Need a AK for the new year.
- Thread starter Kadams1563
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The WASR rifles do great at Battlefield Vegas and among the members on the ak files. For what it is worth, I know the owner of battlefield Vegas said he would pick the wasr for a shtf rifle over every other ak they have. I don't think they are the most accurate rifle though, even by al standards....but they sure do work.
I am excited about the kalshnikov USA ak coming out soon. It sure seems to be a giant evasion of the sanctions on Russian ak imports from Kalashnikov concern to our benefit. We will see how the actual products are, but it looks promising so far.
I am excited about the kalshnikov USA ak coming out soon. It sure seems to be a giant evasion of the sanctions on Russian ak imports from Kalashnikov concern to our benefit. We will see how the actual products are, but it looks promising so far.
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Their KR-9/KP-9 (pp 19-01 Vityaz) is built off the original pp-19 blueprints, and their AK103 will be built from the original plans as well. By all accounts it should be the closest think you can get to a 103 without the fun switch.
A bunch of Arsenal 107Rs made it into country recently and quite a few on gunbroker for $1,200 and under.
unfort, they dont fold. & they used to be $849. (gotta love market adjustments
)bc i never came across a WASR that ran good. always constant jams, inaccurate, etc. my arsenals run like a champ, never an issue.
I should not have come across this thread. Always loved the look, story, history, and grit of an AK.
If resources are a LIMFAC, you may want to wait for the new series of AKs that PSA will release. I'd also recommend saving up and purchasing a Galil Ace as well.
Sounds like you've had really bad luck then. The current sets of data that are floating around say otherwise. In my experience, WASR's and SLR107R's are about 1 to 1 in functional quality. Older WASR's did have a greater chance of coming with canted sights, but I'm yet to find one that wouldn't sight in.
Looks like Atlantic got
Probably not until after their AK-74M which is what I'm looking forward to next.
Rifle Dynamics is a good rifle, but too expensive for a kit build IMHO. For that price you should get a pinned gas block with some FSP adjustment and not a bolted on one that has to be filed.
Atlantic recently got a shipment of WBP Fox rifles from Poland which are a good rifle. PSA is supposed to be expanding their line a lot this year-they are a good rifle as well since their G3 came out with all the right forgings.
Probably not until after their AK-74M which is what I'm looking forward to next.
Rifle Dynamics is a good rifle, but too expensive for a kit build IMHO. For that price you should get a pinned gas block with some FSP adjustment and not a bolted on one that has to be filed.
Atlantic recently got a shipment of WBP Fox rifles from Poland which are a good rifle. PSA is supposed to be expanding their line a lot this year-they are a good rifle as well since their G3 came out with all the right forgings.
Any yall running a Valmet? Ive heard the Finnish AK's are top notch.. just as good or better than Arsenals..?
Picked up a new VZ 58 a couple of days ago and am very impressed with the rifle. It will be a little while before I can get to the range and need to order a few more bits and pieces for the rifle.
Now a AK-E is on my short list for next rifles.
Now a AK-E is on my short list for next rifles.
I had an Arsenal SLR95 I'll always regret selling. Not only was it the best AK made, it was also a very fine rifle, period. Steyr CHF barrel, chrome lined, milled receiver. Did have Clinton ban shit on it but that's an easy fix. Anyway, I paid less than $500 and apparently one can't be had today for less than $1000 or more. A new one is more like $1900 (!!!) on Atlantic Arms. I was just tooling around on there and was shocked at how much these people ask for an AK now because they're still a basic weapon built with basic parts and most of the parts are just standard military parts from overseas.
It ain't an AR and shouldn't be priced like one, that's my only gripe. It ain't like they're rare or anything or have a lot of attention to detail in the build or design. That said, I'll probably pick one up --ONLY when I find one for AK prices though, and one that'll function. Hell, I may just build one, it's not like they're difficult to make.
