Help me lighten up my tactical S12.

[AyKay 0]

Currently I am looking to lighten up my S12.

 

I have on a rail system that I am thinking of taking off and putting on the factory hand guards, but their is a flashlight on my rail. How can I attach the surefire 300 to my S12 so that it is lighter than my current CSS Rail?

I also have a Vltor stock on my S12. Thinking of replacing this with a more authentic stock. This might possibly save weight?

 

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

 

EDIT: New Questions/Comments at bottom with update.

Edited October 2, 2013 by AyKay

[Nailbomb 10,221]

pics?

[PRISONSHANK 70]

Just add a rail to the bottom of the oem handguard for your light

[menace667 194]

Take a magpul rail section and mount it to the factory handguard and roll with that. A hollow AR tube with a VLTOR in my mind should not be heavier than the factory crap butstock. Plus the beneficial purpose ot serves would far outweigh an ounce or two in weight.

 

If all you plan to replace is a tri rail and stock i would not imagine the weight you will save will equate to much. Possibly getting rid of the flash light and adding night sights for low ligt shooting would save several ounces. If not that then replacing a heavier light with a pistol rail light would still save several ounces but keep the flashlight option.

[smb 3]

Russiansurplus sells a factory style handguard with a rail.

[gunfun 3,931]

Just add a rail to the bottom of the oem handguard for your light

 

You can get aluminum Pic rail "low style" for about $11/a foot. It isn't hard to do. I would suggest  making a jig so that you can make the bottom surface of the hand guard parallel to the bore on a belt sander before putting the rail on. 

[lbsrdi 1,078]

pics?

This

[Matthew Hopkins 1,065]

Currently I am looking to lighten up my S12.

 

I have on a rail system that I am thinking of taking off and putting on the factory hand guards, but their is a flashlight on my rail. How can I attach the surefire 300 to my S12 so that it is lighter than my current CSS Rail?  

 

 

 

you can do what PRISONSHANK suggested for the rail. my suggestion would be to do away the rail and light all together, and go with the standard SAIGA handguard, or the K-Var RPK handguard.  if you plan of using this shotgun for home protection, then a flash light would be the stupidest thing to have on it. you turn on the light to see better, you just gave the intruder a BIG HEADS UP, and a great target for him to aim at.  this is a shotgun, and a semi-auto one, you don't have to be precise to aim the thing, just the general direction, the shots will find it's target.

 

also have a Vltor stock on my S12. Thinking of replacing this with a more authentic stock. This might possibly save weight?

 

it will save you weight. a VLTOR stock weights close to a pound, a standard AK polymer stock weighs about half that.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Matthew Hopkins

[saltydecimator 482]

 

  this is a shotgun, and a semi-auto one, you don't have to be precise to aim the thing, just the general direction, the shots will find it's target.

 

not necassarily... unless you running open choke, even then you still need to try... its not just a close your eyes and pull the trigger and the BGs magically die you gotta do your part...

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsN2AugB5pw

[AyKay 0]

Understood all of the above comments. Been around a while, but new to these forums.

I will save funds until I can purchase a standard polymer stock (in a short term bind right now).

Looking into what smb had posted right after this.

If I had a handgun, I would feel just fine without a light since my other hand would be free to turn on lights, but since I would be using a two handed firearm then I feel as thought the light could still be useful.

Thank you for all the help/ideas.

[gunfun 3,931]

A light is very useful. if you set it up right, you should have momentary activation without having to shift your grip.

[AyKay 0]

Another question:

 

I am looking for an authentic stock for the Saiga 12 (not the sport usa version). Are these the AK100 series folders?

 

Side note: I ordered up the Saiga factory hand guards with rail from rusmilitary.

 

Thanks again.

[6500rpm 670]

Mass reduces recoil. ultimately your better off moving the weight around on the gun to make the balance feel better than just reducing weight. The S12 is typically front heavy to start with imho.

[gunfun 3,931]

While mass attenuates recoil, there are so many better ways to do that. For instance a recoil pad, and a muzzle comp. Lighten that sucker up.

[lelandeod 179]

I think that a lot of Saiga owners (who shoot frequently) eventually regret adding all the heavy accessories to their shotgun (I know I sure as hell did).  The "that looks bad ass" effect eventually wears off and you come to realize that it you've done nothing but make your shotgun heavy, awkward, bulky and unbalanced.

[Terminator03 18]

I think that a lot of Saiga owners (who shoot frequently) eventually regret adding all the heavy accessories to their shotgun (I know I sure as hell did).  The "that looks bad ass" effect eventually wears off and you come to realize that it you've done nothing but make your shotgun heavy, awkward, bulky and unbalanced.

 

Yep, that's why I kept the factory fore end, and just milled some cooling slots along the top to improve the look of it (and shave some weight off to offset a rail section). I plan to add an AFG to the bottom, but will mill a mount surface and direct mount it rather than adding an extra rail just to attach it to. I also plan to add a short plastic MOE rail section to the side for a light. I figured that even though all of these quad rails look awesome, they definitely add a bunch of weight, add sharp edges, and ultimately unless you are a mall ninja with all kinds of useless crap hanging off the gun, there really is no need for all of that rail anyway. I try to keep all of my rifles as light as possible, so I only add rails where they are needed.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Terminator03

[Sdustin 578]

If you want lite and need a light do what has been suggested. But I would use a magpul section they are polymer. Then usd surefire G2 its much lighter and should work just fine, the newer led polymer sure fires are bright. Then vikings tactical makes an off set 1" flashlight mount made of polymer. Its get three set screws that dig into the polymer body of the G2 but if thats its going to stay who cares, it helps hold the light and it will handle a 12ga. I had this same set up but with a hk fabarm FP6 12ga pump. I fired over 400 rounds of buck and slugs with that flashlight on it. I had it set up with a tango down vert grip and your thumb would line right up with the thumb switch of the light.

 

I had that shotgun 6 years ago and still have the light with the same bulb. And this was an incandescent G2.

[gunfun 3,931]

I wouldn't want a plastic rail if there is any chance of mounting a verical grip. That's a lot of leverage on a small area. That and magpul stuff always seems to come at a premium price. You can get aluminum at least as cheap, and it is still only a couple ounces for a few inches of rail.

[Sdustin 578]

On the hk I had the factory forend was tapped for a lower rail so I bought the hk rail, you think magpul likes their stuff try hk.

[AyKay 0]

Ended up going with this set up:

 

oem saiga 12 hand guards with rail for light, took off the magwell and reprofiled and polished my bolt for my new izhmash factory 8 rounder's, eliminated the 12 round mags for 8 rounder's, took off the vltor stock for a usa made black polymer warsaw length fixed stock.

She is MUCH lighter and MUCH more manageable. I am loving all of the changes.

 

Thanks for all of the ideas, advise and links.

[Deadeye 325]

I made a front handgaurd that is super light from a old maglight flashlight and a rail section. just get creative

Edited October 12, 2013 by deadeye