Guys I am thinking about investing in an AK or two. I will be doing alot of searching on here as well, Just thought you guys may have a few pointers for a new AK guy starting out.
I'm sort of interested in this as well.
I know very little about AK variants other than the tiny bit of knowledge about WASRs and Saigas.
I know that when talking to AK folks about them, I'm quickly lost in who made it, where it came from, which year, which factory, etc...
Would love to have an OSA education on this.
I know very little about AK variants other than the tiny bit of knowledge about WASRs and Saigas.
I know that when talking to AK folks about them, I'm quickly lost in who made it, where it came from, which year, which factory, etc...
Would love to have an OSA education on this.
I'm not an expert but if looking to buy, I'd ask what you're wanting to spend.
Romy WASR prolly your cheapest AK, followed by Romy SAR's and Romy "G" kit AK's. Chinese post & pre bans are good guns but can be pricey.
I've owned various European AK's, both stamped and milled, Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Polish, Yugoslav, etc.
IMO, Chinese stamped receivers are pretty good for the money, which can be pricey anymore. MAK 90's (post ban) can still be had for half-azz reasonable amount. I'm not too familiar with US produced models.
Yugo kit guns are availanle and seem to be well built. Although folding stock (under & side) models are ok, I prefer a good fixed stock for shooting.
Romy WASR prolly your cheapest AK, followed by Romy SAR's and Romy "G" kit AK's. Chinese post & pre bans are good guns but can be pricey.
I've owned various European AK's, both stamped and milled, Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Polish, Yugoslav, etc.
IMO, Chinese stamped receivers are pretty good for the money, which can be pricey anymore. MAK 90's (post ban) can still be had for half-azz reasonable amount. I'm not too familiar with US produced models.
Yugo kit guns are availanle and seem to be well built. Although folding stock (under & side) models are ok, I prefer a good fixed stock for shooting.
There are various manufacturers to choose from, all differ in quality. Some of the finest I have seen are made by Arsenal. I can provide a link to a website where you find exactly what you are looking for and lots of advice as well. Any decent AK will outlast you with minimum care.
The best place to get face to face info, and see them in action would be the Practical Rifle Match at Oil Capital. If I can be of any asistance, please feel free to ask.
Dave
http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/index.php
The best place to get face to face info, and see them in action would be the Practical Rifle Match at Oil Capital. If I can be of any asistance, please feel free to ask.
Dave
http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/index.php
This site will give you a wealth of knowledge about AKs.
What exactly were you wanting to know? Things to look for when buying them? Unless you're getting a pre-ban you're more than likely going to wind up with something that's probably kit built.
If you're looking to buy in person then go on youtube and learn how to field strip one. Things to watch out for on kit built AKs(Century, TGI, Lancaster, etc) are sight canting which includes the Front Sight Block and the Rear Sight Block as well as Gas Block canting. You want everything in a straight line from rear to front but it's hard to find a perfectly straight one. Century built guns you also have to look at the bolt carrier where the piston was installed to make sure it wasn't tack welded instead of riveted, if it was properly riveted you won't even see how it was attached after it was screwed in.
As for different manufacturers you'll get different answers. Check out http://www.ak-47.us/AK47_Markings.php for how to tell country of manufacture(of rifle or kit).
As for most common... WASRs don't have magwell dimples, they're imported as single stack and cut open by Century to accept double stack magazines. Magwell dimples help to stablize the magazine when it's locked into the rifle. WASRs just have a piece of metal in there and along with the hole that was cut out by somebody it can lead to sloppy mag fit. WASRs are generally much better now than they used to be but they're still bottom rung. Romanians in general were made of better quality from the mid-70s and earlier. If it has a triangle with nothing in it its a later one that's going to be made more sloppy(casting/machine marks more apparent).
You can't really go wrong with Polish, Hungarian, Chinese, Bulgarian, Yugoslavian, or Russian. Egyptians can vary in quality, if you're wanting a more Russian kit gun there's places building off of Egyptian kits that were made from Russian tooling sold to Egypt. Romanians are nice guns if built properly, but that goes for all kit built AKs(not including Romy SAR/WASR which aren't built stateside). Arsenal's quality was kind of bad for a while with sight canting, personally I think they've been overpriced for a long time but Bulgarian parts are top notch and the classic series is gorgeous. Their best deal going now is on the SGL-21s, 100% Russian aside from US compliance parts.
Pretty much every factory made their AKs with chrome lined bores aside from Yugoslavia. If you find a gun with a new US made barrel it more than likely won't be chrome lined either.
First thing to do is pick a caliber and then a price range.
I have a WASR 10 and just ordered a Yugo M70 So far i love my AK
Yep. The Romanian WASRs are decent starter guns- they can be smoothed & modified as your budget allows. functionally, just watch for a canted front/rear sight block or gas block. Not common, but not uncommon, either. Like most gune manufacturers, quality ebbs and flows- one company gets a good rep and ramps up production, quality takes a dip.
If you have the money, a Saiga conversion, or a Rifle Dynamics build would be my choice. I have a dolled-up WASR that I learned on; if you like to do your own work, that's a good way to go. If you can fondle a couple or 3 WASRs, and pick the best, all it will really need is a bit of file work, rounding sharp edges, and maybe a decent finish.
I too have an AK question.
I'm looking at getting a Yugo M70......
Does a standard 30 round AK mag fit this rifle?
Thanx,
-$D
I'm looking at getting a Yugo M70......
Does a standard 30 round AK mag fit this rifle?
Thanx,
-$D
Ive been look for a 74. I would actually like a 74U, but it looks like the costs are a little out of the range I am wanting to spend on an AK. How hard is it to convert 74 to 74U? The forends look to be the same length, but there looks to be some length issue in the gas tube.
Also, any suggestions on a 74? I have seen some Rommys available through CA that are reasonably priced.
Also, any suggestions on a 74? I have seen some Rommys available through CA that are reasonably priced.
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