Best of the AK-Style Rifles

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Anthony

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Hello Everyone,

What Eastern block countries and domestic manufacturers produce the best quality examples of the AK style rifles?

I'm interested in acquiring a top drawer model in either 7.62x39mm or 5.45mm for shooting rather than collecting. Ergonomics and shooting qualities interest me a great deal more than period correct accessories.

FYI...I've handled the Vepr rifles built on the heavier RPK receiver and do not care for their handling qualities.

Thank you for the input.
 
Currently available, I'd say the Bulgarians make a very nice AK variant. I'm certainly happy with mine.
I own an Arsenal SLR-105R (stamped receiver model with rail, chambered in 5.45x39)

Points very naturally and the 5.45 round is a great shooter.

I've heard that the Chinese made some good ones as well as the Russians. These aren't really imported anymore though.
I guess a milled receiver would be better, but I bought mine as a shooter and didn't really care about milled vs. stamped.
 
Russian Saigas, converted to any style you can imagine by Tony Rumore of Tromix. Excellent quality base guns, and once you tweak them to whatever your personal style is, usually still far cheaper than a comparable gun.
 
I have a Romak991 converted to hicaps as well as a sar-1... The romak is much higher fit and finish wise and is the most accurate ak i have ever fired. However my next ak will be a bulgarian in either .223 or 5.45... I have shot both and they are alot of fun, fit and finsh was awesome...
 
A question close to my heart...
I presently own an Arsenal SAM-5 in .223 with a milled receiver, Arsenal SAM-7 in 7.62x39mm, a Polish PMKMS in 7.62x39mm with underfolding stock, a Bulgarian AKS-74 in 5.45x39mm, a Romanian AKM in 7.62x39mm, a Yugo fixed stock M70 in 7.62x39mm, and a bunch of kits including an M92 krink underfolder (sweet), Yugoslavian M95A in .223 underfolder, SA-85 Hungarian in 7.62x39mm, Polish Tantal in 5.45x39mm, 4 Yugo fixed stock kits, 1 yugo underfolder, and another Bulgarian AKS-74.. also a Bulgy fixed stock kit. I've owned many other AK rifles that I've built or purchased myself.

You could say I have an interest in the AK system. It is how I got into the gun building scene... There are so many varieties out there.

In a built gun from the factory, I have no doubts that the Bulgarian Arsenal guns are the best out there currently available. There are more options in this gun in the AK, then from any other factory gun presently available. You can get milled or stamped receivers, folding stocks (side and underfolder), scope rails, adjustable rear sights, even an ambidextrous safety on the left side, just above the pistol grip in case you hate the regular safety.

For a home built gun, or one built by a gunsmith... I'd have to go with with the Yugoslavian AK's. My M95A in .223 is just awesome. Get this.. it was made in 1997. O.O Wow. My M92 Krink was made in 2005! That means it was manufactured at one end of the factory and cut apart at the other! All the yugo's are equipped with glowing night sights. The 7.62x39mm Yugos are not chrome lined however, and some of them have been exposed to corrosive ammunition without proper cleaning procedures. This means the bores may be less then ideal. The .223 ones though are all chrome lined.

If you were just looking for a fun gun, I'd go with an SAR-1 and avoid the WASR series. Or just build up one of the ubiquitous Romanian AKM's available in kit form for 99 bucks.
 
What is the difference in barrel life for an ak with a chrome lined barrel and one without? Personaly I get chrome lined bores in all my weapons when it is an option cause they are easier to clean, but does it make a difference in longevity other than simply reducing corrosion? I mean if you took care of your weapons with proper maintenance and all other things being equal...
 
Bulgarian AKs

I'm not as experienced with AKs as some others here are, but still, far and away the best I've seen is a Bulgarian Arsenal. Just the look and feel of them puts them head and shoulders above the cheap AKs, and they shoot good too.

I know someone who once had a DMV employee who happened to be Bulgarian do her driver's test. He said one thing about his country: "We make good AKs".
 
If you shoot a lot on full auto or use corrosive ammo.. Chrome lining is a good thing. Otherwise, use good cleaning procedures and barrel life should be similar.

Chrome lining increases wear resistance as well as corrosion resistance. Theoretically, that should mean that the barrel life would be longer with a chrome lined one. I dont think you'd notice in the lifetime of a regular shooter though.
 
Well.. they are a great deal to purchase and widen the magazine well opening so you can use double stack mags... and then several several of to buy an SAM-7. Thats about it :) Honestly they shoot about the same as any other SAR-1.
 
Tier 1: AK's built on Saigas by custom shops/pros like Krebs, VEPR's, Hungarian/Bulgarian rifles built by Arsenal.

Tier 2: Chinese AK's, both pre and post ban. AK's built on American receivers using parts from Poland or other countries.

Tier 3: Romanians, Maadis and home-made AK's etc....



There's some inbetweens, but that's the gist. (arguably, the Chinese AK's might be the "best" as they were never converted using pot-metal American replacement parts and other such issues. You're essentially getting exactly what the Chinese military was using minus the full-auto parts. Things like chrome piston rather than stainless steel, mil-spec vented gas tube, superior trigger and better forging all around...)
 
