[No new posts here why?]

What’s up saiga 308 owners?

[if shtf what would you rather have?]

Its a no brained the saiga in 223 & in 308, next is the sks 7,62x39.

door breaching is for the 12 ga. 00.

small game pellet gun.

[Saiga 308 good long range rifle?]

Ive asked this for decades here at what distance does the accuracy of the 308/16” barrel drop off? And how far will the 21” barrel shoot accurately? I have no place to shoot long distance.

my 16” saigas at 100yds, no scope using surplus South African 308 ammo will print 1 1/2” five shot groups all day.

[Vortex Strike Eagle BDC With Golden Tiger]

I only use scopes with the mechanical BDC ballistic compisation option. All my rifles have its used for distance. I never go hunting without it. It’s harder to find them lately. BSA make one for the 223 round I haven’t tested it yet. I have the older top of the line bushnell with the bdc option and I tested them for years seal wise going from a woodstove heated camp to ten degree weather outside and never had a problem. I been chasing a 300lb buck that teases other hunters by staying out of range. Just give me one bullet for my 338wm.

I made a 170yd shot at a quarter sized target once using the bdc. She’s spot on.

 

Using a ballistics caculator you can get a idea about bullet drop and distance. On the certain 100 to 125yd calibers you can caculate where your best zero is for accuracy. Example the 7mm Mauser using a 125 yd zero the bullets path varies from the muzzle to 125 yds about 5/8” to 3/4”. Just a example.

[Spare barrel for your .223.]

I thought the chrome lined ak barrels lasted for 100 to 200k rounds?

Your thoughts are correct years ago this was posted by some having well over 100 k rounds with there chrome lined bores.

[Finally got some accuracy numbers at 100 yards]

The IMR 4895 powder we use in semi auto rifles. We use the cci#34 military thick wall primers. I haven’t worked up a load yet but that’s my starting point. This powder has the correct burn rate for semi autos.

 

Has anyone played with the free bore dimension? It can change your accuracy. How far the bullet sits to the throat. Where the rifling starts.

[16" vs 22" barrel?]

I’m thinking the 16” barrel will serve us for up to 400 to 500yds scoped. I read a guy ringing steel gongs with his saiga 16”/308 at that distance. I wonder if 400/500 yds is where the 21.5” barrel takes over accuracy wise. I have no place to benchrest at 400/500 and more.

[Holy hell - what's going on with prices?]

Dam I paid $289 for my nib 308 saiga and $259 for my nib 223 saiga. Holly cow

[16" vs 22" barrel?]

Years ago the Russians at Izmash did admit the saigas in the American calibers of 223/308 are a tad more accurate over the Russian calibers. This is why I never bought a saiga in 7.62x39 I stayed with the more accurate sks.

 

Now what's the farthest you have ever shot your saiga in 308 with the 16" barrel with no scope? Yardage?

 

How far have you shot the saiga in 308 with the 21.5" barrel with no scope? Yardage?

 

I only have a 100yd range here.

[What kind of accuracy are you getting from your Saiga 308?]

I must admit my new saiga was one of the first batch of them imported here when they were just NIB $389 for the 16"/308win, were shooting South African military surplus 308 ball ammo. At 100yds, benchrested, no optics, right out of the box, cleaned and lubed with moly paste she shoots 1 1/2" groups @ 100yds. Forgive me this is my very first ak/akm style rifle getting this kind of accuracy from a sheetmetal stamped and welded semi auto to me is unheard of. I purchased the saiga Sporter to hunt with.

 

Years ago here I couldn't get an answer about the difference in accuracy between the 16" barrel and the 22" barreled saiga in 308 win. I been wondering were does the accuracy of the 308/16" barrel fall off and how far can the 308/22" barrel accurately shoot?

 

Fact, I was at my LGS to purchase a new m1a($2,000) and seen the rack filled with new 308win saigas for $389. I was never interested in any ak/akm due to the workmanship of the used or returns. But since the saiga is a brand new Russian Izmash saiga Sporter rifle I couldn't go wrong my gut feeling was right.

[Polishing Question]

I just lubed the moving parts with ts-70 moly.

[So who's holding onto their 308s forever now?]

I have four orginal condition brand new saigas two in 223 & two in 308win. They ain't going anywhere. I'd dump my m14 first. Saiga in 308 using South African surplus 308 ball ammo 1 1/2" groups at 100yds. Orginal sights. A sheet metal stamped receiver that's awesome. For just $307 it'd with taxes.

