I am in the AK-47 market now

[Hueco]

What do I need to be looking for? What are the first things I should check when I pick up that rifle on the table? I am not buying for H/D, not buying for hunting, just buyin gfor a fun-target rifle. And maybe it is just me, but I do believe that this rifle in the right set-up is the best looking rifle ever made.

Hueco

[dZ]

i bought a Vepr
nice .308 AK

have you been on http://www.AK-47.net?

dZ

[Destructo6]

Do you want an AK in original configuration with all the nastys? Do you want it in 7.62x39 or 5.45x39 or some other caliber. If I were to buy one today, it would be in 5.45 for the reasons that magazines are quite a bit cheaper than 7.62 now.

I'd avoid the US made (hesse) AK receivers. Egyptian Maadi's are next lowest but they're still better than the Hesse mess.

There's a Washington state AK smith that can reconfigure a Vepr in 7.62x39 to standard AK fare, with P-grip and whatnot. When he's done, you have an AK that says "Kalashnikov" right on it.

[Hueco]

Yup, I have taken a look at ak-47.net, but I will certainly be going again. The chambering...I do not really care, the deciding factor is goin gto be appearance and quality. It must have a light colored (almost yellow) wood, a pistol grip, and a milled reciever. Since I will have the time to reload mags at the range, I will not be purchasing a large number of them...this means that the price of mags is not a deciding factor either. I am still figuring out pre/post ban stuff...so I can't say I want one or the other just yet. For now, I think I will find what I want in a 47 rather than a 74...I will just have to wait and see. But it will be a few months before i can actually buy one, but I thought i had best become knowledgable before then. How nice it will be to walk up to an AK and look at the mark and tell where it was made immediately, or find if it is pre/post ban, or...you get the idea. Thanks guys!


Hueco

[Destructo6]

If milled is your goal, either the Hungarian SA-85 or their newest 10-rnd only version is the best. Norinco made a milled AK, but I don't think there are many new ones still out there.

[dZ]

i also find some great data at: http://kalashnikov.guns.ru/wwwboard/index.html
on of the regulars there has a proof mark id page
check out my bookmarks at: http://thematrix.acmecity.com/one/40/linx.html

there are a bunch half way down the page under
From Russia with love

HTH
dZ

[Hueco]

Well, I have been reading around. Hmm, I am really confused about the legality issue here. But I will get it all worked out (much to the government's dismay no doubt -- they make these laws so confusing!). Thanks for your help guys!


Hueco

[Jaeger]

Hueco, you've set some pretty limiting parameters. The Hungarian SA-85 is very nice but it is a stamped receiver not a milled reciever, Tennessee Guns is now offering the exact rifle that you are looking for. It is called a Blonde Legend. It has blonde furniture, has a legal pistol grip and uses a milled receiver. It is in 7.62x39. It accepts hi-capacity magzines but the magazines must be equiped with US made followers and floor plates to be legal. This is to bring the total # of US made parts up to where it needs to be to use a pistol grip stock. Each rifle comes with enough parts to convert 3 magazines although additional parts may be purchased to convert more mags. Most of the parts are Bulgarian. I have a Bulgarian SA93 and LOVE it so these are probably pretty good rifles. They are advertised in Shotgun News for $659.95.
While 7.62 mags are a little more expensive nowadays, they can still be had for about $10-15 apiece. Russian 7.62X39 ammocan be ha for as little as $89.00 per 1000 rnds. 5.45X39 ammo is still about $150.00 per 1000. www.tennesseeguns.com (http://www.tennesseeguns.com)

[This message has been edited by Jaeger (edited January 04, 2000).]

[Rusty S]

The best? Valmet.

[TheBluesMan]

I've been looking for the same type of gun too Hueco. I think that your best bet may be a Bulgarian SLR95 that has been Americanized like Jaeger described above. You could also get the SLR96 which has the wood furniture, but you would still have to get it Americanized to have the pistol grip.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think you will need to get a pre-ban if you want an all original gun with pistol grips etc. in wood. Are there many pre-ban Bulgarians on the market? Maybe someone can help us both out on this question.


------------------
RKBA!

"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security"
Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4
Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio.
Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website (http://www.ofcc.net)

[Destructo6]

You can put a post-94 ban AK into p-grip & seperate buttstock config if you have no more than 10, specific, imported parts (sec922r).

[Dr.Rob]

http://www.ak-47.net/


Has the BEST info on staying legal/stock options and accuracy issues between makes of rifles. The new bulgarian guns in 223 are the ones that are attracting my attention, but magazine avalability is an issue with them.

The sa-85m is the best made of all variants in my opinion, I wish i would have bought one when I had the chance. ;(

Dr.Rob

[Futo Inu]

Jaeger and others - yeah, right, I'm all over that making-sure-the-followers-and-floorplates-are-US-made stuff. I'd lose sleep if a foreign follower made me a "criminal" - this exemplifies the absurdity - I for one will say kiss my butt if caught.

[TheBluesMan]

Here's a link to a guy who's selling just what you're looking for. http://www.ak-47.net/akcgi/Forum8/HTML/001076.html


------------------
RKBA!

"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security"
Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4
Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio.
Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website (http://www.ofcc.net)