Out of the 3 AKs I own my favorite is my Vector. I wouldnt call it top drawer - more like middle drawer. Fit and finish is great. I really was just using this as an excuse to post a picture of my favorite gun.

Image00001.gif
 
(arguably, the Chinese AK's might be the "best" as they were never converted using pot-metal American replacement parts and other such issues. You're essentially getting exactly what the Chinese military was using minus the full-auto parts. Things like chrome piston rather than stainless steel, mil-spec vented gas tube, superior trigger and better forging all around...)
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You pay a lot for prebans, and replacing lower quality FCG parts on later rifles is pretty cheap ($40 for a great trigger).

The SAR-1 is actually about as close as you can really get to a military receiver (legally). They are made on the same dies as the real thing, as evidenced by the Y stamp for the auto sear pin. Another close one would be a Y stamped maadi. Some of the chinese are very close, some too close (third hole rifles that are legally machine guns).

The vented gas tube thing is chinese specific. Russian AK-47s (milled rifles) had vented gas tubes, the AKM (stamped) had a solid gas tube with holes in the gas block. For some reason the chinese stuck with some AK-47 style parts on their stamped rifles.
 
dumb question, but would it be possible to convert an AK in 5.45 to 5.56?
Barrel, bolt and magazine would be the only changes right?
Maybe the recoil spring assembly?
 
I think the process would probably be more of a pain and expense than just finding a .223 AK to begin with.

I believe the new Saiga's coming in are also made in .223. Your best bet is buying one of those, and having them converted to pistol grip configuration as well as converted to accept standard magazines. That would yield a very high-quality .223 AK. The 5.45 being sold as is could fund that project.


Correia (A moderator of this forum who posted in this thread) sells these.


Just my opinion. I think that the carrier as well as bolt are different on .223 AK's but I could be mistaken as I am not an expert. To swap out the barrel would probably require a new trunion also. Again, I could be wrong. A .223 AK doesn't have as much interchangeablity as one might think.


If you're worried about a lack of ammo, the word is "summer"...who knows.
 
The vented gas tube thing is chinese specific. Russian AK-47s (milled rifles) had vented gas tubes, the AKM (stamped) had a solid gas tube with holes in the gas block. For some reason the chinese stuck with some AK-47 style parts on their stamped rifles.
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This isnt entirely true. The Hungarian SA-85 AKM has vented gas tube as well. I can show you my example if you'd like.

Those of you who have not already and are looking for a cheap, but quality AK, should check out the Yugoslavian AK underfolders being marketed by AIM and Century and the like. These were built with new barrels on top quality DCI receivers. Really nice guns for the price.

Also, the geometry of the face of the hammer (part of the fire control group) is differant on .223 AK's. This was an issue with the SAR-3's. You'd need to mod your trigger group or get one that was .223 specific.
 
This isnt entirely true. The Hungarian SA-85 AKM has vented gas tube as well. I can show you my example if you'd like.
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Interesting. Thanks for the info.
 
My experience is with the following: Romanian CUR2, SAR1, SAR2, WASR, and Hungarian SA-85 (okay, my husband has the experience with the Hungarian, I haven't yet had the pleasure.

He says the Hungarian is by far the best of all. But I am also very fond of the CUR2, though it does seem to run on the smallish side (even for me), so fit for an average size male may seem awkward. My husband is a tall guy and loves the fit of the Hungarian and he says it's a smooth operator and a great shooter.

The CUR2 is about average, better than the SARs and WASRs, but still a bit on the rough side. Though it has very little trigger slap compared with the others (Hungarian excluded of course).

The Romanians are not the way you want to go if you are looking for good/great quality in fit and finish. But they are good/great buys and a lot of fun. The Hungarian/Bulgarians will cost you more, but if that's what you're looking for, it might be worth the price.
 
He says the Hungarian is by far the best of all. But I am also very fond of the CUR2, though it does seem to run on the smallish side (even for me), so fit for an average size male may seem awkward. My husband is a tall guy and loves the fit of the Hungarian and he says it's a smooth operator and a great shooter.

The CUR2 is about average, better than the SARs and WASRs, but still a bit on the rough side. Though it has very little trigger slap compared with the others (Hungarian excluded of course).
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the CUR-2 is the thumbhole stock version of the Romanian AK-74 in 5.45x39mm, correct? You can correct the trigger slap on any of these guns by removing the trigger control group and removing the extra metal at the back of the disconnector and polishing it smooth.

If you are getting an AK for the first time, I would avoid the "Nato" extra length stock sets until you've gotten a chance to fire the AK in its original form. Lots of people complain about the AK stock being too short, but I find it is just right when you take into consideration heavy clothing, web gear, or body armor. Besides, it is easier to add material in the form of a rubber butt pad then it is to take it off. I've always thought the length on the stock of many American military rifles, such as the M16A2, was a bit too long for most people.
 
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