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AK 47- What type should I buy?

8K views 18 replies 11 participants last post by  oilman 
#1 ·
There are a lot of ads for AKs in the $399 pice range, and then the price can go up to almost a grand. What should I look for in order to get a quality gun, but without paying more than necessary. Should I spring for the high end Vector Arms models? Or can I do ok with one of the cheaper ones. I really am a novice when it comes to AKs, so I would appreciate the help.
 
#2 ·
In my opinion one of the cheaper one work fine though alot will disagree. It all depends on what you want. The $399 is a little high. You can find a Romanian for around $300 and that is what I have and it shoots fine. Even though it is a cheaper AK, it has never failed me and I can trust it.
 
#3 ·
BYO!
They are pretty easy to put together yourself and you can set it up how you like it :D
I don't hate Romanian WASRs as much as some people, but I would personally pick one of the older Romanian guns like a SAR if I were going to go that route personally.
Seriously though...look into building one...I was never an AK fan...now I'm very much interested in them. :smile:
 
#5 ·
JMO- But I have been in the market lately and based on some research and hands on experience, I think the best deal going right now are the Yugo M70 models from Century. You should be able to find one under $500.00.

These guns are built heavy, real heavy, they weigh 8.5 pounds with the full stock. The Yogo guns are built strong enough to fire grenades. The forearms are also longer and provide better hand protection and a better foregrip for different length shooters., but accesorizing with tacticool mods may be difficult due to the non standard handguards.

Drawbacks are non crome lined barrels. The barrels and I think receivers are US made. I have been on a lot of AK forums lately and even the Russians say that the Yugo AKs are high quality weapons.

The undefolders are cool to look at, but I'm a full stock guy myself. I want aimed fire, so to me that means cheek weld is not optional. Others opinions will surely vary.

There is also some historical value to the Yugo version, since Yugoslavia no longer exists.
 
#6 ·
I hear alot of you get what you pay for and I'm sure in most cases that is true. But after putting thousands and thousands of rounds through my Romanian AK without trouble, I'm not sure what extra value I would of recieved with a more expensive model. Exept for bragging rights. I'm sure there are horror stories out there about the Romanian model but believe me there are horror stories on all models. A lemon is a lemon no matter who made it. I just believe you do not have to get the name brand to get a decent weapon. I love my Romanian AK. I like Taurus products and I stand by my Bersa Thunder 380. All were on the cheaper end and all work fine. I trust them all.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the info, guys. I basically want it as a part of my SHTF arsenal. I have an AR 15, but I would like the extra punch of the 7.62 round. Also, my wife could probably handle the AR ok, so that would give us 2 in a fight if necessary. The AK would also be suitable for hunting, if needed in a survival situation, although I'll add a real hunting rifle down the line. All of course, just in case, since I usually do my hunting by stalking the wild frozen pizza at Albertson'd Currently, since I have been out of work for 5 months, I would look closely at the lower price models. But, when I'm working, I make decent money, so I could go higher, once the checks start coming in. As far as building my own...... may that's an option for you, but it would require a full class, with a great deal of hands on, for me to be able to do that. I'm all thumbs until I have some lessons an practical experience. Don't get me wrong, I can learn to do most anything reasonable. I suture wounds (part of the job), and have done quite a few through and through lip lacerations, involving the vermillion border (the margin where the mucous membrane of the lips meet the normal skin- a 1 mm error would leave someone with a permanent deformity, a "step off", that would not be good), all with great success. But I'm not going to learn to do it from a book, or figuring it out for myself
 
#8 ·
But I'm not going to learn to do it from a book, or figuring it out for myself
Understood, but if you change your mind let me know and I'll point you in the direction of how to find a local "building party" this is how I built my first gun...I had no idea what I was doing but then I went to a party where there were seasoned builders to help people like me (and you) out...a few hours later I had a functioning rifle better than one that I could buy off the shelf, for less money....and I learned a ton along the way. Now of course I'm addicted :redface:
Just another option for you.
If you are just looking for reliability in an inexpensive gun then you really can't go wrong with a WASR (some people don't like them)...the fit/finish is generally pretty bad but they go bang everytime and they don't cost much.

If you don't need 7.62x39 gun then AIM surplus has a WASR-2 in 5.45x39 with two 30 round mags, sling, and cleaning kit for $289.95 add to that 1,080 rounds for 129.95 and you are looking at $420 plus shipping/transfer fee for a reliable gun and over a thousand rounds of steel core ammo. Hard to beat that price.

 
#9 ·
You do get what you pay for in build quality and accuracy. Like I said, the Romanians and some of the others are fine for plinking and have marginal accuracy, but if you expect a little more your going to have to spend some more money and look around a little bit.
Rifles are a tool like anything else, the well made tools cost a little more. Unfortunatly, this particular tool is getting tougher to find and that boosts the price.
If your happy with not as well made, more power to you and you will save a few bucks.
 
#10 ·
Like I said, the Romanians and some of the others are fine for plinking and have marginal accuracy, but if you expect a little more your going to have to spend some more money and look around a little bit.
Just to clarify and or add my point of view about the Romanian guns.... The Romanian guns get a bad reputation from a lot of people due to the fact that Century uses Romanian kit to build a lot of their guns. It is not the Romanian product that is lower quality, in my opinion, but it is Century's "monkeys" (as many people call them) that put the guns together. The Romanian AKM really isn't that much different than a Hungarian, Russian, Polish, etc. So I wouldn't be as scared off by a Romanian gun as much as I would by a Century gun...and even then I don't think they are that bad...just not great and I don't own.
Heck, The Yugos are some of my favorite AKs...but if you look at the ones built by Century they have many of the same fit/finish problems that the Romanians have...though not always as obvious.

Just thought I'd point out the difference between "Romanian" and "Century Romanian" for those that weren't familiar.
 
#15 ·
I second the Yugo M70s, but if you get a Century make sure the sights aren't canted. Mine were (I was in a rush when I bought it), so I sent it back to Century and they fixed it. But it was a month without my favorite black assault rifle!

Right now I have an Atlantic Arms Bulgarian SSR 85 at the top of my wish list. I had one in my hands a month and half ago, but for some reason I didn't get it. Bad mistake, as now I am hunting one down. I like the thicker receivers and the black polymer furniture on my AKs.

Cheers! M2
 
#18 ·
I have a Yugo and I love it. It was made by Century and yes you do need to watch out for canted sights. You can get some tacticool accessories for them now. Ultimak makes a scope rail for it now and they also have a picattany lower forearm for them as well. As far as I know nobody is making a synthetic buttstock for it yet.
 
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