I'm sorta into the NO-AR kick at the moment too. I have a few to flesh out and that'll be the end of AR's for me. Got enough of 'em. So I'm focusing on anything that ain't an AR. Last buy was a Kriss Super V, boy that fucker is a lot of fun and pretty damn fast for a semi (they're talking about making a binary trigger out of the burst components that allows it to fire semi plus go on safe on binary release to prevent second round from firing --two of the big gripes about binary triggers, and it won't change the semi function so it's only a plus).
Most recent, still on the way here in fact, is an FDE Tavor 9mm SAR (x95's go for more and I have a MeproMOR sight that fits the SAR, that button in the front is made for this sight). For $1350 it was a great deal, any less would have been a steal. I can get the 5.56 conversion for it and the .300BLK barrel and have all three if I want. With AR's I tend to just build out another lower and go that way but with this I think I'd be fine with conversion kits.
An AUG A3 would also be nice. Everyone says they're damn nice rifles.
DSA actually makes great FAL's. I have one pimped out with a 2 stage Jard trigger, all the good parts, Steyr bbl., etc. It's a bad bitch. But FAL's and especially HK's are hell on brass so don't plan on reusing that shit after it's been run through one of those rifles. I heard PTR makes a good HK but I've never tried one.
Lots of PDW's going around at the moment, now would be a good time to pick a 9mm and suppress it. Sig, Kriss, BT, Stribog, HK and others. Stribog is a good budget option.
For the price, you can do a LOT better than an AK, that's what I'm getting at. For the prices they go for today, you've REALLY gotta want one. I think they're marketed toward a different type of shooter: kids, people new to shooting, people not vested in shooting but wanna play the urban badass, show-offs, that kinda shit, because there's no way a guy on here will pay $2k for an AK when he could get BT or a Sig --something with a track record that ain't made with chisels and hammers and spot welders by a Siberian Bubba.
Good luck with your choice.
It ain't an AR and shouldn't be priced like one, that's my only gripe. It ain't like they're rare or anything or have a lot of attention to detail in the build or design. That said, I'll probably pick one up --ONLY when I find one for AK prices though, and one that'll function. Hell, I may just build one, it's not like they're difficult to make.
I'm sorta into the NO-AR kick at the moment too. I have a few to flesh out and that'll be the end of AR's for me. Got enough of 'em. So I'm focusing on anything that ain't an AR. Last buy was a Kriss Super V, boy that fucker is a lot of fun and pretty damn fast for a semi (they're talking about making a binary trigger out of the burst components that allows it to fire semi plus go on safe on binary release to prevent second round from firing --two of the big gripes about binary triggers, and it won't change the semi function so it's only a plus).
Most recent, still on the way here in fact, is an FDE Tavor 9mm SAR (x95's go for more and I have a MeproMOR sight that fits the SAR, that button in the front is made for this sight). For $1350 it was a great deal, any less would have been a steal. I can get the 5.56 conversion for it and the .300BLK barrel and have all three if I want. With AR's I tend to just build out another lower and go that way but with this I think I'd be fine with conversion kits.
An AUG A3 would also be nice. Everyone says they're damn nice rifles.
DSA actually makes great FAL's. I have one pimped out with a 2 stage Jard trigger, all the good parts, Steyr bbl., etc. It's a bad bitch. But FAL's and especially HK's are hell on brass so don't plan on reusing that shit after it's been run through one of those rifles. I heard PTR makes a good HK but I've never tried one.
Lots of PDW's going around at the moment, now would be a good time to pick a 9mm and suppress it. Sig, Kriss, BT, Stribog, HK and others. Stribog is a good budget option.
For the price, you can do a LOT better than an AK, that's what I'm getting at. For the prices they go for today, you've REALLY gotta want one. I think they're marketed toward a different type of shooter: kids, people new to shooting, people not vested in shooting but wanna play the urban badass, show-offs, that kinda shit, because there's no way a guy on here will pay $2k for an AK when he could get BT or a Sig --something with a track record that ain't made with chisels and hammers and spot welders by a Siberian Bubba.
Good luck with your choice.
