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What can be done to maximize the accuracy of a Saiga rifle?


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Outside of some type of improved sights, e.g. peeps vs open irons... Not really much to be done.

 

The main two things would be, try many types of ammo, to find out which one your rifle likes best, and improve on your skills.

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People on here have huge variances on what ammo works for them. Some get best groups with wolf and surplus stuff bites big time. Others have amazing results with the Yugoslav surplus. Try all of it, whatever seems to group best buy a metric ton.

 

I think people have discovered ammo is a huge factor in how these rifles perform accuracy wise. It'll shoot it all. But some a little straighter than others

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Re-crown the muzzle if you want to an 11 degree angle, and possibly upgrade your iron sights. Those are the only hardware improvements to "increase accuracy". The most influential aspect is always going to be the person behind the trigger though.

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After seeing the 1000yd AK episode on SOG I too have been fascinated on this topic. Yesterday I searched ".308 sniper" or " accurate .308" on this forum and came up with a ton of info and results. Will Haydens write up on all of what he did to the 1000yd AK on the show was very interesting.

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After seeing the 1000yd AK episode on SOG I too have been fascinated on this topic. Yesterday I searched ".308 sniper" or " accurate .308" on this forum and came up with a ton of info and results. Will Haydens write up on all of what he did to the 1000yd AK on the show was very interesting.

 

Where is Will's writeup?

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im sure polishing the trigger group and carrier would help smooth out the action and cause less ill effect when fired.

 

jim fuller has been doing ak work for some time. im sure his knowledge and ability to do those things are what keep him in business. i have never seen him post his secrets of success either. (i dont know if that info can be found, i just havent seen it)

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C'mon folks, its not like Jim Fuller's GSRs nor Red Jacket's efforts on that custom build, other than the trigger work, have much bearing on Beachman's conversion.

 

What can the average guy do?

 

Sights, a good set of peeps, e.g. Tech-Sights.

Trigger job, polish and set over travel stops.

Re-crown the barrel, 11' target crown.

Polish/debur all the internals.

Find the guns favorite ammo.

Practice our marksmanship, the 'Six Steps to Firing a Shot'.

 

Tune the bolt's face? *

Tune the breech?*

Tune and fit locking lugs?*

Head space and repin barrel?*

 

* Not something I'd recommend anyone but a gunsmith very familiar with the AK platform attempt.

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Skills, ammo, sights, trigger. More or less in that order. Quality ammo and sights that don't cover a foot at 100 yards are of equal importance.

 

Shooting good ammo with the stock irons won't really give you the benefit of the better ammo because your front sight post will likely be as wide as your target at 100 yards. Some people do better, but I can hardly keep my rounds on an 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper at 100 yards with stock sights. Part of that's my skills, but part of that is that the AK wasn't born with precision sights.

 

Shooting crap ammo with a scope or smaller front sight post will let you see the large spread you are shooting without being obscured by the larger front sight post.

 

Of course, the best equipped and most precise rifle in the world will only shoot as well as the person behind the trigger.

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I heard somewhere there were good results to be had cutting down longer barreled Saiga .308's to 18" and putting a target crown on it. More accurate during strings of fire. Maybe someone else knows better, I don't have a .308 and I heard it on some other forum somewhere. I think it was Rifle Dynamics doing this.

 

edited because of whiskey.

Edited by Parf
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I understand Saigas are capable of good accuracy, and I am wondering, is there anything one can do during the conversion process to the sights, barrel, etc. to maximize the accuracy of a Saiga rifle?

 

Upgrade the barrel and headspace it as tight as possible.

A match grade bull barrel like a douglas air gauged with a slower twist rate and a premium crown.

Match grade ammo with bullets that actually match the exact bore diameter.

I had posted up a thread sometime back about someone that did this and his first 5 shot group was

under an inch.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Granted i have a 20in barreled version, I upgraded my rear to a peep with a slimmer front post and most people that shoot it, A. Dont realize it has a 20in barrel and B comment on how accurate it is for an AK. So why not upgrade your sights and go down the good quality ammo route and define what type of "accuracy" your desiring big_smile.gif

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Pay particular attention to the butt stock and hand guard fit. Anything less than "tight as a bull's ass in fly time" will affect accuracy. LIGHTLY stone the trigger for a smooth release, go easy just make it smooth, too light is worse than a bit heavy for a trigger and smooth beats 'gritty'. Bend the dust cover a tweak to make it "tight as a bull's ass in fly time" (see a pattern here? any part that can move or vibrate freely will reduce accuracy). Re-crown the barrel, and try different muzzle breaks and flash hiders. Muzzle attachments change barrel harmonics, some for the good, some for the bad. SHOOT MANY MANY ROUNDS! Every gun has a favorite ammo, and every shooter needs to fire hundreds of rounds thru their gun to find that ammo and to build their 'muscle memory' of that gun.

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