I finally got my AK!

[gjohnsoniv]

I did a straight trade yesterday for a Saiga AK in .223. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet but so far it seems to function just fine. Didn't think I would like Ace stocks but this one has one and they aren't that bad at all. Only problem is that it's in .223 not 7.62 .

[Guest bkelm18]

You can't go wrong with a Saiga.

[Sidinman]

NO pic. Didn't happen.

[Caster]

Good score. You're better off with .223. Reload for it.

Even if you don't, QUALITY ammo is easy to get. 'Bout all you find in 7,62x39 is crap.

What's the twist rate on those things?

Just buy up several magazines and keep on trucking. Get a LULA for AK too and save your thumbs. If it has a side rail try Kalinka optics. They have lots of Russian and Belarus made optics.

Fed a proper diet, that rifle should outshoot any standard AK you're likely to encounter. The '74's do well, but bet on the .223.

...and yes, pictures or it didn't happen.

[Superman]

Twist rate on it should be 1:9 or 1:9.5

Edited July 4, 2012 by Superman

[gjohnsoniv]

Pics here in a second. You bring up a good point, Caster. At least with .223 I don't have another mouth to feed.

The only picture I have at the moment for you "pics or it didn't happen crowd." Lol.

[JeffsSig]

Ive always wanted one in a 223.

Get out and shoot it some and let us know how it runs.

[gjohnsoniv]

Ive always wanted one in a 223.

Get out and shoot it some and let us know how it runs.

Will do. Might try and take it out to Norris this weekend, have to get a membership out there anyway. The problem I have is that you have to get proprietary magazines for it. They do make a kit though so that you can use standard AR magazines in it.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Anything I have that I might be able to trade you out of it?

Dolomite

[gunwhatgun]

Congrats, very nice!

[jtmaze]

Very nice.

JTM

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest Revelator]

Don't hate the 7.62x39. It was designed simply to kill people at short distances, nothing more and nothing less, and it's been doing that job very well for over 60 years. If you want a neat paper hole puncher get a bolt gun.

Personally I've never understood the AR magwell for Saigas. After all is said and done, might as well just get an AR. Mags are a bit of a conundrum with the Saiga 223. I've settled on Surefires for mine. I know they're not steel reinforced, but they do well for my purposes.

[robin48]

I love my Saiga in 5.45x39. Enjoy.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

[Moped]

I have one in .223 and I love it. I have 35 round Galil mags that are modified to fit the standard mag well. They have a bit of wobble, but they function flawlessly. I went with TAPCO stock, pistol grip and forearm for mine and put in a G2 trigger group and a US made piston. I learned a lot working to convert it back to what it should have been in the first place and in the process gained a new found respect for the old war horse! Shot it and enjoy it!!!

[Slpeod]

Pics here in a second. You bring up a good point, Caster. At least with .223 I don't have another mouth to feed.

The only picture I have at the moment for you "pics or it didn't happen crowd." Lol.

Nice Ak.

Can't tell from the pic, is it a folder or fixed stock? I got an Arsenal sgl 21 the other day in trade and it runs great.

Side note, I still have your LAW.

[gjohnsoniv]

It's a fixed. Thanks for holding that, I'm still trying to get up that way soon but work has been a little bit weird lately.

[Kevo]

Saiga 223. Have one I treat like a stolen car. (conversion by Superman) No bullet guide so I use my Surefire's and factory mags. Cleaned it once when I traded for it. AS BORING AS MY GLOCKS. Bang bang bang....... Met a man at Prentice Cooper. Virtually identical conversion but was shooting ProMags. Must have broke the tab (bullet guide/ramp) off his magazine during his first reload because I witnessed my first AK jam. Showed him where the tab was supposed to be. Asked him if I could try his "broken" mag in my Saiga with a bullet guide. Bang, bang, bang.....

Since then I've had approximately 2 misfires from a 500 round box of Wolf. Both rounds went off the second time around. No jams ever using factory or Surefire's. Hard primers? I dunno, i cleared the chamber and carried on.

Now my Saiga with a bullet guide is another story. Treat it like an AR. One surplus Galil mag works every time, the other double feeds like a worn AR mag. Thanks for your post because it reminds me that i need to order some new mags for it. Honestly i was so disgusted, and embarrassed in front of my Bushmaster totin buddies, that i haven't shot it since. A 223 AK is a compromise, you get the best, and worst, of both worlds. ENJOY. I do:)

[Kevo]

Oh and Im totally jealous of your handguard and gas tube setup. And flashhider. And stock. And yes I've had a few beers, but our power is out, and there is literally nothing else to do:)

[Guest Victor9er]

Oh and Im totally jealous of your handguard and gas tube setup. And flashhider. And stock. And yes I've had a few beers, but our power is out, and there is literally nothing else to do:)

How are you online with your power out?

That was some nasty sh!t earlier, hope you didn't get any damage.

[Steelharp]

Saiga 223. Have one I treat like a stolen car. (conversion by Superman) No bullet guide

Define, please?

[gjohnsoniv]

Define, please?

You don't have to have a bullet guide with the Surefire mags but if you use Galil mags you do.

[Guest bkelm18]

A bullet guide is essentially a feed ramp you have to install to use standard mags.

[Moped]

The bullet guide is a "ramp" like part that fits in the trunnion area of the Saiga reciever, where the barrel connects. I think that standard Saiga mags (but not AK mags) have the Guide built into them. I think this was a way to make it harder to use standard AK mags in Saigas. I suspect that AK recievers already have the guide. You can buy a bullet guide and install it in your Saiga. Mine was already installed when I bought the rifle.

Here is a link.

http://dinzagarms.co.../saiga_223.html

EDIT: Boy we all jumped on that, didn't we boys!!!

Edited July 6, 2012 by Moped

[Sidinman]

Nice looking AK.

On a side note, the AK turned 65 yesterday.

Happy Birthday AK.

[gjohnsoniv]

Haha we all jumped on that. You can modify the standard AK mags by welding a little bit on them supposedly. That or just install the bullet guide, take some material off the polymer ones (Surefire's, Saiga's), and file a tiny bit off the mag catch and it'll be just fine.

Happy belated birthday AK!