ohgrady
Member
Saiga 223 or 5.45?
I've decided I'm going to get a Saiga in either 223 or 5.45. Does anyone out there have both that can give an opinion? I've done a few searches regarding the 223 vs. 5.45 round. There are a lot of opinions!
It seems like the biggest drawback to the 5.45 is that it is not made domestically-for now. I know there are dire warnings of the surplus 5.45 drying up, but if that was the case, you can still buy imported 5.45 cheaper at Sportsmans Guide. I admit it would suck to be out of ammo and not be able to (in an emergency) pick up a box at Walmart-I've also found many gun shops don't carry 5.45-two weeks ago a guy in gun shop I stopped at told me he hadn't heard of 5.45. But I don't buy 7.62x39 ammo at Walmart either-I buy (actually I stockpile )Wolf or Brown/Silver/Golden Bear for my SKS and Wasr10 because I don't want to spend $15 a box at Walmart. Even if surplus 5.45 dries up, won't there still be Wolf and Brown Bear etc? It seems to me if somehow 5.45 Russian made Wolf (and other imported brands) were to be cut off, naturally so would other calibers such as 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R.
For the current price of surplus 5.45, given the cost of the Saiga rifles in each caliber, it seems I'd be far ahead financially with the 5.45. When the surplus rounds run out, i'd switch to Wolf/Brown Bear and still be ahead financially.
I did think of a plus of the Saiga 223 - if the SHTF, a guy would likely have an easier time picking up 223 rounds combing through the streets/country side after the battles. And it would probably be easier to trade and pick up on the black mark under that scenario. Now, back to reality - my new Saiga is going to shoot holes in paper. And maybe a couple of varmints if I find my land in the country.
One buddy of mine thinks that 223 ammo will go down if the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq settles. That was his vote for the 223 Saiga. Since money is an object, I'm leaning toward the 5.45. But I'm open to the 223 Saiga if someone can tell me of some great advantage or superior performance of it over the 5.45.
I've decided I'm going to get a Saiga in either 223 or 5.45. Does anyone out there have both that can give an opinion? I've done a few searches regarding the 223 vs. 5.45 round. There are a lot of opinions!
It seems like the biggest drawback to the 5.45 is that it is not made domestically-for now. I know there are dire warnings of the surplus 5.45 drying up, but if that was the case, you can still buy imported 5.45 cheaper at Sportsmans Guide. I admit it would suck to be out of ammo and not be able to (in an emergency) pick up a box at Walmart-I've also found many gun shops don't carry 5.45-two weeks ago a guy in gun shop I stopped at told me he hadn't heard of 5.45. But I don't buy 7.62x39 ammo at Walmart either-I buy (actually I stockpile )Wolf or Brown/Silver/Golden Bear for my SKS and Wasr10 because I don't want to spend $15 a box at Walmart. Even if surplus 5.45 dries up, won't there still be Wolf and Brown Bear etc? It seems to me if somehow 5.45 Russian made Wolf (and other imported brands) were to be cut off, naturally so would other calibers such as 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R.
For the current price of surplus 5.45, given the cost of the Saiga rifles in each caliber, it seems I'd be far ahead financially with the 5.45. When the surplus rounds run out, i'd switch to Wolf/Brown Bear and still be ahead financially.
I did think of a plus of the Saiga 223 - if the SHTF, a guy would likely have an easier time picking up 223 rounds combing through the streets/country side after the battles. And it would probably be easier to trade and pick up on the black mark under that scenario. Now, back to reality - my new Saiga is going to shoot holes in paper. And maybe a couple of varmints if I find my land in the country.
One buddy of mine thinks that 223 ammo will go down if the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq settles. That was his vote for the 223 Saiga. Since money is an object, I'm leaning toward the 5.45. But I'm open to the 223 Saiga if someone can tell me of some great advantage or superior performance of it over the 5.45.