This guy at my work swears that the saiga he has is the best thing that ever existed. He hates when people call it an AK47 and says that is the Rolls Royce of who knows what. Says that all AK47s come in pieces here and the saiga doesn't. He also seems to think that the Russian Army carries saigas. As far as I know Russians still carry AKMs. Isn't the Saiga based on the Ak74? Are parts the same as an AK47s? Share some knowledge with me please. What are the differences?
they are made in russia with all new parts compared to true ak47s which are pieced together. Very little differences once a saiga has ben converted. i think handguards are diff and no flash hider... i dont know of anymore?
Saiga's tend to be nicer than most domestically available AKM based rifles. They are made in Russia with all new parts. Most of the other AKM rifles are built from parts kits from used surplus rifles and assembled in American made receivers. Saigas are imported with monte Carlo stocks and no pistol grip. With a few modifications they will accept AKM parts, including pistol grips and Warsaw pact furniture. Forum.saiga-12.com
All the parts are very similar, but not the same. Almost everything in a Saiga 12 is larger than on an AK, because it's handling a much larger cartridge. The sights are completely different though. Saiga sights are on either end of the piston tube, and they are small and crappy, with the front sight generally shaped very poorly. But they are zeroed, and the guns will pattern to POA. The receiver hole patterns are different also, since a lot of the receivers are pre-perforated for modification to a pistol-grip, which minimizes the amount of work needed to convert one.
They are also less reliable from factory, since the factory has oftentimes not cleared the gas ports in the barrel, and sometimes not drilled all three of them. When this happens there isn't enough gas delivered to run the action every time, and you get ejection and extraction issues.
They are also less reliable from factory, since the factory has oftentimes not cleared the gas ports in the barrel, and sometimes not drilled all three of them. When this happens there isn't enough gas delivered to run the action every time, and you get ejection and extraction issues.
One would have to admit there is quite a bit of truth in this statement.
I think he was discussing the Saiga rifles, not the shotgun variants.
The Saiga is a very good sporterized version of the AK. In order to fulfill the requirements of most AK aficionados, it will have to be reworked from it's sporterized configuration into something more closely resembling a traditional AKM. Is it the "Rolls Royce"? No. Cadillac perhaps, but not Rolls. Arsenal and VEPR arguably make a superior AK variant. The Finnish Valmet is a superbly built AK variant. Some of the original pre-ban AK imports with milled vs. stamped receivers are also arguably better. A lot of folks would say that one of the best AK variants available anywhere in the world are made right here in Oklahoma (Wyandotte) by The Firing Line.
I'd say forgive your coworker for believing his Saiga is all that. Lots of people invest a lot of emotion into their firearms. It may not be the best, but it's still pretty damn good. Just don't let him tell you his Mak-90 is the second best AK ever made.
There is some truth to what your co-worker is saying. Saigas are made at the Izmash factory in Russia on the same machinery that the current military AKs are made on. However, before they are imported to the U.S., they have some modifications made so that they are considered "sporting rifles" under U.S. import law (non-pistol grip stock, no threaded muzzle, no bayonet lug). Then when they are here, many are promptly turned back into AK configuration, which unfortunately requires the replacement of some of the original Russian parts with U.S. domestic made parts in order to be legal. Usually the parts that are replaced are some of the less consequential ones, or parts that have to be replaced anyway like the furniture and the trigger.
Most other AK's that are currently on the market are indeed parts guns... importers buy AK's from overseas, take all the parts off the receivers, and assemble them on US-made receivers with a certain number of U.S. parts (to satisfy those same import laws). A converted Saiga is superior in that it uses an original Russian-made receiver which is of better quality than most of the US-made stamped receiver, and in that it uses an original Russian chrome-lined barrel of very high quality, unmatched in any domestically-made AK barrel (you're lucky to even find one that is chrome lined at all, in a US-made barrel). Some parts guns use original foreign chrome lined barrels and bolts, but very few have an original foreign made receiver like the Saiga.
The Russian military does not call their rifles Saigas... They call them AK-74M. "Saiga" is a name given by the manufacturer to the ones imported to the US, to highlight the fact that they are sporting purpose rifles ("Saiga" is a kind of antelope that is hunted in Russia). Other than the cosmetic modifications to pass customs, they are mechanically identical to the military models, though.
Most other AK's that are currently on the market are indeed parts guns... importers buy AK's from overseas, take all the parts off the receivers, and assemble them on US-made receivers with a certain number of U.S. parts (to satisfy those same import laws). A converted Saiga is superior in that it uses an original Russian-made receiver which is of better quality than most of the US-made stamped receiver, and in that it uses an original Russian chrome-lined barrel of very high quality, unmatched in any domestically-made AK barrel (you're lucky to even find one that is chrome lined at all, in a US-made barrel). Some parts guns use original foreign chrome lined barrels and bolts, but very few have an original foreign made receiver like the Saiga.
The Russian military does not call their rifles Saigas... They call them AK-74M. "Saiga" is a name given by the manufacturer to the ones imported to the US, to highlight the fact that they are sporting purpose rifles ("Saiga" is a kind of antelope that is hunted in Russia). Other than the cosmetic modifications to pass customs, they are mechanically identical to the military models, though.
As Henschman said they are the one of the closest you can get and are produced on the same machinery as the Russian made AK's. Although there are many people that choose to replace parts like furniture or mags to account for their required US made parts there are quality parts (trigger groups, gas pistons, gas plugs,etc..) that add to the quality of the firearm. So while some people chose a cheaper way (tapco stock that leaves the trigger working off a very unnatural sear forward design) there are a number of conversions (922r legal conversion) that focus on making the weapon a better machine.
I completed numerous "conversions" at my last gun shop and the quality you can produce is amazing. And the amazing thing is almost anyone can do these conversions. Many people just need help or advise. I welcome anyone wishing to learn more about their gun to seek out people who know. Some gunsmiths feel like its wrong to share information; I do not. I will share, teach and learn with you and welcome you to ask any questions if you want to re-work a Saiga in the future.
I am super happy with my Saigas. I was also super happy with my Norincos. I have a Yugo that is old parts that I haven't put together yet. I have never had one (fully assembled) that was made of old, used parts to compare to. If my Yugo turns out to be too sloppy a shooter, it will get a new barrel.
I doubt Saigas are the very best out there. I'm sure there are milled receiver new guns that are made here, out of all new parts, that are superior. I bet they cost a truckload more. I have $457 in my longer 308. I am very happy with it. It's biggerer, and betterer.
I doubt Saigas are the very best out there. I'm sure there are milled receiver new guns that are made here, out of all new parts, that are superior. I bet they cost a truckload more. I have $457 in my longer 308. I am very happy with it. It's biggerer, and betterer.
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