ajl2121 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hey everyone, I was directed over here from Calguns.net to ask some questions I had regarding Saigas. I recently found a Saiga at a local shop (x39), and was interested in buying it. But first I must ask... 1. Is the dimpled reciever a must in the Saiga community? I know it looks more authentic, but what are the considrations to address? 2. The clerk said it's an 8 round mag...I thought the .308 are 8 rounders and the x39's are 10 rounds. Is he just wrong? 3. Are all Saiga x39's imported by RAA the same? I have heard somethings about stamped recievers and what not. What should I be looking out for? 4. The conversions that I hear about...Is that the conversion to accept tradition AK banana mags? 5. Lastly...Considering that the prices of Saigas have increased substantially, is $365 before all taxes and fees reasonable? I'm in Southern CA. Thanks everyone, and I anticipate that I will soon be a proud owner of a Saiga and frequent your community very often. Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hey everyone, I was directed over here from Calguns.net to ask some questions I had regarding Saigas. I recently found a Saiga at a local shop (x39), and was interested in buying it. But first I must ask... 1. Is the dimpled reciever a must in the Saiga community? I know it looks more authentic, but what are the considrations to address? 2. The clerk said it's an 8 round mag...I thought the .308 are 8 rounders and the x39's are 10 rounds. Is he just wrong? 3. Are all Saiga x39's imported by RAA the same? I have heard somethings about stamped recievers and what not. What should I be looking out for? 4. The conversions that I hear about...Is that the conversion to accept tradition AK banana mags? 5. Lastly...Considering that the prices of Saigas have increased substantially, is $365 before all taxes and fees reasonable? I'm in Southern CA. Thanks everyone, and I anticipate that I will soon be a proud owner of a Saiga and frequent your community very often. Cheers! Welcome! 1. Not a must. It's desired for those looking to make 103 clones, and whatnot. It might pull in a little more money for someone selling it. But it's definitely not a must. 2. He's wrong. The x39's come with 10 round mags from the factory. 3. They're the same, except for maybe the dimples. All Saigas have stamped receivers. 4. Yes. "Conversion" to most means: swapping out the FCG and moving it forward, adding a PG and changing the stock. You can take the conversion as far as you like. Some go for regular AK hand guards, while some (like me ) keep the factory front end. But keep in mind, adding a PG or using mags over 10 rounds brings 922r into play. Plenty of info on that subject here as well. 5. $365 before taxes and fees is steep. But for some reason, it always seems Cali residents pay a little more . Not 100% on that, but we have some Cali guys who can chime in. Have you shopped around online? You can usually find them cheaper. But all that being said, they're going up in price anyway, so it's up to you on how bad you really want it I guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SilentScream 5 Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Just adding to #5. $365 for a 7.62x39 is a good deal for an in store price. But there are cheaper options on line. I got mine three months ago for 350 (that includes: DROS, shipping, and transfer fees) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crunchy53 0 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 i got mine 375 OTD including sh dros transfer. i got it from ddsranch but i think they are out of stock. i also had a hard time finding someone to transfer it for less than 75! what area are you in? fort courage armory in simi valley does the transfer for 25 + 25 dros. goodluck most cali sellers have high prices since we are limited to cool rifles here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Just adding to #5.$365 for a 7.62x39 is a good deal for an in store price. Sorry, but $365 before taxes and fees is not a good deal. I paid $320 out the door at my local shop for my last x39 a couple months ago, and even that is considered on the steeper end. But like I said, these things are becoming more popular and more expensive. So it's really up to the buyer to decide how bad he wants it. I agree with looking online for a cheaper price, though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mstranglr 9 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 ajl2121, Thats about the going rate out the door in Cali. My FFLs say its gonna go up again too! Every thing, even your run of the mill handguns, are more expensive in California. Locally where I am, Saigas have gone up by $100 in the last year and a half. Many folks that used to ship Saigas to Cali wont do it anymore. The Cal-DOJ has been sending out a lot of false info to out-of-state dealers about shipping to us. If you plan on staying in Cailfornia for a while, get em while you can at that price. Also, please be careful to do a "legal" conversion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 DD, do you know why Saigas seem to always cost more in Cali? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ajl2121 0 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I'm not sure why firearms are more costly in CA, but they are. My USP .45F with night sights ran me $850 OTD, and the was ON SALE. Most places charge $800+ without night sights and that's not including tax or dros. Anyhow, thanks for the info. Also, I don't think I can do any conversions that include pistol grips unless I get a BB, and I definately want a detachable mag. If SHTF, all looks aside, I want to able to swap out mags quickly (esp. since I get only 10 rounds). The reason Saiga seems to be in a purported gray area with some stores in CA is because of some importing issues. As long as it's a Russian American Armory Saiga, it should be fine. I have heard some stories of people getting harassed by LEO at shooting ranges, and even getting arrested. Some even carry a flow chart and documents confirming the legality of their Saiga. Just UNBELIEVABLE. I'll make sure to call the range before I take my (future) Saiga to one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I must not be thinking clearly, or missing something potentially obvious... but umm... What is DROS?!?!? and why are you paying for it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I must not be thinking clearly, or missing something potentially obvious... but umm... What is DROS?!?!? and why are you paying for it? Dealers Record Of Sale. Apparently some have it worse than us in NY, Indy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ajl2121 0 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 In CA we have to pay tax, dros, and a possible $5 handling fee (depending on the dealer). It covers a 10 day waiting period where the FBI does a background check....bla bla bla Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quikz 1 Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Even though my Saiga was purchased in NJ, and is perfectly legit (w/ the 10-rd orig mags), I too carry around my paper work to back up all components and to asure it's legality. Not a bad thing to do in an "un-Free" state... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.