What's the go to drum for the Saiga-12

[Tony44 1]

Looking for a Saiga-12 drum. What's the recommended drum for bang for the buck and quality?

 

Thanks

[tonyhunt 15]

Looking for a Saiga-12 drum. What's the recommended drum for bang for the buck and quality?

 

Thanks

The MD 20 has the reputation of being the best and most reliable.

The Promag drums work fine, mine has functioned flawlessly out of box for 300 rounds now.

Both seem good to me, just stay away from the Wraithmaker drums, they have a reputation for being terrible.

[hobbyshooter 59]

md20.

 

The promags seem to be doing well also although my '08 gun has a large mag opening and the promag 20 fit loose which would cause 1/20 to feed lazy and not fully chamber the round. The promag 12 ran flawless in the same gun.

[KROSS FA 14]

You can't go wrong with the MD-20 from MD Arms. We have several here and the quality and value are exceptional. You won't be disappointed.

 

Safe shooting,

 

Zach

Kross, LLC

[Tony44 1]

I like the compactness of the ProMag 12 rounder but I guess the MD-20 is probably the way to go.

 

Also, do I need to do anything to be 922 compliment with an out the box stock Saiga-12 and an American made drum?

[Gunfixr 76]

For 922r compliance, you need 4 parts, and the drum will only count as 3, so you'll need one more. For a stock, unconverted S12, the easiest thing to do would be install a US made gas puck.

 

As to the drums, I have both, but don't have a ProMag 20rd drum, only the 12rd. Both work just fine. The MD Arms drum seems built better, and only time will tell how much of a difference it makes. The ProMag drum is a bit looser on the inside dimensions, and is less finicky on ammo. The MD Arms drum, being tighter, doesn't always feed well with some of the foreign-made ammo, as it's made to Metric dimensions, and may be just a bit longer on the OAL.

 

For general use, I like the compactness of the 12rd drum, but for capacity, the MD Arms drum is hard to beat.

[Tony44 1]

For 922r compliance, you need 4 parts, and the drum will only count as 3, so you'll need one more. For a stock, unconverted S12, the easiest thing to do would be install a US made gas puck.

 

As to the drums, I have both, but don't have a ProMag 20rd drum, only the 12rd. Both work just fine. The MD Arms drum seems built better, and only time will tell how much of a difference it makes. The ProMag drum is a bit looser on the inside dimensions, and is less finicky on ammo. The MD Arms drum, being tighter, doesn't always feed well with some of the foreign-made ammo, as it's made to Metric dimensions, and may be just a bit longer on the OAL.

 

For general use, I like the compactness of the 12rd drum, but for capacity, the MD Arms drum is hard to beat.

 

 

Forgive the noob, could you point me in the direction of which gas puck to get? Also, is it easy to install?

[physicsnerd 139]

It is very easy to install. Just unscrew the gas regulating knob at the end of the gas block. Just depress the spring loaded pin and unscrew it all the way, the puck will fall right out.

 

As to replacement pucks, ETAC makes the TwisterPuck with which I have had great success. It is available directly from them or some of our other vendors such as Carolina Shooters Supply and Mississippi Auto Arms.

 

Chaos (also a vendor/manufacturer here on the forum) makes a copy of the OEM puck. These all range in the $15-$25 range. It'll make you good to go on the drum and high caps.

Edited August 12, 2010 by physicsnerd

[Juggernaut 11,054]

MD is the only Saiga-12 drum I would bet my life on!!!

[RobRez 1,895]

I say the MD-20. I own a couple and they always run great. I had the chance to compare both brands at the gun show and did NOT buy a pro-mag drum. $120 and when you hold them both side by side, the pro-mag just feels cheap. I really didn't like it's "Toy like plastic" and was very weary of the plastic tabs on the cover. Sometimes you can actually "feel" quality. I am sure they work fine, but for my $120 they can't touch the MD-20. The range I shoot at has cement underfoot at the benches and I would not want to hit the Pro-mag tabs on that. Tough to sway an already happy customer away from the awesomeness that is the MD-20.

[Zambidis 90]

MD 20, I've been very happy with mine.

[sapper1371usmc 107]

MDArms ! It's the only way to go.

[sharkbit 109]

I have two MDArms drums and one ProMag drum (that i regretfully decided to try out).

I would have to give the nod to MDArms because the drum is lighter and easier to load and functions flawlessly. Even though the promag drum has that load lever on it, the shells do not load as easy into it as the MDArms (at least in my experience).

 

Also, I can't help to think how ProMag pretty much copied Mike's (MdArms) idea, but made it heavier and harder to load. LOL

 

Basically, the only good thing that ProMag has done, is bring down the price of the MDArms drum.

[vampire847 9]

From what i've learned on the forum and from the videos.... do not go with the Aliance armament model... like they did on burn notice... anyone catch that or just me>.>?

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

MD is the only Saiga-12 drum I would bet my life on!!!

 

I tested the promag 12 round drum last night and it did work flawlessly but I agree wholeheartedly with the above comment....them again I do have 2 MD20 drums.

[Paulyski 2,227]

TOP THIS!

 

Someone asked what the differences were between the last run & current run MD-20 drums.

The only difference I noticed was that my last run drum had a slightly "cloudy" smoke cover than the new one.

