Accuracy improvements

[WhiteRabbit 4]

So I finally scoped my Saiga using a generic scope on top of a sturdy TWS rail, and I was treated to the sight of bullets flying everywhere but where the crosshairs were pointed. I'm guessing 6 MOA with expensive ammo. Any improvement I could make would be good.

 

Options for improving accuracy that I am aware of:

 

1. Recrowning with Dinzag tools

 

Expensive, but doable and the crown looks a little rough so it could benefit.

 

2. Barrel lapping

 

David Tubb makes ammo with lapping compound on the bullets. This has good reviews, and is supposed to work even on chrome-lined barrels. My barrel was clearly made with loving Russian precision and might benefit from being smoother but I'm also kind of nervous about shooting sandpaper down my barrel. Has anyone tried Tubb's stuff?

 

3. A better handguard

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGivoWD9OvQ

 

The engineer in me says that if the muzzle flops about as much as you see in the video then one way to improve accuracy would be to restrain the barrel by clamping it to a long stiff metal handguard like what UTG makes. My factory handguard also has just a little bit of play from being put on roughly, which is my fault.

 

Options I am aware of, but won't do:

 

1. Handloading

 

Takes up too much space, too complicated. I would rather not start doing this if I can avoid it.

 

Bottom line:

 

What option should I start with, and is there anything else I can do to get more accuracy out of this rifle that I should be aware of?

Edited November 11, 2012 by WhiteRabbit

[muvef 3]

Put a descent scope on it, one proven to hold it's zero. I wouldn't lap it. They are chromed lined for durability, not accuracy. I wouldn't re-crown it either. Re-crowning may be a waste of time. I'm not sure of the twist rate in a saiga .223 barrel, but matching your bullet weight with your twist rate may help. They really aren't built for accuracy. I do remember a earlier post where the question was asked, what minute of angle should be expected from the saiga? Someone replied, MOD or minute of dead. I wouldn't expect much more from a Saiga/AK platform rifle at a 100 yrds.

[josey88 21]

Well, I don`t know much about the accuracy of .223 Saigas , but I can attest that my 20" barrel Saiga is very accurate , as much as my AR-15 . It is easy to put the rds on a 3 inch bull sight at 100 yards . The target sheet has 5 bulls and I can perfectly pick each of them and put all rds inside . Of course, this is not a sub Moa rifle but this is shooting with regular 62 and 75 gr Wolf polymer ammo (My AR has 1 to 7 twist , so I use 75gr ammo for both guns ... sometimes 62 gr , but always polymer , not lacquer ammo ). My Saiga has a 1 to 9 twist , so 62 gr is theorically better for it , but I shoot the 75 gr with the same results as with the 62 gr . I have never shot the 55gr rd with neither of both guns , so I cannot say how accurate would be .

I usually take them both to compare and I am very happy with mine . Never had a single problem , I did the conversion myself (I also installed a Buffer) and I use Surefire mags (no bullet guide) without a single hiccup at all , ever . These Surefire mags work like a charm : load them , shoot and go home ... just like that . I have 7 mags , 6-30 rd and 1-20 rd... All work perfectly .

After all the upgrades and conversion , scope/side mount and folded stock, bipod , etc. etc. it has become somewhat kind of heavy compared to my AR but that is strictly my doing .

Edited November 11, 2012 by josey88

[mancat 2,368]

Leave the gun alone until you've ruled out that there isn't something wrong with your method, your optics, or something interfering with barrel harmonics on the gun.

 

I tried once to squeeze out accuracy from the Saiga. Out of a variety of ammo, the average group size was 3" at 100yd. This is pretty much on par with the average off the shelf AR-15, so anywhere in that range is really nothing to complain about, given that AKs are supposed to not be able to hit anything.

 

Maybe I'll try again later, but frankly I really don't care at the moment. The only real thing I'd like to give a shot with (pun intended) is hitting some steel plates out to 500yd. Haven't had a chance to do it yet.

 

The last time I had the .223 out and scoped, without a bipod on it, I was knocking off hand-sized rocks at the 200yd berm reliably with cheap-ass steel ammo. Really, most shooters that aren't familiar with AKs will not believe that until they see it. BUT, it's never going to be a Camp Perry rifle.

Edited November 12, 2012 by mancat

[WhiteRabbit 4]

I will pick up some heavier fancy ammo and then try everything else one method at a time until something changes, even if that is expensive and potentially pointless! For science!