Ok so I decided to shoot my Saiga 12 and my VEPR 12 to see which I like better.
The Saiga 12 is the standard "rock and lock" Saiga without the upgraded mag well.
The VEPR 12 comes standard with the mag well and requires no rocking into place like most AK type of firearms.
Other improvements include a self regulating gas system that doesn't require any tinkering with like a lot of Saiga 12's do.
The VEPR has an improved safety that makes it easier to engage and disengage the safety.
I brought a variety of ammo including 2&3/4" and 3" shells.
#7 bird shot, 00 Buck, 000 Buck, 1 oz slugs and 7/8 oz slugs.
I started off with birdshot. A lot of semi auto shotguns have problems reliably cycling cheap birdshot.
Not so with these 2 shotguns. They gobbled 25 rounds each without even batting an eye.
Next we shot some 00 buckshot. 25 rounds in each shotgun. As expected they had no problem with buckshot.
We went back to birdshot, then onto slugs. At 50 yards, they made silver dollar size groups.
I didn't put a target at 100 yards but the shotguns seemed to hit wherever I was aiming at 100. (Give or take a couple inches)
We mixed bird, buck and slugs to see if we could induce a malfunction. Couldn't do it.
After over 100 rounds out of each shotgun, I came to a couple conclusions.
1) The factory buttstock hurts the shoulder a lot more than my aftermarket Magpul stock.
2) I really like the VEPR's features more than my Saiga.
3) Shooting a couple hundred rounds of shotgun ammo leaves a nice red mark where the stock meets the body.
4) Most importantly, I learned that both shotguns were reliable, accurate and fun. They are very similar in function and I appreciated both of them.
If I were forced to pick only one, I would take the VEPR-12 because its the "latest and greatest" but you won't go wrong with either one.
My cell phone died so I didn't take any range pictures but I will include as many pics as I can muster of the shotguns, tomorrow.