Good brand of "AK"

[Wolf 5.7]

Hello All.

I was wondering if there is a good brand of AK47 (I believe the correct name is AKM for a semi-automatic with the looks of the real McCoy)? I've seen WASR from romania for around 450 dollars but have been reading that they are trash and I should not waste my money. Is there a true russian AK that a civilian can buy here in the states without too much headache? Are the russian ones the best or does another country hold that honor? I'd rather not have another norinco product as well.

[JLA]

In my experience with them an AK is an AK. I had a romanian WASR2 that was just as reliable as any other AK ive had. They are all loose and rattley and not very accurate so IMO just buy the one that you can afford. The biggest hitch with AKs is using quality mags. there are so many cheapos out there and thats 90% of the malfunction problem.

Plus a russkie will cost you a bunch more then they are worth. IF I were gonna buy another Id get a yugo. They are the only ones that lock back on the last shot.. Which is actually an upgrade tot he original Kolashnikov design. None of the other copies as well as the originals had that feature.

All of the yugos have the grenade launcher sight..
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct855.aspx

Next best choice IMO would be a norinco preban, they are built like brick s*** houses, but they are almost as hard to find as the original russkies. The norinco MAK90 is probably the most common here.
http://mouseguns.com/mak90web/mak90.htm

[Finster]

I have a couple Egyptian Maadi's and they are the best ak variant/Brand I think hands down for a stamped receiver. They dont rattle or make any noises when I shake them they are solid and very accurate I was sniping at 500 yards at one point with one of them but it was a RPM 20" inch barrel iron sights your not going to hit man sized target first shot though maybe the 4th or 5th round with a spotter, 16" barrel one's i shoot good out too 250 yards using iron sights I havent really tested it out further with those. I have done the shake test on a wasr 10 and everything rattles and is the same price you find maadi's for around 500 to 600 bucks. There are some good wasr 10 out there you just got to find them but dont buy it online you could get a really canted one and who wants to pay to fix a new gun.

Also Maadi were built on russian machinery supposedly and is the closet thing you can get to an original russian ak.

[JLA]

sniping? define sniping.

[Finster]

My def of sniping is shooting 400 yards and up period I just grew up thinking that, I guess the proper term for sniping is hunting game from a hidden spot not target practice on paper targets.

[oldbrass]

A good AK is the cheapest you can find IMHO, shoot the heck out of it and get your moneys worth. an AK is an AK

[Forsaken72]

hi all! ive read and heard all sorts of negative stuff about the romy wasr 10/63 but i own one and i couldnt be happier. other than a slight cant issue all is well. had i read all this stuff before buying it i would have inspected before purchase but i still would have bought one. its all about how much you want to spend. i had little money so i went cheap. if your wallet is thicker than mine follow your heart.

[The Duke]

Quite a few years back, I got the only AK I have ever owned...It was a Finnish Valmet knock-off on the RPK...semi-a however...That was absolutely the very best AK I have ever seen....Never fired it and sold it for around $1K in 1980's dollars...I traded a guy a nice Colt Trooper .357 for it..Think I had about $150 in the gun......I told him what he had, but he wanted the Trooper bad enough to swap....I cant help it!!! But I sure wish I would have kept it now rather than getting greedy...

Dont know if they are still made or even imported any longer...It was a beautiful piece of workmanship...

[436]

I've got two, that I believe are pretty hard to beat the AKM PolyTech Chinese... one being a stamped folder, the other milled receiver standard rifle. I have never had a problem with either one. They shoot great; the folder is very accurate for a AK/AKM.
436

[JLA]

Lovin the upside down glock rubber. And i want that milled AK.

[Helix_FR]

The best AK's are the ones burning in a large pile. Yugos and Romanians are good. The century arms imports are total garbage.

