AK 47, Saiga, or cheap AR?

[epijunkie67]

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death but I'm still torn. I'm looking for a general purpose Swiss army knife rifle for my truck. I've currently got a lever action in there but want to trade it out for a magazine fed one instead. I originally thought about an AK but got to looking at the 7.62 Saigas also. They seem to be running about $200 less than the low end AKs. I also noticed that the low end ARs are running just barely over the price of AKs.

This is something bumping around under my back seat so I don't need a $1000 rifle with a 6 power scope on it. I'm leaning heavily towards the Saiga simply because it's a cheaper option and I've heard decent things about them.

Thoughts?

 

[meanmrmustard]

Saiga. Use any remaining funds for ammo, or conversion of the rifle.

 

[fatcat4620]

Saiga +100. One day you can turn it into a real AK if you want.

 

[wnycollector]

I own all three types of rifles. I have a Norinco Mak-90, two converted Saiga's (5.45 and 7.62x39) and a half dozen AR's. If I had to pick just a single it would be a converted Saiga in 5.45x39. With surplus 5.45 ammo still less than $0.15/ round shipped to your door, it allows for LOTS of practice.

 

[Chevelle SS]

Get the Saiga

 

[Driftertank]

I have a friend with a Saiga, i was pretty impressed with it's accuracy for an AK. I'm thinking about getting one myself and converting it next tax time.

For an utterly reliable, usable kickaround gun, it'd be hard to beat. FOR ME, though, i'd use the old fallback 7.62x39 because A) sub-.243 rounds are illegal for big game in my state, and B) the 7.62x39 has better intermediate barrier penetration. Frankly, for a rifle kept in a vehicle, those two considerations would be foremost for me.

 

[jrdolall]

Try to find an AK 74. They can be found at a good price used and I like the 5.45 round.

 

[kingcheese]

Is the mini 14 an option? I see them used runing 400-600 pretty frequently. i have. a hard time getting the mag in a ak 47, and don't like the saiga much, the ar I'm familiar with, can you be more specific on price?

 

[henschman]

The consideration of being able to reliably punch through car bodies/doors/windshields is a very real one in a truck gun. 5.56 can really ruin a dude's day at close range, but it has to get there first. I would go with whatever AK variant you can find the best deal on in 7.62x39. If you're talking about just what you can order online, I would say the Saiga is the most for your money. You basically get a real-deal, Russian made AK-100 that you can convert back into the real configuration (or as far along as you want to take it) with hand tools.

 

[tryshoot]

My vote is ar-15, but both my ak-47 and 1 sks work wonderfully.

 

[Adam123]

Get the Saiga and don't look back.

 

[gatorjames85]

Depends if you want it in 5.56 or 7.62x39

 

[mac66]

I have ARs, SKSs, AKs, Mini 30 and a Saiga. For the OP purposes I think the Saige is the best bang for the buck. The 16" Saiga in 7.62x39 is a handy sporter carbine just the way it is without conversion. 10 round Saiga mags can be converted to hold 14 or 15 rounds simply by cutting an inch off the follower or Thermold AK mags will (I am told) work in a non-converted Saiga.

 

[Saddlebag Preacher]

I Don't know much about the AK=47 design, so I'm dumb on this subject but interested in getting a AR or AK myself. What do you mean when you say buy a Saiga and convert it? Is it not the same as as some others? orr are you talking about converting to full auto, which I don't need.

 

[mac66]

The Saiga is an AK that is factory made into a sporter model for import into the US. It does not have a pistol grip nor does it take conventional AK mags.

Converting it means to reconfigure it back into an original AK style with pistol grip and hi-cap mags. To order to do this legaly, since the Saiga is not importable as such, you have to replace 5 of the parts with US made parts. To put a pistol grip back on it you have to move the trigger forward so you may as well use US trigger parts. The trigger group counts as three. A US made pistol grip and stock also count which gives you your five parts.

In order for the Saiga to use AK mags, you have to add a "bullet guide" on the trunion in front of the chamber. This involves some drilling and tapping a hole.

Trigger parts, grip, stock etc will cost you about $100 minimally to convert. If you have someone else do it for you, double or triple that.

 

[bri]

I own all three types of rifles. I have a Norinco Mak-90, two converted Saiga's (5.45 and 7.62x39) and a half dozen AR's. If I had to pick just a single it would be a converted Saiga in 5.45x39. With surplus 5.45 ammo still less than $0.15/ round shipped to your door, it allows for LOTS of practice.

This, with a foot note.

No offense, but judging by the title of this thread and your post it seems like you may need to a bunch more research before proceeding any further.

 

[meanmrmustard]

Depends if you want it in 5.56 or 7.62x39

Or 5.45 or .308. The Saiga can be had in all four flavors.

 

[Saddlebag Preacher]

Thanks for the reply, now I understand.

 

[Girodin]

What ARs specifically are you looking at?

My preference in these types of guns is: Good ARs, converted Saiga, lesser AKs, low end ARs.

I'm a big fan of converted saigas, t hat said, depending on what you want it for, there are good deals to be had on hungarian AMDs right now.

 

[One_Jackal]

Like other posters I have all 3. But I got mine when they were cheap. I paid $175 for my AK brand new still packed in cosmoline. I got my saiga 308 for $250. I have $450 in my DPMS - the DPMS was kit gun I had assemble it. If you are good with guns you can find the del-ton kits for under $500.

At the current prices the AR is the only rifle I could consider of the 3. Buds has a great truck gun that isn't on your list TG International FEG AMD-65 7.62x39 AK Variant.

 

[mortablunt]

Get the real deal AK or get the Saiga.

 

[Ignition Override]

wnycollector: Does that series of Russian 5.45 ammo have corrosive primers?

If so, I wonder whether that lower price makes it worth the extra time to break down and clean the gas tube components (each session), along with the bore and chamber.
The higher-priced recent Wolf, Monarch and Tula 7.62x39 ammo for my SKS has required only a little time to clean it once per week.

 

[kingcheese]

An ak uses a piston drive , almost all surplus is corrosive but I've never heard of an ak being destroyed because of not cleaning it, the thing with the 5.45 is some importers use a 5.56 bore causing the bullet to "keyhole" i was told century was bad about that

 

[fatcat4620]

The key hole issue has been corrected and was a century only problem. All new 5.45 guns should be fine.

 

[One_Jackal]

In regards to the 7.62x39 the accuracy Winchester ammo brings to my AK/SKS I don't even consider steel cased ammo. I don't shoot either the SKS or AK very much. When I do shoot them I want be able to drive nails with them. Winchester SP ammo really works well in my 7.62x54r. I haven't shot enough to say how much better Winchester ammo performs but it is noticeably better.