Bad ammo or bad design?...................................
Looks like it fired out of battery.
I’ll keep my Saiga by Izhmash
Fired out of full battery lockup.
You can see the bottom being blown out of the magazine from the breech pressure release.
That probably saved his face.
This is nothing new. USA made century guns have been blowing up for years (RAS47 and C39). Rob and AKOU has covered this problem for some times.
http://www.akoperatorsunionlocal4774.com/2016/04/ras47-5000rds-later-game/
If you want a cheap AK, buy a Yugo NPAP or Romanian WASR.
This happened about four years ago. Century Arms blamed headspace.
Eye protection, yes. Glove material can accompany “accidental” metal into a wound, complicating recovery. Maybe those chain-mail kitchen gloves for filleting?