Sajga-12 for the American Police

The website of the Russian arms manufacturer, known for producing millions of AK rifles and their variations, by the way information about the presence at the fair SHOT Show in Las Vegas, appeared enigmatic information on obtaining a contract for the supply of rifles samopowtarzalnych Sajga-12 caliber 12 and rather undefined police forces in the United States. 

Iżmasz also announced the selection of a new importer of its products to the American market - Russian Weapon Company. It will be accounted for by local law required modifications or alterations of Russian weapons in accordance with the requirements of legislation in the United States.

Sajga-12 is formed in the early 1990s. Smooth samopowtarzalna Russian rifle (there are also a variety samoczynno-samopowtarzalne, capable of continuous firing) design based on the AK rifle. The principle of operation is identical, very similar mechanisms, and the main difference occurs in the construction of the lock with a stationary piston reservoir. What is particularly important is the power of weapons of interchangeable magazines or drum boxed. Most commercially available rifles samopowtarzalnych uses solid podlufowe tubular magazines, hence quick recharging weapons is often problematic. The weapon is a duty for a distance of about 100 feet and works with the ammunition of different lengths: 12/70, 12/73 and 12/76.

The Russian weapon comes in three calibers: 12 (Sajga-12), 20 (Sajga-20) and .410 (Sajga-410). The factory is offered in various configurations with butts: fixed no pistol grip, folding full skeletal and aside from a separate grip and folding the possibility of blocking the shot (in accordance with Russian legislation, if the length of the butt weapons complex is shorter than 800 mm). Some models were equipped with a universal mounting rail sections located on the lid of the castle chambers, the bed or under the gas block.


The guns are Sajga-12 rifles with Iżmaszu is 580 (Sajga varieties and Sajga-12-12S) or 430 mm (Sajga-12K). Shotgun can be powered with 2 -, 5 -, 7 -, 8 -, 10 and 12-round magazines boxed (although the shooting sports magazines are also a giant of a much larger capacity), as well as numerous commercial drum magazines with a capacity of 12 , 20 or even 30 rounds of ammunition.

Information about signing a contract with  American police can be a bit misleading, because in the United States, formations of this type are not, as is the case in Poland or Russia, maintained by the State, but by local government units, as individual states, counties (3141 in 48 states), civil parishes in Louisiana, counties or cities in Alaska. Apart from these, there are national - federal police, as the FBI, DEA, USMS, ATF, or BOP. Probably the SHOT Show Iżmasz signed a contract with a cell (the police station, the command or department), county-level police officers or city.

News of the use of Russian arms in the American police force is not as surprising as it may seem. In many cases, police - acting on a state or the county (city, parish or county) shall after taking gun to work only, or a sum of money for the purchase of handguns, which is in the acceptable list. Additional weapons, the so-called weapons patrol, in the form of a rifle or shotgun rifle or smoothbore samopowtarzalnego often buys his own money. Arsenals of U.S. police conceal various models - samopowtarzalne but automatically, from modern structures, such as rifles FN FS2000, Steyr AUG, SIG550 or older IWI / IMI Galil, or numerous and popular varieties of AR-15 machine pistols H & K UMP-9 / 45, MP5/MP10, IMI UZI, MAC M10, the M14 rifles, FN FAL, G3, to shockingly look at the twenty-first century, submachine guns remembering the times of World War II, the Sterling and Thompson.

In the case of rifles or guns samopowtarzalnych, because of price, reliability, maintenance cost and the cost of ammunition, often chosen Sajga Russian rifles and other AK clones powered by various bullets, from 5.56 mm x 45, the cost of the U.S. 5.45 mm x 39 mm or 7.62 x 39 (see SHOT Show: 4-row magazines for AK , 2012-01-18). Tania weapons of Eastern provenience is often chosen by the members of Indian tribal police (BIA Police) in the United States.

Moreover, the clones AK - usually built into the appropriate request by a specialized company formations - are also used in anti-terrorist SWAT units (equivalent to choosing the Polish Police Anti-Terrorist Subunits), for example, by some officers of the New York Police Department (NYPD).


Until now, little is reported about it to any police formation previously benefited from samopowtarzalnych Sajga-12 rifles, although there were some reports that they are sometimes used in small numbers by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as occasionally in single figures by the other of service. Although the Russian design is very popular on the civilian market in the U.S., due to the same operating principle as the AK rifle, as well as very similar internal structure. Hence many simple varieties with regular hunting rifle butts imported to America on the spot worked up for various purposes by local businesses, forming with them a weapon patrol to protect the property, or specialized varieties of sports przedłużanymi barrels, compensators and other accessories.

Iżmaszu representatives say that the first police formations have already collected the ordered Sajga-12 rifles. At the same time emphasize that fair SHOT Show has been for other buyers, especially from South America, a chance to familiarize with the offer of the manufacturer, as well as the opportunity to sign contracts directly with the manufacturer, without intermediaries. In 2012, the Russian company expects sales growth in the U.S. market by 20%.