Most people would recommend against a US made AK. Personally I would look for an import as those tend to dry up. People have recommended O-Pap, Vepr, and SAM7 on this thread. None of those can be had on the new.msrket right now. Polish WPB guns are in stock right now and at 1k are a fantastic value (if you can say that these days). Make sure what ever you get has a cold hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel, forged trunion, and forged bolt and bolt carrier. Almost all imports do (Yugo guns don't chrome line the note) which is why you will see people recommend them.Really nice milled AK with magpul furniture at a killer sale price right now. Paid $800 for mine which is the going price. Quality and AK accurate. Tempted to buy another at that price.
Century Arms C39v2 Magpul Zhukov-S Furniture - 7.62x39
DetailsWhen appropriate, areas with magazine capacity restrictions will receive a 10-round magazine substituted for the factory 30-round magazine.The Century Arms C39v2 American made AK is built on a milled 4140 steel receiver instead of a traditional stamped style. Milling the receiver provides...www.primaryarms.com
You made some excellent points but one thing to consider - the $2K AKs, that I have seen, are all US made/tweaked. Examples are Arsenal, Krebs and a few others. A VEPR might fetch that much because of limited supply but I have not seen an import approach $2K. I agree about AKs attracting a different kind of shooter but not so much just the ones you listed. An AK was designed for a specific set of functions and it does them pretty well.
I have an older Bulgarian (Arsenal) with the milled receiver and the thumbhole stock. Even with a good scope, the best it will do is 4MOA, feeding it everything from surplus junk to Lapua and Norma Match ammo. I'm trying to decide whether to sell it or see if a better barrel will get it down to at least 2MOA.
If you plan to add any modifications, I would recommend getting one with the stamped receiver. Almost no parts, such as a stock, are made for the milled receiver.
Cheers, Richard
If you plan to add any modifications, I would recommend getting one with the stamped receiver. Almost no parts, such as a stock, are made for the milled receiver.
Cheers, Richard
There is nothing inherently wrong with an AK made in the US, the problem is that for years the only companies doing it did so by cutting corners on parts like trunnions that need to be forged to have adequate durability. This includes the Century rifles with cast trunnions and receivers, IO, etc... and even the original PSA AKs.
Rifle Dynamics and Krebs are US made AKs, and the G3 PSA rifles are as well and all of them are good rifles because they are made correctly. I expect the K-USA AK-103s will be no different based on the quality of the KP-9s.
Russian rifles that made it in before the sanctions in 2014 go for $2k+ pretty regularly. Chinese double underfolders and bakelite folders are up there too.
You all need to understand that we are not in a glut of post-USSR-collapse rifles and parts, and additional laws that affect imports like the barrel ban require more work to be done stateside, add to the cost of components, and drive up the price of rifles.
13 years ago when I got my first AK you could get a good one for around $400, or $700 if you were a high roller and bought an Arsenal; ARs were all around or over $1000 for a good rifle. Well now you have hundreds of AR manufacturers and a saturated market, so they can be had for $400; and AK parts kits have dried up and new rifles impacted by sanctions and a focus towards military contracts from companies like Arsenal. As a result the market has effectively flipped.
AKs are much more labor intensive to build than an AR; you have to set the rivets properly and set headspace by pressing the barrel to the right depth in the trunnion. AR's require more machine work, but now that manufacturing has progressed to a point where most of that is automated and the parts just screw and pin together there is much lower labor cost associated with their manufacture. We don't have cheap communist slave labor, and just as it is more costly to hand fit a revolver these days than it is to assemble accurately machined components whereas it was the other way around in the 1950s, an AK is more expensive to put together than an AR.
Lots of guys recommending Arsenal’s. They are good but unless you have money to blow or are a collector you might want to pass them up. I sold all my AKs about two years ago. Several SGL21 and 31 and several slr 107 and 104. I averaged over $1800 per rifle. I sold 35,000 rounds of 5.45 surplus as well. I made a killing considering how little I had in all that stuff. I probably should have kept one 7.62 and one 5.45 rifle. Far better fighting rifles than any AR which of course is debatable.
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