Saiga .223, my "pimped" Kalashnikov

Darth AkSarBen · 08-14-2009, 11:51 PM

16" with SAW pistol grip, polished hammer/let-off FCG, Tapco Intrafuse fore grip, Tapco T6 collapsable stock and the TuffForce side mount scope mount. Converted and shoots quite well.

Recent target with Hodgdon Benchmark powder and Sierra GameKing 55 gr FMJ BT bullets:

And me holding the rifle and target from an earlier shoot at home when I was using some Hodgdon BLC-2 powder. Daughter took the pic.

**Grendeljaeger** · 08-15-2009, 12:55 AM

Nice Shooting!!!!!

j427x · 08-15-2009, 09:30 AM

very good shooting!!

it is tempting me to buy a couple more saiga's in 7.62x39 and 5.45x39!

they are more expensive than they once were but still the best bang for buck in shooting!!

railbuggy · 08-15-2009, 09:32 AM

What kind of group will one of these print at 300,400 yards?

Darth AkSarBen · 08-15-2009, 10:59 AM

Well, j427x, If you ever reload, or the supply of 5.45 x 39 dries up, you may be left with a nice wall hanger. Without becoming part of a new thread, just check out the ballistic difference between the 5.56 x 45 and the 5.45 x 39, check around for re-loadable brass and re-loadable bullet. My Lyman manual doesn't even have one load for it, and neither does a website I go to for other reloading data that has some really obscure calibers.

railbuggy, that's a long ways, 300,400 yards. That's about 170.68 miles!! Might have to shoot down from the space station and depends on how fast I can pull the trigger and the rotational speed of the earth. Might be a group measured in miles.. LOL Just joking with you!!!

Seriously I haven't shot it out at 300 yards. I have shot it out at 200 yards at a plastic Folgers coffee container, the larger ones, and hit it 4 shots out of 4, and one nearly dead center of the can. I suppose it would do alright at 400 yards, but then you have a lot of bullet drop, and any wind will affect a 55 gr bullet at that distance a lot more than the 168 BT shot from a .308 Winchester caliber Saiga.

**Grendeljaeger** · 08-15-2009, 02:22 PM

Although I have a few 5.45 rifles I have always really wanted a good stamped 5.56 AK. I have all the parts to put together a Bulgy AK102 but it's a bit of a Heinz 57 and I just haven't put it together yet. Seeing your results has me seriously considering a Saiga conversion again too!
You are also a lucky man to have your daughter go with you when you shoot. As my daughter got older shooting went way down on her funlist.

**Coils** · 08-15-2009, 02:51 PM

Nice shooting & conversion.
I like the looks of the scope mount. What's your thoughts on it?
And what mags are you using?

**hcpookie** · 08-17-2009, 07:17 PM

Nice grouping indeed - I had similar luck with mine (but with a lower power scope)

I wouldn't worry about 5.45x39 ammo going away. Hornady has been quoted as working on some loads since S&W is now making an AR uppper in that caliber. YEP - US factory ammo coming "soon"!

Even if 5.45 ammo completely dries up and Hornady doesn't deliver, you can rebarrel it to .223. Add new followers and call it a day.

[486] · 08-18-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hcpookie

Even if 5.45 ammo completely dries up and Hornady doesn't deliver, you can rebarrel it to .223. Add new followers and call it a day.

And a new bolt, or just sleeve the old one smaller...

Darth AkSarBen · 08-18-2009, 04:33 PM

Well, Grendeljaeger, if you see the white fence in the picture and go to the right about 12 feet you'd see my house, but of course, it's not in this picture. My range is "at home" I have a 'Home on the Range' in a funny sort of way, or other way, I have a range "at home". I'm afraid she's still interested in internet, computers, and guys at the time, along with her drawing.

Coils, Thanks for the compliment!
I like the side mount scope mount very well. 2 allen head screws hold it in place and I can take the cover off, without removing the scope. Enough clearance. Also has many spots on the rail to mount the scope making it very customizable. Plus, it has rail on the side as well. Very sturdy, aircraft aluminum making it ridgid and light. From [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] The magazine I think most of is the Sure Fire. Very tough built and strudy. The pro Mag is cheaper and ....is cheaper. The bullet guide is not beefy enough, and looks to break off easily.

I'd love to get rid of the raised area on the bolt face (put there by Saiga for Russian government control) and not have that. It would change the specs on headspace, and I think I can overcome it with just removing the barrel pin and pushing the barrel back a bit, then re-doing a new barrel pin hole with oversize pin.

Any thoughts or suggestion to this?