Saiga AK

[deamonpi]

thanks for the info Pathfinder I will look it up.  Hopefully I will have some cash to spend.

[runstowin]

Good primer for someone like me who is getting up to speed.

[WymoreWrangler]

Back to the originail topic, I've got a Saiga in .223 and a couple of friends have them in 7.62x39.  All our decent shooters and I'm impressed with the accuracy and function.  U.S. made magazines are available, but pricey and a lot of parts are availabe to customize the gun to your taste.  I'm mainly a bird hunter and a Cowboy action shooter, but it's a fun gun to take out and plink with, and an excellent gun to own if the bad guys are beating on your door...

[JohnZ]

Get the saiga. It's basically put together like a 100- series AKM.

You can cheaply and easily convert the rifle to pistol grip AK configuration. If you can change the oil on your car, you can probably convert a saiga!

[HAWKFISH]

So (obviously) I need to purchase some sort of semi-auto rifle judging by the state of things. I'm not a huge fan of AR's and they seem to be fetching a pretty penny right now as it is. I have been looking into AK's and am leaning that direction. I find that Saigas are within my price range and have a decent reputation. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Having your druthers, would you prefer 5.56, 7.62 x 39, or 7.62 x 51?

Thanks!

Saigas are good. I love AR's and AK's each are special to me. I'm having the same problem too. AR's are very expensive. AK's are very reliable and work! I would get an AK in that's all you can get.. and it would be worth it. I'd got with the 7.62x39mm round b/c it's the standard and it will do the job. The others cartridges are okay too.. and later on you might find ammo easier for them.. you might not.. nobody knows for sure. One thing is for sure.. AK's are tried and true and since they are the most plentiful weapon on this planet.. somewhere in the world there will be ammo. I prefer Silver Bear/Brown Bear/or Golden Bear ammo to wolf.. and I can shoot 2-5 in" groups through open sights all day long.. at 100yrds.. I figure in SHTF mode that will work. And at fifty I'm getting clover-leafs. My AK's are not Saigas.. but I hear Saigas are more accurate. Some AK's ..like Arsenal ones.. will shoot clover-leafs at 100 yards through open sights (check my post about "most accurate ak i've ever seen")..and that's no crap.. but the is done with high quality amercian-made ammo.. import stuff is not as accuarate but.. is about 1/5 of price.. either way.. nothing wrong with an AK or saiga's..

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

If a 30/30 will fill your needs an AK is in the same ballistic range, no body snipes with a 30/30 but they have taken an awful lot of deer over the years, and the AK action is probably only surpassed for reliability by the SKS.
( Not counting bolt action or single shots. Have to add that so some of you wise guy's don't jump on me   )

[HAWKFISH]

If a 30/30 will fill your needs an AK is in the same ballistic range, no body snipes with a 30/30 but they have taken an awful lot of deer over the years, and the AK action is probably only surpassed for reliability by the SKS.
( Not counting bolt action or single shots. Have to add that so some of you wise guy's don't jump on me   )

+1.. agreed..

[Malvolio2]

Not only are Saigas easy to convert to pistol grip configuration, the 7.62x39 ones are also easy to convert to use standard AK magazines. Simply file the latch down until an AK mag fits, then install a "bullet guide" or feed ramp (either make it yourself out of iron pipe or buy one from K-var and file it to fit, then drill/tap/bolt or silver solder it in place) et voilà. Once a conversion has been completed (http://www.cross-conn.com/Saiga_Conversion/index.htm is very helpful) you will have something very close to a true modern Russian AK. If you can still pick one up for a good price, Saigas are wonderful guns and converting them is a quite fun...so fun I've done it three times, in fact.