Saiga's - 12

[Randall53]

How many models and which ones are the best for home defense?

[Smith]

There's really only one model. How they are configured is the difference you see in all the pictures and threads. Essentially they come into the country in a "sporter" configuration. Meaning the trigger group is moved back to accommodate the traditional straight stock. Once you "convert" it by replacing the trigger group with a standard AK trigger group, add a pistol grip, and an AK stock you can add just about anything AK related to it. There's a few details in addition to what I mentioned like a trigger guard, sometimes you have to cut pistol grip nut holes, and some filing on the mag catch is needed..

 

One caveat are the Vepr 12's that are coming in. Rumor is that they are no longer making Saiga 12's and are going to the Vepr 12's exclusively. They're all already converted and ready to go as is. They don't use Saiga mags but there are more and more companies bringing them to market so it is almost a non-issue. The Vepr 12 is a better gun overall and the price on unconverted Saiga's has gotten stupid and a converted Saiga will cost more than a Vepr and give you less features.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Smith

[fstbk65]

Saiga and Vepr both are long. I had a converted Saiga and still felt like it was too long for a home defense gun. I ended up putting it in a Kushnapup bullpup stock and now it's nice a compact.

[Guest gearedandready]

Saiga and Vepr are two different brands of Russian semi-auto shotguns based on the AK platform. Most early Saiga's come with a commercial adjustable gas system, that if not properly ported during the conversion can have problems cycling different ammunition types and different loads. Lately we have gotten two new ones (Saiga's) in the shop that are the military gas systems and the mag wells were modified to use Vepr mags. These are working great. If you get a Saiga find one with the non-adjustable gas system, that is the military configuration. Those will cycle pretty much anything you put in it, high brass, low brass, slugs, buck shot, lead whatever.

 

At the end of the day the Vepr has a more reliable gas system, and the vepr mag configuration is becoming the standard for both Vepr and Saiga.

 

Cheers

[Refleks]

There is also the fury and fury 2 which seem to be softer metal / chinese clones. Same drawback, won't take saiga mags or many other aftermarket parts but the fury 2 comes "converted" with a psl style stock. They are priced like the saigas used to be. Not the same standard but the price on these aren't going to trend anywhere but up like everything else I'm afraid