Generally Speaking, who makes the best AK?

[E4 No More]

Which manufacturer is widely recognized as turning out the best quality AK's? I've never owned or followed them, I'm thinking of getting one, and I don't want to buy a POS.

[Guest Revelator]

There are about a million AK variants and the only one I have any experience with is the Saiga. It is probably not the best quality, but it's good quality, and they are an excellent value. You can still get them new for around 400. But they come unconverted ("sporterized"), and to convert them you'll spend another 150-200, if not more. Still a great deal. Plus they're made at the original AK arsenal in Russia.

[Guest Jennings382]

I just traded for a Century Arms imported AK 47 WASR 10, and it is definatly not a POS. I would recommend this gun to ANYONE.

[Guest joeharris]

If you mean Best avail. in any price range, then the only choice is a Pre-Ban Polytech, which is 100% original, Arsenal is my second choice, their SLR 107 FR, but since their paint is original issue, it will come off easily.

For the money there also just recently is the TGI AMD with the FEG rec. the entire gun is made in Hungary and only contain's US Trigger group

and these go for about $550. avg.

Best wishes.

[E4 No More]

I just traded for a Century Arms imported AK 47 WASR 10, and it is definatly not a POS. I would recommend this gun to ANYONE.

Is that what a "Romanian AK" is?

[Guest joeharris]

Any Cent. Rom. AK is basically the cheapest there is, the bottem of the barrel in the AK World!

Some people like them, but most of these have various problems, here are a few, canted ft. sight, canted gas block, welded piston, improper mag-well size, no rec. dimples, rejected mil. spec. parts, poor quality and fit!

A few people, who know what to look for can sometimes pick out a fair one, but some people also win the lottery!

[Guest Astra900]

A Yugo M70 on a Nodakspud receiver:up:

[Smith]

Arsenal are some of the best. Polytechs are good and a lot of folks like Maadi's. The Saiga's are true Russian so you know they will last and are great guns. The thing about AK's is that you can't get a "bad" one (Century the exception). The question comes down to who built it and that is where the debate usually lies.

[Guest Jennings382]

yes that is what a Romainian AK is

[Guest joeharris]

HUNGARIAN AMD-65 AK RIFLE

For the money $580. this is the best and cheapest you can get, only bad thing in order to be 922 compl. you need to use US made mag's (3 parts)!

All made in Hungary!

[Guest Mugster]

I only own one ak clone, but have now attempted to zero 3 at the range, failing once (sight was too far out of alignment). Of the popular under $1000 rifles on the market right now, my opinion is they are all of about equal quality. And the thing is, you absolutely can't tell by looking at the sights even with a level if the rifle can zero. I've seen it. Lopsided might be necessary.

I wound up with a 1975gp from century, because its built (supposedly) with a US made receiver and barrel, plus the fire control/stock is tapco...so there's no worry about 922r. It works, zeros, and shoots well. I can recommend it.

From what I can tell, they are all about mini-14 out of the box accurate or worse if you get a bad one.

[Smith]

I might add Centuries generally are fine, you just have to watch out for canted sights and things of that nature. If AK's can be assembled and work in countries like Chad anything made here is gonna be GTO. Just check sights and gas blocks for cant and get you a big hammer for any future adjustments.

FEG/Hungarian stuff is excellent, especially with the thicker receiver, but they lack a chrome lined barrel. The ideal setup is a 1.5 reciever with a chrome lined barrel IMO.

[E4 No More]

You know, my CMMG M4 centers only after going to the left wall for windage. If you look at the front sight post and frame in comparison to the upper receiver rail and rear sight, it looks as vertical as can be. I took the rear sight off out of disgust. I'm just using the Aimpoint.

As far as the original question, it seems to me that all of them are hit or miss no matter who the manufacturer. Perhaps I should re-think the purchase?

[Ropin4gold]

I like Polytec Aresenal and Krebs custom.

[Guest joeharris]

I might add Centuries generally are fine, you just have to watch out for canted sights and things of that nature. If AK's can be assembled and work in countries like Chad anything made here is gonna be GTO. Just check sights and gas blocks for cant and get you a big hammer for any future adjustments.

FEG/Hungarian stuff is excellent, especially with the thicker receiver, but they lack a chrome lined barrel. The ideal setup is a 1.5 reciever with a chrome lined barrel IMO.

Wrong, these have a standard thickness receiver 1. mm and are Chrome-Lined Barrels!

The Yugo's do have the 1.6 mm rec. and are not Chrome-lined in the barrels!

[Rog O]

I have an Arsenal SLR 107F that I am fond of. It is dependable, accurate enough for me and it's all BLACK .

