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Semi Auto version of the AA-12?

Aaron1124

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Does anyone know if there is strictly a semi auto version of the AA-12? Of course, thanks to the ban in Washington State, us Joe Blow citizens are unable to own any fully automatic weapons, even ones manufactured before the ban, or unless we acquired it before the ban.
 

massivedesign

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No, they do not make a semi-auto version (well, actually the AA-12 is multi selector, full, semi, safe... So technically, it is semi too lol). It is classified as a full auto weapon with an open bolt design.

The closest things people have found to a Semi AA-12 is a Saiga 12 (which you can get drums for as well).
 

Aaron1124

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How much are the Saiga 12's going for these days? I have never seen one at any of the local gun stores.

Edited because I realized google is my friend. Generally around $620.00 or so.
 
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Dave_pro2a

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How much are the Saiga 12's going for these days? I have never seen one at any of the local gun stores.

Edited because I realized google is my friend. Generally around $620.00 or so.

Under $500 all day long. Check out the vendors on the Saiga forum.
 

.45ACPaddy

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Saiga = 12 gauge semi auto AK. I want one, but my poor college student status prevents me from being able to afford one.

Now taking donations! :banana:
 

Beretta92FSLady

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The AA-12 would be pricey...even as a neutered version. It likely won't be 500 or 600 bucks.

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?
 
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Fallschirjmäger

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The AA-12 would be pricey...even as a neutered version. It likely won't be 500 or 600 bucks.

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?

The 'top round flattening' is caused by the pressure of the magazine spring forcing the nose of the cartridge up against the bottom of the Saiga's bolt. The two most common cures for the Saiga seem to be either download the first magazine, or storage with the bolt locked back. Using full-length brass shells at the top of the magazine would probably work too, and give it that CDI factor.

Due to operating from an open bolt, the AA-12 will never be offered to the public in it's present form even if the idiotic "Destructive Device" foolishness were to go away. The only thing on the market that's truly close to the AA-12 is the USAS-12 which can be occasionally found on Gunbroker.com but is a "DD" and in the neighborhood of $2- to $2.5k. Magazines for the USAS-12 are generally around 100 for stick and 300 for drums (IF they could be found).

As an aside.... Being the owner of a USAS-12 (which is just as bulky and quite close to the weight of an AA-12), it's not something I like to carry around all day. Fully loaded they're both quite close to fifteen pounds of weight in the arms and there is a Very good reason why both are shown slung padded slings. I've run mine in the woods and competitions a few times and the pounds of extra weight don't make up for being able to carry the extra rounds. I gladly sacrifice the extra rounds for the more nimble shotguns out there.

In today's market that's a Saiga-12, as long as you are willing to pay the price of recoil with it.
 
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Beretta92FSLady

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In today's market that's a Saiga-12, as long as you are willing to pay the price of recoil with it.

I haven;t shot a Saiga-12...I would have thought the recoil would be reduced because its a semi-auto than if it were a pump or SBS.

I will stick with a standard AK, I love my commie rifle....I have to admit though, I have been eyeballing an AR medium barrel chambered in .308:banana:..just in case any 1000 yard issues come up.
 
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amlevin

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I haven;t shot a Saiga-12...I would have thought the recoil would be reduced because its a semi-auto than if it were a pump or SBS.

I will stick with a standard AK, I love my commie rifle....I have to admit though, I have been eyeballing an AR medium barrel chambered in .308:banana:..just in case any 1000 yard issues come up.

I used to shoot trap in regular competition using a Remington 1100. Sometimes as many as 1,000 rounds of 12 ga. in a week, practice and competition combined. The recoil from an autoloader is not necessarily reduced, it is just "different". You get a kick from the round going off and it is then followed by a slightly less push from the action.

Remington tried to imitate this in the 870 Comp by filling the magazine tube with a free floating piston, gas operated. Recoil still "Hurt".

Recoil can be reduced by increasing the overall weight of the gun such as installing the mercury filled tubes in the stock or even by re-designing the stock so the recoil is not pushed up into your face. The explosion and resulting energy is still the same in Auto's, Break-actions, or Pump's. Recoil and shotguns just go together. The average "load" consists of over 550 grains of shot. (that's more than twice the weight of a common 45acp bullet). Add the weight of the "wad" and powder and you have a lot of energy that is thrust back into your shoulder Autoloader or not.

BTW, the Saiga is an OK weapon. Much better for a "combat piece" than the common tube magazine types that are most common. Even if only box mags are utilized, beats "stuffing rounds up the tube".
 

Dave_pro2a

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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.
 
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