[Mark21]

I have been considering a Krebs Custom Saiga-12 shotgun for a while, and the SWAT article this month prob has pushed me over the edge. So of course, now I have a couple of questions but instead of going to a shotgun forum and being that stereotypical First-Post- "What is best to buy?"-Guy [you know the one, who signs up in forums like this one and posts, "What 6.8 is best" or "is the Grendel better?" and then never posts again!!!], I thought I'd check in with my brotherhood here first.

I've done my research on these guns and am left with two questions:

In a setup like a converted Saiga-12, are optics overkill? Mine would come with Krebs ghost-ring and an AR-type front post that I can put tritium stripe on, but was wondering if a J-point or even an Eotech may be worthwhile. Then again, most of my shots from this scattergun will be around 25 yards, 50 or so with slugs... so looking for opinions. I've seen optics in competition, but don't know what the typical setup is for home defense or for LEO work.

And secondly, are muzzle breaks necessary on a 12-gauge, and what am I giving up by using one? Velocity? Greater flash and noise in return for lower recoil for a follow-up shot? On my ARs, I used them for flash suppression, but when you are using shotguns, I don't think the flash will matter since I'm not 300 yards away in darkness!

Any thoughts are appreciated, as always!

 

[constructor]

I've seen a few in 3 gun shoots here, the main thing is getting ammo it will feed with and and get the mod. choke if possible.

I use a 1100 tactical and ghostring sights are faster but if you want to hit anything past 50yds with a slug then a dot of some sort is best.

 

[Empty Brass]

Honestly imho, I'd go with something like this: http://www.fnhusa.com/le/products/firearms/model.asp?fid=FNF005&gid=FNG002&mid=FNM0131

Couple reasons.
#1 what constructer said.
#2 ease of service if needed
#3 I've got an SX3 that runs beautifuly. basically the same gun without the tactical stuff.

 

[paulosantos]

The only shotguns I've shot are the Remington Police shotfuns and the Benelli Semi-auto shotguns that we have at work. If you are just shooting regular shotgun ammo, the irons are good enough. If you are shooting slugs, a red dot is great and the accuracy is good with the slugs. If you are using a shotgun for home protection, a weaponlight and sling are great to have. By the way, the Benelli is awsome.

 

[Mark21]

The Benelli and the FN both look fantastic... One of the reasons I want this Saiga is because I think it is only a matter of time before it gets banned like the StreetSweeper a decade ago. Similar to the Daewoo Dr-200 assualt rifle, which I bought five of at $250 apiece in 1996 and unloaded in 2004 for $800 a pop. Not bad for guns you can both shoot AND make a profit on!

Maybe I need to do the tried and true method of: buy all three! (Yeah, and then sneaking them past the wife -- no chance. "Don't be silly honey, that is the SAME shotgun you see, I just um... I just keep changing its appearance with new add-ons...!!!" :roll: )

Any thoughts on the muzzle break? Necessary? Any drawbacks? Thanks guys.

 

[ccoker]

I have a Benelli M2 field w/comfortech stock for hunting and clays and it's been absolutely flawless.

my HD gun which has done some 3 gun is a 1100 turned tactical

 

[Cohibra45]

Actually, I like to use my shotgun for more than home protection and possible trouble. I grew up hunting in NC and used a single shot for many years. I also used my friends Ithaca 20ga pump for rabbits. I ended up with an Ithaca auto, but got back to the pump...I love dove and quail hunting. I haven't done any turkey hunting, but might someday. So, my reasons are more of the practical use of the shotgun.

I have a 12ga Remington Police pump with two barrels, a 20" iron site that came on it, and a 26" vent rib that I use for hunting and trap shooting. When I was in WV, I purchased a Ruger Red Label and I really like that one also. I inherited my oldest brothers Belgium Browning Auto-5. Those are my scatter guns and like you see, I use them for fun.

For home, I put the Rem 20" barrel with the Choate 7 shot extension loaded with 7 1/2 trap load. Within 30 feet, the shot spread is like a softball or smaller and the wound will be like total frangible...It won't be a pretty sight.

Kelly

 

[coldair]

I have killed turkey deer and hog all with a benelli m2 entry gun with an 18 barrel it even spent a day stuck under the mud after I lent to a hunting buddy and forget he place it on the back of the swamp bugger and it fell out and got run over . another time I fell out of oe of those stupid ladder stands that someone else setup up wrong. the fall broke the stock on my 243 bar and packed the m2 with mud. I cleaned it with apiece of tolie paper and a stick, shot a hog and a 7 pointer with it after that.

needless to say I like the benelli's

 

[ccoker]

yep, Benellis rule

 

[Lastrites]

Benelli, fenelli none of it is true without pictures :mrgreen: The fact of the matter is most present day shoty's work pretty darn well in most conditions.

