honesty: Those Saigas are awesome weapons. I want one. I am just purple with envy cuz I just cannot justify the expense. If I won the lotto tomorrow, I would not hesitate buying one…that and a slew of those highly crafted Italian Shotguns. Hmmm, maybe I could get a drum made for that magazine…yeah…a drum would be the perfect fit…forget the prone, now that I’ve won the lotto, I can purchase a claymore for that upstairs floor scenario. Tactics the same but the strategy has changed.
 
Me too, green with envy and a heart filled with lust. A friend just acquired one and it has all the makings of a supergroovytactikooltoy. Does anyone know the thread size on the muzzle? Brakes, hiders,bayonets the size of sabers.....
 
Sour grapes here. Enough tongue in cheek. In all honesty: Those Saigas are awesome weapons. I want one. I am just purple with envy cuz I just cannot justify the expense. If I won the lotto tomorrow, I would not hesitate buying one…that and a slew of those highly crafted Italian Shotguns. Hmmm, maybe I could get a drum made for that magazine…yeah…a drum would be the perfect fit…forget the prone, now that I’ve won the lotto, I can purchase a claymore for that upstairs floor scenario. Tactics the same but the strategy has changed.
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Well, you realize if you're on a budget you can buy the shotgun itself for about $400, and convert it for about $100 and three hours of your time? I've shot a friend's Tromixed shotgun and Tony does great stuff; and if you want a Saiga that shows you how the AK platform can really shine his work is some of the best I've seen.

Some people don't have the time or tools, or are afraid to start cutting on thier new gun, or want to take it the extra mile by having it done by a pro with access to the right parts and refinishing services. But, if you want a Saiga that still works great you can do the work yourself. Me? I did my conversion with $100 worth of Tapco parts, a giude I found on the internet, a drill, a dremel, two binding posts, our oven, a $20 airbrush and a can of black matte Gunkote.

Tony: have a question for you, though. What are the options for adding a choke to the Saiga, and do you have any idea where to get them from? Do you offer the work yourself? RAAC doesn't even seem to have them- they list chokes on the site, but thier distributors don't seem to have them. I've just been thinking about popping one of your Shark Brakes on there instead and using my 870 for anything that needs something tighter than open bore.
 
I really want one now. A pistol-gripped Saiga 12 is now at the top of my next-to-get list...
 
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