For the best, most accurate semi auto in 7.62x39 Russian it's the sks.

For the best, most accurate semi auto in 308win Russian Izhmash Saiga. In 223 ditto.

 

Why do I get the cold shoulder on forums when they talk about semi auto rifles and I bring up saigas?

 

In street wise terms my thug kid(no frills Saiga) will kick your A+ students(m1a butt). Nothing can match the ak/akm dependability, battlefield proven record. Nothing. Right?

[What year did the first Saigas come into the USA?]

They were only $259/223 & $289/308 when they first arrived.

[So who's holding onto their 308s forever now?]

I have four orginal condition brand new saigas two in 223 & two in 308win. They ain't going anywhere. I'd dump my m14 first. Saiga in 308 using South African surplus 308 ball ammo 1 1/2" groups at 100yds. Orginal sights. A sheet metal stamped receiver that's awesome. For just $307 it'd with taxes.

[My .308 Kushnapup Conversion (update video)]

No interest in there. I like the orginal form for hunting and target shooting.

 

Listen closely to the video for richochets ?..... Be careful.

[S308 recoil spring?]

I lube the recoil springs with moly, ts-70 moly. My 308 saigas constantly shoot 1 1/2" groups at 100yds no scope.

[Spare barrel for your .223.]

Thought,,, on the yugo sks's the bores can measure as big as .3115" I'm thinking they rifled the bores to the chrome line specs. But had no industrial hard chrome to line the bores and chambers. If I'm right the bore should be .3085"/.309" when chromed. That's around .0015" on a side for a total of .0030" left for the chrome. I'm not sure how much metal is removed for chroming.

 

We did chroming on screw machine spindles I think it was .010" thickness by the time we finished center less grinding the spindles to size. That's .005" on a side.

[Barrel refuses to take a crown]

The crown needs to be dead center on the bore.

 

You can use a round head slotted screw in a drill with coarse lapping compound first. Move the drill in a circle with your hands make it a even round circle. Once it's roughed in switch to the fine lapping compound and repeat till done.

 

If it's accurate at 100yds it's ok.

 

Lapping the crown with a round head screw or rivet is the old timers way of doing a recrown.

 

You did a good job son.

[What would break on a Saiga]

I clean and lube my saigas with TS-70 moly. The chrome lined bore and chamber should outlast the receiver wear. Lubing the bolt, bolt carrier, recoil spring, gas piston/tube just a tad of moly, on the trigger sear will stop the wear.

 

Moly,

 

Eliminates all wear

Reduces friction

Prevents galling

Fights corrosion

Stays were you put it.

 

The Saiga will feel like a more expensive gun.

[Spare barrel for your .223.]

I thought the chrome lined ak barrels lasted for 100 to 200k rounds?

[So who's holding onto their 308s forever now?]

I'd sell my m14 before I'd sell my Saiga.

[Finally got some accuracy numbers at 100 yards]

Benchmarking my 308 /16" barreled Saiga with no scope she shoots 1 1/2" groups at 100yards using south African surplus 308 ball ammo. I didn't benchrest my 22" barreled Saiga yet. I like them for deer and bear hunting. I post about them on hunting semi auto forums only to deaf ears. Guys are stuck on those remington etc. I guess they can't accept a nib Saiga at the time being under $300.

Or is it a commie rifle that stops them from buying them. I think there the hottest buy on the planet since the norinco sks arrived.

[16" vs 22" barrel?]

My CETME was accurate and I liked the rifle but I hated the charging handle so I sold it when it was on the ban list.

I registered my saigas.

[Best .308 cartridge for 16" Saiga?]

My Saiga w/16" barrel in 308win benchrested shot 1 1/2" groups at 100yards using south African surplus 308 ball ammo. I haven't tried my quality reloads yet. The SA ammo pops up time to time. I use it as a baseline to compare different rifles in 308. I can compare the accuracy. I wish we had more of it available.

[importation of the saigas????]

They are not banned in NY and in CT their new illegal law banned by name section states "IZHMASH Saiga AK;   . Izhmash does not make a model named Izhmash Saiga AK, so they are still available to be sold here in CT.

Does this mean the saiga spotter doesn't need to be  reregistered again with the state of ct? It's registered when we purchase them the first time.