 

[gdonley308]

I own a circa 1986 Mossberg 500 that has seen major use, in excess of 10k rounds! We used it to shoot skeet from a boat for 5 years and I used it in a "Tactical Urban Shotgun" class in Miami in 1992. I purchased it at "Service Merchandise" as they were going out of business for $178.00. It came with a 28" full choke barrel, the one we used for skeet, a 18 1/4" modified cylinder barrel, heat shield, regular wood stock, and pistol grip. This shotgun has never malfunctioned and it is so loosesmooth now it will almost cycle the action by itself. I keep waiting for something to break like the trigger guard so I could replace that with a 590A1 metal trigger guard but it won't break. I recently purchase some of the Federal Tactical "TruBall" slugs and at 50yrds with a fiber optic bead sight this old POS put 5rds into 2 1/2".This wasn't on the first try but after about 25rds. My first 25rds or so were going into somewhere around 3"-3 1/2". I've never seen the need, personally, for anything other than a good bead sight on a shotgun. I used to have a Trijicon bead but it went out after 10 years. I'd like to get one of the XS 24/7 big dots up there but that will have to wait.

 

[coldair]

Benelli, fenelli none of it is true without pictures :mrgreen: The fact of the matter is most present day shoty's work pretty darn well in most conditions.

 

[gdonley308]

Whoa Harvest time!!!

 

[Lastrites]

Benelli, fenelli none of it is true without pictures :mrgreen: The fact of the matter is most present day shoty's work pretty darn well in most conditions.

Jealous, green with envy, is what you make of me! Where did you guys drop those, a lease? Very nice spread for a Florida critters.

 

[rcrandall]

Benelli M1 Super 90 Tactical with 18.5" barrel, ghostring sights, nine round capacity (seven in the tube, one on the feed ramp, and one in the chamber) and a pistol grip stock. I've had mine for years and since I don't hunt it's the only shotgun I need.

 

[ScottyD]

We use Benelli M-4's (1014) and they are awesome. They make a pump look really bad during rapid fire. If you want something that might be banned later, the collapsible stocks were pinned during the AWB. Tacticalshotgunner.com has a pretty good forum. Good luck...Scott :mrgreen:

 

[odn777]

hello everyone,

Im new here and was looking over this post and thought I might throw a little info into the hat for you to ponder. I own a saiga .410 and its a great gun. For the price you cant beat the efficiency of it. You can shoot the hell out of it and it wont stop running. The only problem with the 12 gauges are that they are getting hard to find. If you are interested in one I would suggest getting one if you come across it. Importation has slowed way down and interest in them is up. When I bought my .410 a year ago I looked at the 12's and didnt get one, they were easy to get then, now though they are hard to find at times, and the price on them has gone up around 100 to 150 dollars in that short time. Another thing you might want to consider too is the hi cap mags for them are rather expensive. Just thought I would throw that out there for you if your still looking at them. Another place you may want to try too is Tromix. They sell them as well in a few different configurations. I'm not sure as to the availablity of them but just thought you might like to know.

odn

 

[Cohibra45]

Just curious about how many rounds the extra capacity Saiga magazines hold?

I still like the traditional wood and blue steel. I'm not sure how much clay bird shooting you would like to shoot with the Benelli M4 vs the Legacy. Just depends on what you like doing with the shotguns!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Kelly

 

[odn777]

cohibra 45,

Right now there are two options for the 12 gauge hi cap magazines for the saiga's. There is a 10 round magazine, that runs 50.00 a piece, then there is a drum that holds 20 rounds, its available through special order, and costs about 220.00. The other calibers have hi cap mags as well, that are just as expensive. I dont believe there are drums for them though.
The other thing to keep in mind too though is if you run these mags through a saiga is they have to be converted. From the way I understand it since they are import rifles under 922r compliance you have to have them converted with so many u.s. made parts for it to be legal to run hi cap magazines through them. I dont know alot about all that though because I havent worried about any of that aspect as far as my .410 goes. Although if I ever get my hands on a 12 gauge...............

odn

 

[coldair]

my daughter first time shooting clays using my m1, she went 250 rounds before hopping on the launcher and taking over throwing the birds