Need help choosing AK or Saiga 12

[historicfirearms]

I've got some things up for trade locally and have got two tempting offers. I'm asking for your thoughts.
Trade #1 is a converted Saiga 12. The owner did the conversion himself but it looks very professional. It comes with two 10 rd mags and one 5 rounder.

Trade #2 is a Egyptian Maadi AKM. It's in original AKM configuration and comes with six mags and bayonet.

I currently own two good AK's and love them, a third would be good to flesh out the collection. The Saiga intrigues me because its an AK shotgun but I've never played with one. I don't reload shotgun yet but think it would be a fun tangent hobby, especially casting my own buckshot. I'm already set up for boolits and a progressive press in 7.62x39.

My goals with my firearms right now are to have good reliable guns for SHTF scenario and to acquire any gun that is likely to be banned soon. I've got to make a decision soon or risk losing out on both of them.

Choices, choices. If you could only pick one, which would it be and why.

[kweidner]

Saiga. You don't have one yet. How many Ak's can you fire at one time? Just thinking out loud here. :)

[historicfirearms]

Good point, I'm leaning Saiga too.

[carbine]

Conversly is to have 3 guns using the same ammo when SHTF

[xacex]

I have had 2 Saiga 12's. The inherent inaccuracy of the AK platform is mitigated with a shotgun, but you have the reliability of an AK with more commonly available ammunition in the USA. Plus. if SHTF you can load anything into a shot shell hull. Lead,salt,coins,rocks,bearings,nails, ect. Go for the Saiga 12.

[historicfirearms]

I'm going to look at the Saiga 12 this morning. I pretty much came to the same conclusions as xacex, in SHTF I think the 12 ga will be more versatile. One other plus is if the need arises, I'll be able to scrounge up some shotgun ammo a lot easier than 7.62x39. Thanks for helping me make up my mind everyone.

[Blammer]

last I saw there was still pleanty of 12ga shotgun shells on the shelves.... when everything else was gone.

heck get the saiga 12ga. just don't over pay for it. in a little while the price will come down a bunch for them.

[HATCH]

Go for the saiga 12.
start hunting extra mags for it.

[historicfirearms]

I traded for the Saiga 12, got home at 1:30, was all out of 12 ga by 1:45. What a hoot to shoot! I've got one 5 rd mag, two 10 rd mags, and a 20 rd drum. My gun has the rib with bead sight and it works great with my coke bottle glasses. This is a fun shotgun but I'm definetly going to have to start reloading shotgun. I bump fired off the 20 rd mag in about 5 seconds, it almost set me on my butt. The wife was watching out the kitchen window while I did it and just laughed. I'm really glad I got the Saiga.

[xacex]

Lets see it!

Here's the one I kept.
58303

[historicfirearms]

Xacex,
That's exactly how I was thinking of setting mine up. What kind of furniture is that? How did you install the wood handguard? Can you still get the top cover off with the scope mount? How do you like the red dot scope, think you could still use it to shoot flying birds if you had too?

[xacex]

Lol, well I haven't got one live bird with it, but I do 10/10 on the clay pigeons. I like the red dot as do several people that have shot it, but my son does better with a bead. The scope mount is a quick release so it is no problem getting it on and off for dust cover access. The lower hand guard is a bit tricky. That is NOS AK wood, with a AK retainer. Both the wood, and the retainer need to be hogged out for the bigger barrel. I then welded a tab to the front of the retainer to use the original hand-guard mount hole. It took a few days to get it done nice, but there aren't to many like it. That stock is an ACE with a folding block that can be taken off if it was to be used for hunting. Of coarse if you are converting you need to be aware of 922r. I replaced the trigger group which counts as three parts, the gas puck, and the stock with USA parts to stay compliant. American mags also count as three parts. You need to stay under 10 non-American parts. This gun is considered a 14 part gun, but that does not include the pistol grip. If you add that make it American. The one I have is an American copy of the AK bake-light. I think they call it plum color or something like that.

I just sold my 20 round MD20 drum for 600$ last week. I didn't like having that huge thing that I had to reach around. I really like the 12 round drums sold by Pro-mag. It is a stout little thing that is not to much bigger than the factory 5. Good luck finding one right now, but if you happen across one grab it.

Overall, these shotguns are fun, but impractical for hunting because they do not have a last round bolt hold open. It is easier, and quicker to reload a tube fed gun than these in the field. If someone designs a good LRBHO device it would do wonders for the platform.