Correia - where are you?
I am not familar with these Saiga's.
I have questions:
-Forcing cone
-Bore Dia
-POC
-etc.
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As Dave shared, POA/POI do vary b/t slugs and buckshot loads.
Same principle we have shared as to why it does not matter what a barrel is marked, or choke says, or box of ammo has written on the box.
Only the pattern board / shooting for groups define what YOUR gun will do.
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Reliablity is the most important to me, then I go to the POA/POI. Another reason why I personally prefer to test loads local to me.
I want to be able to test a variety and have known loads and what they do, so if I need to buy something at the bait shop, or someone has a couple of choices in their home, truck, farm shed, I know which of these do what in MY gun.
Gives me an advantage, though each gun is different, if a gun I have never fired before is handed to me, I have pretty good chance of picking the better load from a bunch in a coffee can, box, rolling around a tool box...etc.
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See here for specs:
http://www.colonialarms.com/chokespecs.html
I personally want some choke. Each gun is different, and my experiences have been some choke is needed . Using layman's measurements, SKeet, SKeetI, , Improved Cylinder ,SKeet IIor Modified.
I have always felt a 12 gauge , with a 21" barrel with SKeetII - Mod was the best set up for shooting buckshot and slugs, if one needed a short barrel, 23" adds some additional Art&Science - in many cases.
I asked about Saiga's barrel for a reason - I have seen too many times a barrel have a wee bit of Forcing Cone work done, and the POA/POI get real darn close[er] if in fact not "right on".
One reason I am so against "whacking off" a barrel, and NO choke at all as some do for a truck gun. All the legal stuff aside.
For instance I use a NEF Youth 20 gauge,
fixed barrel marked Modified. Shoots slug groups so well ! It also tosses #3 buckshot to same [within a frog's hair] POA/POI. IN fact it patterns so many pellet loads so well.
I keep getting reports of Reduced Recoil not having penetration.
Add, the Win reduced loads have this "ball" that bounces back.
Brenneke Slugs in 2 3/4 work! Darn things are that accurate -period.
Federal is my preferred loading in my guns - I use nothing buy 2 3/4" regular old slugs, and 9 pellet buckshot for most 12 ga applications.
My SX1, 28" barrel I know the forcing cone work, bore dia, POC of the Nu-Line external knurled chokes, and often use the one marked .735
yeah I know that standard 12 bore is supposed to be .
729 , then again what something is marked - what is that really telling you?
One is "marked" .720.
Art & Science - see these constrictions mean nothing without knowing the bore diameter.
Correia - knows more about the Saiga.
It would be great if Correia has a
Stan Baker Bore measuring tool [hint hint] and measured and compared these Saiga's and some other shotguns
he sells www.fbmginc.com
My gut says...the step in the Saiga forcing cone is too sharp, and if tweaked, the Fed slugs would shoot more POA/POI
My gut also says the Peters plain vanilla slug, weighing 7/8 oz instead of 1oz may shoot more POA/POI.
That Peters slug is a great load - I like it!