How to improve accuracy on a Saiga 308

[Pistol Teacher]

Is there anything that can be done to improve just a plain jane Saiga 308 rifle 21.8" barrel in reliability and accuracy only. Not worried about anything else as far as mods go. Bare bones DIY stuff like action work or making it more rigid.

[TylerPearce]

Is there anything that can be done to improve just a plain jane Saiga 308 rifle 21.8" barrel in reliability and accuracy only. Not worried about anything else as far as mods go. Bare bones DIY stuff like action work or making it more rigid.


As far as reliability, I have heard of people getting good results on saiga 12's by polishing the bolt carrier. It could work for the .308 as well?

[Ol` Joe]

1st I am not a smith!
Depends, what kind of accuracy are you now getting, and what kind of accuracy do you think you want?
You`re pretty much stuck with experimenting with ammo and making sure everything is tight. Maybe a sighting improvement or recrowning could help with accuracy.
Two piece stocks, large semi auto chambers and $10 barrels don`t leave much room to work on without a major over haul.
Reliability is something you have to dig to fix. The cure may be just a good cleaning, polish or springs. Then it might be a bad mag or feed ramp angle. The extractor might be worn and need replacement. lots can cause problems here

[Pistol Teacher]

1st I am not a smith!
Depends, what kind of accuracy are you now getting, and what kind of accuracy do you think you want?
You`re pretty much stuck with experimenting with ammo and making sure everything is tight. Maybe a sighting improvement or recrowning could help with accuracy.
Two piece stocks, large semi auto chambers and $10 barrels don`t leave much room to work on without a major over haul.
Reliability is something you have to dig to fix. The cure may be just a good cleaning, polish or springs. Then it might be a bad mag or feed ramp angle. The extractor might be worn and need replacement. lots can cause problems here

How would crowning help unless it was intially damaged. just curious. do you recommend a type of crowning.

Looking for 600 meter bottom of dixie cup accuracy. lol

[RECON762WT]

Interesting question, like the idea of the platform. I think that answering the below questions could help people give you better advice and keep the conversation going.

1. What kind of accuracy are you getting now? (What MOA at 100yds)
2. What kind of accuracy do you want to achieve?
3. What modifications have you already done to the rifle?
4. What optics are you using/ how are the mounted to the rifle?
5. Have you tried any different types of ammo? (Any match ammo)
6. What is your reliability now? (how many issues per 100 or 1000 rounds)

[TylerPearce]

Interesting question, like the idea of the platform. I think that answering the below questions could help people give you better advice and keep the conversation going.

1. What kind of accuracy are you getting now? (What MOA at 100yds)
2. What kind of accuracy do you want to achieve?
3. What modifications have you already done to the rifle?
4. What optics are you using/ how are the mounted to the rifle?
5. Have you tried any different types of ammo? (Any match ammo)
6. What is your reliability now? (how many issues per 100 or 1000 rounds)


These are great questions. Especially the optic mounting. I am curious about what the accuracy is looking like. I just got my first .308 battle rifle (an FAL) and am in love with the idea of getting more heavy hitters to accompany it.

[esq_stu]

What I'd do:
1.Trigger. THe Saiga rifle has a terrible trigger. Convert it to pistol grip and put in a double hook trigger like the Mak 90s.
2. Better sights. Consider one of those sight rails that puts a peep sight at the rear of the dust cover.

Not much you can do about barrel whip, though.

[Donzie]

Crowning a chrome lined barrel may cause the chrome to flake.

[Ol` Joe]

How would crowning help unless it was intially damaged. just curious. do you recommend a type of crowning.

Looking for 600 meter bottom of dixie cup accuracy. lol

Crowning won`t help if it is good to start. I tossed it out there as a suggestion of a place to look at.
Let me know what you do to the rifle if you ever manage to keep a couple in a row in a dixie cup @ 600. I want to copy your steps with a 1/2 dozen rifles of my own :sniper:

Donzie you`re right. I would not recommend doing it unless the crown had problems to begin with. I should have been more specific as to when and why recrown

[Pistol Teacher]

Interesting question, like the idea of the platform. I think that answering the below questions could help people give you better advice and keep the conversation going.

1. What kind of accuracy are you getting now? (What MOA at 100yds)
2. What kind of accuracy do you want to achieve?
3. What modifications have you already done to the rifle?
4. What optics are you using/ how are the mounted to the rifle?
5. Have you tried any different types of ammo? (Any match ammo)
6. What is your reliability now? (how many issues per 100 or 1000 rounds)

Do not have the Saiga yet. I have my eye on it. May go with a Savage 10 LE. Weighing options out I like the semi-auto mag option. I think buy the time I am done I should spend the big money on a M1A

I plan on using HSM Match or BB sniper ammo.
Looking for tight groups.
Looking at the burris fullfield II (eyeing the eliminator) with the heavy buris rings.
Thinking monting pic rail on to mount scope.
Trigger work and action polish would be on the list.

[RECON762WT]

Do not have the Saiga yet.

Step 1: get the rifle
Step 2: shoot said rifle and see how reliable and accurate it is to begin with
Step 3: Report results and ask your question again

There are going to be to many variables with a saiga to chalk talk before you have actually seen how the gun preforms. You could get it out of the box, assemble all of your components and shoot 1 1/2" at 100yds with good ammo. If that is the case, awesome...you got a good shooter out of the box. -OR- you could get a vodka special and shoot 6" groups at 100yds.

After having worked on saigas you can look at them and see variances in manufacturing between two of the same caliber rifles. That doesn't mean they won't shoot MOPP (minuet of pie plate) at 100yds, but when start talking about "accuracy" you are going to see how well your specific saiga will shoot.
:twocents:

[esq_stu]

I had one in .308 a while back. I sold it because I didn't want to make all the changes I'd want to make it acceptable. But the main thing to me was that at the time, all you could get was 8-round mags and they were polymer. People were modifying Galil .308 mags for the Saiga, IIRC.

[Pistol Teacher]

Changing platforms Saiga is out. Looking at http://www.nelsontactical.com/products/dpms-308-bull-24-p-168.html?zenid=ttq0b0dkrnufku96bdqda55fq7
DPMS .308 Bull 24"
DPMS: RFLR-308

[Ol` Joe]

Changing platforms Saiga is out. Looking at http://www.nelsontactical.com/products/dpms-308-bull-24-p-168.html?zenid=ttq0b0dkrnufku96bdqda55fq7
DPMS .308 Bull 24"
DPMS: RFLR-308

Stick a good glass on it, and you`ll be good to go. Uncle Sam likes this one :sniper:

http://www.leupold.com/tactical/products/scopes/mark-4-ert-riflescopes/mark-4-6-5-20x50mm-ert-m5-front-focal/