educate me on AK's

[dak]

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

Yes, it should

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.

AKS-74U's have shorter handguards as well as the tube. You could probably find the handguards, FSB/GB combo, and flash hider that would work but your main problem would be cutting down a tube and the Rear Sight Block that is different because of the integrated rear sight/top cover setup. It more than likely would be cheaper to buy an actual kit than to try to make a clone unless you're a machinist. The folding stock setup alone would run you $150-220.

A good cheap bet would be a TGI truck gun or Lancaster's Rough Rider. In Range has some nicer ones for $650 or so and I think Marcolmar had AKS-74s for $850 or so.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

Yes, it should



AKS-74U's have shorter handguards as well as the tube. You could probably find the handguards, FSB/GB combo, and flash hider that would work but your main problem would be cutting down a tube and the Rear Sight Block that is different because of the integrated rear sight/top cover setup. It more than likely would be cheaper to buy an actual kit than to try to make a clone unless you're a machinist. The folding stock setup alone would run you $150-220.

A good cheap bet would be a TGI truck gun or Lancaster's Rough Rider. In Range has some nicer ones for $650 or so and I think Marcolmar had AKS-74s for $850 or so.

Thanks Dak! Im putting out a feeler with Troy at In Range right now. Also checking with TGI.

Can you explain the whole Russian vs Bulgy vs Rommy thing? Is Bulgy the better quality guns?

 

[dak]

Thanks Dak! Im putting out a feeler with Troy at In Range right now. Also checking with TGI.

Can you explain the whole Russian vs Bulgy vs Rommy thing? Is Bulgy the better quality guns?

In 5.45 for Russian the options would pretty much be an unconverted Saiga or an Arsenal SGL-31. Romanians theres 5.45 SARs and WASRs as well as the semi-recent import of AIMS-74 kits. For Bulgarian kit guns it's pretty much down to who built them because if it's a circle 10 kit it will be the same quality for the most part. The Bulgy TGI "truck gun" is made by the same factory that made the SSR85 I think, I'd go with circle 10 over that just based on that fact. The Lancaster AK74 will have a US made barrel that's not chrome lined, something to keep in mind if you're going to be shooting a lot of that cheap corrosive milsurp ammo.

Quality wise of parts, Russian versus Bulgarian will be about the same but the Saiga/SGL-31 might have a few more machine marks on certain things but those will still be factory built AKs though. The Romy AIMS-74 is pretty good too, those can get fairly pricey though.

If you're wanting to go cheap at ~$450 then look for a nice Romy SAR-2 or grab one of those Lancasters. If you're thinking about that $650 In Range build then I'd say consider the SGL-31 too.

 

[338Shooter]

In 5.45 for Russian the options would pretty much be an unconverted Saiga or an Arsenal SGL-31. Romanians theres 5.45 SARs and WASRs as well as the semi-recent import of AIMS-74 kits. For Bulgarian kit guns it's pretty much down to who built them because if it's a circle 10 kit it will be the same quality for the most part. The Bulgy TGI "truck gun" is made by the same factory that made the SSR85 I think, I'd go with circle 10 over that just based on that fact. The Lancaster AK74 will have a US made barrel that's not chrome lined, something to keep in mind if you're going to be shooting a lot of that cheap corrosive milsurp ammo.

Quality wise of parts, Russian versus Bulgarian will be about the same but the Saiga/SGL-31 might have a few more machine marks on certain things but those will still be factory built AKs though. The Romy AIMS-74 is pretty good too, those can get fairly pricey though.

If you're wanting to go cheap at ~$450 then look for a nice Romy SAR-2 or grab one of those Lancasters. If you're thinking about that $650 In Range build then I'd say consider the SGL-31 too.

I thought my lancaster 74 had a chrome lined barrel. I got the rough rider from AIM.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=123937&page=1

That says they are chrome lined.

 

[dak]

I thought my lancaster 74 had a chrome lined barrel. I got the rough rider from AIM.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=123937&page=1

That says they are chrome lined.

The new batch of them aren't chrome lined, they didn't want to wait a month or two for the chromers apparently. The thread you pasted says that also on the last page or two.

 

[338Shooter]

The new batch of them aren't chrome lined, they didn't want to wait a month or two for the chromers apparently. The thread you pasted says that also on the last page or two.

Alright. I was going to be hot if they sold it to me as CL and it was just CM. AIM ordered them with the stainless upgrade and still at the $450 price point.

Also got confirmation from Bryan at AIM that my gun is CL.

 

[buck45]

While I'm not a hard core Mil-Spec rifle kinda guy I have a few thoughts on the AR vs AK platform. I've owned several AR's over the years because they are a great rifle and I was trained on it. When My hands went south due to diabetic neuropathy I found it difficult to do the precision things necessary to maintain it correctly. The Evening News showed me a 13 year old kid could maintain an AK. I changed all my goods from AR to AK and haven't looked back. With that in mind, consider this: all the discussion about which AK is superior is mostly rhetorical. The AK was meant to be a down and dirty combat weapon more useful in room to room ops instead of 100+ yard shots to the head the AR is surely capable of. The precision of milled AK receivers and the other precision parts being sold for the AK's seems to me to be like hanging earrings on a pig. Interesting but not particularly useful. Your weapon should match your combat arena. Mine is a stamped AMD-65 folder with a complete set of spare parts and a $50 red dot sighted at 50 yards and iron sight backup because it's not intended to be any more accurate. If it comes to armed conflict on home soil I doubt the local gun shop will be of any use for parts, lube or ammo for more than a few days. Don't buy a Corvette if all you want to do is haul lumber.
Just my .02.
_______________________________________________________
"The human hyenas of the world are astonished and dismayed when their intended victims fight back. The answer to street violence is counterattack rather than more jails". Jeff Cooper

 

[WhiteyMacD]

While I'm not a hard core Mil-Spec rifle kinda guy I have a few thoughts on the AR vs AK platform. I've owned several AR's over the years because they are a great rifle and I was trained on it. When My hands went south due to diabetic neuropathy I found it difficult to do the precision things necessary to maintain it correctly. The Evening News showed me a 13 year old kid could maintain an AK. I changed all my goods from AR to AK and haven't looked back. With that in mind, consider this: all the discussion about which AK is superior is mostly rhetorical. The AK was meant to be a down and dirty combat weapon more useful in room to room ops instead of 100+ yard shots to the head the AR is surely capable of. The precision of milled AK receivers and the other precision parts being sold for the AK's seems to me to be like hanging earrings on a pig. Interesting but not particularly useful. Your weapon should match your combat arena. Mine is a stamped AMD-65 folder with a complete set of spare parts and a $50 red dot sighted at 50 yards and iron sight backup because it's not intended to be any more accurate. If it comes to armed conflict on home soil I doubt the local gun shop will be of any use for parts, lube or ammo for more than a few days. Don't buy a Corvette if all you want to do is haul lumber.
Just my .02.
_______________________________________________________
"The human hyenas of the world are astonished and dismayed when their intended victims fight back. The answer to street violence is counterattack rather than more jails". Jeff Cooper

Accurancy me be a point with a 7.62, however the 5.45 was meant to be used in the same scenarios as an AR.

 

[338Shooter]

My -74 is also a blast to shoot. With ammo costing me around 13.5 cents shipped a round I can rattle off a bunch on not feel the sting of 5.56.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

My -74 is also a blast to shoot. With ammo costing me around 13.5 cents shipped a round I can rattle off a bunch on not feel the sting of 5.56.

Man I want a 74 so bad, but I have my drool gland working overtime for a 74 krink. Someone want to loan me a grand to buy a parts kit?