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Just picked up a new Vepr 12 from Atlantic through my local FFL this afternoon. Planning on hitting the range tomorrow morning with some slugs and 00 to shred some paper. Any tips? I think I will read the manual, rack the bolt a few times, and strap a sling on it. Any tips, tricks or traps? Do you run it wet or dry?

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Here she is! I took her to the range this morning. I shot 50 rounds of S&B 00 buck and 25 of S&B "sport" slugs. The buck ran like a charm. The slugs started with FTEs on every round, then every other round. At the end I could shoot 2-3 slugs before a FTE. I think if I continue to work in the Vepr it will shoot better.

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First day paper punches. The bottom of the first target is 00 buck at 25 feet. The top shows slugs at 45 feet. The second target shows 00 buck (bottom) and slugs (top) at 75 feet. Both were standing over open sites with no mods. I was surprised at how accurate the Vepr was for slugs at 45 and 75 feet. I would have shot at greater range, but 75 feet is the max for our indoor range.

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Day two at the range:

 

Before heading out, I cleaned the gun well. I applied grease to the rails and wiped down some of the other moving surfaces with CLP. I cycled the bolt a few times. It seemed a little smoother, or that may just be my imagination.

 

At the range I started with 15 rounds of 1600 fps Winchester slugs. They ran perfectly. I followed with 25 rounds of S&B 00 buck and finished with 25 rounds of S&B sporter slugs. Everything ran well, except the sporter slugs, but even they ran much better than the first day out. The sporters gave me a small number of FTEs, where they had been failing every other round on the first day out. It looks like the Vepr is breaking in nicely.

 

I was very happy again with the accuracy of the slugs. At 75 feet the gun was consistently scoring head shots from a standing position over iron sights. I was hitting an inch or so to the right without modifying the sights. A quick adjustment for windage on the rear sight and the slugs were mostly lining up vertically in the center of the target. As a former Saiga 12 owner, I think that the Vepr is more accurate than my old Saiga. On the other hand, I could be improving. :)

 

Comparing the Vepr to the Saiga, the Vepr's mag well, open bolt lock, and variable gas system are valuable upgrades. Mag changes are quick and easy so long as the mag is inserted in an assertive manly-man fashion. I found it much easier to load the Vepr on a closed bolt. Also, the ability to close the bolt by depressing the small lever on the right side near the trigger brought a smile to my face. No more reaching over with the left hand or taking my right hand offer the grip!

 

I felt like I could shoot all day long ... except those 1600 fps slugs. They kicked like a mule!

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I took mine out two weekends back and fired just the way it came out of the box with the exception of a different rear stock. The first 10 shots were Rio Royal 00 buck using the factory Vepr magazines with no issues. I then fired another 5 rounds of Rio using a 10 round SGM magazine flawlessly. I decided to switch loads and loaded 5 rounds of Winchester Super Speed #8 shot, 1 oz, 1350fps using the factory magazine and it cycled them without issue. I loaded the SGM magazine with 10 rounds of the #8 shot and all but one round (FTE) fired great. Not sure if I loosened my grip a little on the (FTE) round but I was able to fired the remaining 15 rounds with no problems. And lastly I switched loads again to Winchester Super Sport #7 1/2 shot, 1 1/8 oz, 1300fps and shot the entire box using both the factory and SGM magazines with no issue.

 

I haven't fired any slugs through it as of yet to check its accuracy and it will be several months before I do so as I just had my rotator cuff in my right shoulder repaired last Thursday morning. I'm very satisfied with this shotgun and can't wait to heal enough to shoot it again.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok, I own 2 VEPR 12s and they are different one FTEs like everyone else's the other is smooth with no FTEs. They are cool guns but over rated, can you imagine a Benelli or Mossberg doing what these guns do (FTE) and the owners not being outraged?

 

Looking bad ass is nice, but working bad ass more important.

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Ok, I own 2 VEPR 12s and they are different one FTEs like everyone else's the other is smooth with no FTEs. They are cool guns but over rated, can you imagine a Benelli or Mossberg doing what these guns do (FTE) and the owners not being outraged? Looking bad ass is nice, but working bad ass more important.

