Smooth-bore and self-loading carbine "Saiga-410" was developed in the last century at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant. It was created on the basis of the famous Kalashnikov assault rifle. Saiga-410, the reviews of which for the most part is only positive, was originally intended for those engaged in commercial or amateur hunting, however, only for small and medium-sized animals or birds. In addition, this weapon can be used for sports and training purposes.
History of creation
"Saiga-410", the reviews of the owners of which indicate good quality and accuracy, was launched into small-scale production in the seventies of the last century on IZHMASH. Its design was based on the same principle of operation as that of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The new weapon was called "Saiga" by etymology with the same animal, for which, in fact, it was intended. During its development, the creators set themselves the task of producing a relatively cheap and at the same time self-loading version. The cartridges for him had little power, but they did an excellent job of shooting animals such as saigas, or other small antelopes, beavers and other commensurate animals.
Family "Saiga"
So there was a completely new
hunting carbine, working with a cartridge of 5.6 × 39. Over time, the line of rifled modifications gradually expanded. The very first of the updates was the Saiga-410 smoothbore. The task of adapting the combat AK for the needs of hunters was dealt with by a group of engineers of the Izhevsk plant - G. Nikonov, B. Afonin, A Turkin, V Abrahamyan and other leading designers of the enterprise. The ammunition for this new weapon was selected ammunition for the Saiga-410. True, in post-Soviet Russia they were considered quite exotic - 410x76 millimeters.
Background
The decision to adapt its famous brainchild - AK - to products intended for civilian use was taken by the factory administration in a rather difficult period. At that time, for obvious reasons, the main production capacities of the enterprise were rapidly declining. And in order to be able not to fire the personnel, but, on the contrary, to give him work, the IZHMASH plant management took the simplest path, as it seemed to them at that time. The designers unified the AK assault rifle and turned it into the Saiga self-loading hunting carbine. And even then, production was aimed not only at the domestic consumption of weapons, but also at its export. At the same time, specialists seriously changed the design of this hunting carbine so that there would be no attempts to return it to its combat mission.
Comparison with AK
Kalashnikov assault rifle in the world is known as one of the best combat automatic weapons. Its exceptional reliability is due to the comparative simplicity of design solutions, the type of weapon steel from which the barrel is made, and other important details. It is not for nothing that the Kalashnikov assault rifle, its various modifications, is in service in almost sixty countries of the world.
The hunting rifle - self-loading "Saiga-410", the caliber of cartridges already suggests its name - was originally created in two versions: with a rifled barrel and smooth-bore. Reloading all modifications of this weapon, as well as the famous predecessor, occurs automatically. It is carried out due to the energy from the exhaust powder gases, as well as from the return spring. The shutter, turning around its axis with simultaneous longitudinal movement of the frame, instantly locks the barrel. The gun has a trigger type trigger mechanism.
Saiga-410, the reviews of the owners of which indicate that the vast majority of them are satisfied with the work of their guns, has a design that reproduces the AK as accurately as possible. Externally, they can only be distinguished by a store shortened by ten rounds.
Description
"Saiga-410", the caliber of which is already in the name, has many modifications. Nevertheless, all have one purpose - hunting. The carbine has a .410 caliber barrel with a chamber that allows the use of both shot and bullet cartridges, including such as the Magnum, with sleeve lengths ranging from sixty-five to seventy-six millimeters.
On its receiver is equipped with a base for mounting brackets for an optical sight. "Saiga-410", the reviews of the owners of which indicate high reliability even in the most difficult operating conditions, is available with the forend and butt of wood - birch, beech or walnut, as well as plastic - high-strength polyamide. To increase the capabilities of the barrel, you can install muzzle nozzles with various constrictions.
Ammunition
The carbine was created under the then little-known caliber in Russia, measured by the American inch system. According to the metric system, the ammunition for the Saiga-410 was 10.4 millimeters in size. For smoothbore hunting models, there are many different types of ammunition, while the caliber of this rifle is the smallest.
Specifications
"Saiga-410", the caliber of all modifications of which is the same, works on the same Magnum type cartridge. At the same time, the length of its trunk is five hundred seventy millimeters, and the total one hundred seventeen centimeters. The weight of the unloaded carabiner is small - three kilograms and four hundred grams. Shop for "Saigi-410" involves a capacity of two, four or ten rounds.
Modifications
The Saiga-410 carbine, being a self-loading smoothbore weapon with a hunting butt, has four modifications. All of them are united by the same caliber of the cartridge used. However, all varieties have differences. For example, the Saiga-410 S shotgun is characterized by a folding butt and its handle, which is made of plastic. It must be said that high combat performance, combined with the reliability of this gun, has been recognized in the security structures at various levels.
