But I’m wondering, do these AA drums really hold up that well?
I would get a MD drum instead.
I have been running a saiga for a little over a year now. I had some problems with the gun short stroking with 2 3/4 birdshot #7 and #8. Now after thousands of rounds it runs like a sewing machine.
I’m seriously considering a Saiga too. Would you guys trust one as a primary home defense shotgun (shooting 00 buck) or would you stick with a pump? I have shot a friend’s Saiga a few times, and appreciate the benefits of the speed and capacity.
I talked tp an FFL who said he’ll swap me evenup NIB Glock 19 for asaiga 12 ga.I’m mighty tempted. What do people think?
I’ve had a Saiga for a year and a half now. Just sent it off to Tromix to get work done to it. The MD Drums are really nice and right now they are offering them at $100 for pre order (I bought mine last year for $250 a piece). It’s a great shotgun and fun as hell. With that said, I personally wouldn’t use it to defend my life. I’ve had several failure to feed issues with my gun at the range and I wouldn’t like imagining that happening at 0 Dark 30 with an armed intruder in my home. I’d stick to a pump gun or a reliable autoloader.
Agreed. Its not my go to gun either but very fun to shoot. My 1911 gets the honor for home defence.
Saiga 12’s suck, you don’t want one 
Is that you running and gunning?
Yup, that’s me with my Tromix S-17 with an 8" barrel and 20 round MD arms drum.
I love mine and trust it completely for home defense. Seems like most people only have FTF and FTE with cheap bird shot. Most people seem to have no problems when running good high brass buckshot.
Mine runs like a sewing machine with good loads, it loves buckshot and slugs. It hiccups every now and then when running cheap bulk packs from Walmart.
Also the magazines can be tricky. My factory mag runs great but half of the promags I have bought required some sanding to feed reliably.
Saiga are a big project to get working for MOST people. FMJs-of-Freedom
Saiga are great if you buy one with the understanding that you are buying a project. For some this is a problem, but for most that get into saigas its an opportunity to build a truly great gun. One of the biggest problems is the gas system. Early saigas had four gas ports cut in a diamond pattern later models have three or even two whitch can cause them to be undergassed with light loads. Saigas also have a problem with there gas block not being machined and or assembled properly which can also cause undergassing. If you remove the gas plug it is easy to see the gas ports to count them and see how many your gun has and If some are blocked buy the gas block. This problem is an easy fix is covered buy the warranty. All the warranty work is done in the USA by a very good shop. I here they have quick turnaround and good service.
I like to polish the bolt and apply valve grinding compound and cycle the bolt by hand a few hundred times. Many people complain its hard to insert magazines in the saiga when the mags are full. I put some paint on a shell and insert the mag, I then remove some metal and shape the bottom of the bolt to help this.
If you are considering moving the trigger group forward some modifications need to be done to it, but you can get them already modified by Tromix. I use triggers from http://www.texasaktriggers.com/ and modify them myself. Modification is pretty simple.
Saigas dont have a great finish. Many choose to duracoat them and they look great. A big problem many run into is oil seeping from the mated parts and ruining the duracoat, this sucks because the only fix is to strip and redo. I hate doing things twice. You could scub and degrease for hours only to have oil seep from under the scope mount and ruin your finish. So heres what I do, I go to my friends house and borrow his turky frier. Its ok hes still got my weedeater. I then mix 50/50 simplegreen and water. Get it good and hot, then stick the reciever in for a while, problem solved.
I believe you will find the saiga is a realy great gun if you understand your buying an unpolished diamond. Saigas simple to customize, custom parts are cheap, and can run like stink. I hope this info helps, but be careful saigas are a highly addictive substance and should be used with care.
I ordered a shorty from RedStick, then bought a stock one to use 'till the RedStick was delivered. The only issues I had were related to Silver Bear ammo. Now I have the shorty back, and the stock gun has also been to RedStick and back. I stick to the recommended ammo, zero malfunctions. I can’t speak for all Saiga shotguns, but I trust my two completely.
I’m getting one:D got it on layaway.
I am NOT going to be using it for HD. My AR is for that. It’s going to be a range gun. I do hope to be able to make it reliable enough to suit me for HD, though
I love mine. No problems. Also the R&R mag well and mags are a must for me. The toggle up standard system with the lock the bolt back manually then togle the mag in then release the bolt was way way too slow for me.
Check out http://www.randrtargets.com/
I am a huge rifle fan but this gun has me rethinking my go to gun for home defense. Its hard to argue with 12 rounds of 00 buck being launched as fast as I can pull the trigger with very minimal recoil.
My gun so far has ran on every thing from reduced recoil Remington 00 buck and light 3 dram target loads to 2 3/4 full power Breneke mag loads. All on the slug gas setting. I hated the gun in its stock form. But once worked over by R&R its awsome.
Pat
Wow Alaska! I’ve never seen that configuration!
There is a special gun shop I know in downtown Kabul that sells nothing but 12 ga. Krinkovs.
Need to get me one of those.
I have owned several. Fit and finish is very hit or miss. Overall quality is very hit or miss. I agree that if you go into it knowing it will be a project, or that you likely need to put hundreds of dollars into it to get it to run properly, than have at it and enjoy.
I have to second guess myself on Saiga purchases. I have gotten to the point where paying or putting in >$1,500.00 for a <$500.00 shotgun, when I can buy a Benelli M4, or FN SLP, or a “whatever” for that much money may be a wiser (not necessarily more fun) decsion.
FWIW there are only two guys I trust to work on my Saigas ---- Keith at Tac 47 or Mike at Lone Star Arms.