Occhicone98 0 Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Hi guys - new to the forum. I fired a friends Converted Saiga in 7.62 recently and decided I wanted /had to have one. However, I've got an AR and buy ammo in bulk. So, thing about it, I'm thinking of doing my Saiga in .223 so I have 1 ammo that I can run through 2 weapons should one break down in a shtf situation. What are people's thoughts on this? Also, is the conversion for the .223 exactly the same as the 7.62? Any help on making up my mind would be appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaigaKen 338 Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 If you have a shit ton of ammo in .223, I would probably go that route Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Occhicone98 0 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I try to keep 1000 rounds on hand. - if I go out an put 200 through my AR, I replace them. Not sure if that's a shit ton - but I'm Leaning that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PFerris 76 Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I think you need to expand your weapons cache a little. The 7.62 conversion is pretty easy and when you put a bullet guide in it the mags are plentiful, cheap, and reliable. Ask your self, what would you rather be shoot with a 55 grain bullet or 124? I know neither one. The 223 is more accurate but the 7.62 does okay and is one great weapon IMO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Go 7.62, the ammo is cheap enough and you will then have both platforms in their intended callibers. Good basic start for your collection. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Occhicone98 0 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I do like shooting in 7.62! I think I'll start there and I'd the conversion goes well , do up a .223. Here in nj we can't have aks that accept hicap magazines (of Course out ARs can, we just can't use them) so, which ever I decide to convert, I'd I'm not changing the magazine well, it's only a matter of the moving the trigger group forward for the pistol grip and changing the stock? If I want traditional wood, would I have do anything to the front ie change gas tube? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jcx39 28 Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I would get the 762x39. Ammo is cheap. It packs a nice punch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
atakacorp 147 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 7.62 you can hunt pigs and deer,223 squerls,now you decide 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Kenny 144 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Tough call, but I would lean towards 7.62. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vulcan16 971 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 If you only want to stock one caliber of ammo.......then you already know the answer. Both calibers are great, the major differance is the 7.62 bullet hole is twice as big as the 223. A couple of years back ammo was hard to find , you could find 223 then 7.62 was hard to find and vice versa. Never again will I have only one caliber of ammo in the house. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony1 5 Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 l'd get the 762. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Roger 2 Posted April 5, 2012 Report Share Posted April 5, 2012 Well, in order to buy in bulk, save money and be able to go shooting a couple times a month I limited myself to x2 main calibers, 9mm and .223/5.56. So I went with the Saiga .223. I shoot a lot more and save a ton of money buying bulk. So that's the route I took. All of my friends with AR's get ticked because I get the cheap steel case ammo and save even more than them. Side note, .22lr don't count 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted April 5, 2012 Report Share Posted April 5, 2012 AKs chambered in 5.56x45/.223 tend to have more feeding/malfunction issues than those chambered in 7.62/5.45x39. The reason is the shape of the 5.56 cartridge. I'm not saying that 5.56 AKs are failure-prone, but they are definitely less reliable. If you want something flatter-shooting than 7.62x39, I suggest 5.45. It's also probably the cheapest center-fire rifle ammo on the planet, if you buy in bulk. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 5, 2012 Report Share Posted April 5, 2012 I built a Romy kit for 7.62, but a Saiga in .223 is on my short list. It is the only thing in .223 that is worth the money IMHO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 I built a Romy kit for 7.62, but a Saiga in .223 is on my short list. It is the only thing in .223 that is worth the money IMHO. Ah, now we get techinical. Is it the only thing in 5.56x45 "that is worth the money" in your opinion? Myself, I favor an AR upper with a 1:7 twist chrome-lined 20" barrel to fire 5.56x45, just as Gene Stoner intended. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 There are a LOT of nice .223 rifles. Dozens of Ar's and even a very nice Veper. They are all too much money for what they are! The S-.223 is the only NEW rifle with in MY price range that is worth the asking price. I can do a Saiga my way for <$500 and that includes a spam can of ammo! Show me any other NEW rifle for that price with equal reliability? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 (edited) There are a LOT of nice .223 rifles. Dozens of Ar's and even a very nice Veper. They are all too much money for what they are! The S-.223 is the only NEW rifle with in MY price range that is worth the asking price. I can do a Saiga my way for <$500 and that includes a spam can of ammo! Show me any other NEW rifle for that price with equal reliability? I can't claim to. However, I'm not generally a fan of the caliber and if I did buy another rifle that fired it, it'd be an AR with a 20" 1:7 twist barrel, so that the round could reach its full potential. Imo, if you're firing 5.56/.223, you may as well have the ergonomic advantages of the AR platform. There are piston kits you can install to increase reliability. Of course, both 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 AKs are far less expensive to shoot, (and supply mags for), ever so slightly more reliable, and are arguably more effective, especially 7.62. Edited April 7, 2012 by post-apocalyptic Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bohound 281 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 (edited) Well, in order to buy in bulk, save money and be able to go shooting a couple times a month I limited myself to x2 main calibers, 9mm and .223/5.56. So I went with the Saiga .223. I shoot a lot more and save a ton of money buying bulk. So that's the route I took. All of my friends with AR's get ticked because I get the cheap steel case ammo and save even more than them. Side note, .22lr don't count Run the same magazines in both too. That's the route I took anyway. Screw the wussy AR fanboys. Steel case all day or it's a piece of crap rifle that is finicky. (Read: Highly unsat) I have had ZERO FTF/FTE issues too... Don't know where somebody got that impression about the 5.56/5.45 platforms. The biggest reason I had for getting the 5.56 initially was SHTF- I don't think we can count on Combloc ammo to keep being available in the quantity it has been thus far if (when) things go south. I know... Put on the tin foil hat. Still, I have an AK that eats any ammo, out of AR magazines at that. What... Me worry? ETA: MY AR is PRIMARILY fed steel case, thus far. Seriously- it's just the AR fanboys that can't properly clean their rifle that bitch about steel case. It's so easy even a GIRL can do it! But somehow there is a TON of bitching about steel case on (b)Arfcom. Maybe they should just stick to their little zombie fantasies and fancy pictures of their safe queens. Buncha Maries, typical "AR" folks. Edited April 7, 2012 by bohound 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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