[Guest gcrookston]

Just my educated opinion, the best AK's available - new or used - on the US market today are:

1. Saiga (Russian)

2. PolyTech or Norinco (Chinese -- most come from the same factory, separate exporting entities).

3. Arsenal (Bulgaria) True to the Russian but with some issues with front site canting -- and this is also a common occurance I am told with the military versions of their rifles

4..... whatever.

and if you want to get picky about the "type" put the Sig556 and the Gallil #1 and #2. and Valmet #2 tie.

My Polytech 84s (5.56), and Arsenal 107:

[Guest Mugster]

You know, my CMMG M4 centers only after going to the left wall for windage. If you look at the front sight post and frame in comparison to the upper receiver rail and rear sight, it looks as vertical as can be. I took the rear sight off out of disgust. I'm just using the Aimpoint.

As far as the original question, it seems to me that all of them are hit or miss no matter who the manufacturer. Perhaps I should re-think the purchase?

I guess it depends on your purpose, imo. If you like shooting rifles as a hobby on iron sights, the ak is fun to run. They kick a little more than an ar and make a good solid wack on a steel plate. You have a pretty good chance of getting something decent, imo. I'm the original tightwad and after looking at them for years, the century guns finally looked like a good bet across the board. Last couple years, some of the individual parts were suspect imo, but, the assembly looked pretty good to me. You can tinker around on it too. Pretty good aftermarket support. Can get an adjustable rear sight if you run out of adjustment on the front post, for example. The days of the cheap steel cased ammo may be over, as a negative.

You might want to look at an SKS. They are truly surplussed weapons and it shows in the build and steel quality. Fairly accurate pieces too, if you can find a clean one with a good barrel. They respond a little better to handloading. With a developed load I'd hunt with it, where I probably would not with a cheap ak clone.

If your looking for a true weapon for whatever purpose, personally I'd look elsewhere. But some people swear by them, down to the make and the model.

[turkeydad]

Dont discount the Maadi's of course everyone knows how great the the Steyr imported preban Maadi's are but the post ban Pars imported and Intrac imported Maadi's are made on russian tooling in Cairo Egypt in Plant 54. . .just like the Steyrs. . . which was sold lock stock and barrell and set up by russians as close to an actual russian Ak as you can get. . .I have an Intrac and I love it. . just stay away from the Franken-Maadi's which were put together by Century arms using chinese parts on Maadi receivers. . .believe they are called Misr 90's. . pure junk. . . but the Steyr, Intrac and Pars international Maadis are as good as any. . imo of course. . .I was pleasantly surprised when I first disassembled my intrac Maadi that not only was the barrel chomed but the piston was as well. . .

Edited May 15, 2009 by turkeydad
content (left out a word)

[Guest Irish_Red]

+1 on the Saiga great gun for the money

[Guest joeharris]

Saiga's are great rifles, but in the configuration the are sold, which is that of a sporting rifle, most people turn them in to Ak wanna-bee's, sort of like turning a Mak-90 in to a preban!

If we had an idea of how much you want to spend, that would help!

[Guest Dean_JC78]

Saiga is solid. Just be ready to spend some more money on them to 'upgrade' it.

[Guest grimel]

Arsenal-Saiga-Krebs

Hungarian/Egyptian/Chinese

Yugo

Romanian

If you want the absolute best, a Fuller or Tromex custom.

I have a Romanian that will run with any of them (other than accuracy of the custom/Arsenal/Saiga/Krebs), but, I spent a LOT of time picking through racks of Romanian AK's.

As for the AMD's, swap out a few parts (grips are easy) and use the russian/chinese/european mags.

Edited May 15, 2009 by grimel

[E4 No More]

Saiga's are great rifles, but in the configuration the are sold, which is that of a sporting rifle, most people turn them in to Ak wanna-bee's, sort of like turning a Mak-90 in to a preban!

If we had an idea of how much you want to spend, that would help!

That's very subjective. I'm willing to pay for quality, but I don't want to throw my money away on junk because I didn't do my homework first, which is why I ask for opinions first. Given that I have a Savage Mod12 .308 heavy barrel for distance shooting, I don't think any AK would be worth over $800 for playing.

[Guest Mugster]

Never seen one in person, but this might be an option for you. Pretty hard to find. If they become a bit more popular I might consider it down the road. I believe they can be had under MSRP...if you can find one:

CZ-USA VZ 58

I don't mind paying for quality either...when I think the quality ups the performance. I'm unsure of that in ak's. I just don't have enough experience shooting them to say.