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Help me convince inlaws saiga 12 would be decent hunting weapon


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So, I already own an AK47, never been a hunter, more of just target practice. My inlaws are big turkey, deer hunters, and own a ton of shotguns and rifles. I am looking to purchase a Saiga 12 shotgun before turkey season this year to join in, but the inlaws consistently mock me for buying Russian "crap". They keep saying that the Saiga is horrible, probably because they never heard of one, etc. I know i could buy shotguns more tailored for hunting, but as a collctor and not a hunter first, i just have a thing for eastern euro/russian arms, so a saiga is my first choice.

 

So from a hunting POV, can anyone direct me or help me with some solid counterpoints i can make to them so i just dont get made fun of by their ignorance all season? Is the saiga going to be a decent turkey hunting weapon? etc? Thanks.

Edited by pl1ght
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You can take this gun out, in any weather, in nearly any abusive conditions, and not only will it not mess up and fail you when you get that shot opportunity, but when you get back to the house, you can just shake the dirt mud ice snow and water off of it, and stick it in the corner to "drip dry". I can cite a couple of times that I got stuck cooking up back straps on a hot plate with garlic and butter, while everyone else whined about how wet their guns were as they sat there for an hour cleaning theirs, while mine sat in the corner dripping dry. More than once I have been asked "arent you going to at least wipe that thing off, Ben?" to the surprising answer of "No, why? I dont need to." Just the fact that its phosphor coated, and has a chrome lined bore and chamber, well, thats worth something to a serious hunter/outdoorsman.

 

I have fully cleaned my s12 since I have had it, oh, all of about TWICE. After almost ten thousand rounds, a number of years of elements abuse, and intentional other abuses and intentional mistreatment of the gun, it still doesnt fail me. It sits as I speak, loaded, behind the front door. My other shotguns have been traded off or sold, as I have zero interest in other shotguns now. I have a single shot H+R that i keep that was my fathers, but thats about it.

 

If you do use this for turkey, you should go to saigastock.com and purchase a set of chokes for it as well, as it does not come with chokes, only a thread protector.

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I let a friend borrow mine for a small game tournament, and he got a lot of weird looks and negative feedback. Then he took 2nd place and he got a lot of very positive feedback.

 

They won't respect you or your guns untill you prove to them both are effective. Even though its based on 70 year old tech, a mag fed shotgun sounds alien to many hunters. Get one and start bagging, they'll shut up.

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Some of the semi auto alternatives cost a lot more and none that I know of have detachable mag.

People with finely crated far more expensive 1100s and 11-87s dont like getting them dirty.

Your russian crap is likely a lot more fun than the politicaly correct deer and turkey hunting guns they own.

I say buy the blackest, biggest, meanest looking guns you can find and screw what other people think.

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You can't beat Russian reliability. The AK design is proof. I've owned/fired hundreds of different firearms over the years, and the AK design is by far the most "field-proof" thing out there. I had a captured Russian AKM for awhile when I was in Grenada. We abused the shit out of that thing. It NEVER jammed. I dragged it through the sand until I couldn't get the bolt open. One of my buddies held it still (no mag, chamber empty) while I kicked the bolt open with the heel of my boot. We rinsed it out in the surf, worked the bolt a couple times, stuck a mag in in it and it fired just fine.

We smoked the handguards a few times too shooting rats in the garbage pit at the commo site. (mag dumps)

These things are TOUGH!

 

Unfortunately, due to our stupid laws infringing upon the 2nd, I had to leave my toy when I flew back to Bragg.

 

I don't recommend you do this to yours. We were young, bored, and indestructible.

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Sixty years ago, those who hunt turkeys with a pistol gripped, or thumbhole stocked, 12 gauge auto would have been sneered at by THAT generations "gun snobs" who were raised on nose breaking single barrels (polk stocks), and double barrels.

 

Some time ago I got rid of a Franchi 3 1/2 auto for two reasons..It gave me a concussion with 3 1/2 turkey loads, and it wasnt dependable under EVERY circumstance...My $250 dollar Mossberg is! Dependability in a shotgun is as important as its pattern...The Saiga 12 is the Mossberg of shotguns...Buy yourself a box of turkey loads and the tightest choke you can find..(Does anyone make an xtra full choke for the Saiga yet?..if not Tromix should) Sneak off somewhere and pattern that gun till you know exactly where the pattern is best with that gun and that load...Learn a couple basic turkey calls and then go whack turkeys...Youll be hooked!

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I let a friend borrow mine for a small game tournament, and he got a lot of weird looks and negative feedback. Then he took 2nd place and he got a lot of very positive feedback.

 

They won't respect you or your guns untill you prove to them both are effective. Even though its based on 70 year old tech, a mag fed shotgun sounds alien to many hunters. Get one and start bagging, they'll shut up.

 

This is exactly what will change their minds.

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The sooner you learn to do what the fuck you want and let peoples opinions fall where they may the better you'll feel inside.

 

Get it, go out with them and have fun, if your choice of shotgun keeps them from having fun while your around or they don't want you to come out with them because of what you bought, you really know where you stand with them.

Edited by Alpha Kilo
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  • 2 weeks later...

Why care what they think?

 

There are the same sorts that think that the Browning A5 is the greatest shotgun ever made, past present or future. If it were my family I would just grin and bear it, till the gun proves itself...

 

Then the "I told you so's" from me would continue till the end of time! :lolol:

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Why care what they think?

 

There are the same sorts that think that the Browning A5 is the greatest shotgun ever made, past present or future. If it were my family I would just grin and bear it, till the gun proves itself...

 

Then the "I told you so's" from me would continue till the end of time! :lolol:

 

Yeah i decided i didnt care, and have a 24" threaded S12 showing up monday as well as a polychoke. Just need to find a red dot to throw on it. Cant wait :D

Edited by pl1ght
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If I am going to use 12ga shotgun for hunting, then I go back and forth between two. The first choice is my S12 and the second is my Spartan SPR453 made by Bakail (shoots 3 1/2 for geese). This year during duck season I had to work on 3 Benelli's while the Saiga just kept rockin. The conditions of duck hunting in AZ seem to be the hardest on the shotguns. The cattails, saltcedar and water all combine to make most other shotguns gum up and rust. My Saiga looks just as good today as it did when new, ok a few handling marks.

I have found it is easier to show people the Saiga is better than try to argue with them. A lot of people feel that what they have is the best and you will not change their minds until what they have fails and yours keeps working. Take the Saiga out and when their shotguns ice up you can still take you game.

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