Best $600 AK on the market?

Status
Not open for further replies.
:D Roflcopter
I know this is how the market is for AK's right now, but I still cant believe people are willing to pay that much for these stamped sheet metal mass produced cheap to MFG rifles. just thought I would throw this out there, NO stock 7.62x39 AK is worth $600+. for heaven sakes you can build one out of a shovel. Don't get me wrong, I like the platform just fine, and recognize they are reliable, but the sooner people quit paying these exorbitant prices for them the sooner we will see them for 300$ or less again, right where they should be.
rant over
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by readyeddy View Post
PSA has the vz2008 for $399.
Bad information. That deal was months ago and is out of stock. A very good deal but you can't buy it if it's not there!
Click to expand...
It's not a AK47
 
I don't know which is best but....

I have a Centurion with dark gray laminated wood furniture and, of course, it has a milled receiver and, is made in the USA. It looks great and is a good shooter. I also have an N-PAP, Serbian made rifle, with nice looking brownish colored Birch or Beech furniture, also a good shooter. And last but not least, I just put a like new WASR with blonde furniture on hold at the LGS. I got to shoot it and it also looks like a decent shooter. None of these are MOA guns. If that is what you want look at the AR-15's. If you want a gun that goes bang every time that can hit a Watermelon at 100 yards than any of these will do and look good doing it.
 
captain awesome said:
:D Roflcopter
I know this is how the market is for AK's right now, but I still cant believe people are willing to pay that much for these stamped sheet metal mass produced cheap to MFG rifles. just thought I would throw this out there, NO stock 7.62x39 AK is worth $600+. for heaven sakes you can build one out of a shovel. Don't get me wrong, I like the platform just fine, and recognize they are reliable, but the sooner people quit paying these exorbitant prices for them the sooner we will see them for 300$ or less again, right where they should be.
rant over
Click to expand...
Totally irrelevant and unhelpful to the original question, and I disagree. I see them as extremely great bargains because they are among the best designed small arms in man's history. They are not "stamped sheet metal" any more or less than any other firearm is.
Next...

The VEPR may be cool, but it doesn't accept AK mags which I have boxes of. Not interested in starting yet another magazine collection that look oh-so similar but not quite... It also has a proprietary thumbhole stock... Why buy a VEPR when you can get an AK for 10-20% cheaper and it takes the mags I already own... ? A $700 VEPR does nothing that a $500 AK won't do.
 
Last edited:
leadcounsel said:
The VEPR may be cool, but it doesn't accept AK mags
Click to expand...
You can install a bullet guide and open up the mag catch to use AK mags.

captain awesome said:
:D Roflcopter
I know this is how the market is for AK's right now, but I still cant believe people are willing to pay that much for these stamped sheet metal mass produced cheap to MFG rifles. just thought I would throw this out there, NO stock 7.62x39 AK is worth $600+. for heaven sakes you can build one out of a shovel. Don't get me wrong, I like the platform just fine, and recognize they are reliable, but the sooner people quit paying these exorbitant prices for them the sooner we will see them for 300$ or less again, right where they should be.
rant over
Click to expand...
What terrifically unhelpful nonsense.

Can you cold hammer forge and chrome-line a barrel from that shovel?

Can you build the trunnions and barrel components out of that shovel?

Can you make the springs, bolt, carrier, and trigger components from that shovel?

By that same "logic", AR's aren't worth more than $300 either, because they are just aluminum blocks tossed into a CNC. Heck, they should be cheaper than AK's shouldn't they? After all, they're placed in a CNC while AK's have to be stamped, bent, and then heat treated. I say we boycott AR's that cost more than $150!
 
I haven't even seen a Century Arms AK for $600. The ARs came down, the AKs did too, but they till seem high. I don't know the AR models very good though.

My theory is AKs are at price point that people buy them just to buy them, maybe out of fear of banning or just a cheap assault or sporting rifle. But ARs are pricey enough to keep some casual buyers away.
 
Right now, Classic has Bulgarian AK74s for $500. They appear to be the Waffen Werks builds that were left over from the purchase of the company by DDI. DDI will honor the warranties and service.

I have a Waffen AK74. Mine rivals Arsenals and I have had AK gurus think it was an Arsenal build. I know they had some problems for a little while, but my Waffen is top notch. But hey, just my experience.

5.45 ammo is still cheap since I don't shoot surplus corrosive.

https://www.classicfirearms.com/ak74-rifle-bulgarian-us-parts
 
And it is easy to buy an AR (without having to build one) for less than $600 from PSA. Just buy their complete lowers, uppers, and BCG and charging handles. In fact, right now they have specials that would total less than $500.
 
They are not "stamped sheet metal" any more or less than any other firearm is.
Click to expand...
WRONG!

I was waiting to be chewed out took longer than I thought it would. and yes they are stamped sheet metal, barrels/trunnions ect... aside they are not, but the receiver is anyway. and yes some one has built one that functioned just fine out of a shovel, and he did it for dirt cheap. and yes, I agree that AR's are way over priced for what they are as well. full auto versions (comes from info from someone else, so you can call this hear say if you like) can be purchased in several other places around the world for about a hundred bucks. Big deal. heat treated.... I can do that with a blow torch, or a gas kitchen stove, and have for other metal applications with terrific results. could go one but why? they are well designed, already admitted that, value is what people perceive. these are among the cheapest rifles to manufacture in the world, and that is a fact.
 
and yes some one has built one that functioned just fine out of a shovel, and he did it for dirt cheap.
Click to expand...

