Pro/Con on Saiga 12

[luvall]

I'm giving serious thought of buying a Saiga 12g. Help me either up or down the idea. I like skeet, sporting clays, and deer hunting - are they good for some, all or none? Other than looing bad and "social work" around the home, what are they good for?
Thanks for the help.

 

[nate77]

Although fun, shooting clays with the Saiga 12 isn't very practical since the front sight is mounted on the gas block, instead of the end of the barrel which greatly reduces your sight radius, also the gas block is mounted above the barrel, so you can't look down the barrel to aim. Other than that, they are plenty of fun, and I would think they would be fine for deer hunting; mine shoots rifled slugs with plenty of accuracy.

 

[dom1104]

My Saiga 12 was VERY accurate for deer hunting as far as non-rifled slug guns go.

Terrible for skeet.

Terrible for sporting clays.

Personally I am faster with a traditional gun from a HD standpoint.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Agree with dom1104 except for home defense.

It's a military weapon designed to do a military job - kill things and break stuff under all sorts of rotten conditions. And it does that well - whether you're talking zombies or bambi or steel targets or doors, etc... All of that in SPITE of the "sporting purpose" bullcrap being spewed by the arms smugglers at the BATFE.

Excellent HD (my opinion)
Very accurate for a non-rifled slug barrel (for deer use)
Three gun - haven't tried it but should be very good
Wouldn't use for skeet or clays

just my two centavos worth...

 

[tradertator]

My Saiga 12 was VERY accurate for deer hunting as far as non-rifled slug guns go.

Terrible for skeet.

Terrible for sporting clays.

Personally I am faster with a traditional gun from a HD standpoint.

The good thing is, if you miss the clay the first time, you have 20 more rounds to back you up!!

Seriously though, buy one. You won't regret it.

 

[jd4320t]

I wanted one but the high prices are rediculous. I've decided to get two other guns I want rather than buy and convert a Saiga 12.

 

[sbcman]

Agree with dom1104 except for home defense.

It's a military weapon designed to do a military job - kill things and break stuff under all sorts of rotten conditions. And it does that well - whether you're talking zombies or bambi or steel targets or doors, etc... All of that in SPITE of the "sporting purpose" bullcrap being spewed by the arms smugglers at the BATFE.

Excellent HD (my opinion)
Very accurate for a non-rifled slug barrel (for deer use)
Three gun - haven't tried it but should be very good
Wouldn't use for skeet or clays

just my two centavos worth...

Exactly...I would only add that they can be choked, but I don't know if that would help for clays and skeet (although for flying zombies, I would definitely use it).

Also, it's an AK 12ga- there's really no other reason needed for justified purchase

 

[IndianaResident]

I opened this thread hoping someone would say "wait, they'll come down in prices soon"

...you guys let me down.

 

[jd4320t]

I opened this thread hoping someone would say "wait, they'll come down in prices soon"

...you guys let me down.

I'd like to hear that too.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Wait, they will come down in price.

There I said it for you. I don't believe it but if it makes you feel better, I've done my good dead for the day. Bought mine when they were very reasonable and will NEVER sell it. It is an awesome shotgun. Keep your eyes open, every now and then someone gets desperate (especially with gas prices spiking), and lets one go cheap.

Pros - one bada$$ shotgun, a real pleasure to shoot.

Cons - you can only shoot one at a time.

 

[IndyS12]

I'd say that some of the pros of the gun are:
-Fun to use!
-Fairly easy to modify to your tastes
-Easy to clean
etc, etc.

A definite con to them would definitely the price and availability for now. I agree with everyone else here...the prices on them have gotten outrageous!

 

[sbcman]

I'm just curious as to what the folks on this thread are looking to pay for one? What do you consider a reasonable price for a NIB stock model?