I like the old cover just fine, but the cover on my newest drum looks just a touch cooler.

 

I replied to the question noting the differences to the OP.

 

Later I get an E-mail from MD-Arms explaining that they were shipped a run of smoke covers that were a touch cloudy & pulled them because they weren't up to their standards.

A couple must have slipped through.

 

They promptly sent me a new cover without me even requesting it.

Plus a little bonus!

 

I'd like to hear if any other manufacturer of any product for this platform or any product PERIOD has that level of pride in their product to actually take the initiative like that.

 

You just don't see that high of business ethics anymore.

Usually if someone makes the best now-days, they're like "fuck you, deal with it".

I know some will say I'm "kissing ass" but I honestly don't EVER see this level of product pride in any other company that I have done business with.

 

That being said, I like my MD-20s.

[kresk 10,063]

MD!

[evlblkwpnz 3,418]

This should be a POLL!!!

 

1 more vote for the MD-20. I have 5 and I wouldn't trade them for 10 AA Wraithmaker drums.... well unless the price of aluminum goes as high as gold. I would take the AAs to the recyclers and buy a few more MD-20s and put some coin in the pocket

[epbullen 21]

MD-20!

[stiletto raggio 20]

MD20x5. Do it.

[Gunfanatic 221]

MD20 buy it, shoot it, love it

[Vicarious_Lee 84]

MD20 buy it, shoot it, love it

 

I've got 3 now. Only shot and fitted the one yet, but it works flawlessly. It's huge and heavy, because it's a 20-round 12-gauge drum.

 

The first time I ordered, my order got screwed up because I moved, and was therefore summarily canceled. I emailed Mike and he took care of everything personally and very professionally.

 

There aren't many companies that I enjoy giving money to. MD arms is one of them. Even if the Promag drums were exactly as good, they make other shitty mags. They don't put instructionals and vids on YouTube to explain their product. They don't post on Saiga 12. Mike does. Mike puts his whole ass behind a product and backs it up. What does he make? He makes shit for the Saiga 12. Lives it and breathes it.

 

Promag? They are a (relatively) huge company that makes a lot of other shitty magazines that fail a lot and maybe they make a good S12 drum now.

 

Happy to give my money to Mike over them.

 

Alliance Armament? It didn't take me 5 minutes to figure out what everyone else knows about them, no more needs to be said.

 

The other company that I currently enjoy buying their products is Old Spice. I mean, shit. I gotta give props to whoever rescued that decaying, obscure brand and turned it from "Grandpa's idea of a shower" into this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/OldSpice?v=uLTIowBF0kE&feature=pyv&ad=5174223377&kw=old%20spice%20commercial&gclid=CJKR542IuKMCFQuenAodqGmSbA#p/p

 

Every time I purchase an Old Spice product I'm reminded of the fact that they make commercials that I enjoy watching.

 

So yeah. Get an MD20 drum or 5, and some Old Spice showed gel, too.

[Paulyski 2,227]

There was a lot of shit about MD vs Rapemaker.

 

They posted a lot of videos on youtube titled "practical drum comparisons"

 

MD did a series & so did AA.

 

I determine if people are being truthful for a living as part of my Psych work.

 

Look at all the videos & make your own determination of how genuine the 2 parties are.

 

AA is scandalous in my honest assessment.

 

 

Here's how the MD-20's been tested.

Durability? Try running it over 11 times.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WA2MjeBzU0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzU5naPQMbg&feature=related

 

 

 

The Promag has had good reports, but there are also mounting reports of a few issues. They're still rather new, so not quite proven yet.

 

Their 12 round (nicknamed the "Nutsack") drum is receiving more of a following than their 20 rounder.

I've not heard anything negative about them yet.

 

From a customer's standpoint, MD-arms reminds you of what you'd like to remember the old days of outstanding customer service being like.

 

Since Mike lowered his price to $120.00 for a MD-20 he sells out quickly though.

 

I personally can't reccommend them enough. (If you couldn't tell.)

 

Edited August 14, 2010 by Paulyski

[psl sniper 963]

i love my md 20. but i really like the size of the 12 rnders.

[doodi1 23]

MD-20 is the only way to go. I have 8 and no regrets.

[eric2281 0]

Thanks for the great info folks! I was getting ready to place an order for a promag drum earlier but deceided to read up here first. I'm sure glad I did & then I saw this thread~ http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=58098&st=0

 

Needless to say, I just placed my order.

[Frosty 9]

MD-20 IS THE ONLY DRUM TO HAVE FOR THE S12.

 

 

 

 

As far as Alliance Armament is concerned.......................

 

 

Edited September 25, 2010 by Frosty

[ufo 20]

Maxround's PowerMag700 x 2 for IPSC competitions...

No experience with MD/AA/Promag.

[Gothmog 24]

Isn't Maxrounds the EU licensed product of AA? They look ecactly alike. Never was a fan of open to the elements mags. Seems they would jam in a real dirty situation, running them (with reliability service)in a 3 gun, they don't get dirty as much. But in the real world in the dirt and the muck, I wouldn't trust them more than a rock. Heard AA drums make great 500 dollar doorstops.

 

 

 

HUZZAH!!

[jcmacconnell 25]

THE MD20 is currently on sale too on the md arms website. 75 bucks!!! JUST ORDERED 2!!