Guns 2012-08.pdf - Jeffersonian

quick to reload as well as having a
fast cycling rate. Moreover, it’s an
affordable semi-automatic, priced
today below $600.
On the sporting side of the ledger,
the Saiga is a fun gun for informal
clay pigeon shoots. While not exactly
designed as a handy upland game
gun, it does just fine for static types
of hunts, such as predator calling and
the pursuit of doves, waterfowl, and
turkeys, or as a slug gun when hunting
from a stand.
The Saiga pictured here is a
12-gauge with a 19" barrel, a 41"
overall length and, with an empty
5-shot magazine, weighs exactly 7-1/2
pounds on my Sunbeam scale. This
popular version is being marketed by
Century International Arms.
Gas Operated
Examining it more closely, the
action is truly that of an AK/
AKM-47 with minor modifications
to ensure proper functioning with
rimmed, 12-gauge shells. It operates
and disassembles like an AK for the
most part. One of the interesting
modifications seen in the Saiga action
is a sliding dust cover that seals off the
rear of the enlarged ejection port from
the elements. Another is an adjustable
gas valve at the end of the gas cylinder,
enabling the shooter to adjust the
operation of the action for standard
or magnum shells. Set at numeral
“1”, the gas system is adjusted for
2-3/4" to 3" magnum shells and at
“2” for all others. Economically
priced 4-position and automatically
adjusting gas valves are available as
aftermarket replacements.
On the left-hand side of the action
is the standard, Soviet, sight mount
rail which accepts a wide range of
optics. While there are no Picatinny
rails on the synthetic, wraparound
forearm, designed to protect your
hands from a hot gas cylinder, there
are all sorts of Picatinny rails and even
tri-rail forearms readily available for
the Saiga as aftermarket accessories
so you can add on lasers, flashlights
and other optics easily.
The heavy-walled 19" barrel is
externally threaded at the muzzle.
The Saiga comes fitted with a nut that
covers and protects the threads as
well as a wrench to tighten or remove
the nut. The bore measures .720",
which is about .009" tighter than an
American made 12 gauge, but it’s
still a cylinder bore. While no choke
tubes are supplied with the gun, choke
tubes, Poly-chokes, muzzlebrakes, even
door breaching brakes are available as
aftermarket items.
For corrosion resistance and ease
of cleaning, the inside of the bore,
A
B
A) Rifle-to-shotgun conversions are among the
most interesting of firearms. The Saiga and the
AK share the same size receiver. B) “12/76”
indicates the 12-gauge chamber is 76mm or 3".
The “18, 3” gauges the bore diameter as .720"
C) Sporting a conventional AK system, the Saiga
is fitted with a more conventional polymer stock
with a checkered grip. The awkward AK safety
still graces the Saiga model. D) The supplied,
5-round polymer magazine is easy to load and
totally reliable.
D
C
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