actionshooter

I searched the database and did not find this particular thread. If it exists and someone could point me the right way, it would be much appreciated. Otherwise, my question is this: What is best AK, Romanian, Russian, ect. and why?

I am not trying to start a "my gun is better than your gun" war. Please just respond with helpful links and your opinion/experiences with this rifle. I'm really an M4 guy but am looking at the merits of the AK and will be purchasing one in the near future to better understand and appreciate this rifle.

Any input is appreciated.

SIXTO

I like the Bulgarians, construction seems much more robust than the others. I prefer a milled receiver too.

Good thing about the Romanian is they are a dime a dozen= easy to replace.

p8riot

I kinda lean the other way. I prefer the stamped receiver models like the Romanian, simply because they are less expensive. I have three SAR-1s and I haven't had problem one with any of them. I fired a friend's Bulgarian SLR-95, and while it functioned flawlessly and was a nice rifle, it was a bit heavier than my stamped models, and the balance just didn't feel right for me, plus the weird thumbhole stock just wasn't to my liking.

A couple bad things to look for in the Romanians are a canted front sight, and trigger slap. Both problems are easy to fix, but until you do it will take some of the fun out of using the rifle.

SIXTO may know better about this than I, but I think that there are more customization options for the stamped receiver models than the forged receiver ones.

One other thing. Stay away from Hesse models as they have very soft receivers. They are welded (and improperly heat treated) instead of riveted like other stamped AKs, and are prone to malfunction and breakage. They begin to wear significantly at about 2000 rounds.

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P95Carry

I like the idea of milled - purist here!

But my SAR1 does stirling service and is good value.

Best I have seen is a Polish built from ground up - now that is a sweet AK.

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

JT

1. VEPR
2. Bulgarian SLR family

It has been reported that Kalashnikov himself proclaimed the Bulgarian model the finest AK he ever laid hands on. I agreed with him until I got my hands on a VEPR (of course that sounds very arrogant of me to disagree with the man himself, but maybe he never laid hands on a Robarm VEPR).

The only draw back to the VEPR is it is heavy. But it’s built on a RPK receiver and has the heavy barrel, so it is very solid, and the most accurate of the AK family.

Here's a good forum to do some research on...

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=77

you may also try...

http://www.ar15.com/forums/board.html?b=4
http://www.akfiles.com/forums/index.php
http://www.assaultweb.net/cgi-bin/ul...?ubb=forum;f=3

__________________
Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

Si vis pacem, para bellum

thestinker

I would like to find an ak chambered in .308 for a good price. Then all I would need is to covience the little misses of its need

JT

http://www.raacfirearms.com/Saiga_308.htm

Stock Saiga 308
Tromix Converted Saiga 308

__________________
Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

Si vis pacem, para bellum

SIXTO

I guess I can't argue with the man himself either, good thing he and I agree.

My Bulgarian doesn't have a thumb hole stock... I don't like them either. Mine also came with all the proper parts out of the box. Its one of my favorite possessions. They are a bit pricey compared to the stamped receivers, but it’s worth it IMO.

Rob72

Really it depends on your budget and needs/desires. You can spend M-4 money on an AK, the main benefit of the AK is supposed to be price. (All things being equal- basic maintenance, decent ammo, don't use your rifle as a wheel-chock- either will run reliably) If you spend $450+ on an AK, and buy S&B, WWB, Black Hills, etc., 7.62x39, then you will have an AK shooting M-4 accuracy, for what you'd have spent on the M-4.......why were we going there.....?

Seriously, for practical purposes, "The Best" is probably going to be an Arsenal, Global Trades, maybe VEPR. Next, probably a Yugo M70 (heavier barrel, better machining). Serviceable mid-grade would be the Romanians. I have a WASR10 that I converted to hi-cap, filed down some corners, new sights & refinished. Its as good as I can be with open sights, and looks "clean". I also have a RomyG kit that I built on an OOW reciever- $250 for the finished rifle. (Add a bit more for the folding stock & RPK/XS sight set.)

Edit to add- I rate milled reciever/HB versions "lower", because they don't fill the urban-carbine role as well as stamped. Light weight, easy to carry and conceal. Adding a Prime Example to a collection is a very different criterion.

craze

I have a yugo M-70. I found one at a gun show for $425. It was noticeably heavier and better finished than the romanian AKs I was concidering. Those were going for between $350 and $390.

I've been very pleased with it but haven't seen many out there. The Romanians may not be as pretty as some of the others but from what I've heard they are true to AK form in that the are reliable. I may yet get a romanian as a knock around gun and save ware on my yugo.

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