Ammo for a saiga .223 ak

[jay851]

hi
Im in the process of buying a saiga m3 in .223 and would like a source for cheap ammo. now my fac has ammo listed as .223 not 5.56 so im presuming that .223 is all i can buy, is this correct. i dont mind reloading for it and have some brass and dies so if anyone could help with some data just for target plinking to get me started, that would be great. barrel is 1:7 twist.

many thanks
jay

[Jackmanuk]

ggg surplus will get you going and is boxer primed , you jsut goto remove the primer crimp or seating a new primer is a pain in the butt

hornaday also have steel cased "training" ammo at about £17 for 50 which is around the same price as surplus but new stuff , its not reloadable but will get you shooting


now without getting moaned at for giving you dodgy data , its your choice weather to use it of not , i have tried 10 grains of 2400 in my 223 for a light plinking load, i know its a pistol powder but i use it in my 7.62 x 39 as a standard load and in my 308 as a plinking load. others have tried it upto 16 and 17 grain and reckon thats as far as you can go with it iv not had enough time to try i do have some 12 - 14 made up see what happens but 10 is a nice light load .....which is good since its less than half a standard powder charge and is a pretty cheap powder

[20series]

ooh school boy error , you should have listed ammo and rifle to cover .223/5.56x45

Some RFD's might supply you with 5.56 but most probably not. I would talk nicely to your licensing department about ammending your FAC.

Alan

[jay851]

i did actually put .223/5.56 when i put my application in alan, but it came back with just .223. i was so excited that the license got to me i just went out shopping, and there was no chance i was sending it back straight away . will ask for it to be ammended when i put in for some more slots. may have to reload for now or find some cheap .223, am i right in thinking the 1:7 twist will favour a heavier bullet.

atb
jay

[20series]

ok mate, you might find you'll be ok.

As for twist rate yes 1/7 will probably need 69graioners or heavier to be stable. My AR when I had one was a 1/7 and loved 77gn SMK's.

If you can get some buy some HPS 77gn Ammo that should do the trick

Alan

[zanes]

Probably Barnual from HPS (on their website as "plinking ammo"). Got 500 of their 7.62x39 for when the right rifle appears...

[20series]

Jay

HPS will be in attendance at the Inter Counties match this weekend, it might be a good opportunity to pick up some ammo.

You'll find them in the White building at the top of the hill between the Surrey and the clay ranges.

Alan

[snayperskaya]

ooh school boy error , you should have listed ammo and rifle to cover .223/5.56x45

Second schoolboy error was getting an AK in anything other than 7.62x39!!!

I would try and get it changed to .223/5.56 and get hold of some steel cased 5.56 .Russian steel cased should be easy to find as they churn it out for the civilian market.If you had bought a x39 you could have had milsurp at around £27 per hundred rounds and its plenty accurate, I can drop fig11 targets at Sennybridge out to 500m with my AKM, iron sights and Russian milsurp ammo.

[Charlotte the flyer]

Drop Leeroy a PM, he had one and from memory it liked some ammo makes but not others.

[snayperskaya]

Drop Leeroy a PM, he had one and from memory it liked some ammo makes but not others.

Thats the advantage of a 7.62x39 AK......you can feed them anything

Op......a Saiga M3 is a 7.62x39 with a folding stock, a Saiga-04 is a 7.62x39 with a fixed stock (same configuration as Russian military AK-103)

A Saiga MK-02 is a 223/5.56 with either a skeleton or solid polymer side folding stock (same configuration as export only AK 101)

A Saiga MK is a 223/5.56 short barrelled carbine (same configuration as an AK-102), the MK is also available as a 7.62x39 with either a skeleton or solid polymer side folding stock fitted (a solid polymer stocked 7.62x39 MK is the same configuration as the current issue AK-104, popular with OMON and Spetsnaz units and a replacement for the AK-74u)

Sometimes 223/5.56 MK-02 receivers can be found that are stamped as "M3" , this is because all receivers start out on the same production line and then split off to other areas depending on production variations regarding stock type and calibre (for example 223 and x39 mag well dimensions are different) and it is not unknown for some receivers stamped and destined to be x39 to be diverted to become 223 receivers in order to fulfil orders.I have seen a couple of 223 receivers that were originally stamped as "7.62x39", then crossed out by overstamping and the restamped as 223/5.56 next to it, and this was on Izhmash produced factory rifles.

Edit.....forgot to say 223/5.56 receivers are also stamped with EXP to denote an export rifle.