Like the Kalashnikov rifle variants, it is a rotating boltgas-operated gun that feeds from a box magazine. All Saiga configurations are recognizable as Kalashnikov-pattern guns by the large lever-safety on the right side of the receiverthe optic mounting rail on the left side of the receiver and the large top-mounted dust cover held in place by the rear of the recoil spring assembly.

The Saiga is manufactured by the arms division of Izhmashin Russia. It was previously imported into the US by European American Armories, although their agreement expired in and Izhmash then began exporting through the Russian-American Armory Company.

The current export import partner is Wolf Performance Arms. The Saiga incorporates several features absent on the AK and similar firearms. Since shotgun shells are nearly twice as wide as 7. However, since the bolt had to remain the same length to fit inside the AK sized receiver, the rear section of the bolt is covered by a sliding metal flap that rides on the recoil spring.

This allows the gun to be sealed against dirt when the bolt is forward, but the compression of the recoil spring during firing moves the flap rearward to clear the extracted shells. For the likely reason of simplifying production of Izhmash 's other Kalashnikov-pattern guns, the Saiga extractor does not rotate, but instead delegates the bolt-locking function to a caliber-neutral lug directly behind the bolt-face.

The Saiga incorporates an adjustable two-position gas system, for the reason that firing high power loads such as slugs and buckshot generates so much force that the receiver will be damaged if the full power of the gas system is employed without some sort of recoil buffer.

The problem is that making the gun durable with the higher power loads would make it useless with low-power loads such as bean-bags and flares since the gun would fail to cycle — becoming in essence a manual straight-pull action or producing a "stovepipe" malfunction.

The Saiga is manufactured in several different configurations ranging from more traditional-looking hunting models to military-style models utilizing AK or SVD hardware.

All these versions are available for purchase by civilians in Russia. The 23" version comes with a traditional rifle stock or with an AK-style separate pistol grip and folding stock version S for "skladnaya", "folding".

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Optional screw-in chokes are available. Standard AK rail for optics may be mounted on the left side of the receiver. Two, five, seven, eight and twelve round box magazines are available, as well as ten, twelve, and twenty round aftermarket drums.

All magazines may be interchanged with all 12 gauge models sometimes minor fitting may be necessaryalthough factory-original magazines from Russia only exist in 5- 7- and 8-round stock broker conflict of interest configurations.

Prior to importation to the US, all Saiga shotguns are configured with a traditional fixed "hunting-style" rifle stock and 5-round magazine. Factory 8-round box magazines are not imported in the US though they are legal for import in other countriesmaking them quite rare on the civilian market. Recently, a newly configured version of the Saiga 12 was introduced. Called the Saiga Taktika modit features an extended magazine well, last round bolt hold open recently produced very rarely and replaced with manual bolt holdhinged dust cover with Picatinny rail for mounting optics, picatinny rail gas block, and a newly designed 8-round magazine not interchangeable with other Saiga models.

This design seems to address deficiencies that the Saiga 12 had in function.

The traditional AK "rock and lock" magazine system and the difficulties associated with magazine has been replaced by a vertical insertion system that allow the magazine to be inserted with only one hand. The hinged dustcover with picatinny rail makes mounting optics simpler, and is closer to the bore axis, making sighting of optics easier. The gas-block rail system allows double knock in call option the addition of combat lights and vertical fore grips.

The last round bolt hold open gives the user instant feedback that the firearm is empty and allows for a quicker magazine change. In late September the IZT was released in the USA.

This model featured a shortened barrel with a permanently attached brake. Barrel length was 18 inches including the brake. Market stock price versus intrinsic value IZT also had military style features including a rear pistol grip and 6 position stock.

Various modifications were made to the trigger group, bolt, and bolt carrier that allowed loaded magazine insertion without locking the bolt back.

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The IZT also featured a fully parkerized military finish. Stock exchange listing rules uk Saiga shotgun is also available in gauge and. The Saiga semi-automatic rifle family are a sport version of the AK-series rifles, and are marketed for hunting and civilian use. They are sometimes referred to as "Saiga Sporters". In Russia, this shotgun can be saiga 12 tactical stocks simply obtained, requiring only a "smoothbore-gun license" which is relatively easy to obtain, compared to a "rifle license" that requires a five-year period of owning a smoothbore gun and a hunting permit.

In response to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian FederationU. President Barack Obama issued Executive Order on July 16, blocking the importation of all Izhmash products, including Saiga shotguns and rifles. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Saiga US civilian aftermarket modified "SaigaK" shotgun. Archived by the Wayback Machine.

Archived from the original on December 30, Tactical Small Arms of the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Small Arms From Around the World.

The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons. Archived from the original on December 28, Retrieved 12 Jan Acquisition of weapons by citizens" in Russian. Retrieved August 7, Retrieved 25 October Russia Beyond the Headlines. Blannelberry 6 February AK AKM AK AK AK AK AK Groza K-3 Malyuk Type 86S Vektor CR Vepr.

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FB Beryl assault rifle FB Mini-Beryl short-barreled rifle FB Tantal assault rifle FB Onyks short-barreled rifle Radom Hunter civilian rifle Radom Sport civilian rifle. List of modern Russian Small Arms and Light Weapons. Retrieved from " https: Semi-automatic shotguns Kalashnikov derivatives Shotguns of Russia. CS1 Russian-language sources ru Webarchive template wayback links Pages using deprecated image syntax.

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