Saiga

[gifted]

Anyone here have one of the shotguns? Just looking for opinions.

[RAY WOODROW 3RD]

I have one and love it! I can shoot all six shotgun rounds out of it before the first one hits the ground. I'm trying to jam it but to no avail. Getting the evil black forearm, mag, and stock painted OD green.

Buy one........

[9mmMike]

Last shot bolt hold-open?

Missed ya at the Saturday shoot Ray.

Mike

[Correia]

I've got a Saiga with tons of rounds through it. I've used it in 3gun competiton for the last year. It is a good weapon.

It has some downsides: Chintzy buttstock. Lousy trigger. Safety takes some real getting used too. Magazines are difficult to load with out first manually locking the bolt back. Short sight radius and high rib makes it pretty lousy for clays or birds.

On the plus side, it is super reliable and amazingly fast. I really like mine, but it is not all things to all people.

I expect when the crime bill sunsets and higher capactiy magazines are readily available, these will become more popular and common.

[RAY WOODROW 3RD]

Nope Mike.

I am having my Saiga 12 modified so that the last shot I can "manually" press up and hold open the bolt. That way I can come out and play with you guys next time!
I don't think I was allwed on the skeet range without the bolt open option on the gun.
I'm getting the stock, forend, and mag done up in OD also just to be different.

RW3

[gifted]

The bolt doesn't hold open on the last round? Isn't that like...crap, no good comparison comes to mind. I thought that was pretty much standard on any semi gun. The bolt holds back, save for revolvers, where there is no bolt.

[kdmoore]

I bought one in 20ga to be a bit different, and for the "tactical" shotgun competitions which are often won on the speed of reloading. It wasn't real reliable, till I cleaned the factory goo out of it. Since then it has run without a hiccup. Before that it would eat anything I tried except bulk packed federal from wally world.

Then I bought a 12ga. It's adjustable sights don't adjust quite enough so it shoots a tad low at 15 yds (slugs). I took it to a match last Sat. Match had several strings where 25 - 30 rounds were required, more when you miss. I did have one Failure to Feed. It came when I used the mag that originally came with the gun ( I bought a bunch more since I use it for matches like this). I retired that mag for the day, and rest fed perfect (~80-100 rounds). Gun is NOT broken in (I have about 20 slugs, 5 buckshot and ~20 bird thru this before I used it Sat), but I did clean and lube it before the match.

Not saying it's not reliable, but I'll need to put a bunch more mag full's of the "bad" mag before I trust it again. Gut says that shotty is still wearing in.

I thought that was pretty much standard on any semi gun

Welcome to the world of the AK design. No last round hold open, and ROCK the mag in

I don't think I was allwed on the skeet range without the bolt open option on the gun.

I've been allowed on ranges by using a shell to insert into the action. (poor man's chamber flag). Most of the shell sticks out. This holds action open a half inch, and is a visual sign the gun is "cold"

YMMV, HTH and all that jazz