Hey, AK mavens!

[Ed Zachary]

How's about a guide for us unwashed to compare the relative positives and negatives of the multitude of AK47 variations that can be encountered in the wild?

You know, what manufacturers/countries of origin are better than others, date ranges that are primo and the ones that are iffy. Things like explanations of acronyms (what the heck is a WASR?)

[Kelemvor]

This is a guide that the guy that did the "So you wanna buy an AR-15, huh?" thread put together. He seems to be pretty knowledgeable. I'd check this out:

AK-47/74 rifles from around the world... - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com

[Trekbike]

Convert a Saiga.

[kwe45919]

Check out this site. It's for SKS's but has a good section on AK's, just scrool down. Tons of info there for you to check out.....

Survivor's SKS Boards - Index

[mk19]

This is a guide that the guy that did the "So you wanna buy an AR-15, huh?" thread put together. He seems to be pretty knowledgeable. I'd check this out:

AK-47/74 rifles from around the world... - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com

I am ususally critical of write-ups but this one is very accurate and usefull for someone starting at AK's

I find the best value with the US assembled ones, Vector, Lancester or whatever, they are well priced and very fine rifles. or you could cough up alot more and go with a Krebs.

[Ed Zachary]

Now, that has been an education!

Thanks, guys!

[Guest jimdigriz]

(what the heck is a WASR?)

"What A ****ty Rifle!"

Like the guy said, convert a Saiga.

[Guest mikedwood]

I like my Norinco Mac 90. It's very well built. It's almost pretty (not quite) but it is made very stout and I like that.

Just thought I'd throw that out there because if I hadn't been so interested in it due to it's looks. I would have discounted it altogether.

[Guest KarlS]

Try looking here for info http://www.ak47world.com/

Great site and loaded with info. They tell it like it is on the good and bad AK's. Some eye opening reading on Pres Clinton's AK deal with China!

Edited October 16, 2009 by KarlS
broken link

[Auburn]

For quality and price, I agree that Saiga is the way to go. They're still affordable, and with a little conversion work you end up with a Russian AK rifle.

I also have two WASR's, and they both work great. The WASR is a Romanian version of the AK. Lots of people have had problems with them. They used to be really cheap, but their price has really gone up to the point where the Saiga is a much better option.

[Ropin4gold]

Check out warrior talk, those guys know thier stuff about ak's.

[mousegunner]

Thank you for the really excellent link!

[Guest frankcostanza]

"What A ****ty Rifle!"

Not necessarily...

Yes, some people have been luckier than others with their WASR rifles. You just need to know what to watch out for when picking one out. I love mine. I had both a WASR-10 and a Yugo M70 with the fixed stock. Decided I didnt need both, so I kept the WASR. Y'all might think Im crazy for doing so, but mine is a diamond in the rough

[Seaslug]

Not necessarily...

Yes, some people have been luckier than others with their WASR rifles. You just need to know what to watch out for when picking one out. I love mine. I had both a WASR-10 and a Yugo M70 with the fixed stock. Decided I didnt need both, so I kept the WASR. Y'all might think Im crazy for doing so, but mine is a diamond in the rough

+1 to that. My WASR was flawless. I absolutely COULD NOT make that thing malfunction. It ate everything I fed it, and it always put holes in the general vicinity of where I pointed it. Of course it had the cheaper wood, but it didn't look half bad, either.

[Guest frankcostanza]

Originally Posted by Seaslug

Of course it had the cheaper wood

A little Minwax takes care of that. Here's mine:

[Ed Zachary]

OK, looks like a few are behind the idea of converting a Saiga. I've seen several of those, from the Russian maker, that have been civilized/emasculated to look like sporter rifles.

So are you guys saying get one of those and put the AK-look furniture on them? Or would there be a lot more to do?

And, yeah, I have seen (only seen!) big differences in the Romanian AKs. Some WASRs look like somebody really cared about them. Others look like they were bent then hammered back into shape, painted, and had some kid in high school shop make up stocks and forearms for them.

[Cruel Hand Luke]

There is a lot more to do. The trigger guard is in the wrong place so it will have to be moved to install the pistol grip.

