Saiga gas settings for Buckshot

Beretta686

New member
I have a Saiga-12 SBS with a 12-inch barrel which I've finally gotten to be reliable with birdshot. To do that I got one of the "low brass reliability kit". I love it and constantly clear the skeet range for a 10-15 foot radius every time I shoot. :D

For it to work I have it all the way open and I haven't had a single jam in hundreds of rounds. However, I recently started cranking buckshot through it which cycles great; even if I'm shooting it offhand with the stock folded, something which won't work on the birdshot.

However I've recently had someone on the range tell me I need to tighten up the gas port for buckshot as that will supposedly damage the internals.

Is there much truth to that on damaging the internals? If so should I also get some of the plastic buffers to limit the metal-on-metal contact?
 
That kit comes with a 6 place adjustable gas plug. You want to set it at it's lowest setting that will reliably cycle the rounds you are shooting. What you don't want to do is over gas the system and beat the bolt carrier into the trunion. (Especially a concern if you are using that reduced power spring in the kit.)

If you haven't drilled open your gas ports, then you probably can just close the setting on your gas plug to the right level for your high brass/buckshot/slug shooting and just open it up again for the bird shot stuff.
 
Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought about the fact that I put the lighter spring in the gun.

When I had it converted into an SBS, I had the gas port widened and even them for it to cycle the birdshot I have to open it all the way.

As this is strictly a range play-toy and an amusing means to shoot almost a whole round of skeet without reloading I may just stop shooting buckshot through it all together to avoid beating the hell out of it.
 
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