Crusader 64 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 This is a real stupid question. What is the barrel life of a Saiga 12? Has anyone wore one out or know someone who has? How can you even tell that a smooth bore 12ga barrel is worn out? Do slugs cause more wear than shot? Do different shot sizes wear the barrel to different degrees? Any thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Probably in the 100,000 range you will see some parts showing a lot of age. I doubt the barrel will be even close to gone. You will exceed the cost of the gun many many times over before that happens. Like if your ammo is 15 cents a shell (thats either a good sale or reloading). You will be spending 15,000$ to kill your shotgun (if my math is right) Even if it kicks the bucket at 20,000 rounds you will still have shot 3,000$ in the cheapest promo loads. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crusader 64 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Probably in the 100,000 range you will see some parts showing a lot of age. I doubt the barrel will be even close to gone. You will exceed the cost of the gun many many times over before that happens. Like if your ammo is 15 cents a shell (thats either a good sale or reloading). You will be spending 15,000$ to kill your shotgun (if my math is right) Even if it kicks the bucket at 20,000 rounds you will still have shot 3,000$ in the cheapest promo loads. I kind of figured that since there are no land or grooves to wear in a smooth bore gun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 i have about 10k rounds down mine, at my best guess. Id have a lot more, but the past two years I have lived in an area that you cant go out back and shoot on the weekends. The only signs of any barrel wear on mine show on the breech of the barrel, where the extractor meets the metal has become sharp, causing cheap hulled shells to get eaten alive on feeding, as well as noticeable feed/extraction lines in the breech. Nothing Im worried at all about, considering what Ive done to mine over the years, it has come through like the Champion that it is.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crusader 64 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 i have about 10k rounds down mine, at my best guess. Id have a lot more, but the past two years I have lived in an area that you cant go out back and shoot on the weekends. The only signs of any barrel wear on mine show on the breech of the barrel, where the extractor meets the metal has become sharp, causing cheap hulled shells to get eaten alive on feeding, as well as noticeable feed/extraction lines in the breech. Nothing Im worried at all about, considering what Ive done to mine over the years, it has come through like the Champion that it is.... Was this a Saiga 12? Did you fire mostly 2 3/4in shells or 3in mags? Mostly shot or slugs? Do you think it could handle 10k more rds? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bayoupiper 738 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 i have about 10k rounds down mine, at my best guess. Id have a lot more, but the past two years I have lived in an area that you cant go out back and shoot on the weekends. The only signs of any barrel wear on mine show on the breech of the barrel, where the extractor meets the metal has become sharp, causing cheap hulled shells to get eaten alive on feeding, as well as noticeable feed/extraction lines in the breech. Nothing Im worried at all about, considering what Ive done to mine over the years, it has come through like the Champion that it is.... Was this a Saiga 12? Did you fire mostly 2 3/4in shells or 3in mags? Mostly shot or slugs? Do you think it could handle 10k more rds? Bvamp said "i have about 10k rounds down mine".............. That's a pretty good clue that it's a 12.................................. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 ive put everything in very large amounts down it, of all shapes and sizes. id run a case of trap loads, then a couple hundred steel duck loads, then a hundred slugs, then some 3" buck, some flechettes here and there (I dont recommend any of the commercially available ones out there, BTW) and so on and so forth I run predominantly 3" buck and slugs nowadays, since i rarely get to shoot the thing. the oprod on the bolt carrier is pretty darned loose, and is starting to dent the gas tube, but other than having to address that someday in the future, I expect the gun to last another 40k rounds minimum. If I took it right now, and chambered it, left it in the closet for a decade, took it out, popped in a mag, I have no doubt that it would go boom boom. No oil bath, no checking it after ten years.....try that with another shotgun. You will be hard pressed to say it will work flawlessly.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Azrial 1,091 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Don't worry about it, you most likely can't afford that much ammo anymore ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tushisvet 2 Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 2000 is warranty for Russia. 20000 has my shooting trainer and has no problems. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ronswin 26 Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 The Saiga-12 barrel is hammer forged and hard-chrome lined. I've chopped mine down from 22'' to 19'' and was amazed at the barrel hardness when cutting. Pressure and most of all, heat are the factors of centerfire rifle and pistol barrel life. These are factors that shotguns are not really concerned with as the shotshell powder charges are relatively lower temperature and pressure compared to centerfire firearms. In all probability, you will have to replace almost all other operating parts before the barrel is worn out and this will take many cases of ammo to do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 fo' evah. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slyguy 0 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) Don't worry about it, you most likely can't afford that much ammo anymore ... No kiddin^ OP, do you even have a place to shoot birdshot? Between ammo cost and gun range/club fees, I'd just concentrate on funding the basic break-in period (putting a couple hundred buckshot through the Saiga) before you start worrying about how your gun will be doing after 10k lol. If you live in cold climate and/or urban area (as most ppl do), most indoor ranges are gettin more and more sick of the damage shotguns do to their backstop and target holders. They are more strict on shotgun ammo that they allow (some buck only since it saves the backstop, some slug only since it won't tear up target holders)... and that's if they allow shotguns at all. And as far as the cost, some ranges even mandate that you must buy their range ammo at gouge prices. Unless you can afford the $ (and volunteer time) for a quality private skeet/trap club membership (some of which aren't keen on Saigas or ARs) or you live out in the mid south boonies and have a free local or backyard gravel pit type range, it'll be VERY hard to shoot more than around 500-1000 shells per year IMO. I'd say most avg urban and suburban gun owners, such as myself, are fairly lucky if they have a public range or two within 30min that allows them to bring their own buck or slug ammo and shoot shotguns. To go outdoors and shoot birdshot/clays/etc, I'd have to drive about an hour each way and pay the high non-member rate at a private skeet club. Edited June 20, 2009 by slyguy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vultite 57 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 fo' evah. +1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doc Holiday13 0 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Barrel life is near indefinite. My favorite shotgun in my possession is a 1912 L.C. Smith. I still use it on the trap range and it swings and shoots better than any shotgun I've ever used. My first shotgun is a pump action 870 super mag express. Its got about 4K down the tube. It didn't start cycling and working smooth(without any modification) until about 2500 rounds down the tube Quote Link to post Share on other sites
krusader 1 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 ive put everything in very large amounts down it, of all shapes and sizes. id run a case of trap loads, then a couple hundred steel duck loads, then a hundred slugs, then some 3" buck, some flechettes here and there (I dont recommend any of the commercially available ones out there, BTW) and so on and so forth I run predominantly 3" buck and slugs nowadays, since i rarely get to shoot the thing. the oprod on the bolt carrier is pretty darned loose, and is starting to dent the gas tube, but other than having to address that someday in the future, I expect the gun to last another 40k rounds minimum. If I took it right now, and chambered it, left it in the closet for a decade, took it out, popped in a mag, I have no doubt that it would go boom boom. No oil bath, no checking it after ten years.....try that with another shotgun. You will be hard pressed to say it will work flawlessly.... Hey BVamp, I am worried about the wear you describe, can you explain how the op rod and carrier is denting the gas tube? Thanks How many rounds do you have through it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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