into_the_knight 22 Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 I know that it is getting difficult to find a 5.45x39 Saiga at the moment. But an order is placed and there are no new restrictions against the sporter rifle. Izhmazh apparently has some other business besides the US market at the moment and once they get that attended to, Saiga 5.45 rifles will be imported once again. I know there was a rumor about this since there is currently a shortage. But obviously the fact that rifles have sold out in that caliber is evidence of the demand for that rifle in that cartridge so expect more to be brought in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L5K 162 Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Two things happened with these rifles. First is the fact that Saigas and almost all other imported rifles like it come into the US in waves. They are shipped by the thousands on a single shipment, and then no more until the next shipment of thousands. So, when the first shipment sells out, there will be no more until they ship another load. Second is the fact that the distributors, and probably Izhmash themsleves completely underestimated how well they would sell in the US. The US is dominated by 5.56 and 7.62x39 for intermediate calibers, that is one of the reasons 5.45 is so dirt cheap. That long-standing market domination led to a general belief that 5.45 would not and could not catch up with the volume of 5.56 and 7.62x39 sales being through the roof. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dussandr 76 Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 My cousin was on the plane with a top Izhmash executive who told him that there were no plans to resume exporting 5.45 versions to the US. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
elia.jon1 1 Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 My cousin was on the plane with a top Izhmash executive who told him that there were no plans to resume exporting 5.45 versions to the US. strange...my cousin was on a plane with another izhmash executive who told them shorty they would import more 5.45's to the us...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dussandr 76 Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 My cousin was on the plane with a top Izhmash executive who told him that there were no plans to resume exporting 5.45 versions to the US. strange...my cousin was on a plane with another izhmash executive who told them shorty they would import more 5.45's to the us...... He told my cousin about telling your cousin that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
into_the_knight 22 Posted June 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 I called up RAAC and talked to the guy directly. They actually pick up the phone there. Strange how that works. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SKYWLKR 0 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 and??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 and??? It's in the first post. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
into_the_knight 22 Posted June 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Thanks Bob. To anyone who doesn't quite get the point of this post. Some dealers are telling uninformed customers taht this is the last Saiga 5.45 ever to be imported. They're raising their prices on these models and using that rumor to justify the price increase. I'm not going to be bamboozled by an unscrupulous dealer who talks out of both sides of his mouth. I call up RAAC at the 800 number they list on their site. The guy on the phone says that they have an order with Izhmazh and there are no problems except that Izhmazh is busy filling military contract orders and it seems civilian orders always get less priority so that accounts for the lag time in restocking. My advice, don't let a sales person con you into paying $450 to $500 for a rifle that was selling for $339 just a month ago. My further advice, Saigas have sold for as little as $159 new. Those days are clearly past, but how far will prices come down? They've clearly got some room to fall even from $339. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dussandr 76 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Is it true they're being redesigned to make them harder to convert?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 into_the_knight is correct, this is a reoccuring syndrome every few years, and mainly when a new model is launched. Because no one knows how popular the new gun will be, the importer is conservative...think about it as if it was your money. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single order and no promise as to the return timing. This gun has been fairly popular. The new orders are already in, but the lead time is long. The russians only build these neutered versions for the US market and they're not keeping a stock of them. Is it true they're being redesigned to make them harder to convert? No. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 My cousin was in Russia and brought back a strain of plague virus so completely genetically modified and engineered that it's SOLE PURPOSE is to seek out and kill 5.45 caliber rifle importers... Thats why no one wants to bring any more in... because they are afraid of catching the bug... Except that Jon Elia's cousin has the antidote... and dussandr's cousin is trying to keep him from letting the world know he's got it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L5K 162 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 My cousin was in Russia and brought back a strain of plague virus so completely genetically modified and engineered that it's SOLE PURPOSE is to seek out and kill 5.45 caliber rifle importers... Thats why no one wants to bring any more in... because they are afraid of catching the bug... Except that Jon Elia's cousin has the antidote... and dussandr's cousin is trying to keep him from letting the world know he's got it... You, sir, should write plots for movies. I would totally watch this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
regal 2 Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 My cousin was in Russia and brought back a strain of plague virus so completely genetically modified and engineered that it's SOLE PURPOSE is to seek out and kill 5.45 caliber rifle importers... Thats why no one wants to bring any more in... because they are afraid of catching the bug... Except that Jon Elia's cousin has the antidote... and dussandr's cousin is trying to keep him from letting the world know he's got it... You, sir, should write plots for movies. I would totally watch this. I really hope this is all true, but I have seen many good deals disappear over the years. The $335 Saiga 5.45 was almost too good to be true considering inflation, and of course I missed the boat, by about a week. Frustrating but I really hope you guys are right. If anyone wants to sell a 5.45 at retail PM me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 Well yeah, I'm not saying the price will remain the same. A few years ago the S12 was $175. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
regal 2 Posted June 26, 2010 Report Share Posted June 26, 2010 Well yeah, I'm not saying the price will remain the same. A few years ago the S12 was $175. I'm seeing 5.45x39 Vepr's selling for $2k. I missed the boat on buying a 5.45 Saiga by just a couple weeks. Now the SLG's are drying up. I hate to buy an SLG30 for $850 when new SLG-21's are selling for $600 shipped. You just never know what can happen in the gun market. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
russiangunrunner 10 Posted June 26, 2010 Report Share Posted June 26, 2010 so buy a russian parts kit and make you're own 545... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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