Saiga 12 Shotgun UK - are they worth it

[dirtbag]

Hi all.

Back again to waste my money on yet more gun pr0n.
Saiga 12 , what is the deal ?
Are they designed to shoot slugs, if so what is the range 50m tops ?
I am a member of a club who do practical shotgun, and it looks rather fun.
Are / were they used in any wars ?

Thanks in advance

[snayperskaya]

Based on the AK platform and reliable as a result and yes they will happily shoot slug.....50m would be no problem.They are available with a traditional style stock and also in an AK configuration with a pistol grip etc.Supplies of new ones are slim due to sanctions imposed on KalashnikovConcern......another to consider would be a Vepr-12 as Molot aren't on the sanctions list and availability is better.

Kyrgyzstan police use them, as does the Bangladeshi army and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (along with the Vepr-12) and the Ukrainian navy have adopted a carbine version.......I would hazard a guess that a few are being used in the Ukraine conflict as well.

[Sixshot6]

Are you wanting one new or do you have one already? If the former you are going to spend a long time looking, no new ones can be imported due to sanctions. Vepr's can due to not being sanctions but not saigas.

[dirtbag]

Hi thanks for the replies.
Used is fine, not looking to get one anytime soon just an idea.
Are they all plastic or do they come in wood ?

[Sixshot6]

Hi thanks for the replies.
Used is fine, not looking to get one anytime soon just an idea.
Are they all plastic or do they come in wood ?

I believe a model existed called the hunter that had a wooden pistol grip and stock.

http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/firearms_saiga12.htm

Second model down, but that model seemed rarer. Also the last saiga shotgun I saw was a 20 not a 12.

[breacher]

Saiga is built on an AKM receiver and Vepr is built on the RPK LMG ( thicker receiver )

I have the VEPR 12 and use it exclusively with slug.

At 25m you can put as many slug as you want into one big ragged hole.

[snayperskaya]

Saiga is built on an AKM receiver and Vepr is built on the RPK LMG ( thicker receiver )

Forgot to mention that, the Saiga/AK receivers are 1.0mm thick whereas the Vepr/RPK receivers are 1.5mm thick.

[HALODIN]

I'd have a Vepr over a Saiga any day. One advantage with the Vepr is the drop in/out mag changes (AR style) as opposed to AK click/push style mags with the Saiga. The Vepr looks cooler as well... :)

[snayperskaya]

I'd have a Vepr over a Saiga any day. One advantage with the Vepr is the drop in/out mag changes (AR style) as opposed to AK click/push style mags with the Saiga. The Vepr looks cooler as well... :)

The Saiga can be had in the same configuration as the Vepr and look the same and rock 'n' lock mags work no problem.

[HALODIN]

They do, but I prefer the AR style mag changes. Also it wasn't just that, I had the 2 side-by-side at an RFD and I thought the Vepr looked like a better built S1 shotgun.