SA85M, Vz58 or AR?

[matai]

I want to get a 7.62x39mm rifle for plinking, target, shooting, defense and hunting (if I needed to). I would like something that's accurate, lightweight and reliable. Also something I could put an optic on.

I'm torn between the Hungarian SA85M, Vz58 and a 7.62x39mm AR type, most likely from AR Performance.

What's do you guys think? I already have an AR15 so it'd be cool to have something different, but I do love to tinkering and modifying it as well. I'm also Hungarian so the SA85M would be kinda special but the Vz58 is very sweet as well.

 

[CnRnut]

I'd get a VZ myself. If you do get one,pass on the Century builds.

 

[armoredman]

I have a vz-58, I had several AKs. The vz-58 is a great rifle, lighter and more accurate than AKs I have had/shot, and magazines are available from Czechpoint for about $13 each. The Century builds are hit or miss, the D-Technic/Czech Small Amrs ones are excellent.
I have absolutely no experiance with a 7.62x39mm AR, so I cannot comment there.

 

[sarduy]

what about an AK?

 

[VA27]

+1 on the Vz58 from D-Tech! They are lighter than the AK and the Mini30 and the one I shot was more accurate than either.

 

[matai]

The only Vz58 I'd consider are the ones from Czechpoint, and the SA85m is an AK47 variant. It seems like it'd be tough to put an optic on them though. Thats where the AR would be nice, but those suffer from bad mags don't they?

 

[Welding Rod]

Different guns is cool, but as a shooter for about 35 years now I can tell you I learned an expensive lesson over those years. Muscle memory doesn't like shifting platforms. I can't stand being a klutz when I pull out a gun I haven't shot in some time.

If you want to standardize on a platform, the AR is as good as any. You can have a lot of variety while still maintaining the same basic operating platform.

 

[matai]

Has anybody tried the AR lowers that take AK mags? I've only been able to find ones from MGI which are really expensive, and can't find any info about em.

 

[MCMXI]

I want to get a 7.62x39mm rifle for plinking, target, shooting, defense and hunting (if I needed to). I would like something that's accurate, lightweight and reliable. Also something I could put an optic on.

A Vz.58 with a D-TECHNIK receiver would by my recommendation too based on your short list. It makes for an excellent plinking, target and defense firearm but I'm not sure about hunting with it though since there are so many better choices out there. Here's my Vz.58 in its current form. I may add a red dot sight such as an Aimpoint in the near future.