Izsmash Saiga .308

[OhioChief]

A buddy of mine is going to pick up a couple of these for 499.00 each. New. I have no experience what-so-ever with these guns. Anybody know if that's a good deal and are they a decent rifle? Thank you.

 

[merlinfire]

They are a decent rifle, and about the lowest-cost semi-auto .308 on the market. They're not cobbled together either, factory original.

The mags are proprietary AFAIK, which is the only downside I can think of. Make sure you go ahead and buy all of them you think you'd need, because no other gun uses them, unlike the FAL for instance.

 

[nalioth]

The mags are proprietary AFAIK, which is the only downside I can think of.

Yep, and every aftermarket magazine producer makes fully interchangeable models (922r compliance may be required).

This was never a military gun, so cheap military mags don't exist for it.

 

[OhioChief]

thanks. I just passed the Mag comment on to him. That's a good catch. Nothing worse than hitting gun show after gun show looking for a particular mag that nobody ever has.

 

[1stmarine]

I have been using them for a long time. I have several saigas and in .308win alone I have 4 all the same.
Take a look at this thread and let me know how I can help with any questions.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=567005

By the way, that is a good price.

Cheers.
E.

 

[nalioth]

Nothing worse than hitting gun show after gun show looking for a particular mag that nobody ever has.

You misunderstand.

merlinfire was pointing out that you can't use cheap milsurp .308 mags in the Saiga, not that there is a lack of mags for it.

 

[merlinfire]

Yeah the mags can be had, especially if ordering online (I know surefire makes them) but its not like a FAL, AR, or M1A in that mags are a military standard that you will probably be able to lay hands on for another 100 years at any gun show. You will have no problem getting them now (again, even if you must shop online), but maybe not 50 years from now.

 

[Col. Plink]

Get the 16" barrel version, preferably in ver.21 (thumbhole wood stock, proper trigger position, very sexy).

 

[Girodin]

I saw one at the local gun store here for $455 the other day. This isn't a shop I normally buy guns from because their prices tend to not be that great. I saw one at another shop recently for roughly the same price. $490 seems a little high.

Get the 16" barrel version, preferably in ver.21 (thumbhole wood stock, proper trigger position, very sexy).

You also still have the need to swap parts for compliance if you want to use higher capacity magazines. You also get a slant cut receiver which limits your stock options. The factory thumb hole stock is fine with irons but too low for a scope.