Not to not pick but he used
A shovel: $2
A $200 Romy kit which generally include
romanianpartskit_1_1.jpg
Barrel blank: $30

While I will agree $ 232 is a good price, to say he built it out of a shovel is misleading, to say the least.
 
I was about to ask "where do you find a $2 shovel?" But then I remembered that the OP didn't ask about guns made from shovels.

Seriously, is there a reason not to get a $489 Iraqi contractor WASR offered in the link posted by deepsouth? Looks like a good deal to me.
 
I was mulling this same question yesterday too, and I think I would go WASR. Presently I need at least 4 flavors of 7.62x39 AK mags to keep everything humming. Avoiding a 5th eliminates vpers and Saigas. The $600 budget eliminates The Russian guns too, especially if you want to add regular furniture and mags. The vz2008 is a great deal, but I don't really like the trigger reset- also it has the mag issue. Milled receivers add nothing to AKs but weight- so that eliminates the century. I want a chrome lined barrel so that eliminates another yugo and the vz. The remaining options are the polish pioneer and the WASR (which now has a chrome lined barrel). Apparently some of the pioneers have used old used internals. I have no problem swapping in a g2 trigger group, but I'd rather avoid it if possible, as such right now I'd probably go WASR- unless of course I stuble across a nice used converted Saiga.
 
Berserker said:
I haven't even seen a Century Arms AK for $600. The ARs came down, the AKs did too, but they till seem high. I don't know the AR models very good though.

My theory is AKs are at price point that people buy them just to buy them, maybe out of fear of banning or just a cheap assault or sporting rifle. But ARs are pricey enough to keep some casual buyers away.
Click to expand...
I have two of them. Very pleased.

http://joeforamerica.com/2014/07/centurion-39-sporter-american-made-ak-better-ancestors/
 
captain awesome said:
WRONG!

I was waiting to be chewed out took longer than I thought it would. and yes they are stamped sheet metal, barrels/trunnions ect... aside they are not, but the receiver is anyway. and yes some one has built one that functioned just fine out of a shovel, and he did it for dirt cheap. and yes, I agree that AR's are way over priced for what they are as well. full auto versions (comes from info from someone else, so you can call this hear say if you like) can be purchased in several other places around the world for about a hundred bucks. Big deal. heat treated.... I can do that with a blow torch, or a gas kitchen stove, and have for other metal applications with terrific results. could go one but why? they are well designed, already admitted that, value is what people perceive. these are among the cheapest rifles to manufacture in the world, and that is a fact.
Click to expand...
How in the world are you contributing to this conversation?? When did anyone ask about what AKs are made of, or whether they can be made from a shovel? A person can make a gun from a pipe and few basic parts. WHO CARES?!

Back on topic - thank you for the Atlantic links and the link to the AK74! I have a Bulgy AK74s and love them. Now that's what I'm talking about! People with actual things to contribute. All are very tempting.
 
Seriously, is there a reason not to get a $489 Iraqi contractor WASR offered in the link posted by deepsouth? Looks like a good deal to me.
Click to expand...

Well, honestly they're probably fine assuming your expectations are realistic. I wouldn't be suprised if the barrels have been overheated and are worn pretty bad. Obviously the finish and wood are goin to be in rough shape, maybe real rough. But that's part of the attraction to most people that'll buy them.

Being WASR's the quality could really go either way, who knows if that phone conversation when ordered went "we want the cheapest stuff you have that'll fire" or "yeah we need to be able to use the sights, so throw out the canted and misaligned. Send us decent guns!"

All of this is of course is my speculation, personally I'd spend another $50-100 and get a new WASR, but the worn look doesn't mean anything to me unless it's an original Russian dating to the 50's-60's.

In short, like the Iraq'e gun smith in the new said a few weeks ago, they don't wear out, they get catastrophic injury's. They get blown up, ran over, shot and such but not worn out. (My paraphrase) So in that respect, they are fine.
 
I've got the opportunity to pick up a new (lightly used) WASR with Damage industries billet rail,battle link MFT minimalist stock and adaptor, and 2 mags for about $500 or so. Seems like a decent deal.

I had originally wanted a OPAP or NPAP.

I've got an old WASR that I like overall, but the old WASRs had crummy furniture.

This one has nice blond furniture, and the new rails are included.
 
Go for it. Seems like a good deal to me. I'd rather a WASR than a PAP of any sort for a simple fixed-stock carbine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Kyle S.
  • Locked
$725 for WASR-10 $500 for N-PAP
Replies
8
Views
1K
Coyote3855
Coyote3855
M
  • Locked
Best sub-$600 AK-47
Replies
14
Views
1K
Motodeficient
M
dubya450
  • Locked
5.45x39 AK
Replies
16
Views
988
wally
wally
Z
  • Locked
looking for a new AK
Replies
12
Views
608
NoLifer211
N
L
  • Locked
AK 47 question
Replies
9
Views
669
MGKelly
M
Back
Top