What do you think of Saiga 12ga shotguns?

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by fortunateson, Feb 24, 2010.


  1. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    Seems like a good way to clear the brush of any troublemakers, or take care of the 150 people on your lawn screaming "we know you have food in there!" ;)

    Seriously, built on an AK action add 10 rounds of buckshot and it could be a formidable weapon.

    I'd like to know about their accuracy. Could you reasonably hunt rabbit, dove, quail etc.

    Anyone have any experience with these?
     
  2. WestPointMAG

    WestPointMAG Monkey++

    I have a Hess Saiga 20 ga and I like it but.
    But for what you want it for I would rather have a Mossberg 590 or a 500 I see 500 around here for sale for $130 to $150 a lot. The deference in compactly between the Saiga and the 590 will only be 1or 2 shells and it is a lot quicker to change ammo for one shot type on a pump then on a Saiga.
     
  3. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I shot a Saiga shotgun once, it shot well and I had no problems with it, however I did not shoot at clay pigeons or birds. My problem with it is that I am used to the Remington 870/Mossberg 500 feel. Not to mention price. I don't see that the Saiga is worth any more than the Rem/Moss, but that was just my personal preference. I don't see the 10 shells being that greater than 7 or 8+1. Just my two cents.
     
  4. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    I own one. It's great. Got a 20 rnd drum too. Loads of fun. Go through $100 worth of ammo in a few minutes. They have 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 20 and 30 round magazines for the S-12.

    If you are going to get one make sure the gas system is adequate. 3-4ports. lest you have failure to cycle the next round (undergassed) or overgassed, damage the trunion.

    They can be finiky with certain ammo. Doesn't like winchester wally world bulk packs unless it's broken in well and gassed properly.

    They are accurate and are used to bag game. I've never hunted with it but have done the clay pigeon thing and it's all good. The recoil is a lot less than a std 12 gauge as some of the energy is used to cycle the next round.

    This forum will inform you on everything about them.
    http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showforum=2?
     
  5. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

  6. OzarkSaints

    OzarkSaints Monkey++

    even if it is thought that 3 extra rounds are negligible (which I certainly don't)...I still cannot fathom thinking that having the speedy reloading ability that a mag provides is not worth it's weight in gold!
     
  7. slug36

    slug36 mil surplus junkie

    the saiga is a great gun. home defence gun, maybe?? the 12 round mag sticking out of the bottom would kinda make it hard to maneuver in a house.

    dont get me wrong, it is a kick arse shotgun!! i have one in 12ga. i have 3 12 round mags and a 5 round mag for it. i had my girlfriend shoot some video of me dumping the 12 round mag in under 3 seconds. i have no problem or never had any problem shooting the cheapo wally world winchester target loads. seems as though it shoots to the right a bit. but, that could be the sights jacked up on it.

    i also have a mossberg 500 with a 20" barrel and a extended magazine. this is what i use for a house gun. more compact and easier to hide than the saiga. it will hold 7+1 in 2.75 shells or 6+1 with 3". but kicks like a mule.
    unless you plan on spending $40+ on 12 round mags for the saiga, it wouldnt be worth it in a SHTF situation. the regular pump will be easier to reload the magizine.
    for about the same $$ you could pick up a mossberg 930 or rem 11-87(used) and add a extended mag and be hanging with the saiga.

    just my 2 cents........
     
  8. SemperDoc

    SemperDoc Monkey+

    I don't own a Saiga shotgun, but did watch a History Channel show with R. Lee Ermy and the Saiga was in it I believe. Seemed to be an OK shotgun.
    If it's anywhere close to AK standards, I know, "what AK standards", it should be a good home defense weapon and game getter.
    Doc
     
  9. magnus392

    magnus392 Field Marshall Mags Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I have one, and honestly beyond the cool factor I think it is a so-so weapon. Racers love them because you can mod the hell out of them and they will fly. IIRC it is one of the fastest actions on any shotgun available.

    That being said there are no parts for them when it fails in the field you have a nice paper weight (post shtf). Remington, Winchester, or Mossberg...EVERYWHERE! Really the drums are cool, but just like an AK...they are heavy, bulky, and not at all practical, however practi-kool it may be.
     
  10. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Gotta agree with the majority here: the Saiga 12 is absolutely cool, and in a bug-in situation where you had to clear your front yard, it's awesome. But...

    I wouldn't pay the 5 or 6 hundred dollars for one. I certainly wouldn't be willing to spend the money on all the extras, either.

    For bugging out -forget it. The 12 ga. ammo alone would break any person foolish enough to try. For a practical weapon, as an example, the AR-15 is far better as a bug out weapon, because it can hold far more ammo both in reserve as well as the mag, and a person is more efficient at longer ranges. The 300 - 1000 rounds of ammo also won't break a man -but try that with an assortment of 12 ga. ammo...
     
  11. slug36

    slug36 mil surplus junkie


    have to agree 100% here. imagine lugging around 200+ rounds of 12 guage ammo, even light target loads would be a lot to handle. but, inside of the 50 yard range, the saiga, or any other 12 guage with some 00 buck will do the job. + the intimidation factor, ease of use, and almost maintenance free operation of any pump or the saiga 12. i would'nt be willing to bet my life on a rifle that is pickey about what ammo it uses.

    if i had the money and chance to buy a saiga 12, i would look at other auto loaders. i was watching a show on personal defence. where they were useing semi auto 12 guages. a rem 11-87 threw out 12 rounds faster than i could get my saiga 12 to. i also wouldnt mind a extended mag mossberg 930.
     