[Regular Joe]

Well... My AK IS a Century Yugo underfolder. Zero rattles, and about 3 MOA, which is what the AK was built to do. I've looked at many since then, and I find that this one really and truly IS a decent rifle. The stamped receiver is 1.6mm. The only other heavy stamped receiver ever made (that I've heard of) was one of the Chinese versions.
My barrel is made by Green Mountain, and the Tapco trigger breaks very clean @ about 3 lbs. These are quality components. Strength of this receiver is comparable to milled, and they are reputed to outlast the milled. There is endless contention over which is the "best" AK. If it works, and the sites are straight, it's among the "best".
I couldn't care less if fit and finish are "nicer" on the high dollar Arsenal models. They can't shoot any better, using steel cased Russian ammo. I didn't buy my AK to look at!
My Armalite AR cost almost twice as much as my AK, and I find that they certainly do have different roles. The AK is the rifle to have for daylight at distances of 200 yds. and under. It's accurate enough, and the ammo is far more powerful. The AR is better at longer ranges and dim light. The AR wears a 6~18x scope, which is slow and unwieldy at close range.

[6x6pinz]

If I were in the market for another AK, it would be a Saiga and I would drop the few conversion pieces in to make it compliant and back to original design. If I wanted an off the shelf AK I would find a Romanian SAR-1. With a rather large stash of AK's I am not in the market for another one but that has not stopped me from picking up a good deal in the past.

[436]

Originally Posted by JLA

Lovin the upside down glock rubber. And i want that milled AK.

Yeah, they are fun guns... The folder is a far more accurate than the milled version, just the way it is I guess. If I was going to run a full auto AK it would be on the milled receiver... although the PolyTech stamped is a little thicker receiver then most the others I'm told.
As far as; whether I’d use one in a fight if I had the choice… in a hillbilly’s heartbeat. I have a lot of respect for the AK47/AKM as well as the 7.62.39mm cartridge on the two range; those who have had one chatter at them with rounds snap over theirs heads, came, I’m sure too the same conclusion. It’s the farm tracker of combat weapons. Many don’t believe there that accurate, their wrong, it the person behind the trigger. Most good AK’s are capable of hitting targets at most reasonable open sight ranges quite effectively.
There’.., now I started it.
436

[Forsaken72]

Wasr is not trash. just inspect real close. i love mine and would trust my life to it. do your homework if choose wasr is all. inspect closely before purchase and you could get a bargain.

[Grizz]

+1 on the Maadi, I mean they are built using russian machinery, just doesn't get better than that. Also Ratworx makes there own milled version thats priced in the $600-$700 range, check em out!

[Wolf 5.7]

What should you inspect for on a WASR? Anyone care to share pointers or tips? Is $450 to high to pay for one (before Tax)?

[zkovach]

I saw cabelas has a thumbhole SPA ak-47 on sale this weekend for 350.00 I have never heard of these anyone?????? Seems very cheap but u can't beat a cabela warranty

[zkovach]

Wolf the price is good. Watch u tube videos on what to look for when buying!

[JLA]

Dang I was gonna saya little high. have they come up that much recently. Last one I bought was prolly 5 years ago or so and got it for 300. WASR2

[Grizz]

Yeah it seems prices on the AK's went up in the past 4-5 years, now a days when you find them in the shop they are usually marked $500 and up, once in a while you see deals between $400- $500.

[Bigbill]

The best quality ak/akm on the market right now is the brand new russian izmash saiga. Its a brand new russian ak/akm rifle not someones butchered rework. I have them in 223 and in 308win. We benchrested my 308win saiga at 100yds with the orginal sights and using surplus south african 308 ball ammo she shot 1 1/2'' groups. Some guys on the www.saiga-12.com sight are shooting 1/2'' moa's with better ammo. The russians at izmash focused on making the saiga's more accurate than all there ak brothers. Some guys who own both the saiga and the vepr say the saiga is a tad more accurate for less money(cost). Saiga's rock.....

[zkovach]

Big bill- if u get that saiga in 7.62 x39 can u use standard ak 47 mags? Just curious not to familiar with those but I've seen they have great reviews!

[6x6pinz]

if u get that saiga in 7.62 x39 can u use standard ak 47 mags?

Most require the install of a bullet guide for the regular AK mags to work 100%. It is a 10 minute job and cost between $16 and $20 plus shipping http://www.dinzagarms.com/saiga_762x...ga_762x39.html

[zkovach]

Cool thanks for that info!!!!!