Strength of Saiga actions with .308 and 12 Gauge?

[His lordship.]

The original AK-47 was designed with the use of the intermediate 7.62 X 39 cartridge, now you can get the Russian Saiga with the option of .308 and a 12 gauge shotgun chambered for it.


I know from experience with my pump action shotguns that running heavy bird shot or Foster slugs produces fierce recoil.  I have to stand up to roll with the recoil or use a pillow to soften the impact from the stock when firing them from a bench.  The pressure on an AK-47's sheet metal action must be quite high.  The .308 cartridge is loaded hotter on average than the 30-06 as all .308 chambered rifles are modern, and many 30-06 guns are around 100 years old, so they are kept tamer for liability reasons.


Has anyone heard/noticed any problems with the more powerful chamberings in their Saigas?  If not, then the AK designed action must be incredibly tough, I nice forgiving design for the hand loader in the lesser rounds like the 7.62 X 39 and .223.

[schuetzen]

Not all AK type weapons are made with the same strength receivers.  Some receivers are made with heavier (thicker material) stampings, some AK's even have a receiver machined from solid material.


The numbers that I have come across are that 7.62x39 Saigas use 1.0mm thickness and Saiga 12s are 1.5mm.

[rickyp]

you have to remember that while the 12 ga shotgun produces a lot of recoil the actual chamber pressure are relitively  low
And as pointed out that just because something looks like an ak recever doesnt mean it is built like one.

[huntersmurf]

The Saiga 308 uses a beefed up front trunion and also has a 3rd locking lug on the bolt. The 12 gauge is also beefed up and scaled up for the size of the round.