James92TSi 0 Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Picked this up at the gun show Saturday... IZ-106 (S20 with 22" threaded barrel), with BHO, new in box with all the usual accessories. In all, the selection at the show wasn't the greatest for AK-variant stuff. I saw lots of AR stuff and a *great* selection of pistols, but only a few vendors with AKs. By my count, there were only four Saigas in the building including the one I bought (also present: one each of .223, x39, and .308, none really priced to move). On to the pics... And one with the pistolas... Para-Ordnance LTC Stainless and Glock 19. I'll do a PG conversion + ACE stock eventually, but not before I shoot the hell out of it as-is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Garys4598 1,065 Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase... and welcome to the S-20 Owners' Club! Be forwarned.... sometime in the future you'll find yourself craving form an S-12. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James92TSi 0 Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Thanks Gary! My next Saiga will probably be a 7.62x39.... but that won't be for a little while. I'll just have to trudge along with the lowly S20 until then... heh heh. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Juhosaphat 0 Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Thanks Gary! My next Saiga will probably be a 7.62x39.... but that won't be for a little while. I'll just have to trudge along with the lowly S20 until then... heh heh. He's right. I've had my S20 for a little while now and just got done converting it and now I want an S12 Although I wouldn't mind doing a conversion on a x39 either I'll probably get the x39 before I get the S12. They go for 279$ brand new from the shop I go to And yes, congratulations on your purchase. It will bring you lots of fun and good hunts if you're a hunter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 You should jump on that x38 for 279 at your local shop. I cant even sell them at that price to dealers, with the recent price increase. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James92TSi 0 Posted August 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 (edited) So, I finally ran my Saiga 20 today! It ran great with both magazines for 100rds or so, but started developing some last round FTF issues with my wedge-modded 3" magazine (made a plastic wedge via soldering iron, and JB-welded to follower). No issues at all with the factory 2-3/4" magazine... so that settles it, I'll be buying more 2-3/4" mags for 100% reliability, rather than jacking around with modifying 3" ones. I'm sure I can get the 3" one right with enough WECSOG-ing, but it's not worth the trouble to buy more of them since I plan to fire 2-3/4". Other than the issues with the modded 3" mag, the gun fed great, went bang every time, and ejected like a CHAMP. I've read plenty of posts here indicating that S20s need a 100+ round break-in before using bird shot, but mine ate everything up and spat it out -- quite far at times (think shell casings flying though the rafters of the roof above the firing line on their way to landing 20 feet away). All rounds were fired on gas setting #2. I also brought the G19 out for a little fun. Friends love shooting the Glock, and I don't mind whoring it out to anyone who's safe with a pistol and brings their own 9mm FMJ to run through it. The 1911 sat this one out serving as the carry gun. We were shooting at a public range, which means I prefer to hold one of the guns back... "public" and all. Overall: Glock ate 250 rounds 115gr FMJ; Saiga ate 10 rounds #3 buck, 10 rounds HP slug, 50 rounds 7.5 heavy dove, and 100 rounds 6.0 heavy dove (all Remington loads); friend's Mossberg Maverick 12ga ate 50rds 7.5 heavy dove; another friend's Baby Eagle 9mm ate 150rds. This was all done at the pistol/rifle range, just punching holes in paper. I wanted to establish the gun's reliability with chosen ammo and send some downrange with the new toy.... Firing impressions: there is little to no recoil with the S20. No perceptible recoil difference between Remington buck, slugs, and bird shot. Follow-up shots are QUICK, as the gun barely has any muzzle rise and the action is damn fast. I need some bigger magazines... 5 rounds can go downrange in a hurry. This Russian contraption gives my 1911 a run for its money as my "favorite gun". Next time, I think we'll go back out to my friend's land in the country and toss up some clays. Even with gas prices the way they are, it's less expensive to go out there and shoot than to pay range fees.... plus we can shoot more interesting targets and have a laid-back day of fun. Edited August 14, 2008 by James92TSi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James92TSi 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2008 (edited) HI EVERYBODY!!!!!!! More fun at the range last weekend. The weapons: - AR-15 (don't know what brand, was a friend of a friend's gun) - Mossberg Maverick 12ga - Saiga-20 - Glock 19 - Benelli M2 20ga (brand new - popped the cherry on this one!) Colin's dad loading up his M2 Colin shooting his dad's M2 Me and my Saiga-20 Finger Step 1: ragged hole. Step 2: cut it down! Colin's dad trying out my G19 Dan shooting AR-15 Me shooting AR-15. Was actually my first time firing one... and yes I realize now that I wasn't using the bench rest properly. First time shooting a rifle from a bench since Boy Scouts! Benelli M2 was nice. I guess my tastes aren't "refined" enough, as I still like the $400 Saiga better than the $1600 M2. But it was still cool to see what the heck a shotgun that expensive shoots like. It's very crisp and accurate... excellent build quality. Downsides: it doesn't cycle as fast as the Saiga, only 2 round mag capacity, and as a guy who started out with pistols, I generally prefer detachable mags to tube mags. The AR-15 was a hoot. I just ran one 30rd mag through it at 50 yards... with an ACOG scope (which was NICE). Perhaps I'll get an AR someday.... after I convert the S-20, and pick up an S-7.62 and convert that..... heh. As for the Saiga... no failures of any kind. I've changed it over to gas setting #1 and it still gobbled up and spat out the loads I was using (Rem heavy dove, Rem #3 buck, and a few mags of the Win value pack rounds that Colin's dad brought). (edited to fix pics) Edited August 22, 2008 by James92TSi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James92TSi 0 Posted October 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 UPDATE TIME! My conversion parts came in yesterday, and I wasted no time firing up the ACME tools last night. From the Wile E. Coyote School of Gunsmithing..... Stock Saiga-20 (22" barrel version) and conversion parts Closeup of conversion parts. Everything is from Dinzag, except the PG which is from MAA. Field stripped & buttstock removed "Permanent" sporter trigger pins removed... along with sporter trigger, linkage, and linkage spring / FCG retaining wire Now my table looks like this (oh yeah, took the handguard off too) Receiver with fire control group & bolt hold open still installed After drilling the peened ends of the sporter pins off, this is what's left behind No more sporter pins! Rest of internal parts removed (FCG, selector, BHO). Now receiver is ready for much drilling, dremeling, and filing Looks kinda naked, doesn't it? No pre-cut pistol grip hole! Sadface. Standard trigger hole is there, though. PG hole is not a huge deal (famous last words) Trigger guard is off - ready to be reused later in the conversion. Here's pretty much everything I've taken off the gun so far (hammer spring is elsewhere) Still a bit more work to do to get the sporter plate off of the receiver. 2 more rivets to grind down / maim / kill with ACME products. NEW HOTNESS - Dinzag Arms fire control group (and that hammer spring) That's where work begins today... after lunch. 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.