AK expertise is needed

[Guest Rem_700]

Im getting away from AR's and going to go with a good AK,so I was going to trade my AR for a good AK and some ammo and mags to make the difference up. I've had several offers,but im not 100% on Ak's so could someone help fill me in? I've had an offer of a Polish Tantal,I know nothing about them,are they good? And a couple guys with Romanians, Im familar with the sight cant and the mag wobble.And then there was a guy with a maddi AK,I know nothing about it.Could someone please fill me in on the ins and outs of the AK world and what to look for and what to stay away from.

[Guest bkelm18]

One word: Saiga. Still made in Russia.

[mousegunner]

This is my short story on AKs....

1. The cheapest and most available right now are the Romanian WASR10, modified by Century Arms to receive ordinary 30 round magazines. They have also been made 922r compliant, so they are good to go, as long as you get a good one. The Tapco trigger is said to be pretty good. The finish and stocks are barely OK. It is the cheap Chevy of the AK world. But if it works, hey! Why not! Most easily recognized by the absence of "dimples" which hold the mags in a bit tighter with less wobbles.

2. All the others are a step up in workmanship, and come from Yugoslavia, Hungary and other places.

3. The MAK90 is Chinese, and comes from the early 1990s. They are nice AKs, but some people hate the thumbhole stock. the Egyptian Maadi is closely related to the MAK90, having been made from Chinese parts.

4. Check out the various AK forums for lots of information.

Try some links on this link page: http://www.mouseguns.com/homedef.htm

Edited August 17, 2009 by mousegunner

[BryanP]

The Romanians are good, if lower end, AK's. The mag wobble has no effect on functionality. I know the sight cant was real, but I've never seen it in real life.

The Maadi would be an Egyptian AK. No idea about the quality on those.

[Guest Rem_700]

IM broke! I can only trade..I don't like the side or under folding stocks.

[141FE]

Saiga or Yugo.

The Saiga comes in a sporting configuration but can be easily converted to a 922R compliant pistol grip configuration. Stick with the 7.62x39.

Be aware any AK47 must be 922R compliant to use a magazine over 10 rounds. No trouble really, it just means no more than 10 parts can be made overseas.

The Yugo has a thicker receiver but the barrels are not chrome lined. Most you see have the underfolding stock.

[clipslinger]

Head up to guns and leather in greenbriar. He had some tight really nice aks in stock. Made her from kits by a reputable american company. The milled aks are the best they have square indentions on the recievers( not dimples larger) polytechs and arsenals are great milled guns but are expensive. The next level would be norincos preban they are stamped but the reciever is thicker and they tend to look better. the level under that would be the romanian SAR series. these guns came into the country with the mag well intended to take double stack mags, they will have dimples. your maadi rifles are made on russian equipment in egypt the shoot great but look like hell. they have a baked on paintlike surface that will chip easy. lastly are the wasrs, they come into the country with a single stack mag well and are drimmeled at century. they work well but look generally crappy and the mags do wobble. If you want the tantal caliber in a better gun look at the wasr 2. Stay clear of the wasr 3 in .223 though. The trigger group was modified and you cant get parts for it. I have owned 40 variants of ak and the best (my favorite) was my norinco type 56. followed by my SAR1. Good luck and hope ive helped.

[poak]

Best Deal in the Country! These are made in Hung. with FEG rec. but you need to use a US mag since it has the 3 required 922 Parts!

Peach State Guns, LLC : AK-47 AMD-65 Hungarian Sidefolder

How much do you want to spend?????????

Do you have personal experience with the AMD-65's?

I was wondering if the receiver was manufactured in a way as to make attaching a traditional non-folding AK stock a challenge?

[Magiccarpetrides]

I have a SAR-3 in .223 for sale btw ;-D

[Guest docvantrease2003]

ive got a new in box cenyury build ak model gp 1975 looks good got plastic furniture on it came that way

[Smith]

The good thing about AK's is you can't really get a bad one. Century's problems are mostly canted sights and they used to have monkeys with hammers assembling them. Not entirely differnt than a lot of third world countries and those have fought many a war just fine. Saiga's are definitely the way to go.

BTW - the Tantal is a 5.45x39 caliber weapon (AK74) and not an AK47 (7.62x39). While most people went the 74 route for ammo cost, I think it offers nothing more. The 7.62 is a better round all together. If you want .22 caliber stick with the AR.

[Guest jimdigriz]

Saiga's are nice, but they are Sporterized AK's and can be very Expensive to convert to a AK Configuration!

Can be, but don't have to be. I'm about to do my conversion for about $200, and that includes a nice KVar stock and the fabulous Red Star Arms trigger group. I priced a good folding stock conversion at around $300, but ultimately went with the fixed stock.

I second (third?) the Saiga suggestion. It's hard to beat a good Russian-made AK.

[Smith]

Saiga's are nice, but they are Sporterized AK's and can be very Expensive to convert to a AK Configuration!

Not true. If you DIY, you can go as low as $80-$100. My first one I sent to Red Jacket in LA and a full blown AK103 clone ran me $400 (parts included). So, $400 plus the $300 (at the time) Saiga and I had a Russian AK103 for $700. Arsenal Bulgy's start at $800 and it's not even Russian, but they are very nice.