Another modification - “Saiga-410 K” - also has a folding butt, but it has a shortened barrel. In addition to these differences, there is one more thing - the presence of a mechanism that blocks the trigger. This updated Saiga-410, the reviews of the owners of which indicate that the innovation does not allow firing when the stock is folded, is available in two versions. In the first case, it is a smoothbore carbine with a shortened barrel and appearance similar to a Kalashnikov assault rifle. This version has a plastic butt. In contrast, the option of the second gun "Saiga - 410K" has the same technical characteristics, however, it has one difference. This is a folding metal or plastic frame butt and a barrel pad made of the same materials.
On both of these rifles, an open universal sight is installed that has two designated installations: 25 meters for shots and fifty for shooting with bullets. The fly, which is placed at the end of the barrel, contributes to the fact that this type of Saiga-410 weapon, the reviews of the owners of which indicate increased accuracy, can be adjusted in both vertical and horizontal directions. Such an open sighting device allows you to shoot without removing the optical sight. The ten-seat store, in turn, significantly increases the firepower of this carbine. Each of these varieties, in turn, has several models in its row.
Design features
The automatic reloading of the carbine, provided by the energy of the return spring, after firing removes powder gases from the barrel channel. Trigger trigger mechanism provides the ability to set the fuse or the production of accurate single shots. In this case, the fuse, made as a flag, is located on the right side in the receiver.
The chamber with the bore in the "Saiga" - chrome. Stores with different capacities are made of high impact plastic. Butt and fore-end can be made of both impact-resistant plastic and wood - walnut, beech and birch. At the same time, models with the latter option are equipped with a rubber butt pad and cheek for the convenience of shooting directly at the factory.
An open mechanical sight, consisting of a front sight, adjustable in two planes, as well as an aiming bar, provides from an open version a firing range of up to three hundred meters. On the receiver of this carbine, on its left side, there is a unified base designed to fix the “optics”. At the same time, you need to know that various modifications can have different versions: this applies to both the base of the front sight or butt, and the forend and other main units that Saiga-410 is equipped with.
Hunting
This smoothbore gun has an enviable, according to the owners, reliability. When using certified cartridges, jamming is practically absent. Many hunters claim that the performance of this carbine is most fully disclosed using optical or collimator sights. At the same time, the results of shooting and with factory equipment will satisfy most amateurs. Experts note that when using cartridges of the caliber "223 rem" accuracy is higher than with domestic ones.
Theoretically, the Saiga-410 rifle is intended for hunting small and at the same time very careful birds and animals that keep humans close. For example, for shooting foxes, beavers, pine forest. But in practice, and this is evidenced by numerous reviews, with this carbine you can get roe deer or young wild boars, and even wolves.
Price
Carbines "Saiga-410" are equipped with a sighting bar at the factory. Prices for them start at fifteen thousand rubles. Moreover, such a gun as the Saiga-410K-04 - the most expensive in the lineup and the latest - is sold almost twice as expensive. Today it can be purchased in the store at a price of twenty-six thousand rubles.
Reviews
The opinions of those who purchased this smoothbore rifle indicate that the owners like their gun. Many of them like their appearance and “charisma,” somewhat reminiscent of AK. According to the “lucky owners” of the Saiga-410, the shooting experience is indescribable. Many people think that it makes no sense to put on it “foreign” additions, with the possible exception of an underbarrel compact flashlight, which is simply necessary for night hunting.
Despite the fact that some users, it must be said that there are few, express a negative opinion about this carbine, nevertheless, getting rid of its main drawback - the constant "chewing" of cartridges - can be quite easy. But then, as evidenced by the reviews, the Saiga-410, on which a certain “operation” was performed, will shoot quite successfully with any filling of the store of the appropriate caliber - both local and foreign.
The targeted Saiga-410 with the correct cartridge is a hunting rifle for small and medium-sized animals, as it is written in the passport-instructions for this weapon. Shots from it turn out to be flat and accurate. With an optical sight, amateurs, judging by the reviews, quietly hunt at a distance exceeding the standard hundred meters, which are indicated in the technical characteristics of this gun.
Tuning
"Saiga-410", according to some users who have bought a new model, needs to immediately begin to "decorate" it. And indeed, if desired, a large front of work opens up here. Some hunters familiar with the Saiga believe that there are still some defects in the carbines of this series. For example, the situation with chewing cartridges has not changed, in addition, you have to sharpen the “reflector” and “feeder”.
For many, the tuning of the Saiga-410 rifle is primarily a change of the fore-end. As a rule, some establish a tactical variant with four weavers. The next step is to replace the stock with a telescopic version.
Often, a bracket is installed under the collimator sight , and a tactical pen is located below the forearm. On many rifles on the right weaver you can see a flashlight, and on the left - a laser. And, finally, the tuning picture is complemented by the installation of a three-point belt and an overlay on the gas pipe with a universal Picatinny rail, designed to install a collimator sight.