Converted Saiga .308 vs. FAL .308

[KingArthur]

I was curious about these two rifles head to head. I recall reading on the DSA FAL website that you would get a 3-4" group at 100 yards. I have heard Saiga owners make the same claim. However, the price is nearly half the cost for a Saiga over a DSA FAL. So, having no practical experience with either weapon, I would looking for imput from those that do.

[HB of CJ]

Yeah...owned and shot both. The FN was a Belgium purchased over 22 years ago from J&G Sales. With match 168 grain Lake City ammo, (still have some) she shot around 2" with the horrible OEM iron sites.

My Current adopted Russian daughter (now speaking excellent English) Saiga 16.3" bbl .308 also shoots around 2" at 100 yards with the same ammo and a .308 Eoteck. Both on good days on a concrete benchrest.

The FN and the Saiga weighed about the same loaded, with perhaps the FN being slightly heavier. No scales presently. The FN had the adjustable gas system; I'm $working$ on an adjustable gas block for the Saiga.

FN parts were and are easy to find and somewhat $reasonable$. Saiga specific parts such as bolts, extractors and firing pins are so far unobtainable, but this, I hear, may change. Both were and are 110% dead dead reliable.

The Saiga can be purchased and converted the way you want it for a little less money than building a nicer grade FN. The 21" FN was fairly noisy; the short Saiga (16.3") is very noisy. Saiga 25 rd mags are about $45-$50 bucks.

I have the Saiga .308 because it nearly matches my other Russian adopted daughter, my Saiga SBS 12 gage sporting shotgun. All NFA rules apply. Your final decision may depend upon your own preference. HB of CJ (old coot)

[ackks]

The Saiga starts off being cheaper, but by the time you convert it and buy the mags it can get up there in price.

Pretty much all the .308 rifles are so close (MOA, reliability, etc) it's a flip of the coin which you prefer. That's why you can find endless discussions of this vs that without any clear winner. At the end of the day it's hard to go wrong with a FAL, PTR, M1A, or a Saiga. It's basically do you like chocolate or vanilla.

I suggest going to a store and holding them in your hands and see which feels the best to you. Maybe figure out which features matter the most to you (position of the charging handle, weight, cost of accessories and scope mounts, etc).

[HB of CJ]

Thanks ackks...I plum forgot to mention the various rifles control locations. Hate getting VERY middle age!!!

I'm a South Paw and in my view the FN had a big advantage in that the charging handle was located on the left side of the receiver.

That meant that one could be a lefty and change mags without taking your eyes or the rifle off the target...something I can do with the Saigas; but difficult.

Your also dead on correct about the $price$ of a nicely converted Saiga with ALL the goodies costing $$$MORE$$$ than just a FN bare build in stock condition.

Hope my bank account holds out. Soosss much fun!!! HB of CJ (old coot)

[ackks]

I hear you HB, all my money seems to go into these toys. Good thing I'm not married I'm trying to get as many as I can now before I lose my vote.

[Bulk Ammo]

As some of the others have said. Your going to be around the same price for both guns and the accuracy is going to be similar. I've shot both, prefer the FAL. The Saiga's are interesting but the FAL wins in availability of parts and cost of magazines.

You probably already know this but if you do go with the FAL get the metric version. DSA FALs are really nice but can get expensive quickly. It will just depend on which you prefer.

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