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S-308 accuracy vs. M1a


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I benchrested my 308 saiga 16" barrel at 100yds shooting south african 308 ball ammo. I took turns with my son and we both shot 1 1/2" - 5 shot groups. Thats the saiga in its orginal condition and using the orginal sights. (no scope) This is also right out of the box accuracy. I'm sure i can tighten up the groups with reloads. But for using surplus ammo thats not bad grouping for an ak.

 

I've been reloading using 147gr FMJ bullets, IMR 4895 powder and CCI #34 nato primers but i haven't tried them yet.

 

I'll be taking 3 rifles to my hunting stand now for sure, my sks, my saiga 308 and my 338winmag. I just hate to waste good bullets on varmits my 338 is very expensive to use on yotes.

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I get pretty decent accuracy wiht Lithanian Surplus. 520 for 1000rds OUCH but it's damn fine stuff. I bought 1000rds of Brown bear and although not as accurate, I am still in the 2.5" groups.

 

Your choice. $500 for 2-3" gun or 1500 for a 1.5-2" gun.

 

I have gotten about 2-2.5 inch groups with the Lithuanian ammo with my 21". i also found a place that sells it for .50 cents a round. i bought about 9 cases of it because of it's accuracy and i have a lot of 762x51 chambered guns.

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  • 2 weeks later...

well, got my .308 (16") today, wish i wouldve gotten in yesterday. work all weekend, im going to hit the range monday and see what she'll do. bag both of them and see what im going to use for hunting.

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16" .308...did fine by my needs, im not sniping people...just deer. modified 2 mags to carry 5 shots. ready for hunting season. put a millet 4-12x40 scope on her. now my howa and m1a have some competion. the saiga is loads smaller, 16" barrell and side folding stock. and a tacticooly mounted flashlight so i dont have to worry about leaving 1 in the truck, just need a illum reticle scope instead...

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"You'll see anything from 8 inch "groups" to 2 inch groups depending on what you choose to feed it. A 2 inch group is pretty good from a $350 gun, wheras the $1600 match M1A will only shoot a little better, if at all better."

 

Georgia Arms Lake City Arsenal 150gr reloads through a Springfield M1A (loaded version) with air gauged match barrel, match iron sights and match trigger group gives 1 hole 5 round groups at 50yds and .75" groups at 100yds consistently. With Federal GMM 168gr SMK it drops to .5" groups at 100yds from a bag using iron match sights sights. All for around $1200.00. Ask me how I know.

 

Now, having said all that, 2" groups from a Kalashnikov design at 100yds for $350.00 isn't bad.

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One question that should put this thing to bed once and for all:

 

How many AKs have placed at Camp Perry?

 

Answer: None

 

Mine isn't even a full match rifle and it sounds like it will shoot rings around a Saiga.

 

I suppose $350-$400 for a Saiga and all the customizing possibilities makes it attractive.

I plan on getting one. Of course, I would never compare it to or expect it to perform like

my M1A but, that's because I know the difference.

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  • 11 months later...

How many M14 /M1A also get carried back to the car at Camp Perry because they did not qualify? Not all rifles are the same, and even the most expensive are sometimes just not that great of a shooter until they find the right load. AK are no diferent. Right load, right pressures, right bullet and the right sigting systems all contribute to accuracy. Never mind the shooter who makes the final squeeze on the trigger and determines the ultimate accuracy of that rifle.

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I would never say its a plinker, this S308 is a full fledged battle rifle. Honestly we can plink with anything including 50BMG but if I have to stake my survival on a rifle Id rather not think of it as a plinker. What it isnt is a match rifle.

 

The Saiga is a good 2MOA shooter in the 21" which is really not any more difficult to handle than a 16". Where the Saiga will suffer is rapid fire as that big bolt carrier does cause some spread in the groups unless you fire in the traditional rifleman's cadence of one aimed shot every three seconds. In that case it suffers not at all. The only 16" I have is a 7.62x39 that is configured as a low light/darkness weapon, its a 3MOA rifle and good enough. Not going to be making long shots under those conditions.

 

I use Silver Bear and often get much better than 2MOA but not dependably, most likely my fault. If I had to grab one rifle not knowing what conditions I might face it would be the Saiga, that M1A fouls much easier than the Saiga. But then there's always other opinions.

 

As for cold barrel shooting not sure its going to tell you much that's useful unless you hunt with it. In that case its accurate enough to bring down anything you can hit.

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Thats ok dare him to dump a fistful of mud in his receiver and see if it will fire. I would bet no.... hey go with your strengths.

 

Some M1A are just great others are very disappointing Im not sure what the problem is but for a 1200.00+ rifle that should not be the case. Lately Im seeing a lot more Saigas and fewer M1As so it aint just us.

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