The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Art of the Rifle: Semi-automatics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old November 5, 2017, 08:03 AM   #1
collier281
Member
 
Join Date: February 24, 2009
Location: akron, ohio
Posts: 15
AK-47 Recommendations

what is the opinion of the AK 47, what make and model does anyone suggest
thanks
collier281 is offline  
Old November 5, 2017, 10:59 AM   #2
Stats Shooter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 26, 2016
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 1,636
I have a VEPR and a SAIGA that I converted.

Arsenal and VEPR are probably top of the line. I like that both of my AK's, the VEPR and SAIGA we're made in Russia. But functionally and durability wise, the Arsenal is just as good or better.

Unfortunately you are looking at $1k for each of those right now. Before the Obama EO on Russian AK's, a good converted SAIGA or VEPR could be had for $600-$700. But now, closer to $1k.

I don't buy or build budget guns. So I'm not going to discuss the lower end AK's.

As for deciding between the 3 I listed above. If you want one made well in Russia, and do not want to do any custom stuff to it, get a VEPR. If you want one made in Russia and want to make it look like an old school AK with some add-ons, get a SAIGA.
If you want a premium AK, top of the line, customized how you want, and don't care that its made in the USA, Arsenal.

Any if these three will live longer than you will and do what they were designed to do no matter how you abuse them.
Stats Shooter is offline  
Old November 5, 2017, 11:24 AM   #3
smee78
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 14, 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 2,918
I am a simple gun guy and I enjoy a Century WASR AK, only thing you need to look out for is straight sights on them. The AK platform is in general rugged, solid & reliable platform that is made to run with cheap ammo reliably and does not mind if its not cleaned very often. What are you looking to get out of the rifle? What are your plans with it?
__________________
We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are
smee78 is offline  
Old November 5, 2017, 11:24 AM   #4
Skarekrow88
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 26, 2013
Location: Alabama
Posts: 332
I have a Russian Saiga SGL-20 that was converted by Arsenal and I love it. Can’t get the Russians anymore because of the import ban but they can be found used. Paid $700 for mine in 2008 but used ones go for well over $1000+ now. Their Bulgarian SLRs can still be had though.

Also have a Yugo M72B1 that was built by James River Armory. Haven’t shot it much yet but like it so far. Had a Romanian AES-10B built by Century but it had FTRTB problems so it got sold.

Shot my friends DDI AK and it works well enough. Palmetto State Armory AKs seem to be well built too. Heard Century stepped up their game with their more recent WASR builds and people say you can’t go wrong with them now.

Stay away from Inter Ordnance (I.O.) builds for sure, also heard horror stories about Century C39s
__________________
"A life fought for others is a life worth living"
Skarekrow88 is offline  
Old November 5, 2017, 12:42 PM   #5
COSteve
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 6, 2009
Posts: 1,344
As expensive as the AKs are now, I'd go the SKS or even Mini-30 route first.
COSteve is offline  
Old November 5, 2017, 12:48 PM   #6
Nathan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 1, 2001
Posts: 6,285
I would look at the PSA guns. Very impressive to me as a non-AK...
Nathan is offline  
Old November 6, 2017, 12:38 PM   #7
TB9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 28, 2013
Location: N.H
Posts: 120
get a wasr if you can find one. made in a mil. plant pretty close to the old commie guns. lots to love about the old wasr's got a couple myself.
__________________
Why thats... Brilliant ! now go lay down by youre dish and shut up .
TB9 is offline  
Old November 6, 2017, 02:27 PM   #8
FireForged
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 4, 1999
Location: Rebel South USA
Posts: 2,074
One of the best AK variant rifles which are still available today is the MAK90. People will tell you that you cannot find them for less than 1k but that is complete bull. I seen them regularly for $550-650.00 in good condition.

