OK, So I have went from all but driving to the gun store to pick up the used SAIGA 7.62x39 I have been bugging everyone on here about, to thinking about getting the brand new one they have in 7.62 NATO.
NOW,,,,, here is a very serious question! Has anyone shot Federal or Remington Reduced Recoil loads through their Saiga .308 ? Did the cycling of the action work OK ?
I ask becaus of 2 reasons:
1) It is illegal here where I live to use a .223 on deer.
2) My wife can handle the recoil of the 7.62x39, but not a .308 Win.
( This we found out for fact the hard way! LOL!!!! )
I have shot 30'06's quite a bit and have no problems with the recoil of that round. They are accually quite mild compaired to the .375 H&H Mag I shot. ONCE ! ( Now THAT gun will KICK !!!! )
But I want a rifle that SHE can shoot too. But would like to at least have the option of throwing in some Full Power loads if I want to shoot it.
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To be upset over the things you want &DO NOThave is to waste the things you DOhave !
well, i would imagine that a .308 semi auto would not kick as much as a .308 bolt gun. so she might be able to handle it. (assuming the 308 she shot was a bolt gun?) I had a CETME in .308 and it wasn't half as bad as a Remington 700 SPS that my buddy had.
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Save me a place up there Brother.
If they are similar to that of a PSL which is about the same thing, actually a little bigger bullet, it wouldn't be too bad. More than a 7.62x39 for sure.
Are you looking for a rifle for yourself? A hunting rifle? A rifle for your wife? Or a hunting rifle for your wife?
__________________ When I can't think of anything original to post I think to myself, 'what would Sprout say?' -PSLMAN
well, i would imagine that a .308 semi auto would not kick as much as a .308 bolt gun. so she might be able to handle it. (assuming the 308 she shot was a bolt gun?) I had a CETME in .308 and it wasn't half as bad as a Remington 700 SPS that my buddy had.
true CETME's arnt that hart to handle but they have more weight to eat the recoil
I haven't held a .308 Saiga in a long time but I seem to remember them being rather light weight because of the plastic furniture. Recoil would be enhanced somewhat if that is the case and of course felt recoil is subjective anyways. The 7.62X39 would have less kick than a .308 especially shooting from a rest.
As to the question of using reduced power loads in a Saiga, I have no experience in the matter, sorry.
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I shot my .308 every other weekend. The recoil is not bad at all. If you convert it, make sure to put a full length (nato stock) You can fill it with something to make it solid and heavier. Then if you keep the original forearm it weights a lot so that would add some weight, eather way the semi auto .308 is really light on recoil. I have a buddy that has .308 in bolt gun and let him shoot my at that time "unconverted" .308 and his first words were "wow this gun has barelly any kick to it compared to my .308 its nothing"
The .308 she shot was a Remington model 7 stainless/synthetic. Not sure of the weight of that rifle. I did not think anything of it when i shot it, so I just handed it over to her to shoot, and after she pulled the trigger she sid @#$^^&$%$#$@@&&$$%#$#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! and THREW the gun at me! LMAO !!!!!!
But still, my ORRIGINAL question has not been answered.
The question was not 308 vs 7.62x39, or semi auto vs. bolt action, nor was it about phisical weight diff. of the guns. The question was: Has anybody accually shot the Remington or Federal "Low / Reduced Recoil" loads from their SAIGA .308.
I know it will go bang, what I dont know is if the lower powered .308's will have enough umph to cycle the action.
BUT, this has all been for naught, because she said she did not like the SAIGA riffles. :-( She wants a NEF in .243
(Although I was buying the Saiga for me to play with, it was to be "her" deer riffle.)
Thanks for the great responce and trying to help me out though!! You guys are great.
I would still like to know if they will cycle the lower powered loads, just for future reference. ;-)
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To be upset over the things you want &DO NOThave is to waste the things you DOhave !
I dont know about the RR Remington ammo but my Saiga 308 worked perfectly with a start charge of IMR4198 and a 168 gr Speer match bullet. Velocity was 2250 fps from the 16 inch barrel. Shot into one ragged hole at 50 yards. Recoil was very light. I added a recoil buffer from Buffer Tech. and reduced the recoil further. If you put in the buffer and add a recoil pad to fit her, the recoil would be about like a 7.62x39. If you limit your shots to 100 yards, the 7.62x39 should be just fine for deer. If I thought recoil was a problem, Id get her the 7.62x39. Then you can get the 308 for yourself. The Saigas in general have lower recoil. The first time I took my Saiga-12 to the range I fired over 100 rounds of slugs with no problem.
The .308 she shot was a Remington model 7 stainless/synthetic. Not sure of the weight of that rifle. I did not think anything of it when i shot it, so I just handed it over to her to shoot, and after she pulled the trigger she sid @#$^^&$%$#$@@&&$$%#$#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! and THREW the gun at me! LMAO !!!!!!
But still, my ORRIGINAL question has not been answered.
The question was not 308 vs 7.62x39, or semi auto vs. bolt action, nor was it about phisical weight diff. of the guns. The question was: Has anybody accually shot the Remington or Federal "Low / Reduced Recoil" loads from their SAIGA .308.
I know it will go bang, what I dont know is if the lower powered .308's will have enough umph to cycle the action.
BUT, this has all been for naught, because she said she did not like the SAIGA riffles. :-( She wants a NEF in .243
(Although I was buying the Saiga for me to play with, it was to be "her" deer riffle.)
Thanks for the great responce and trying to help me out though!! You guys are great.
I would still like to know if they will cycle the lower powered loads, just for future reference. ;-)
You can train her to get used to any recoil
My girl is 110 lbs. and about 5'2", she fired my Enfield this summer for the first time. The look on her face was priceless lol and she learned a few good things (especially when I told her to plant her cheek on the stock and not hover it over the stock).
__________________ When I can't think of anything original to post I think to myself, 'what would Sprout say?' -PSLMAN
I have the SAIGA 16" barrel in .308, and have used silver bear soft points a few times at the range. I am usually using 7.62x51 MEM (german) FMJ. I have never had a hard time with it, even though it is rather light and the buttstock is a piece of crap. Mine came with the skeleton stock that has the junky check rest. If yours has that, consider changing the buttstock and parts out to make it compliant. Get something like the TAPCO stock. Besides, Tapco stocks can have the adjustable buttstock and also take a rubber recoil pad.
I do not use the name brand factory loads, as they are too much money. Consider getting a 22" barrel if you can find one... they were sold out with no more in sight when I bought mine. I hope this helps.
Ohh ohh ohh, i have a question! 
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