The Saiga-12 is a Kalashnikov pattern 12 gauge shotgun available in a wide range of configurations. Like the Kalashnikov rifle variants, it is a rotating bolt, gas-operated gun that feeds from a box magazine. All Saiga-12 configurations are recognizable as Kalashnikov pattern guns by the large lever-safety on the right side of the receiver, the 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 famous inaccuracy of Kalashnikov type guns is not an important shortcoming in a shotgun, a weapon rarely used beyond 50 yards. However, the loose and reliable design is an enormous boon on a semi-automatic shotgun, as this class of weapon had previously tended towards unreliability. The gun is also readily affordable and easy to maintain, made almost entirely from sheet-metal stampings.
The Saiga-12 is manufactured by the arms division of Izhmash, in Russia. It was previously imported by European American Armories, although their agreement expired and Izhmash is pursuing new import channels (April 2005).
The Saiga-12 incorporates several interesting features absent on the AK47 and similar guns.
Since shotgun shells are nearly twice as long as 7.62x39 rifle cartidges, the extraction hole in the side of the dust cover had to be increased in size. However, since the bolt had to remain the same length to fit inside the AK-47 sized receiver, the rear part 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-12 extractor does not rotate, but instead delegates the bolt-locking function to a caliber-neutral lug directly behind the bolt-face.
The Saiga-12 incorporates an adjustable 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 essense a manual straight-pull action.
Due to the shape and size of the 12 gauge round, the Saiga-12 has some unusual quirks. As originally designed with conical rifle rounds, the AK47 can be loaded and then charged by cycling the action. The Saiga-12 cannot be loaded unless the bolt is held in the rearward position- otherwise the front edge of the shell hits the bottom of the bolt face and the magazine falls out immediately. This adds about half a second to magazine changes and forces the user to move both hands while changing magazines instead of merely taking one hand off the foregrip.
The saiga-12 has the typically brutal recoil of a full-power 12 gauge shotgun. This isnt really a shortcoming, but gun will leave bruises if you fire more than a dozen or so rounds through it. Also, if you fail to use a recoil buffer, the gun will eventualy fall apart if continually used on the low-power setting.
The saiga-12 is manufactured in several different configurations ranging from civilian hunting models to special forces combat models. The civilian versions are available with a more politically correct 5 round magazine and a traditional appearing stock. The civilian barrel lengths are 19 and 22 inches. The civilian guns are available with optional screw-in choke systems. The combat versions typically come with the usual Kalasnikov furniture of a separate pistol grip and buttstock, also featuring 8 round magazines and barrel lengths down to 11 inches.
The saiga-12 fills an important niche in the world of firearms. It marks the first time that a semi-automatic shotgun was both reliable and affordable. Capable of reliabily firing a wide range of ammunition types, it is an excellent gun for both the self defense and hunting roles. It is also expected to see limited combat use as a trench and room-clearing weapon in place of traditional (but bulkier and slower firing) pump-action shotguns. Shorter versions may see use as door-breaching tools.