If I were looking for a AK variant in todays market I would do my best to find:

1. Polytech AKS (2000) but I will admit that it would be difficult to find at a reasonable price.

Realistically speaking, I would seek:

1. MAK90 ( unaltered)
2. OPAP
3. NPAP
4. SAR series
5. WASR

Personally I do not like kit guns or anything made with a USA receiver.
__________________
Life is a web woven by necessity and chance...
FireForged is offline  
Old November 6, 2017, 02:46 PM   #9
RC20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 7,014
Agreed on the MAK-90

I don't know about the rest, no my area but MAK-90 researched extensively for personal reasons.
__________________
Science and Facts are True whether you believe it or not
RC20 is offline  
Old November 7, 2017, 05:47 AM   #10
mellow_c
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 7, 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,862
I agree,



Check out the PSA AK.

Palmetto State Armory.

I have no experience with them. But they look and sound good, and have a decent price point.
mellow_c is offline  
Old November 7, 2017, 08:23 AM   #11
DMK
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2001
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
Posts: 3,206
Spend some time watching the AK Operators Union.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0-...roaCr2MuAXeqyg
__________________
- Homeland Security begins at home: Support your Second Amendment -
www.gunowners.org - www.saf.org - act.nraila.org - www.grnc.org
DMK is offline  
Old November 7, 2017, 10:27 AM   #12
ilmonster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 4, 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 180
Yup, Rob at AK Operators Union has a great deal of solid AK information. Based on that and other research, and not wanting to spend a boatload of money on an AK, a year ago I purchased a WASR and couldn't be happier! As an aside, SGAmmo.com is a great place for finding inexpensive AK ammo. Cheers!
ilmonster is offline  
Old November 7, 2017, 01:53 PM   #13
Fishbed77
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2010
Posts: 4,862
Quote:
One of the best AK variant rifles which are still available today is the MAK90. People will tell you that you cannot find them for less than 1k but that is complete bull. I seen them regularly for $550-650.00 in good condition.
Please tell me where you are finding MAK90s at that price!
Fishbed77 is offline  
Old November 8, 2017, 11:22 PM   #14
Model12Win
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 20, 2012
Posts: 5,854
Is good comrade, excellent weapon to destroy capitalist dog!!

Seriously, AKs are cool and very fun. Some good brands already mentioned. They are kind of quirky ergonomically but if you don't mind, great guns.
Model12Win is offline  
Old November 10, 2017, 01:00 PM   #15
Smoke Screen
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2006
Location: Cold Rocks Hold, Aiel Waste
Posts: 186
I've actually heard the opposite about the Century Arms c39. I hear they are some of the best AK's under $1k because they have a milled receiver. I've never handled or shot one though. I have a Saiga that I have put through its paces over the past 7 years and it's a beast. I'm pretty sure its a stamped receiver though, not milled....
__________________
Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.
Smoke Screen is offline  
Old November 10, 2017, 07:03 PM   #16
RC20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 7,014
MAK-90 most of them are stamped receivers.

However, the stamped ones are the thickest receiver of any AK variant (unless that's changed)

In the case of an MAK-90, all the milled does is add an interest aspect and more rare and that gets more money. Functionality wise its zero difference.

Of course you have to go to the trouble to get a good stock on it and make sure it is 922R compliant. That means 6 US parts. Easiest is the Stock that's 3 parts and then a PMAG that also counts as 3.

If there is no magazine in it then its a non functioning gun and not an issue.

Just don't put a different non US magazine in it (PMAG is very very good stuff) .
__________________
Science and Facts are True whether you believe it or not
RC20 is offline  
Old November 15, 2017, 03:45 AM   #17
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
RC20:
The main AK Moderator "Nalioth" at 'AKfiles' has stated a few times that 922r was created for importers/assemblers, not end users.

Reportedly there has never been a prosecution Only for 922r deviations, when done by private users.
The ATF can try to add it onto an actual felony, such as robbery, burglary etc.

