Shopping For A Saiga In 7.62x39

Today, the son and I went out to a few local gun stores looking for a Saiga in 7.62x39. Yes he has saved up enough money for one of these, with quite a bit left over for ammo too.

The first store we went to had one used, pretty beat up, so we did not even ask about the price. Next store claimed they had one in stock and sent a guy to the basement to look for it. He was down there with us waiting about 15 minutes, and his flashlight bulb burned out. They did not have another bulb, and apparently have a dark basement - can you imagine that in a well stocked gun store! Wound up one of the clerks asked us if we were just browsing or wanted to buy it. I said we wanted to buy it now, and he suggested calling us once they found it in the basement among the 3,000 other guns he claims are down there. I asked for the price. The price he told me was "ABOUT $375 to $380 for it with a 20" barrel and about $15 less for the 16" barreled model". Now since they only had one in stock you would think they would give me THE price on that one. I had to ask which they had, and it wound up it is the 16" barreled model. That is the one Brendan wants, but with questions like: ‘do you want to browse or want to buy’, and the attitude of ‘we will call you when we find it’, well we moved on. Before leaving I told him we would look elsewhere, and that if we did not find it less expensive we would tell them to start digging.

Drove to another shop about 15 miles away. Went in looked around, and while I checked out how much it would cost to restring and recable a bow, Brendan asked about the Saiga. He got a price quote of ABOUT $410. Funny how no one can give an exact price quote. I don't know if Brendan laughed in the guy's face for that price, but once I came out of the archery pro-shop, where they told me it would be $70 to put a new string and cable on my bow, we left in a hurry. I will have to learn how to string and cable the bow myself. As for the Saiga, we headed home to the gun shop a few block from our house.

The guys at the closest gun shop to home actually had one in stock, on the rack, in the main part of the store. The thing was that it was in .223 and the front sight was properly lined up atop the barrel. It had a distinct cant to the left. Oh well! I should not that one actually had a price tag on it with the actual price of $344. They said they are getting in models in 7.62x39 next week. I will have to call them back and tell them to hold one for Brendan. I think we will get it from them. Not my gun store of choice, but they seem okay. I mean at least they had the rifle on display, had a price on it, and were able to tell us new ones would be in within the week. I think they also gave us an ABOUT figure for those not yet in stock, but that is understandable. What I do not understand is how the dimwits at the other store, the one with it in stock but lost in the basement with the 3,000 other guns they have down there, could not give me a hard and fast price on something they claim is in stock.

Now that I got that off of my chest, let me ask you my readers:

The 7.62x39 comes in a 16” barreled version, and a 20”. Anyone have experience with both who can tell me if either barrel length effects accuracy all that much in this caliber? Or if you have experience with either one, how is the accuracy with yours.

All the best,
Glenn B