Here is what I recommend.....determine why you want an AK. Just to plink with? Get a WASR. Buy it in person and check fit and finish. Buy some ammo and you are done. It will work fine (in all likelihood) and will be accurate enough to hit cans and bottles at 100 yards or so.

Do you want it for a SHTF/Home Defense gun? Get an AK parts kit,(yes they are expensive now...) a receiver from either Elk River or NODAK Spud and whatever furniture you want to put on it and send it to Jim Fuller at Rifledynamics. Other guys may build a more "historicly correct" or "Museum piece" AK, but NOBODY builds a better gun for serious social purposes. Will it take 6 months to get? Yes. Will it end up costing almost $1000 ? Yes. But will you have the smoothest, most accurate, most reliable AK pattern rifle you can get? Yes. There is a reason Fuller is always so far behind.Those who know his work generally have multiple guns built.....

Another alternative is that K-var is now selling converted Saigas now for less than you can get one converted from most places like Rifledynamics or RedJacket in Inrange. They also have Arsenal SLR 107s for sale for about $850. They are fine. Better than a WASR, not nearly as nicely finished or as good a trigger as a gun built by Jim Fuller, but perfectly serviceable nonetheless. This is the route I'd go if I were impatient.

Thanks for the plug on Warriortalk. I guess we kind of are the "AK people". But that is just from putting in the work with the system and learning all the nuances of it.

Good luck with your AK acquisition.

[Ed Zachary]

Hmmm. If that's the case, guess I'll just have to stock up on ammo and enblocs for the Garand and use it if need be.

All the FTF deals I have seen around here, even prior to '08, entailed taking a real POS of somebody's hands and reimbursing them for the hotrod they have at home.

[csaxj3]

"What A ****ty Rifle!"

Like the guy said, convert a Saiga.

They might not be pretty, but I've had a WASR that ATE EVERYTHING it was fed. Mine had NO cant on the sight blocks nor gas tube.

I think thats all that matters for a 300-400 dollar AK is it not? Accuracy was on par with the SGL-20, SAR-1, and SSR-85.

Most people neglect to zero in the rifle, and thus say WASR's are garbage.

Don't really know the forum rules on suggesting other sites, but ARFCOM has the best AK section I've come across. The guys there have been a great help for me, and they have different sections within the AK section for each nationality. Also the AK side of the forum tends to be more civilized and welcoming than the black rifle side. There isn't the "If your AR is not equipped with a minimum of $2k worth of tacticool accessories, don't post here nonsense" that is seen on the AR side. We welcome all those who like the Kalash.

my .02

My current "go-to" 1999 SAR-1, De banned, Romanian VFG, BP-02, Aimpoint clone.

Edited October 22, 2009 by csaxj3

[Guest Ae-35]

"What A ****ty Rifle!"

Like the guy said, convert a Saiga.

Got a wasr10/63 that'll shoot sub moa all day, sitting using Win. ammo. Put 1k through it last year, over 600 this year , never a failure. Learned long time ago never put down a mans gun.

[mk19]

WASR's may not be pretty but they work fine, reason people talk smack about them is that you can find them with canted front sites blah blah. now you can buy certified ones that have been checked to make sure all that is good to go, still people bitch. it is a $300 rifle that goes bang everytime you pull the trigger. don't expect too much out of it.

[csaxj3]

K-VAR has $499.99 SGL-21's !!!!!

There is no reason to buy WASR anymore. (Nothing against them) But being able to get an Arsenal for 500 bucks, is a STEAL (they used to be 969.99).

On the bright side, this should drive WASR's down to the sub $300 range.

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?productid=17015&cat=353&page=1

I'm ordering one this Friday.

[Ed Zachary]

dang

just... dang... For a Russian???

[Ed Zachary]

Just checking....

What about Bulgarian SSR-85Cs built by Tennessee Guns, or maybe a 1975 GP built by Century? (priced around 5 Bens new)

[mk19]

Bulgys or anything built on a bulgy kit is good to go. As posted b4 now that you can get Rusky or Bulgys for $500 why bother with the rest? now i have not seen thin new batch up close but i can say for certain they'd beat anything else in that price range.