Posted on 06/02/2012 1:53:37 PM PDT by marktwain
Working with Team Russian Technologies, the Russian national practical shooting team, Izhmash has developed an update for their phenomenally popular semi-automatic shotgun, the Saiga 12. This modified shotgun, produced by the efforts of team captain Ilyin Vsevolod Kirisenko and Izhmash engineer Alexey Shumilov, has many updates to Saiga platform we're familiar with most.
First and foremost it is not a "sporterized" shotgun. It is in full pistol-grip regalia, with a SAW-type grip, telescoping buttstock, and improved forearm. The buttstock follows the AR pattern and runs parallel to the shotgun bore and looks to be compatible with aftermarket AR-15 buttstocks. It doesn't look like a side-folder.
The handguard is changed with the addition of a top section that covers the gas tube for the forward grip that's becoming much more common, especially in the competition world. Iron sights are gone, replaced with a Beryl-style dust cover with a Picatinny rail that's hinged to the barrel trunnion. This shotgun is designed to be run with a red dot sight.
The magwell is also dramatically altered. Also taking a cue from the AR and other combat rifles, it uses a push-button release and free-falling magazines. The magwell is also flared for fast reloads. A couple of other competition-friendly alterations include a gigantic muzzle device that looks like a combination compensator and brake, as well as a hydraulic or spring-loaded stock tube.
Saiga claims this shotgun is also modified for enhanced reliability, with early prototypes running 1,500 rounds without stoppages. This model appears to have an updated adjustable gas piston which would easily account for much of that improved performance. Adjustable gas pistons go a long way to ensuring that both heavy and light loads cycle equally reliably.
If Saiga, Izhmash, can bring these to the US market they'll dominate auto shotgun sales for some time, that's for sure. We really hope that, as soon as the modifications prove worthwhile, that future sporterized models inherit at least a few of the changes these example competition models have, specifically the adjustable gas system, forearm, and topcover rail.
Historically the ATF has blocked the importation of sweet and glorious machines such as these, claiming that they have no sporting purposes (a particular irony as that is given this shotgun was developed specifically for competition shooting), however a recent act of Congress, H.R. 5326—the appropriations bill for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies fiscal year 2013—passed on May 10th, 2012, prohibiting:
"...The Department of Justice from requiring imported shotguns to meet a "sporting purposes" test that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has used to prohibit the importation of shotguns with one or more features disliked by the Agency, such as adjustable stocks, extended magazine tubes, etc."
We have high hopes that in the future, we'll put some lead downrange with this shotgun. Team Russian Technologies recently took first and second place at the international Yarlslovl Golden Cup Ring competition, and second a the Third Central European Championship, to a Czech shooter—competing with a modified Saiga 12.
Hello Gorgeous.
This must be in response to the American who has been modifying the basic Saiga 12 for a while now.
He re-machines certain features to allow a wide range of shells that would normally be unusable in the Saiga 12 due to clogging.
I've recently (Being in Afghanistan, my wife actually) taken possession of his L1 Tactical with some upgrades like a Tromix Brake and Krebs Combat Sights.
I would prefer a side folder Bulgarian style buttstock to the AR style collapsible. Otherwise the changes look fairly well done.
Like the looks of that.
Love the gun and I have two questions. How many rounds does that mag hold and is the stock adjustable or is it one size fits all?
It still wont be legal to import. It wont pass 922r.
The article implied that 922r is no longer operative....
There are many, many, many, many Americans and firms modifying the basic S12. They hang out at Saiga-12.com.
The article indicates that the stock is adjustable. I think the magazine holds 10 rounds.
Oh yeah it is! If a purchaser changes any of the major components found on the 922 list, he still has to go "full bore" [pun] and replace the necessary number of parts with US-made equivalents. The stupidity of 922 is that it was meant to apply to manufacturers ('re-manufacturers' really, assemblers), but has somehow come to be applied to end-purchasers.
Thanks.
Just the thing for garden pests. I’ll take two, please.
10 round mag, and the stock adjusts, you can see the lever.
I have the 410 version of this gun. It’s a hoot to shoot. The 3 inch magnum shell has 5- 000 buck pellets and shoots at 1200 fps with almost no recoil. It will defintely put a hurt on the bad guys. And at 300.00 you can;t beat it. No pistol grip but no worries about meeting the fed requirements either.
I prefer the MKA-1919.
I saw reference to the ‘sporting’ use in the article but not 922r and the number of required U.S. parts. Converting the Saiga was great because you could customize your weapon and keep it 922r compliant.
If I had the money, I would definitely get another Saiga, either a 7.62 x 39 or a .308
“Just the thing for garden pests.”
You must have some pretty huge squirrels!;)
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