Saiga-100 in 30-06 Range Report

[BattleRifleG3 16]

Managed to take my new Saiga-100 in 30-06 to the range FINALLY. It was after a long day in front of a computer and with plenty of evening appointments so it was anything but relaxed and deliberate. Didn't really get to practice good firing techniques worth squat.

 

But it's not me that you particularly care to hear about, I'm sure. It's how the Saiga did. Well, taking into account that I basically couldn't shoot worth crap, it did pretty dang well.

 

First mag - HXP ammo, Greek military production. Fed and ejected flawlessly.

 

Second or third mag, in any case one mag early on - ONE failure to feed, and checking afterwards I don't think I put the magazine in all the way. Each time afterwards I gave it a good smack on the bottom and it was clear that it locked up firmly. No issues after that.

 

Each successive mag fired without one hiccup. I shot several three shot groups rapidly, and much faster than any 30-06 I've ever seen except the M1 Garand.

 

No, I didn't stop with the HXP ammo. I proceeded to shoot multiple magazines full of:

Privi Partisan 180gr soft point ammo - no failures

And here's the best part - 220gr Soft Point ROUND NOSE Remington ammo - NO FAILURES TO FEED or fire

 

While I didn't get a chance to closely examine the action firing the heavier bullets, it didn't feel as though the bolt carrier slammed too hard with the heavier bullets, vs the Romak III that should be fed lighter bullets only. I may install a Blackjack buffer just to be on the safe side, but I don't have any worries about using the heaviest bullets.

 

The ONLY round that I would firmly say you should NOT use in the Saiga-100 30-06 is Hornady's Light Magnum, which says explicitly NOT to use it in any semi-automatics.

 

Recoil was nothing bad. I was using my sassafrass prototype stock with a hard plastic buttplate, so weight was pretty close to the original weight. It was more than my Saiga 308 with NATO ammo, but it appears as though my Saiga-308 has a heavier barrel. Not to mention heavier furniture, a machined aluminum mag well, and a 20rd G3 magazine. Plus the 30-06 ammo dose recoil more, even when ballistics are the same, because the mass of the powder being fired is heavier. Now when I switched to the 180gr and 220gr ammo, I did notice a fair increase in recoil, but it was still nothing bad. And again, that was with a hard buttplate. Slap on a limbsaver and a hardwood stock and it should be a piece of cake.

 

Now for the groupings. Keep in mind that by most objective standards I am no good. And it was not a good day for me to shoot accurately.

 

The range was 50yds. I fired many flyers getting used to the trigger, which was not bad but did need to be broken in.

My groups seemed to be around an inch or an inch and a half. At 100yds these would be 2-3", which would be roughly 2-3MOA.

 

My friend, a much more experienced shooter, fired two mags himself, both with the Greek HXP ammo. His target showed two groups that were maybe 0.75" to 1", depending on which shots you grouped. This would relate to 1.5-2MOA.

 

Again, this is all using OPEN SITES. No scope at all. Not much technique either. I think I will eventually add a scout type scope and mount to the rear site of this rifle.

 

1.5MOA is the standard accuracy obtained from a Saiga-308, often with open sites and a good shooter pulling the trigger. Based on everything I have seen, the Saiga 30-06 is equal in accuracy to the Saiga-308 we know and love. This is exactly what I expected, as everything from the bolt forward is practically identical to the Saiga-308 in every functional sense.

 

From all of my experiences and observations, the Saiga-100 in 30-06 lives up to the legacy set by its predecessors. Buy with confidence, and I hope to see another range report that puts mine to shame.

[Karma 0]

Good info.

 

How does the recoil compare on a s-12 shootin 00 or rifled slugs vs. the .308 saiga. I'm in the market for a .308 and was just curious as I have never fired rifle bigger than a .223, which definatly doesn't kick at all compared to my s-12.

[BattleRifleG3 16]

You know, I've never fired them next to each other, but a fellow I'm making a stock set for said that his S-12 kicks harder than his S-308 in general.

 

I would say it's a small step up from the S-308, the same way the 30-06 is a small step up ballistically from the 308.

[TEXASAK73 13]

good report and what I would expect to find from a Saiga.

[uncle jerky 1]

I'm going to consider buying the 30.06, model 102. My 308 "woody" /scope mount/rings,on receiver side mount has never shot loose yet. I can live with 3 round mags,especially in 30.06!! I hope the 102 butt rubber recoil pad is effective,OR, a Limb Saver maybe in order.

[dayanx 1]

about how much more power does the basic 30-06 have over the .308? the only time I've used the round I was 8 or 9 years old and 5 rounds was enough for me. The recoil had me sore for a day or 2 afterward.

[BattleRifleG3 16]

The 30-06 has only slightly more velocity than the 308 when shooting the lighter bullets, but it gets more of an edge with heavier bullets. It also does what it does at lower chamber pressures.

[Twinsen 86]

I've heard that .30-06 is "less snappy" to fire than .308. I wouldn't really know though, because I don't fire .30-06, and my CETME in .308 has no recoil at all and can easily be fire like an 8lb pistol.

 

I'm going to have to say 12 gauge kicks harder than anything I've ever fired, which includes .50's with massive muzzle brakes.

Edited November 2, 2007 by Twinsen

[G O B 3,516]

If it makes sense 30-06 recoils sharper but not as wide as a 12ga. Don't know about Saiga 30-06, I have a 12 but not a 30-06. But comparing a bolt 30-06 to a bolt 12 ga. , the kick is quicker and sharper for the '06 and slower and duller and biggerfor the 12.