Saiga .308 hi-caps likely post-AWB?

[hartzpad 0]

What do you think? Is it likely that 20 or even 30 round mags for the Saiga .308 will be manufactured and available here after the AWB sunsets? Would there be anything conficting about hi-caps for "sporter" imported Saigas? Or will Pistol Grip Saigas be able to be imported into the U.S. after the ban? I know that 922r would still apply and the Saigas would need to have 5 U.S. parts needed for the mags. Who will make them? Izhmash? I guess that a U.S. manufacturer could make some. Maybe, closer to the ban we should get a petition together and send it to different manufacturers to show them that there is demand for such magazines. Let me know your thoughts and opinions.

Edited February 15, 2004 by hartzpad

[Job_of_Uz 0]

I bet that they may make a 15 or 16 round mag. But 20 round seems too long, and 30 round is just humongous!

 

308 is a fat round, I can see 30 rounds in a 223 or 20 cal, they are small.

I say 20 rounds will be cool!

Edited March 14, 2004 by Job_of_Uz

[BattleRifleG3 16]

If factory mags are so expensive, think of how much production hi-caps would be.

 

I'm working on a G3 mag conversion myself.

[HPJeep 0]

I hope 20 rounders will be available. Isn't Krebs offering a conversion to M14 / M1A mags? They want $425 ar so to convert to pistol grip which is too high. I think 30 round mags would stick out too far and be too heavy. We can only hope some manufacturer steps up and makes hi cap mags after Sept. Let us know how your G3 mags work!

[BattleRifleG3 16]

I don't think any new manufacturer will be able to match the price of G3 mags these days.

[clc79092 0]

What would a G3 or M1A mag conversion consist of? I agree that a 30 round mag would be too heavy but I am interested in a 20 round mag (either magazine modification or rifle modification, prefer magazine modification)

Edited June 27, 2004 by clc79092

[ak01q 0]

From a manufacturers point of view, anything other than what they already have is not economically or practically feasable. The 308 is built as a hunting or sporting weapon it is not a military weapon for the manufacturer so why would it need a hi-cap mag. Additionally, the mag is single stack and somewhat tapered at the front and therefore so is the magwell in the rifle. Hi-cap 308 mags (M1A1, AR10) are more of a box and are double stack. It would be a major undertaking to convert this rifle (if at all) to take double stack mags, which is really the only practical way to have a hi-cap mag in this weapon. Just my two cents.

[skx762 0]

I disagree with the mag being a single stack, mine is definitely double. It is pretty narrow on the front though. I have heard that an unacceptable amount of the front trunion must be milled away to go with other magazines. There was a picture posted of a Saiga rifle on this site that used M14 mags.

 

I believe when I looked at it before, G3 and M14 mags were the safest bet for AKs because they had been used before for the Yugo and Israeli .308 AKs. I never had a chance to compare them close up and the only picture I have seen or rumors I have heard are for modifications to M14.

[joltash 0]

I don't understand the 922r law. The law talks about firearms barred from importation having no more than 10 imported parts. What does that have to do with a legally imported Saiga with 1 hi cap mag??

[RooK 0]

The 922r law is a list of restrictions on what can be imported. They also have a 'point' system to determine whether something is importable or not based on sporting features, which is a bunch of BS.

 

Anyway, If you have 10 or less imported parts on a Saiga, it is considered US made and import laws no longer apply to it. If you slapped pistol grip stock on a Saiga with 11 or more import parts, it automatically becomes illegal because it's foreign made and violates import laws.

[scottisme 0]

so what is the imported parts count on a unmodified saiga?

[joltash 0]

So, by putting on a new FCG, a pistol grip, and a new stock, then there would be less than 10 imported parts on the Saiga and it would be considered U.S. made? But if I were to just take a Saiga and put a U.S. mag on it, it would still have more than 10 foreign parts and would be illegal?

[RooK 0]

If you add a US mag, you subtract 3 foreign parts (mag body, follower and floorplate). But yes, it may still be illegal if it is now 'unimportable' with that large capacity magazine. All I can say is read the import law and see if it can still be imported, if it can it would be legal. I do remember someone mentioning that you might be able to use large capacity magazines in a Saiga without making it comply with US parts counts.

 

scottisme, I believe the count is 14.

[jtoddellis 2]

What about the VEPR 10 round mags will they fit the saiga? If so maybe there will be high cap. mags for the VEPR after the ban.

Edited August 10, 2004 by jtoddellis