Added another AK to the collection.

[Lennyjoe]

Been shpping around for another AK and can’t believe how much they’ve gone up since my last one, which is a WASR I paid $300 for a while ago. Seen several on the market online and on Armslist and decided to get this Hellcat. New, unfired with a brace for $800. Only modification I’ve made is adding a linear compensator to it.

Wasn’t the best deal to be had, but one that I felt fit my needs. Any other suggestions on upgrades?

 

[DMW1116]

I have never been interested in AKs but my son bought one and now I'm kinda in on the game. I'm not super excited about them, and the one he bought was pretty pricey compared to what I'm used to for ARs, but I see the appeal. It shoots pretty good, it's as accurate as I can be with the iron sights, it came with a great trigger, and it will last him as long as he's around. He's not really a gun guy, and it wouldn't be a big leap to say this might be the only rifle he ever buys. It will do all he'll need any rifle to do most likely. I may try to talk him into buying some dies so we can reload for it and tailor some loads for hunting or target purposes. Those Hornady 123 grain SST look really nice loaded up ready for deer or hogs. Our deer aren't very big, so I think the power is adequate for our area, but the usual FMJ loads are not.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I also have several AR’s, even one in. 7.62x39 but want to have diversity in my collection. I also reload 7.62x39 for the one AR and run commie surplus out of my other AK and SKS’s.

 

[brunowbe]

Be careful with that. Quality on those can be very suspect.

 

[Bcwitt]

I have never been interested in AKs but my son bought one and now I'm kinda in on the game. I'm not super excited about them, and the one he bought was pretty pricey compared to what I'm used to for ARs, but I see the appeal. It shoots pretty good, it's as accurate as I can be with the iron sights, it came with a great trigger, and it will last him as long as he's around. He's not really a gun guy, and it wouldn't be a big leap to say this might be the only rifle he ever buys. It will do all he'll need any rifle to do most likely. I may try to talk him into buying some dies so we can reload for it and tailor some loads for hunting or target purposes. Those Hornady 123 grain SST look really nice loaded up ready for deer or hogs. Our deer aren't very big, so I think the power is adequate for our area, but the usual FMJ loads are not.

Reloading for AKs is kind of a PITA. The cases fly very far & are usually dented very hard. Boxer brass for them isn't that common either.

 

[hso]

Any other suggestions on upgrades?

You could SBR it and put a "Krink" folding stock on it if you wanted to have it to look more krink-like.

 

[Lennyjoe]

You could SBR it and put a "Krink" folding stock on it if you wanted to have it to look more krink-like.

Definite possibility

 

[DMW1116]

Reloading for AKs is kind of a PITA. The cases fly very far & are usually dented very hard. Boxer brass for them isn't that common either.

It’s really up to him. If his shooting habits are any indication we’ll never load enough to pay for the dies.

 

[kimberkid]

Be careful with that. Quality on those can be very suspect.

On the Facebook AK pages all the US made and Zastava’s get a lot of hate. I don’t have any US made AK’s but I’ve got a couple Zastava’s that I’ve never had a problem with.

 

[Some_Mook]

On the Facebook AK pages all the US made and Zastava’s get a lot of hate. I don’t have any US made AK’s but I’ve got a couple Zastava’s that I’ve never had a problem with.

IO Inc. are absolute garbage. I don't know if Uli is still around but I would have no confidence in anything he sells, and the IO website doesn't work right.

 

[Mk-211]

So who's are better?

Century, Kalashnikov USA, Riley Defense, Arsenal USA...

I have an older Arsenal SLR-95, probably one of the best AK varients that I've owned.

Other than the Valmet and Galil, which are two of the best ever made.

 

[brunowbe]

On the Facebook AK pages all the US made and Zastava’s get a lot of hate. I don’t have any US made AK’s but I’ve got a couple Zastava’s that I’ve never had a problem with.

Research Pioneer Arms and how they used to use the location of being in Radom misleading some to believe they were associated with FB Radom. They are in no way related. In the past, Pioneer has been known for using subpar parts that would fail. They were the import equivalent of Century made, I.O., etc. The recent 5.56 rifles they have made have had decent reviews, but still some issues.

I don’t do the Facebook or Reddit thing. Zastava does not get a lot of hate in the AK world, that is hilarious. KUSA gets a lot of hate, but that doesn’t matter as it appears they are bankrupt and going out of business, but that’s a whole other story.

 

[Bcwitt]

On the Facebook AK pages all the US made and Zastava’s get a lot of hate. I don’t have any US made AK’s but I’ve got a couple Zastava’s that I’ve never had a problem with.

I'd say the Zastava m70 is the superior of all the stamped AK variants. "US made" means a lot of different things. Do your research as far as which mfg. & what date codes/ serial #s etc. Many "US made" are new recievers w surplus parts. There have been US made parts of inferior manufacture ( sintered trunnions come to mind) then have good barrels & finish. Some mfg started off making cheap ones & improved the product over the years. You have to be much more careful w a US made in so far as what you are buying.

 

[valnar]

I hate to be that troll guy, but these posts make me glad I never got into AK-47's. During my initial research years ago, the only ones I'd like that were quality were at the same price level as a Vz.58, so I went that route instead. I now have 3 of them.

 

[Mk-211]

Depends on when you bought.

I've had a Galil, MAK-90, SLR... back when they were all cheap. Now I see them at $900+ for an import and $1,200+ for American made.

If I'm paying that for an AK, it better run better than what I have or had. With modern CNC machines, they should be making AK's, that Mikhail would be begging for.

 

[caribou]

For "The Best" in 5.56, Norinco, Saiga, Zastava and Romainian AK's are near flawless, and very adaptable.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I guess I’ll see how it holds up in the long run. Other than the WASR, this is the only other AK in my collection at the moment. Most of my 7.62x39 reloading is for an AR in that caliber. I have close to 1K brass cases for it.

 

[wesmonster]

For $800 you did good. My first AK was a WASR which I still have, then bought a full size Draco in 2015 and added a Bonesteel folding brace. Sold it a few years ago for more than what I paid for it new. Apparantly the new Dracos aren't as good as the older ones.
And +1 on the VZ58, I have one and it's a great design. Very accurate. A WASR is one of the lighter AKs you can buy and the VZ58 beats that with a milled receiver. Compared to that, my Zastava M90ps feels like a tank.