[R1100R]

I own a Century Tantal and have not had the issues stated. I know of four others that do not have these issues. Most of the issues were caused by using the wrong ammo 70 gr wolf. We all use com-block 52-56 grain surplus. The problem seems to be in the mid -production guns and the twist rate on the early ones. I have yet to read and article to prove that they were 5.56 barrels or some one had one slugged.

It is a crap shoot when dealing with Century on anything. My Tantal had a canted sight.

I had a AK custom built for around 600.00.

The AMD and VZ are good buys and shooters. Saigas are good shooters but the cost is run up in the conversion.

I like the 5.45 round and also have a AR that shoots it. If the 7.62X39 was all that, why invent the 5.45 which replaced it in

1975. Most of the former Com-Block are going to 5.56 due to wanting to join NATO.

Edited August 18, 2009 by R1100R

[Smith]

I like the 5.45 round and also have a AR that shoots it. If the 7.62X39 was all that, why invent the 5.45 which replaced it in

1975. Most of the former Com-Block are going to 5.56 due to wanting to join NATO.

Same reason the AR uses the 5.56 - ammo cost. Interesting that now most in the military want to go bigger.

[R1100R]

Same reason the AR uses the 5.56 - ammo cost. Interesting that now most in the military want to go bigger.

Hearsay, purpose driven weapons maybe. I'm still soldiering after 34

years and was at the Infantry board two weeks ago visiting cronies and it's still the M-4/16 and the 5.56. Just who might be making them might change.

Try some different AK's, when I get home In a month you can shoot some of mine if you like. Go to one of the TGO shoots and look some over.

[Smith]

Hearsay, purpose driven weapons maybe. I'm still soldiering after 34

years and was at the Infantry board two weeks ago visiting cronies and it's still the M-4/16 and the 5.56. Just who might be making them might change.

Try some different AK's, when I get home In a month you can shoot some of mine if you like. Go to one of the TGO shoots and look some over.

Again cost is why they won't switch. Get rid of the accountants and bureaucrats and see! We'd probably have a 30-06 AR!

[tacturtle]

What kind of AR do you have REM? I have a VEPR K .223 and I have been considering going AR? It is King of AK's could be best Russian AK; built on RPK reciever.

[mk19]

You want a good AK stay away from century, they are crap unless they are certified. You want a really good AK go with Arsenal, a bit expensive but you get a good gun. Want to spend a bit less go with a Lancaster, they are made on Romanian G kits, but are really well made and finished nicely. Saiga's i never liked them eventhough they are Russian, I just dont feel it. To me they are not rue AK's. Right now here is the hiarchy of AK's Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, if you find on Chinese, Hungarian, If you find one Egyptian and romanian. I'd put one made by Lancaster the same level as Bulgarian.

[Smith]

You want a good AK stay away from century, they are crap unless they are certified. You want a really good AK go with Arsenal, a bit expensive but you get a good gun. Want to spend a bit less go with a Lancaster, they are made on Romanian G kits, but are really well made and finished nicely. Saiga's i never liked them eventhough they are Russian, I just dont feel it. To me they are not rue AK's. Right now here is the hiarchy of AK's Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, if you find on Chinese, Hungarian, If you find one Egyptian and romanian. I'd put one made by Lancaster the same level as Bulgarian.

+0.5

What could be more true AK than a Russian AK?

[Capbyrd]

I'd really like to add an ak to my collection one day but everytime I read a thread like this, I just get more confused and end up putting it off. Maybe I should just buy one find out for myself

[10Kilr]

Make sure the front sight is not canted and buy a WASR. Regardless of what anyone says, they run forever. I have a few thousand round through mine without ever a hiccup. Even if you get one with a canted sight or gas block, the problem can be fixed without to much of a hassle.

[mk19]

+0.5

What could be more true AK than a Russian AK?

Yeah but is not an AK it is just AKish

[Guest SUNTZU]

Here's a resource for you to peruse at your leisure.

AK47 Rifle Reviews

[Guest jimdigriz]

Somebody was saying how easy it is to turn a Saigs in to a AK Clone!

Basic things to do to convert to a AK74 clone

1)drive out pins and remove front sight base ,buy new ak74 threaded sight base

2)drive out pins and remove gas block , buy new ak74 gas block with cleaning rod retainer

3)Drill out rivets and remove triggerguard ,and mag catch and filler plate. Buy new akmagcatch -triggerguard asembly

4) buy lower handguard retainer and standark style lower hand guard . Fit and cut barrel for new retainer and handguard

5) press new gasblock on

6) press new front sight base on

7) Rivet new trigger guard mag catch assembly on reworking holes

8)You will also need a new gas tube and upper handguard .

9) You will need to work the mag opening for standars ak mags

10)weld up the extra left over holes . File and work flat.

11) Refinish the paint on the receiver

12)Buy and install a pistolgrip,grip screw,retainer nut .

13) Install trigger group

14)Also need to buy an Ak74 muzle break and a cleaning rod .

Really easy!

Maybe half of this is necessary to convert a Saiga to a pistol grip configuration.

There is a set of videos on YouTube about converting a Saiga. I suggest anyone who might be interested go look at them, instead of being discouraged by this list. Also, if you don't want to do it yourself, I was told by one of the Dodson guys at the last gun show that they would do the whole thing for $200, including parts. (I probably would want to substitute some higher grade parts in regard to the trigger).

Jim