 

[vitamink]

reasonable is relative. I remember when they were $300 each. Then they spiked up to 600, and went back down to 450. They then hovered in the 500's for a while before shooting up to the absurd prices we have now, though to be honest, if i didn't know they could be had for cheaper earlier i'd have no problem paying 7-8 hun for one. I can't pay that price now though.

 

[jd4320t]

I would probably pay $600 right now for one new in box.

 

[dom1104]

Agree with dom1104 except for home defense.

It's a military weapon designed to do a military job - kill things and break stuff under all sorts of rotten conditions. And it does that well - whether you're talking zombies or bambi or steel targets or doors, etc... All of that in SPITE of the "sporting purpose" bullcrap being spewed by the arms smugglers at the BATFE.

Excellent HD (my opinion)
Very accurate for a non-rifled slug barrel (for deer use)
Three gun - haven't tried it but should be very good
Wouldn't use for skeet or clays

just my two centavos worth...

Here is my HD issue with the gun.

Its about as non-pc as any gun can get, and we all know half of a defensive encounter is defending yourself in court.

Long term storage with the bolt closed did end up with a deformed round.

Its heavy, and its far more likely my house will be invaded while only my wife is at home.

I like to practice with my hd guns and the Saiga kinda sucks from a competition standpoint, or is flat out banned.

The practicing in competition is the big one for me, I will take an 8 shot Benelli over a 20 round drum Saiga any day of the week if I can put thousands of rounds downrange in competitions with the Benelli and I cant with the Saiga.

So I sold mine. I was a novelty in the end.

 

[sbcman]

reasonable is relative. I remember when they were $300 each. Then they spiked up to 600, and went back down to 450. They then hovered in the 500's for a while before shooting up to the absurd prices we have now, though to be honest, if i didn't know they could be had for cheaper earlier i'd have no problem paying 7-8 hun for one. I can't pay that price now though.

I see where you're coming from. I've got the same deal with sks rifles. When I was a senior in high school (95) I worked part time at a sporting goods store/gunshop and remember pallets, literally pallets of sks coming in and being sold for $75- and this was with all the goodies and bayonet. I'm just now getting over seeing them sale for $250 or higher.

@jd4320t- that's what I paid for mine a week or so ago, plus tax. But as with all guns, it's probably a regional thing and prices differ a lot from location to location. Around my parts, I hardly ever saw them for sale, so I jumped on it.

 

[vitamink]

you got a good deal then. Dom i wish we would have met when it was time to sell yours. SBC if you need help converting it, let me know.

Personally i think the saiga is awesome in all categories. You really can't beat a box mag fed shotgun. Like anything you have to set it up for the type of shooting you're going to do. Here's some gun competition stuff.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FziECY1mSaY[/ame]

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Dom -
Fair enough. I can see why it wasn't a good fit for you. Your reasoning makes sense. I'm a little different in that I'm not a socially competitive shooter. For me, my regular practice consists of a lot of stuff done with just family out in the boonies. So whatever I use gets the workout. A Benelli would get no more work than a Mossy 500 or a Saiga. No clay involved. But hey, that's just me.

Also, for other reasons, the role that it fills in my HD setup does not require long term storage with the bolt closed on a round. Again, to each their own. ANd I believe that the guys at forum.Saiga-12 have some suggestions to make that less of an issue. That said, I still can't blame you for coming to the conclusion you did. If everyone had the exact same needs, we all be packing Glocks and Mossbergs, since that's what the LEO's pack and they MUST be right, RIGHT?

Different needs, different tools.

 

[redbeard28]

I wanted one but the high prices are rediculous. I've decided to get two other guns I want rather than buy and convert a Saiga 12.

lol i felt the same way now im gonna get a 930 spx and a s#%t ton off ammo i figured if i had to settle on the round count i might as well try to get them out as soon as possible

 

[hoosier7400]

Get the saiga 12. You wont be sorry and you can customize that mofo to do everything any other shotgun for twice the price can do. Carolina shooters supply has em for 600 right now!