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Saiga 12 Adventure


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I'm new to the Saiga 12 scene and am learning that even as a noob with limited tools and knowledge of the platform I can still do cool stuff with it. I know that a lot of guys on here are capable of building some pretty professional rigs. Anyway I just wanted to start a thread about what I learn along with path.

I purchased a new unconverted 12 from a local shop to me. I got a good deal since I was buying a bunch of other rifles before the Oct 1 ban here in MD. 

Not being a fan of continuous heavy recoil I like to shoot a lot of the light stuff I decided to install the DPH arms low brass reliability kit. If anyone else has experience with with this kit please chime in.

http://dpharms.com/products/saiga_accessories/saiga_12_low_brass_reliability_kit.html

Here is where I am so fare. Everything fit together very well and I waiting for the weekend to test out the adjustable plug. I have about six different loads to check functionality. And Will report back!

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I have a mass of items on my wish list but its all about how much I can afford and what I'm mechanically capable of.....

Thanks for the welcome to the forum!

 

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Welcome. You won't regret getting this gun, read around and do things right the first time. You will find all your questions have almost certainly been asked and answered before. Google the URL plus a space then the phrase you are searching for to find the answers. It works better than the internal search feature. I also put a few links in my signature line to answer the usual questions that come up for folks in your shoes. Obviously those reflect my opinions, and other people may see things differently.

 

I am not really a fan of the low recoil kit as it reduces the versatility of the shotgun. you'll find that one of the big perks of this shotgun is that the gas system soaks up a lot of the recoil, so standard power ammo will feel about like low recoil stuff does in a pump gun. This kind of makes weak ammo pointless. 

 

I suggest you get a good recoil pad, and maybe a compensator. There are also mercury tubes and pogo-stocks.

 

Also, brace your self for a wave of people who will correctly tell you that how you hold it makes a very big difference in how much recoil you feel. I assume you already know this so will spare you the insult.

 

I believe in being able to run as broad a range of ammo as possible, and being able to shoot more powerful ammo more comfortably and more quickly. A properly fitting stock, good buttpad will make the biggest difference. Then in descending order of effectiveness: real compensator, mercury tube/ pogo-stock, putting heavy accessories on. You will find that 3 dram ammo will run well, and have very little recoil even in a very light gun. IMO a shotgun is supposed to be nimble, and adding weight is a poor way to mitigate recoil, & muzzle flip. Compensators have reverse deminishing returns, by which I mean that if you are shooting weenie ammo, you won't feel much of a difference, but the more powerful the ammo, the bigger the percent of reduction. There are many things marketed as Muzzle Brakes which are really just stylized flash hiders.

 

google the forum to see endless waves of uninformed threads about which is best. " The only one I've tried is the very best Everything AWESOME Co Tactical Gear makes is amazing!!!1!" "No stupid, the only one I've tried is best! Besides I thought about it real hard, so that proves it...." 
 

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Thanks for the feedback.

I not new to the gun world just the Saiga world. I've been hunting and shooting since i was a kid and even do some competitions, so technique is not an issue. Most of what I shoot is rimfire, and bench rifles all out to long ranges. Most of my rifles don't have much in the way of recoil as heavy as they are. I've shot clays in the past but just with target loads. I'm doing a lot of reading on this forum which I must admit is a little intimidating. I appears that most on here are very capable of doing the conversions and refinishing them selves and I'm going to have to push my comfort zone a bit. I think a lot of what I'll do will have to be by trial.....

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Be sure and establish a base line with only factory parts (no dph gear or anything else.

 

PLEASE!!! Get the gun to run 1 1/8 oz loads at 1200 fps well before changing a single part out. It will save a lot of trouble later on.

 

I am an advocate of Removing as much system drag as possible before ever cutting the gas ports larger. The smaller your ports, the less fouling you will have (easier cleanup and longer functioning before seizing up). "Just enough" gas means your gun will not beat you or itself to pieces. Others are drill-happy and disagree. I will say that some guns require drilling the ports and/or correcting the gas block window (very dangerous) before they will run properly.

 

For now, put back all of your factory parts and get a Federal 100 rd bulk pack from Walmart to the specs I listed above. Try the gun out (on setting 2) and see how she runs. I racked the bolt very violently several hundred times to debur it a bit. If you have failures, snap a picture and report back. Note everything about how it happens and give details here so we can help you. if you follow good advice (GunFun's, etc) and not bad advice (there is a lot on the forum) you will do very well.

 

Go have fun with that new gun! Congrats and welcome.

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I have not had a change to test it out yet. I should have time on Saturday. I know its kind of a trivial part but I got a few breaks or flash hiders from DPH. I could pic one from images on a computer screen so I ordered a few and will keep the ones like and either karma the other ones off or sell them. Anyway......I'm liking the two Russian model ones with the slots in them. All of them are pretty cool and seem to fit the gun pretty well.

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Thr break on the middle row, right side, is called the carlson comp demon break. I have used it on a VEPR and was very surprised and impressed woth it. Gave noticiable recoil reduction out the side vents. I would encourage trying it. The rear right side, the phoenix flame break looks more aggressive but did not equate the capability of the demon break. The front and rear left are more of the flash hider variety than muzzle breaks.

 

Good luck and enjoy the ride with the new S12. It can break the bank if you arent careful :-)

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I ordered some other stuff. Nothing that required any skill to install just some cool pieces that even a noob like me can add to a 12.

Cool barrel shroud.....again from DPH since I got a coupon code since my last order. I think the code expired on Sept 31 but there might be a new on...

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I ordered some other stuff. Nothing that required any skill to install just some cool pieces that even a noob like me can add to a 12.

Cool barrel shroud.....again from DPH since I got a coupon code since my last order. I think the code expired on Sept 31 but there might be a new on...

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How does that gas tube cover attach?

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  • 2 months later...

Its hard at first to take files or power tools to a firearm especially if youve been used to expensive bench rifles. But keep it up and post some pics of the finished product. I really like that gas tube cover looks like a heat sheild on a pump.

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The conversion is a fun trip, but the gas reliability was a different trip I wished I had a veteran prepare me for. As long as you have a dremel tool with polishing kit to evenly polish up the hammer face and contact points of the bolt carrier, it will help you towards reliability (reducing drag/friction) tremendously. You can also polish the side rails within the receiver as well. I highly recommend taking notes from close up details of professionally converted S12's before removing any material (feed ramp) or widening the gas ports. The feed ramp tutorial in the polishing thread removes more metal from the feed ramp than necessary (I compared it to the work of TAC47 in person with my own eyes), but pay no mind to this mod if you aren't having any non-gas related feeding problems.

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Got everything back together... It feels ok. I do plan to polish the carrier....why?....don't know it just gives me a chubby.

I started stripping it but its not going as planned so I might have to seak another method. Anyway.
I don't have the pistol grip and trigger guard but I might try to get out and function test it tomorrow with three or four different loads tomorrow.
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