Urse

yup, what he said...

Just go to AK 47 / 74 Rifles to get a general idea of prices. Also check out The AK Forum for all the information and opinions you could ever want on a AK. Prices range from $450ish to $1500 or more depending on whether you want a rack grade romanian beater or a custom built death machine. Century guns and Maadi(Egyptian) variants are generally just as reliable as more expensive guns but fit and finish can be crap. Always check alignment of the front sight block and the gas block when looking at the cheaper rifles. Most will probably suggest you get a Saiga rifle and convert it to the AK configuration. I believe there is a sticky for that at the top of this page. I am a big fan of the Chinese made Norinco MAK 90's about $500 for the rifle and another $100 for a nice stock set and you are good to go. Here is a link to one(not my auction) Norinco MAK-90 Sporter 7.62x39 : Semi-auto at GunBroker.com The AK is not a sub MOA gun like the AR it is sub Minute of Man. Sonny Puzikas says, "if the AR is the prom queen, the AK is a biker chick" I love that analogy......so true! P.S. Also check out Warrior Talk Forums lots of great info on the AK in their Kalashnikov section.

I would be willing to bet your cousin bought a PSL.

The PSL is a AK action chambered for 7.62x51/54R with a long barrel. A true Dragunov is a differnt action entirely. The two guns share many cosmetic similarities but that is where the commonality ends. The most common Dragunov's in the US are probably the Chinese NDM-86 which can be found in 7.62x54R or NATO 7.672x51 and they are still about $5k. Go here Dragunov dot net - Dragunov and PSL Sniper Rifle Information for more info.

You should check out warriortalk.com and theakforum.net they are both great resources for AK info. Atlanfirearms.com has a nice selection of AK's and will at least give you an idea of what is available. The Saiga is a great rifle once it is converted but I would look around for a Norinco Mak-90 for about $400 and then put a US stock set, a G2 trigger group and a flashhider on it. The Chinese rifles are well made and they are a great value for the price. They are made with a 1.6mm(non-heat treated) stamped receiver rather than the standard 1.0mm(heat treated) you find on most eastern european kalashnikovs. In my experience the extra mass makes then feel slightly better in the hands and perhaps the extra rigidity aids in accuracy. If you have enough US made parts on it(6) you could even throw a east german(or romanian) side folding stock on there for a very compact fighting gun. While a $300 ak may be as reliable as a $1k one there is a huge difference between a entry level AK and those available from some of the top gunsmiths. As with anything you get what you pay for and the prices of quality Kalashnikov's has skyrocketed in the last few years. Best of luck to you.

Hell if I look hard enough I am sure I can find threads bashing mom's home cooking and apple pie...lol My personal experience with them has been all positive.

The Vepr variants really do need to be seen to be appreciated. They are definitely on the heavy side but also amongst the most accurate AK variant ever made. As for the $400? Let's tally it up..... The Vepr has a slant cut in the rear of the receiver and ACE ltd is pretty much the only manufacturer of a rear block that permits other stock options. Rear Block......... AK/SAIGA RECEIVER BLOCK- SAIGA INTERNAL STOCK ADAPTER ...........45.00 Stock............... AK-SAIGA ALUMINUM FOLDING STOCK (Stock Only) ...............................97.50 Folding Mechanism............... Folding Stock Hinge for AK/Saiga Stocks .............................65.00 Pistol Grip.................................. GRIP AK/SAIGA FINGER GROOVE <B>BLACK</B> .......20.00 (not an exact match so we will knock of a few $) Tri- Rail Foregrip............. Surefire Saiga 12GA 3 Rail Forearm - Allied Armory ...................69.95 For a total parts cost of $297.45 you may be able to find some of the parts cheaper so lets knock off another $25 for frugal shopping skills and that leaves us at $272.45. Take that away from $400 and you have a total of $127.50 for labor. Compared to what my auto mechanic charges per hour that seems like a fair deal to me. P.S........ I am not sure how familiar you are with supressors but AAC, Gemtech and Red Jacket are considered amongst the best. Head over to Silencertalk.com and do some reading.

As for the OP, I am fortunate to have 6 of the vepr factory 10 rounders for my .308 but I will definitely be picking up a couple of the 20 round mags....woot!

That is your prerogative. Red Jacket has been making and modifying weapon systems for LE, military and private security professionals long before the Discovery channel came along. I can think of no stronger endorsement than to have men and women that rely on Red Jacket's weapons to defend their lives. Also, they are considered to be at the forefront of suppressor technology available in the US. I am proud to be the owner of a Red Jacket suppressed SBR kalashnikov that I got before they became TV stars.

Vepr AK 47 Rifle Russian Heavy Duty 762 x 39mm and the Red Jacket version: Red Jacket Firearms Vepr AK Tactical Rifle

There is one on gunbroker atm. Rare Tactical SVD Dragunov Sniper Rifle 7.62 x 54R : Semi-auto at GunBroker.com The commie gun collector in me screams for one these!

Not a bad idea! Options: http://www.centerfiresystems.com/ak_firearms.aspx

http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/index.php It's All About The Kalashnikov Baby!

What is your price range? I am pretty sure if you look around you can still(not for long) find yourself a Norinco MAK-90 for between 350-500. I collect em by country.....my ranks would be Russian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Polish, Chinese and then Yugo........Your Carnage May Vary Here is a link to a site dedicated to the Kalashnikov: http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/index.php Good Luck

Disassembly instructions: http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/comp/ Kick ass replacement handguards: http://ironwooddesigns.com/2aprod/1zAKproduct.html Great reference site: http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/index.php Good Luck Comrade.....

So am I, I have stockpiled both in preparation for my call to duty in Obama's civilian militia....

That's the point AK's don't break....

AR...Bah! Get an AK;)

All reports on the Larue is that the mount is built like a tank(no surprise there). The optic is actually a relabeled Burris Fast Fire. Definately an interesting option. I would like to see this type of mount for the Micro Aimpoint.

Ugliest rifle ever......blehh!........

Lot's of info can be found here: http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=11&start=0&sid=3fafdb258e38d454ac0e421383ecbe74 I like the Aimpoint Micro T(if money is no concern) on a Ultimak. Nate is right the Kobra optics are built like tanks and will serve you well(and the AK is not a precision rifle...never will be). Good Luck!

I just did a cursory search of the BATF website and it appears that if you own the FA FCG and the FA receiver it is considered a "machine gun" even if it is not assembled. I am sure one of the Class III dealers on this sight will come along and clarify.

It is perfectly legal to own the full auto fire control group. The receiver is what the BATF considers the machine gun. FA AK receivers have a 3rd hole drilled in the FCG area. Since this is a kit which does not include a receiver it is perfectly legal. By the way the barrel that comes with this kit is a Green Mountain barrel made here in the USA

At least one of you turned out alright.

What is black culture in America? If you are thinking that he wasn't raised in the inner city were he had to bob and weave to and from school and fight the temptation to be "jumped" into a gang and deal rock on the corner? Or maybe he wasn't raised in rural america were he had to avoid local rednecks whose ancestors once owned his ancestors on his way to one of his Uncles house for a weekend Bar-B-Q were dessert was watermelon and grape soda? Isn't it undeniable that a very large part of black "culture" is being black? Sure your upbringings may be similar but you choose to be Orthodox. If you shaved and put on a T-shirt and jeans then you are just another white guy. It doesn't matter what Obama does or doesn't wear he is still black. Good conversation Bill.