Where is saiga manufactured

We immediately liked the high quality workmanship — it is unlikely to find anything of equal quality among AK clones from other manufacturers. The model series consists of a painted stamped metal receiver and a black synthetic stock. The rear stock made of stable polymer can be folded up on the left side of the receiver. Also on the left side of the receiver is the typical slide-on mount for optics such as a PSO riflescope or a Picatinny rail.

Practical for attaching a bipod or a short vertical grip, for example. A flashlight can also be conveniently fitted. Also eye-catching is the enhanced safety lever, which can be operated quickly and conveniently with the trigger finger.

In contrast to the enlarged retrofit lever from the US supplier Krebs Custom, the factory lever fortunately does not have a recess to hold the charging handle in the open position. Thus, when the gun is secured, the gap in the receiver remains protected from intruding foreign bodies. No less useful are the internal modifications. A riveted ramp in front of the cartridge chamber and the adapted magazine release allow for the use of standard military magazines.

With older Saiga rifles this was not possible without reworking. A further special feature is a factory fitted trigger lock which prevents the rifle from being fired when the stock is folded. In our tested short version, the muzzle brake was glued and pinned to ensure the legally required minimum length for long guns. Different muzzle attachments are also available — for example the funnel-shaped muzzle brake of the AK in AKSU style. The replacement of the pistol grip is recommended too.

By changing the grip angle and thickness, the ergonomics are again significantly improved. Both have a pleasant texture and each offer an integrated capped storage core. The quick-release mount can be easily fitted to the factory installed mount of the Saiga. On the 50 m line the Saiga was fired with the red dot sight. The author succeeded in achieving a nice 0. Some armorers also take steps to make the rifle even more similar to the AK series rifles. The handguard is replaced by the removal of the factory gas tube.

A standard gas tube is used as a replacement, since they have the ability to retain the top portion of the handguard present on military issue Kalashnikovs. The rifle must also be fitted with a lower handguard retainer in order to use a military-style lower handguard component. Both press-on and bolt-on retainers are available, with the press-on versions requiring the removal of the front sight post and the gas block for installation.

Finally, the owner may choose to thread the muzzle of the rifle or to install a threaded front sight block to enable the use of muzzle devices. This requires the removal of the front sight block installed at the factory, or removal of the additional material over the muzzle that extends from the front sight block. At the end of this process, a Saiga may not be readily distinguishable from a fully automatic military issue AK series rifle, save the third receiver axis pin required to house the additional fire control parts necessary for fully automatic fire.

This procedure is legal in most states, but those with laws regulating "assault weapons" may consider a restored Saiga a contraband weapon. Such a procedure is not without risk. Damage may occur if the individual doing the upgrade does not take care while working. Since the Saiga is Russian made, care must be taken to make sure that the foreign parts count after the conversion does not exceed ten components out of the rifle's fourteen.

As with all civilian-held firearms in the United States built after , it is a felony to convert, transport, buy, sell, or be in possession of a Saiga with full-auto capability that does not fall under the grandfather clauses of the US government.

Converted Saigas are notable for their "pedigree" among Kalashnikov collectors and enthusiasts. Value is given to the weapon based on the fact that it is made from brand-new parts, as opposed to many commercially available AK pattern rifles, which are commonly built using an American-made receiver completed with surplus or retired parts kits from the rifles of the former Soviet Bloc. As a result, fit and finish on Saigas tends to fall into a higher category than the "de-milled" rifles of Romanian or Polish origin.

Rifles that have undergone more changes to resemble a military-issued weapon are often of a higher value than those that undergo a more simple conversion. These factors all enable converted Saigas to command high prices when sold relative to other civilian-legal Kalashnikov rifles. Such rifles may be sold at two to four times the value of a stock, non-converted factory Saiga. Saigas are also considered "true" Kalashnikovs, since they are made legally without design license violations in the same Kalashnikov Concern formerly Izhmash factory where Mikhail Kalashnikov works.

Currently, this is a unique feature of the Saiga, since Izhmash , the Kalashnikov's main producer, states that the vast majority of Kalashnikov-pattern rifles produced in the world today are illegal copies produced without a license.

Military Wiki Explore. Popular pages. Project maintenance. Register Don't have an account? Saiga semi-automatic rifle. Edit source History Talk 0. Retrieved AK and derivatives. The rifle does not have fully automatic function. Print Download. Licensed product.

Personal pickup Warranty 24 months Required documents StrefaCelu weapons shop, al. Waszyngtona a, Warsaw.