ive been looking around for a saiga shotgun, does anyone have any first hand experience w/ one...i.e. pros and cons...

 

Couple guys at work have them in different calibers and they love'em.
Very reliable and tough...just like an AK.

 

My wife has one 20ga (birthday present) she loves it. Uses it for deer hunting. Put a red dot scope on it for her. I want one for myself sometime, it's a very reliable gun, just keep it clean

 

I have seen a couple for sale. I think I will stay with my mossy 500.

 

I looked at one quite a few years ago, and they are a good looking mag-fed shotgun if thats what your looking for. However, Id check on mags for it. If it is what Im thinking of it is magazine fed. I seem to recall the dealer telling me mags can be hard to come by. All in all it looked like it was nice, but Ill stick to my Brownings and Mossys and save my mags for my rifles and handguns!

 

They are external mag fed. they look like an AK with a big barrel.

http://www.saiga-12.com/

 

I have no personal experience with them, but they look like a good concept, however the only good thing I can see with them is the fact that you can reload quickly. But it's hard to beat the rugged reliability and effectiveness of the good 'ol pump. The Saiga is going to have way more parts, and it looks to be made of stamped steel (like the AK or similar) so I'm a little skeptical about it's durability with the amount of recoil and shock with shotgun rounds. I like the Sidewinder conversion by Knoxx Industries better, too bad that they discontinued it.

 

check this out

http://tromix.com/


Ive been eyeing one of these or a serbu super shorty shotgun, maybe by the end of the year

 

Whats the point of being able to reload quickly?
I take my pump dove hunting, I pop a shot at one, I cram another round in the magazine. I pop two shots, I cram another round or two in. even on a hot dove field, I have never run out of ammo. I just wear a 25 shot belt when I run out, its time to take a break.
I guess when the zombies attack, I will be changing my mind, but for now, a +2 or +3 magazine extension is good enough.

 

haha! Ummm, the Saiga's not really for hunting, it's more for the tactical usage, like for police or military. Fast reloads can mean life or death when you have others who are shooting at you!

 

I do alot of clays shootin.

I like my 12ga O/U Browning. over 30,000 rounds through it in 5 years and no problems at all.

 

thanx for the advice fellas, ill look around a lil for more info on them. nchapa thanx for the link its real helpful

 

I have one. I have been pleased so far. It is not a hunting gun in my opinion. It is really just a stamped steel AK chambered for 12, 20 or 410 rnds. It is about the same quality as a AK. More for playing or maybe home defence. they are however fun and I know they are supposed to be comming out with extended mags if they have not already.
Joe

 

With a shotgun, you can load while you shoot. (same way with most lever guns)
You take a couple shots, you pop in a couple more rounds. you need to move and shoot, you go thru your 5 to 8 extra rounds.

Im not saying an external magazine gun wouldn't be useful in combat, but I haven't been in combat lately.