imarangemaster 315 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) Well, I have been dying to go to the range and shoot my new Saiga, especially since I replace the FCG with a Tapco G2 modified to replicate the stock FCG and installed a bullet guide. After three false starts (where my range trip was pre-empted by "she who must be obeyed" coming up with things she thought were more important for me to do) in the last month, today was to be the day. I got off work at 7AM and drove down to the California DF&G Spenceville range about 15 minutes from my work. Understand, this is the only free range in a 100 mile circle (or more) and pacls up EVERY day and looks like a circus. By noon, there will be 75 people or more. Even today, I got the at 7:15 AM and there were already two car loads there. I have not shot there in about two years, and that time was only because it was raining and there were only about 10 people there. Back to the story. I arrive at 7:15, only to find that the range faces east, and at 7:15, the sun was just over the horizon in my eyes where I could not see targets and the front and rear sights were 100% GLARE! I decided to try to wait awhile for the sun to raise higher, and maybe get some shooting done. The results would suck, but at least I could function test it. As I waited, a thin cloud passed in front of the sun, cutting the glare a bit. I fired a few shots with the rear sight on "200" going for a POA/POI at 25 yards. Ivan had it shooting WAY low at 25, so I used my Tapco sight tool to screw the front sight down a a lot of turns. Finally I arrived center of group being at POI/POA elevation wise. The windage was actually close to, and only needed a 64th or 132nd of an inch It was close, . I had a group of 1.5" at 25 with the sun in my eyes, which wasn't too bad considering the target was still hard to see, even when the sun was behind the cloud. I did some 100 and 150 yard shots from a casual rest (leaning on a picnic table) and nailed various rocks and softball sized items with regularity. I was also going to try to dial in my retro AR build while the sun was still behind the cloud, so I put the Saiga aside, figuring to shoot better for group size later. I had no more than 6 or 7 shots from the AR, when clean up crew showed up (at 8 AM) and advised me the range is closed 8AM until 9 or 10AM for clean up, every Tuesday. So I did not get to finish the AR, or shoot the Saiga for group size. It functioned flawlessly with the bullet guide and reconfigured Tapco G2. The trigger was very smooth, and I feel that I could do much better with a shooting rest and the sun behind me! At least I got to shoot it, and know it is on target enough to hit a man's torso at 200 yards. Ammo was Tulammo 122 FMJ, manufactured at Ulyanovsk (according to the box). Edited August 12, 2014 by imarangemaster Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Protectandserve 6 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Still haven't been able to take mine out yet. I need to find some non bi-metal/ non steel core ammo so I can go to some of the ranges around me. All the Wolf ammo I bought because it was cheap, fails the magnet test. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imarangemaster 315 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) The Pala range down by San Diego allows steel jacket on paper targets, but not steel targets. They have an LEO/Fire discount, also. http://www.ncsapala.com/ Edited August 12, 2014 by imarangemaster Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Protectandserve 6 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Just picked up some Red Army Standard lead core ammo from Turners. Should be able to hit the range tomorrow and finally get it tested out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigtwin 219 Posted August 13, 2014 Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 Good for you Rangemaster. I am sure by now you know to avoid that place on the weekend due to the "less than awesome" folks that arrive. I have not been there in a couple years due to my work schedule not allowing me the time to make it during the week. After two times making it there on the weekend I would never shoot there again on a weekend........my life is worth more than that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Protectandserve 6 Posted August 13, 2014 Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 ^That's how the public range at Burro Canyon in Azusa is. Their private lanes are awesome. Public range is full if straight up bangers shooting pistols sideways, shotguns from the hip and the like. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imarangemaster 315 Posted August 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 To say Spenceville is scary on a weekend is an understatement! Imagine a family reunion picnic, a drunken brawl, WWF wrestling, gang banger get together, all with guns..... People sweep each other with loaded weapons, go downrange while people are shooting, and do stupid things with loaded guns all rolled into one. It is absolute scary chaos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Protectandserve 6 Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Got to fire mine today at the indoor range. Shot very tight groups but was low and right. Don't have a sight adjustment tool right now so I will have to wait on remedying that problem. Also my lower handguard retainer is moving when I shoot. Need to Loctite the screws with it in place and hope that solves the issue. I was overall very impressed with how it shot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imarangemaster 315 Posted August 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Get the new model Tapco front sight tool. It is milled for the bumps on the front sight base around the cross pin the sight is screwed in, that a Saiga has that other AKs do not. As far as retainer, what one are you using? If it is one with a set screw to tighten against the barrel, try dimpling the barrel where the set screw in the retainer engages it. It only takes a little bit of a dimple in the barrel for the set screw to engage? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Protectandserve 6 Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Its the lower retainer from Dinzag arms. I was thinking of dimpling it for the set screw, glad to hear I'm not crazy thinking to do that. Also gotta find my Loctite. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShadowFire 220 Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 Nice shooting. From what I know about the AK sights (and the reason I love them) is that you have graduated rear sights for various distances. I like that simplicity. 25 yards huh? I'm not sure what the marking is but it's the lowest marking on an AK style rifle. On Romanians it's "P" on the Bulgarians it's something else. Anyway that setting is for targets closer than the numbered targets. Trajectory also plays a factor. At 75 yards you can set it to 3 (300) and the drop will line your POI up with your POA at that distance, just like at 300. One also has to factor in that Ivan dialed her in with a range set to meters, not yards, so your trajectory at distances may vary till a proper dial in. Of coarse, it's always top priority to set it up the way you want it to aim on the settings you want to use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted August 24, 2014 Report Share Posted August 24, 2014 When i first got mine, i tried to zero using the battle zero method (all the way back and zeroed at 25m) and i found that my shots hit 6in high @100m with the rear sight set to 1. After that i decided to zero at 100m with the sight set at 1 and take all the guesswork out of it. That way you know its on and can use the slider as it was intended. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mostholycerebus 415 Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Not too bad. My first time out, I forgot the sight tool. Second time out, I only brought 1 loaded mags worth of ammo. Nowadays, I spend more time double checking my range bag before leaving. But then, its an hour and a half drive to my range. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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