  12. azurevirus

    azurevirus Monkey++

    I opted for the Norico 1917 trench gun as my first popgun..only holds 5 2 2/3 rds..I oreded 70 rds of 12 pellet 00..I think I will be checking into the Saigas as soon as canI unload a gun or two
     
  13. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

  14. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    Saiga 12 with 19 inch barrel + 12 rd mag = wall o lead

    yep fun to shoot
    accurate enough. had a family of raccoons this summer attempt to infiltrate the chicken coop. put a quick stop to all 5 of them.
    nearest was 10 yards furthest was 30. 6 shots 5 dead raccoons number 4 lead.

    Neighbors had to come out to find out what all the commotion was about.

    kicks way less than my rem 870 with same ammo.

    12 rd mag really throws off the balance of the firearm in my opinion. handles better as shells are fired :)

    hunted rabbits,crows, woodchuck with it. cylinder bore for hunting only patterns decently out to about 30 yards. not so good beyond that for hunting upland game ie pheasants. number 4 lead at 45 yards, yep a rooster could fly through the pattern without ruffling a feather. actually you could probably have 2 roosters fly through it.

    buck shot now here is another story. out at 50 yards it will hold a 2.5 foot circle.

    closer well you know it gets better, about 8 inches at 20 yards and about 20 inches at 35 yards.

    slugs (regular foster type) 4-5 inch group at 50 yards.

    you can get a screw on choke for them but this is not my hunting gun. i'll take my 870 for ducks,geese,pheasant etc.

    definately a bug-in clear the driveway and front yard machine. and when the zombie horde is coming in waves, i can keep slapping magazines in instead of having to have the zombies wait while i slide in more rounds in the tube before i can start blazing away.

    can probably go through 10 rounds faster than i could cycle through 5 in the 870.

    i wish i had the pics of the refrigerator my buddies and i decimated with about 100 rounds of buck shot. 3 saigas (one of them was a saiga20) and about 1 minute. it looked like a police shootout in hollywood ! oh the carnage![gun]
     
  15. Byte

    Byte Monkey+++

    Those Saiga race guns are just sick. You know those guys have a money tree right?

    The one opportunity that I had to buy one was back in the fall of 2008 when gun prices were insane and the guy wanted $749 for new ones. I had to say no thanks. I've been thinking about having my local guy do some some looking to see if I can get one in for around $500. They do look like they'd be hella fun to shoot and affective.

    Just picked my new 590A1 up last week and will be out throwing some lead tom. It's a model 51663. 20" 8+1 w/ the ghost ring sites. We'll see how it handles.

    Byte
     
  16. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    I just picked up a Saiga-20 with collapsable stock and pistol grip for $350.00 at a gun show. I bought four 13 rd magazines from Mississippi Auto Arms and took it to the range for the first time yesterday. The magazines are way too clumsy. Mine doesn't have a bolt hold-open yet and the bolt has to be open to insert a mag. I shot my buddiy's Saiga-12 that has a bolt hold-open and it doesn't load a whole lot faster or easier. The after market 20 rd drums for the 12 have come way down, about $70.00 now but the only ones available for the 20 are still around 400.00 and that ain't gonna happen anytime soon. I am thinking about notching the safety for a bolt-hold rather than installing the after-market button; it would seem that having the safety engaged while swapping mags would be a good idea.
    The first couple of mags dumped through mine ran real rough but smothed out as the gun "shot itself in". Mine is about to receive a Tapco Tri-rail forearm with a C-more mounted on the left rail.
     
  17. Hispeedal2

    Hispeedal2 Nay Sayer

    I have this model. It's a great all around model. The 590A1 is a beast. Heavier than most. It's made that way for heavy use on steel ships and such.... at least that's what I've read. I sight in with 1 oz federal slugs at 50yds (I think??) and it had no problem with center of mass out to 100yds. With buckshot, I am less concerned with the sights, but they are about right on with the slug. I did find a SureFire forend for it with light. I picked up a nice 3 point sling my Specter. Couldn't ask for more from a scattergun. It has had a bit of a problem with rusting near where the front sight was soldered. After Identifying this, I brushed it good with a bronze brush and keep it well oiled there.... no issue now. I may in the future send it up to Mac's as well to be refinished. He has a deal for pump action shotguns. I've also though about a Knoxx folding stock for a bit more versatility (and the added recoil reduction). Having a shotty as a primary weapon pretty much sucks when you are in an open street or field.
     
  18. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    My second Saiga is a 12 (first was a .223/5.56)...with 4 12 rounders and a 20 drum...and I love it.

    Once it was broken in and a feed problem with the drum was corrected, it has been reliable and accurate.

    I do agree with the person who said it is most certainly not a bugout gun though...unless you have a mule to carry the ammo. With the 20 rounder in it, shooting ofhand will wear you down quickly.
     
  19. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    Agreed, new out of the box, my S12 was finicky. However after about 2 range visits (~500 rounds) it got loose and smooth, no reliability issues. Today I cycled low brass and high brass flawless ~300 rnds. It had been sitting dirty from the last range outing for over 1 year. Had one hang up issue, as I kept the mags loaded for over a year before shooting. One round became deformed and didn't eject.

    My buddy had a Mossy 500. Reloading, I had him beat, however when all my mags were out then he had the advantage.

    When you drop the mag with your left hand, then pull bolt back and use trigger hand to depress bolt hold open. then slap in the next mag and charge. It's takes some practice but you can do a mag change out in 1-2 seconds.

    Now I have to go clean.
     
  20. TM111

    TM111 Monkey+

    I like mine, I have several different mags for it, and like some have said the 20 round drum is a bit heavy, some of the mags make it a bit ackward in handling, but my fav mag is the 12 rd drum pro mag makes, it doesn't add too much weight nor does it throw the balance off like teh larger stick mags do.
     
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