 

 

Unfortunately, I have to look at them like a project gun rather than an out of the box gun like my Benelli M4.

 

It's okay, I guess, but I did have high expectations for the Vepr. Hoping it was GTG from the factory.

 

Regardless it is a fun gun, I can't wait to got shoot mine after having a bunch of work done on it!

 

There are some reports of Benelli M4s not feeding Bulk Pack by the way. I haven't seen it - I've had 2, and never had such an issue but others have.

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I like mine. I can trust mine. It ran fine out of the box. Sucks that many have one thats problematic.

 

That's how mine has been as well. Slight cant to the top rail but runs everything I have put in it, so far, even with the 2 of the 6 SGM 10's I've tried.

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Mine is extremely dependable ...as long as I stick to high power slugs or buckshot for now. I haven't tried birdshot, but as long as our "eastern block colleagues" don't attack with flocks of spetznaz dive bomber parakeets, the Vepr should be fine for HD. The reason I chose it and the Saiga that preceded it over brand X is the dependability of the ak-style system. My Vepr has been more dependable from the first round than any other gun I have own except my revolvers and Saiga x39. I chose it after hearing gun store employees talk about how hard and expensive it is to get European semi-auto shotguns repaired when they break!

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Mine has ran like a top ever since I ditched US mags and shells < 1200 FPS. Before that would not rely on her, she was just a fun experiment. I was really down on her a while back and was going to sell her, as she is way to expensive to just be a range toy. But now, I feel like I can rely on her. I think a few more outings to the range and I would feel perfectly comfortable relying on her as much as any other ak.

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The action may be similar but the physics are completely different. In the AK system the carrier is much heavier than the bolt. The Saiga 12 has a big honkin bolt and more resistance in the action. Couple that with an iffy gas system and you simply cannot compare the Kalashnikov with the 12 gauge jerry rigged guns.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update: no problem with bird shot; even 1200 fps shot reliably!

 

I had the chance to take the Vepr out to the desert yesterday and shoot a quick couple dozen rounds. Before heading out I went to Wally World and picked up a box of Remington Nitro 7.5 1300fps 2.75 and a box of the cheapest Winchester #8 shot, 1200fps 2.75.

 

When I arrived I loaded two SGM 12 round mags with eight rounds of the cheap stuff and topped it off with 4 rounds of the Rem Nitro. Down into the gully I went. I seated the mags, which took some effort.

 

I shot three of the Nitro rounds into a 12" target about 12-15 yards away, and they cycled without a problem. Then I started slowly shooting the cheap Winchester rounds. They all cycled perfectly. Then I started shooting the cheap rounds in faster succession. No problem. Not a single FTF or FTE. I dropped the first magazine and proceeded to do the same with the same with the second with exactly the same results. To say I am impressed is an understatement! I could feel the lighter recoil when shooting the 1200 FPS rounds. Also, I noticed that they were not ejected as far as the 1300 Nitros, because I had to pick up the hulls when I was done (desert shooting rules).

 

The target? I blew out a whole ragged section of the target and cardboard backer about six inches around with additional shot sprayed father apart in all directions.

 

Two regrets: I wished I have kept the target or taken a picture, and I wished that I wasn't rushed and could spend some more time shooting!

 

Also, regarding the SGM 12 round mags, when I first tried them I had two problems: the shells would get stuck in the mag and would not feed, and the mags are hard to seat in the mag well. The sticking problem was intermittent. I thought the mags might just need to be broken in so I practiced loading them and pushing the rounds manually into the mag and letting them come up to the top on their own. I think doing that and continuing to shoot using the mags may have solved that problem because I did not have a single issue with sticking in my latest shooting section. I am hoping that the seating problem will resolve itself just through use. The problem is that when I insert the mag, it is too tight to activate the catch on the mag release or only does so partially. I really have to wrestle with it or give it a strong smack into the well to get the mag release lever to fully catch the mag. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any advice on the mag seating issue?

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