AK 47 question

[loki.fish]

I tried searching for ak and best ak, and I kept getting the no results found answer. So I shall ask.

Which brand of AK-47 is the best to get? I see them here and there some look fine and some look like they're held together with chewing gum. I see new ones going for $300-$500 and I see others going for $600+.

Romanian, Chinese, Hungarian, Yugo, Bulgarian, Norinco. I'm a pistol person, so I haven't the slightest idea.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=163400&highlight=ak47

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=132049&highlight=ak47

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=125281&highlight=ak47

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=70933&highlight=ak47

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=213528&highlight=arsenal

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=202307&highlight=arsenal

Gotta go for now, theres a start.

 

[1 old 0311]

Arsenal, and Vector make milled AK's for up to $1200. A $350.00 Romanian will serve the average person just as well. Got TONS of money? Go to one of the AK forums and you will find a number of custom builders.

 

[Lonestar.45]

If you want the "best", probably Arsenal or Vector.

If you want just a shooter/shtf gun that is durable but not as accurate or finely finished, get a Romanian. Mine is fine for what I use it for-plinking and messing around. They are on the low end.

I hear the Yugos are good quality and fairly accurate as far as AK's go, probably somewhere between the Romanian and the Arsenal/Vector in quality. Same with the Bulgarians.

Those with milled receivers will usually be better quality, but also heavier and more expensive (and functionally, the stamped receiver versions work just fine-that's how they were designed).

Good luck.

 

[Matt Dillon]

My advice is to get a Romanian, then replace the trigger group with a red star trigger group, then get a 4xposp scope. Then, purchase a new pistol grip from Tapco; it is much beefier than the stock pistol grip.
This makes a fine rifle, and will save you mucho dollars over the more expensive makes.

Mine will do 2-3 MOA.

 

[vanfunk]

The search function won't be too helpful with "AK" as a search term, since the search engine ignores terms with fewer than 3 characters. Anyway, here's it in a nutshell:

Romanian AK's: These include the CUR, SAR and WASR lines. The WASR is the one most available right now. Cost is approx. $350. WASR's are originally made to accept only single-stack magazines, and have their magwells widened by Century Arms to take full-capacity mags. FIt and finish on these rifles is generally poor by Western standards, but they do work. Typical accuracy is in the 4-5" range at 100 yards - some do better, some do worse.

Chinese AK's: No longer imported, these are generally very well made. Norinco MAK-90's are still available NIB on Gunsamerica, etc for $350-450. MAK's are great AK's, but many don't like the thumbhole stock (the thumbhole can be changed out legally, but that's a discussion for another day). Pre-ban Chinese AK's are some of the best of the breed, generally those by Polytech are thought of better than those by Norinco. Prices seem to range from about $600 for a typical Norinco pre-ban with fixed stock to $1100 or more for a milled-receiver Polytech Legend.

VEPR: The VEPR is a Russian-built AK sporting a thicker RPK receiver and a heavy barrel. They are renouned for their accuracy. Some do not like their forward-heavy feel or the fact that they will not accept standard AK furniture. Very high quality. Generally in the $500 range.

Bulgarian: Very high quality AK's, usually built on a forged, milled receiver. Arsenal makes a variety of these AK's in various configurations. They range in price from $500-900. Arsenal is phasing out their milled receiver rifles in favor of stamped iterations right now.

The big question is what do you want to do with it? For fun blasting at the range, the WASR is a good bet at low cost. VEPR's are great if you insist on the greatest possible accuracy and you don't mind a heavy AK and non-standard styling. Arsenal AK's are accurate, built like tanks and have traditional AK furniture, but they are expensive.........

This is just a start. I'm sure others will be on their way soon with more advice.

HTH,
vanfunk

 

[RNB65]

Sorry for the threadjack, but i have another AK question.

A buddy of mine has a WASR with standard wood furniture. If you shoot a couple of 30rd mags in rapid fire the forearm gets so hot you can't hold it. The heat from the barrel just radiates right thru the wood. Surely full-auto AK's don't get this hot or no one could hold one for more than a mag or two unless they've got insulated hands. How do you keep the forearm from getting so hot? Is there a way to insulate it?

Here's a photo of it. It's a fun little gun for slow fire plinking, but if you go rapid fire it will burn your hand up.

http://www.pbase.com/rnb65/image/64286589

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The wood handguards get hot. The best ways around this are to replace the lower HG with a Romy pistol grip handguard, or a plastic handguard with a metal heat shield.

 

[Correia]

There are probably about two hundred threads on this very topic. I know we did a couple in the last week.

I've used/sold every kind of AK. The best performers are the custom Saigas and the Veprs. Aresenals are traditional looking, and perform well, but are pricey. Vectors are traditional looking, and peform prety good, and are cheaper. WASRs/SARS are the cheapest, ugliest, but still tend to work.

 

[MGKelly]

I have a WASR 10/63 single stack that I converted myself to a double, the Drag-style stock isn't too great and the laminated handguards looked like **** so I shot them with Duplicolor truck bed liner and what a difference it makes in the looks! Much better! Thoroughly dissasembled and cleaned the entire rifle and touched up any finish scratches/marks with cold blue. Shoots pretty good (2-3 MOA) when I'm having a good day.

They are one of the best "Rebuild It Yourself Kits" out there.

I only paid $235.00 at Dunhams so it wasn't too bad that way either.

MG