Saiga 12 and hunting

[boss_hogg01 0]

Hi there guys--

 

As a new member of Saiga-12's forums, I'd like to say thanks for all the valuable info contained within the site. It's been a great help to me in my decision to focus on buying a Saiga 12. I poked through the old posts, and couldn't find a definitive answer, so I have a couple of questions.

 

As far as the Saiga 12's go, which one would work for pheasant hunting? I'm thinking the 24" would work well. The two 22's look good too, but I have no idea which of the two would be optimal. So you get 3 chokes and a threaded barrel with one, and a fixed/full choke and no threads with the other? How do you change chokes without a threaded barrel?(I'm totally ignorant on chokes.....I'm an AK-builder who always just took the shotgun handed to him when it came time to pheasant hunt...........so, sorry for sounding so dense ). Do the 19's work okay for upland game hunting like this? I really, really love the way these saigas feel/shoot, and would love to use one for my fall hunts.

 

So, any help/experience/info is appreciated. Thanks, guys!

[Integratedj 1]

I use my 19inch threaded model to hunt quail with. We have the "3 shot shells" rule here for Migratory and Water birds, so I have been using a 5 rounder with a pencil in it to block it to 2 shells, But. According to the Game and fish guy I talked to the last time I went out Dirt Sniping, the 3 shell rule does not apply to Dove and Quail. I am going to further check, but reading the regs on quail down here, it appears he is correct. If so, then the 8s are coming with from now on.

 

As far as chokes go. Only the 19inch threaded models have the ability to take different chokes. The longer ones come with a preset choke amount that cannot be changed.

 

You can also get non Saiga factory chokes asapted to it by a smith if you want. See Tony for that if you want a crazy looking flash hider with an adjustable choke in it.

 

 

here is a pic of my quail getter, and honestly the only reason I take it out, is to see the look on my father in laws face when I unpack it and set it next to his Fancy O/U shotguns.

 

J

[THE_HUNTER 2]

I have used my 19 incher with awesome results on rabbits.It has no choke,cylinder bore.

[IndyArms 10,186]

I have the 12 gauge with the 22" barrel and the full choke. Not adjustable, not able to take different chokes... just FULL...

 

Its awesome on anything...

 

BUT... as with ANY shotgun, you will need to shoot it on a range, to pattern test for specific hunting loads, at specific ranges to make sure you know WHERE the shot pattern is hitting ( high, low, left or right) and what kind of pattern densities you can expect with said loads at pre-determined ranges...

 

Different manufacturers loads will pattern differently at the same ranges, due to pressures, and wad compositions, as well as other variables... You will want to find the specific shells that pattern suitable to your needs. That way, when you hunt, you will be sure that when you shoot at something, you are going to hit it, if you do your part!

 

Different chokes will not effect much overall other than your average distance to target and shot pattern density... you can expect to get more range with a tighter choke, and less range with an open choke. If you expect the need to zing critters at 40 yards, a nice full choke will do you as you will have a good shot pattern at that range... an improved cylinder at that range, will probably MISS, as the pellets will be about 4 times further apart. Likewise, if you expect that most or all of your shots are going to be within 25 yards, you will want a more OPEN choke, instead of a tight choke, so that you arent mutilating whatever you shoot with a hundred pellets at that close range... I hope all that makes sense to ya!

 

[boss_hogg01 0]

So, where would I buy a 24" or a 22"? Atlantic doesn't seem to have them, nor does anyone on gunbroker. Hrm.

[325time 1]

So, where would I buy a 24" or a 22"? Atlantic doesn't seem to have them, nor does anyone on gunbroker. Hrm.

 

 

I got my 19" from Stanley's Pro Shop and they were nice to deal with and fast to ship. They do have them listed on their website. Check it out here: [Click me]. Right now they have free shipping.

[Integratedj 1]

FBMG shows them on this page.

 

Great people over there to.

 

J

[boss_hogg01 0]

After reading wikipedia, I have a couple questions:

 

Due to the shape and size of the 12 gauge round, the Saiga-12 has some unusual quirks. As originally designed with conical rifle rounds, the AK47 can be loaded and then charged by cycling the action. The Saiga-12, however, is difficult to load unless the bolt is held in the rearward position - the front edge of the shell hits the bottom of the bolt face and the magazine falls out immediately if not latched in properly. This adds about half a second to magazine changes. Nevertheless, with a bit of practice, inserting a loaded magazine into the Saiga-12 on a closed bolt is possible.

 

The Saiga-12 incorporates an adjustable gas system, for the reason that firing high power loads such as slugs and buckshot generates so much force that the receiver will be damaged if the full power of the gas system is employed without some sort of recoil buffer. The problem is that making the gun durable with the higher power loads would make it useless with low-power loads such as bean-bags and flares since the gun would fail to cycle- becoming in essence a manual straight-pull action.

 

So, do you really have to insert magazines with the charging handle back? Does that differ with different magazines? e.g., If I bought a 10 rounder, would I have to load it like this? And is the gun useless with el cheapo shells (like the federal 100 packs at wal-mart)? If I get these two things figured out, I'm gonna get one! Woo hoo!!

 

--Eric

[SuAside 2]

- the newer versions don't need a custom bolt hold open device to load, it's already been included.

 

- if you shoot high power ammo with your gas reg on low power, yes you'll damage your gun. just put the gas reg on high power when you shoot high power ammo and do the contrary when you shoot low power? (some really low power ammo might still give some trouble, but once the gun has been 'shot in', most trouble disappears)

 

notice: i currently don't own a S12 (so take my answers with a grain of salt), but i've done quite a bit of reading on the subject.

[kresk 10,063]

After reading wikipedia, I have a couple questions:

 

Due to the shape and size of the 12 gauge round, the Saiga-12 has some unusual quirks. As originally designed with conical rifle rounds, the AK47 can be loaded and then charged by cycling the action. The Saiga-12, however, is difficult to load unless the bolt is held in the rearward position - the front edge of the shell hits the bottom of the bolt face and the magazine falls out immediately if not latched in properly. This adds about half a second to magazine changes. Nevertheless, with a bit of practice, inserting a loaded magazine into the Saiga-12 on a closed bolt is possible.

 

The Saiga-12 incorporates an adjustable gas system, for the reason that firing high power loads such as slugs and buckshot generates so much force that the receiver will be damaged if the full power of the gas system is employed without some sort of recoil buffer. The problem is that making the gun durable with the higher power loads would make it useless with low-power loads such as bean-bags and flares since the gun would fail to cycle- becoming in essence a manual straight-pull action.

 

So, do you really have to insert magazines with the charging handle back? Does that differ with different magazines? e.g., If I bought a 10 rounder, would I have to load it like this? And is the gun useless with el cheapo shells (like the federal 100 packs at wal-mart)? If I get these two things figured out, I'm gonna get one! Woo hoo!!

 

--Eric

 

You don't need a recoil buffer if you use the proper gas setting although it probably doesn't hurt to have one in. You can load on a closed bolt with some practice, regardless of the magazine. The guns seem to have an individual personality for what shells run well or not, and it sometimes depends on the gas port setting used. Go get one!!

[THE_HUNTER 2]

I must disagree with the above statement.The AGP 10 rounders fully loaded will not usually load on a closed bolt.The bolt digs into the first round when you try to chamber it.Open chamber loading with a full 10 only.9 works fine though on a closed bolt.