Thumbs up for Saiga .223

[Woody_in_MN]

Here is a little more info I found on saiga12.com on the Bulgarian Mags I have ordered:

BTW, if you use the Bulgy black polyamide 5.45 mags that I do, you do not need to do those two feed grooves in the bullet guide. ..the rounds being sent to the middle of the bullet guide as the black polyamides do in the Russian and Bulgy .223.5,56 mm rifles (and the 5.45 rifles). Romania and Russia/Bulgaria heve two different ways of dealing with feeding .223/5.56 mm.

This post has been edited by inparidel: Jan 9 2006, 11:50 PM

So maybe the Bulgarian ones I ordered will work. They s/b on the way. I do not have them in hands yet - so am anxious to see how they compare.

- w

 

[rockstar.esq]

Woody - you're grouping just fine. I enjoy shooting at long ranges as well as short ranges, no sniper here! Personally I have an SKS that groups just like you've described. From all reports the Saigas are a fine value. Again, I'm glad you like your gun.

 

[rangerruck]

nice shooting for starters. don't worry, those will shrink as you get more used to it, especially not predicting that trigger!!!1 Also , if you get the Weiger east german mags, with the big rib down the backside, and the little space or 'gap' in the front latch catch, just get you a small wood screw, screw it in there, until just the top of the screw and a couple of threads are showing. A little red loctite, and you are good to go.

 

[meef]

The first thing I do is find ANY OTHER sighting mechanism than the standard Russian sights. I can't shoot those worth a darn. My iron sight comp AK has Krebs A2 peep sights on it.

Correia - any reason for the Krebs over say, the Mojo? Are all peep sights not created equal?

 

[aaronrkelly]

I really like my SAIGA .223 - great gun for the money.



I have found some SureFire (not the flashlight company) brand magazines that are hi cap and fit the SAIGA without conversion. They are expensive at $50 a piece.....and if I read things correctly will make your rifle NON 922R complaint when inserted into the weapon.

I still plan on buying them for SHTF reasons.....Im not going to be worried about compliancy when confronted with mutant zombie bikers. I havent heard anything about them and Im kinda concerned about reliability, they appear to be standard magazines that they cut to make work. Im going to likely buy one and try it before I buy anymore.

 

[Correia]

I wanted to look at other options before I started cutting the rifle.

Seriously, you'll want to check Saiga12 forum before doing anything. Hundreds of us have spent time and money to figure out how to do this the best way possible. Every magazine configuration known to man has been tried. And there are ways to make the 74 mags work, but to be reliable you need to change the feed lips slightly and also put in a different follower. This is what Robarms did with their Vepr mags.

I've got the old style Krebs that mounts on the dustcover, so it is back next to your eye and functions like a true peep sight. It won't fit under a siderail mounted scope.

I preper having the peep right by my eye, so I look through it, and forget about it, rather than something like the Mojo that is further forward.

I don't think I have any pictures handy. And I don't know if Krebs is making these anymore, which is too bad, because they rock.

I'm stocking those Belarussian optics now too, like JWarren has in his picture. I've been very impressed with the quality vs. price. The left offset is weird, but I'm right handed/left eye dominate, so I've found myself just shooting with my left eye focused through the tube.

 

[rbernie]

I'm stocking those Belarussian optics now

Excellent - when do you expect to get them on your web site?

 

[Correia]

I suck at keeping the webpage up to date.

If you want one quick, just call (801) 571-1160. We've priced them really competitively.

 

[rbernie]

I just wanna see what it looks like.

 

[mpmarty]

I have three AK type rifles now, an Arsenal 5.45, a Saiga 308 and a Saiga .223 coming this week I hope from RAA via my FFL. I can't say what the 223 will do but with iron sights and my sixty-eight year old eyes I shoot 2" at a hundred yards with either the 5.45 or the 308 and down to an inch with the 308 using the 8x Russian scope and handloads of 130gr hollow points and 44 grains of 4895 (Hodgdon not DuPont) over Winchester LR primers and Indian '70s brass.

 

[Woody_in_MN]

Seriously, you'll want to check Saiga12 forum before doing anything. Hundreds of us have spent time and money to figure out how to do this the best way possible. Every magazine configuration known to man has been tried. And there are ways to make the 74 mags work, but to be reliable you need to change the feed lips slightly and also put in a different follower.

Correia,

I will do that. I know about the cutting back of the mag's - but do not know anything about the follower.

- w

 

[Correia]

The 74 followers just weren't as reliable with the .223 shaped cartridge. Robarms made a .223 specific follower to fit in the 74 mag body. I don't know if they still offer them or not.

 

[FMJMIKE]

Woody.... The scope is a Leupold that use to sit on an AR-15 I once owned. It cost about $200 new. Here is a photo of my 16 inch barreled Saiga in .223/5.56. I like busting clay pidgeons at 100 yards with it. I use open sights and the pidgeons die with one shot each.......... I converted it to use Galil Orlite 35 round mags........

 

[billsnogo]

What ammo did you use? I don't know of an indoor range that will allow steel cased ammo

 

[Woody_in_MN]

69,

I used brass ammo (.233). I beleive it was American bulk .223.

- w

 

[P0832177]

I would not shoot American ammo, period! To many problems....

 

[FMJMIKE]

My Saiga .223 has shot any ammo I have put in it without any problems. Wolf, Barnaul, Silver Bear, Winchester and Radway Green SS109.