Naturally it never hurts to be cautious.
Ignition Override is offline  
Old November 15, 2017, 07:44 AM   #18
DMK
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2001
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
Posts: 3,206
Quote:
The main AK Moderator "Nalioth" at 'AKfiles' has stated a few times that 922r was created for importers/assemblers, not end users.
The ATF has also said that you are 'manufacturing' an SBR by simply shouldering an AR15 pistol (though they later changed their minds - twice)

I could see the ATF claiming that you are manufacturing or assembling an illegal weapon by changing the stock of an imported gun.
__________________
- Homeland Security begins at home: Support your Second Amendment -
www.gunowners.org - www.saf.org - act.nraila.org - www.grnc.org
DMK is offline  
Old November 15, 2017, 08:01 AM   #19
Brit
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 29, 2005
Location: Orlando FL
Posts: 1,934
I was in a -CENSORED--CENSORED--CENSORED--CENSORED- Shop, when in walks a Gent, with two WASR AKs. He had never fired them! My Buddy and I put a word in, required time passed, we had one each. I think for $550.00? I went the folding stock way. Just took up less room. Not shot it much, has a cheap red dot on it. But it does go bang each press of the trigger.
It sits in the tire well, of my 2016 Jeep Cherokee. No tire there. Jeep never stays outside, at night.
Why in Jeep, why in Safe? One place is as good as the other. To make it go bang, full mag, just pull that bolt to the rear, let go. You are off to the races. No particular worries on my mind. I know it is there.
The AK is as close to a load and forget weapon as you can get.
Brit is offline  
Old November 15, 2017, 08:17 PM   #20
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Brit:
Excellent choice.

The only rifle I keep outside of my safe is the only Romy here, the SAR-1.
It's the same as a WASR, with two minor tweaks done by the manufacturer.

By the way, besides five AKs, the only other centerfires I shoot are my pair of Enfield #4/Mk.1s and the very cool #5 "Jungle Carbine".
Your hometown might have produced a bunch of them? No factory names stamped on them, just those mysterious Romano-British or Anglo-Saxon markings.
#4: serial # "PA ****", Jungle: # "V 540".
Ignition Override is offline  
Old November 16, 2017, 09:19 AM   #21
Uncle Malice
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 11, 2009
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 4,580
Arsenal in whatever flavor you prefer... of the models available today, I like the SAM7 a lot...

The new Palmetto State Armory AK is getting a lot of good press at a very reasonable price... I have one being delivered on Monday, so I'll be putting it through it's paces for a while. 100% US made. Similarly, the Century C39V2 is also 100% US made with a milled receiver and has had some relatively good press as well - even from Jim Fuller of Rifle Dynamics.

The Zastava N-PAP M70 is a surprisingly decent rifle for the money as well, if you don't mind the Yugo differences.

WASR's are an interesting beast. They're so variable. Some are surprisingly great, some are surprisingly bad.... For this reason, if you want to buy a WASR, buy it locally rather than online. But that's usually good advice for most AK purchases... otherwise, be sure to do your due diligence upon pickup inspection. Checking all the rivets, checking for canted sights, barrel straightness, etc.
__________________
Handguns: 2x Glock 19.4 | Glock 26.4 | HK USP 9 | HK P2000 | HK VP9 SK | HK P30 | CZ Shadow 2 | CZ P-10 C | CZ P-07 | CZP-01 | S&W 360PD
Rifles: DDM4 | SGL 21 | SAM7K | Draco | PSA PDW SBR | ASA Side-Charger SBR | CZ Scorpion K SBR | Aero M4E1 9" 300blk SBR | Angstadt Jack9 SBR | Savage Mark II FV-SR
Shotguns: Mossberg 590A1 20" SP | Mossberg Shockwave
Uncle Malice is offline  
Old November 27, 2017, 08:54 PM   #22
TommyP
Member
 
Join Date: January 14, 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 52
I bought a Century AK at a gun show 2 years ago, paid $500 for it. I love mine. It shoots well enough and is great for pasture plinking.
TommyP is offline  
Old December 21, 2017, 03:17 AM   #23
Sturmpanzer
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 11, 2017
Posts: 116
https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/com....html?Itemid=0
Sturmpanzer is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07823 seconds with 10 queries