I had looked into picking up a Saiga 12 gauge. I did not like the mags...they are long for just ten rounds, I would opt for the drums. I wish they had steel mags, just a preference.
This is just what I have heard, but I have heard someone say leaving the shells in the mags. For extended periods of time could result in the top shell being compressed in and either rupturing or not cycling properly...anyone know about this? Has anyone stores 12 gauge shells in the mags. for extended periods of time?
There are many mag & drum options for the Saiga.
5 rnd mags, 8 rnd mags, 10 rnd mags, 12 rnd mags. There's also after market base plates that let you cut the mag down to pretty much whatever capacity you want. CProducts was working on a metal mag too.
10 rnd drums, 12 rnd drums 20 rnd drums (it's iirc on the 10 or 12 rounders, I know 2 different companies were making the lower capacity drum mags).
There's also a double stack mag coming out that should be shorter than the existing 10 round mag, I don't remember if it's 10 or 12 rounds. It's an MD Arms product, and the release date is coming up pretty soon I think.
As to the shell deformation, yes if you leave a loaded mag in the shotgun with tbe bolt closed the top shell can (will) deform. it can interfer with cycling.. Solution: just get a BHO and the problem is solved because the bolt won't be closed. Or leave the bolt closed but download the mag to lessen the pressure. IIRC there were some Russian brass 12 gauge shells that also solved the problem, but they had to be trimmed down slightly (this is a distant memory). I haven't kept up on Saiga info for about a year, so things could have changed.