Saiga .308 load

[HARRYMPOPE]

I just had this gun for sale from a recent trade.Decided to try a cast load and jacketed handload.With 36g of 3031 and Speer 165 it shot 1-3/4" to 2-3/8" for 5 @ 100 with irons.The bore dia is .302(only checked from the muzzle with a bullet nose.) and the throat allows no bigger than .311.A cast load of 17g of 4227 and the 155g NEI #72(non functioing) shot 10 into barely over 3" two times and showed a bit of clustering.

A load of 28g of 3031 and the 311299(.310 x .3005) shot about 5" but cycled pefectly.

Any one else shoot cast in one of these?

Not stellar results,but i was surprised for an AK platform rifle.I may scope it.



HMP

[HARRYMPOPE]

Ok i'll update since there is not input(or interest<G>) on the subject.A load of 30g of 3031 with a the NEI #72 cycles the action and is shooting from 1-5/8" to 2-1/2" at 100 yards for quite a few 5 shot groups.Rifle is scoped with a 6x now.Bullets sized .311 lubed with 50-50 Bee's Wax/Paraffin lube,.014 thick Alum. GC cast of indoor range scrap water quenched to 21 BHN and a velocity 0f 1885 fps.It's all i can ask for in a 30 cal semi.

HMP

[lastmanout]

Thanks for the post Harry. I bought a used Saiga in 223 and am curious to see how accuarate or inaccuarte it is. Don't plan to go with cast bullets though.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Thanks for the post Harry. I bought a used Saiga in 223 and am curious to see how accuarate or inaccuarte it is. Don't plan to go with cast bullets though.

I am very curious how your 223 will shoot.I'd send you some 22 bullets of you want to try lead in it.I shot 30 shots today with the 30g load above and a 6X Russian "Tiger" scope i picked up cheap.The picture below is what it did.i got a lucky 1" group at 100.The first shot from a cold barrel always goes low so group #1 is about 3" including this shot.I shot at 200 yards and i over held and didn't see the two shots(marked sighter) at first then realized the load only drops 7" from 100 to 200.I then shot two 5 shot groups and the last rounds i had for a three shot group.The 200 yard groups were 3.9" and 4.25"All in all the gun is averaging a bit under 2MOA with cast for 150 shots.

HMP

[mroliver77]

Wow!
I would have been surprised to see it shoot this well using Federal Gold Match much less a cast load. I would not change a thing and keep this ole girl forever!

Do you happen to have any ""good" milsurp 7.62X51 ammo? I am curious how well it will shoot it.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Wow!
I would have been surprised to see it shoot this well using Federal Gold Match much less a cast load. I would not change a thing and keep this ole girl forever!

Do you happen to have any ""good" milsurp 7.62X51 ammo? I am curious how well it will shoot it.

I was going to try some milsurp 308,but i shot up what i had long ago and they want near US factory load price for it these days.
I might buy a box of American Eagle ball ammo to see how it does. I had it out last week and shot a 2-1/2" 5 shot group at 200 yards!First groups was 5"(#1 shot is the right one)and other was 3-7/8".I am a bolt gun guy and why this gun is so fun to shoot and chase brass is beyond me.I have a few 100 shot of cast though it and the gas system seem to be doing fine with no visible leading
I am going to try another load/bullet us to see if i got lucky and got the magic load first off or the gun is just a good overall cast gun.

HMP

[.5mv^2]

I hate resurrecting a 5 year old thread.

I put in a decent trigger in my Saiga 308 and I have interest in shooting it again. I had a box of 165 grain lead bullets and have rebated the back of them to .282 and put on the .0135" gas checks. (Thanks John at Vulcan Checks)

I did a trial of 13 grains of promo (based on some other thread that I read.) Shot twice and they didn't have enough energy to cycle, not unexpected. No leading though.

Just got it setup an hour ago and have not run any velocity tests. Should be fun shooting it with the improved trigger and cost about the same as today's 22 ammo.

I have a box of precast bullets to use up, (they never worked very well before the gas checks.) but will be getting a 30 cal mold. Hopefully I can use it for this and other 30 cal rifles.