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Saiga .223 or Ruger .223


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I'm thinking about buying a 223. I am comparing a Ruger and a Saiga...I am sort of leaning toward a saiga but am unfamiliar with their quality and reliability. No gun dealers around where I live carry saigas. So, if I purchase, it will have to be over the net and I don't want to make a mistake.

 

Which will be better (aside from just cost)?

 

How does the saiga measure up to the ruger in:

 

Accuracy

Weight

Reliability

ease of working on

ease of getting parts when needed

 

Thanks ahead of time

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How does the saiga measure up to the ruger in:

 

Accuracy

Weight

Reliability

ease of working on

ease of getting parts when needed

 

Kimo,

 

Accuracy -- Expect groups twice as large with Ruger

Weight (perceived) -- Ruger a bit lighter

Reliability -- Saiga more reliable overall

Ease of working on -- Saiga without a doubt

Ease of getting parts when needed -- Probably Ruger but, then, I don't know anyone who has yet needed parts for the Saiga

 

Hope this helps.

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  • 2 weeks later...

What they said, excpt that there are a ton of aftermarket parts for AKs (in the PG config, though). At this stage of the game, I would rather have a wart on my nose than a Ruger. Hey, wait! I already have a wart on my nose! Well, anyway, go with the Saiga. I spent years and years of handloading trying to get my Mini-14 to shoot under a 4 inch group and never succeeded. For what you would pay for a Mini, you could buy 2 Saigas. Heck, get two of them and have fun!

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  • 2 months later...

I fail to understand why Ruger would put his name on any of the Mini's. I'd like to sell mine but couldn't do so without feeling guilty. It is reliable, doesn't jamb etc, etc. but For any accuracy beyond the muzzle it is a turd. I see the current prices are between 400 to 500 bucks. They really are not worth 4 or 5 bucks. They might well be the most inaccurate rifle on the market.

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I've owned both and the Saiga wins in all catagories except for ease in getting parts and as Aethelbert said, I don't know of anyone needing replacement parts.

The Saiga is an AK. It's a heck of a lot easier to get AK parts than Ruger parts and they are much cheaper. AK parts kits are imported by the shipload, plust there are about 2 dozen aftermarket parts manufacturers for AK parts.

 

By all means, you will be happier with the Saiga.

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go for the saiga if you want affordability and reliability. my old ruger likes to have feeding and extraction problems when i bump fire it all afternoon. hell, all my rugers are fine weapons, but they ALL without exception need to be kept clean. you need a cleaning kit at your range when you shoot most of them for more than a couple hundred rounds. not one of my AK type weapons NEED to be cleaned, and ive never had a problem with them. cleaning waits till i get back to the house with them, which is very nice for guys like myself that go out to thier ranges for the afternoon. my sister has a saiga in 223. quite reliable and accurate. but still, for .223, i prefer armalites myself. WAY more expensive than a saiga tho. lots of upkeep too, and the parts that do break are expensive. what you save on the saiga, you can spend on a few cases of ammo to shoot. depends how serious you are i guess, as well as your budget. i would go saiga without knowing anything else about you, and having an indifferent preference myself about either weapon.

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I imagine that Armalite will lead all rifles mentioned so far in accuracy, but their prices are too artificially inflated. They set up a table at a competition I was at and I was not about to sink that much money into a post ban .223. (did like the AR-30 though...but still too much $$$!)

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