Update: got Saiga .223 Today

[chuck pullen]

I posted yesterday that I was thinking about buying a Saiga .223. After reviewing everyone's responses (thanks), i went ahead and made the trade. What I got was a like-new Saiga 223 that has already had the pistol grip conversion done. It has:

1) Tapco collapsible T6 stock;

2) Tapco SAW pistol grip;

3) Tapco trigger group;

4) Original Saiga long handguard; and

5) Saiga ten round magazine.

Overall, I'm very happy with the new gun. There's something about the Saiga name that inspires confidence. I do have some questions, though:

1) What are my mag options w/o installing a bullet guide? Am I limited to Saiga and Surefire mags?

2) Where can those mags be ordered at a decent price?

3) Is the bullet guide the way to go, and if so, can a non-mechanically inclined person install it?

4) Any must have add-ons?

Any thoughts ya'll have are appreciated. I will report back after I have a chance to shoot it with the ten round mag.

Chuck Pullen

 

[Russ Jackson]

Stop teasing lets see the pictures...Russ

 

[Z-Michigan]

In addition to the original Russian and the Surefire mags, there are Promag magazines that are intended for and will "work" in a Saiga without a bullet guide. All reports are that they break very quickly, perhaps even the first or second time you try to use them. You could play warranty roulette with Promag (they have a good warranty, on paper at least) but shipping costs will probably wipe out any cost savings.

Your best bet is going to be installing a bullet guide and then being able to use AK-223 mags, such as the ones KVAR sells.

 

[WardenWolf]

Don't buy ProMag anything. ProMag is the WORST magazine company on the planet. Their AK mags work just because it's an AK and it's practically impossible to jam. They turn every other gun into a jam-o-matic. Their AK mags always break almost immediately, too. Feed ramp snaps right off.

If you want to install a bullet guide, I'd have a gunsmith or someone with a drill press install it. I'm mechanically inclined, and even I won't touch it with the tools I have. Once you have it installed, you can use Bulgarian waffle mags, as well as the original Saiga mags once you've filed off their feed ramp.

If you want a bipod (something that's necessary if you have the 20" Saiga .223), you can get a standard Weaver machine screw swivel and Dremel it off to the correct length. The original Russian swivel nut will fit the 10/32 thread just fine. I put a Harris bipod on my Saiga .223 in this way, and hunted with it in that configuration. Here's my Saiga .223 immediately post-conversion: