I really wanted a Vepr 12. This gun came to me in 3 way trade deal. One of my friends came over with a brand new M&P heavy barrel AR15. He wanted to shoot it at my house and make sure it was good to go. We also broke out my Mini Draco because he has been dying to fire it. He then asked if i wanted to trade the Mini Draco for the M&P. I said sure. I never fire the draco so I traded him. The very next day I called my Stepdad who had the Saiga 12. He wanted to trade the M&P for the Saiga 12. I said absolutely. He had only fired the Saiga maybe 20 times since he bought it in 2008. Whoever converted it for him locally did an awesome job. It cycles any ammo I can feed it, as long as the gas setting is on #2 it will shoot light loads all day long. I still want a Vepr 12 and one of my friends wants to trade me my Saiga for his Vepr 12. A Saiga 12 should command a higher price than the Vepr I would think. Anyway here she is.  
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Saiga 12s are great shotguns.  I have two Vepr 12s, and still can't bring myself to sell my Saiga 12.  

how does the Vepr run with light loads? i know it is supposed to have a self regulating gas system. How reliable are they? I thought about adding the mag well conversion to mine what are the pros and cons of that? Any handguard suggestions?

Both of mine do fine with light loads, but the lightest I use is Winchester AA Super Sport.
There is nothing self regulating about the Vepr 12's gas system (marketing ploy/gimmick), the gas system is simply wide open all of the time.
Both of my Vepr 12s are very reliable with birdshot, buckshot, and slugs.  I don't use really, really light loads however.
As far as the Vepr 12s go, I still have the factory handguard on one, and the RFT handguard on the other.  Really like the RFT handguard.





My Saiga 12 has Izhmash laminate wood furniture, I try to keep it simple with the Saiga because I like to hunt with it and less is more on a hunting rig.



 

Where did you find the Wood furniture for the saiga?

My Saiga is very reliable and also shoots anything I tried so far from birdshot, buckshot and slug.  Used the straight magazine and the drums.    

What grip is that?  

I bought my Saiga 12 used and it was already on the gun when I bought it.  Legion USA has it in stock from time to time, it ain't cheap.



 

I like the magwell conversion for the S12 and had one done a long time ago before the S12 ver 030 or the Vepr12s could be imported. The mags were expensive back then and probably still are today, so expect to pay at least $100 or more if you can find them.

I'm not sure which grip it is. It doesn't have a name on it. The grip was on the gun when I got it.

The Vepr 12 can run 3 dram loads ("light") with a barrel as short as 7". I knows these weapons intimately and that "self regulating" claim is pure nonsense. There are no mechanisms that would regulate gas and no tolerances built in that would create a self regulating condition.