Kalashnikopy--For Want of an AK

[Curare]

I'm in the market for an AK. It's main use will be plinking, possible run and gun matches, and distantly, SHTF.

I feel that an SBR'd AK-105 (5.45) with a polymer folding stock and 60 round quad mags would be the cat's meow. My second choice, however, would be a nice quality stamped 5.45 like Arsenal's SLR-105 (really more of an AK-74M). I want something that will allow me to squeeze off fast double taps during my weekly therapy sessions. I tried a plain muzzle -47 last week and it had a moderate amount of muzzle rise. Would the difference in accurate double tap speeds between that and a braked -74 be noticeable from your experience?

I hear Arsenal AKs are decent.

 

[Schmitty]

I hear Arsenal AKs are decent.

I hear Arsenal AKs are the cat's meow. . .those and Veprs

 

[Ian]

I have a bare-muzzle 7.62 AK, and I've done a little shooting with a braked 5.45 - the 5.45 had much less muzzle rise. I was really surprised how little it moved upon firing.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

You are right about just about everything - except the quad mags.

To my knowledge, the Quad's are impossible to get into the country and every one who has tried (and alot of us have) has totally failed.

If you are looking for a 74, look at the Romanian CUR II's. I've got one that came in before the parts ban, so it's 100% Romanian mil-spec - it's an awesome gun and out-preforms even Arsenal stuff.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I hear Arsenal AKs are decent.

To paraphrase P95 Cary, Arsenal AKs are the dog's dangly bits. There is no comparison between an Arsenal AK and a Romanian or Chinese rifle. The fit and finish are waaaay better on the Arsenal guns.

 

[beerslurpy]

Good luck on the quad mags amigo. I would have like 30 of them if they were available. I've tracked down a total of 2-3 worldwide. As far as I can tell, no one is currently making them and whoever holds the patent is being stupid about letting others make them.

I personally cant wait until the patents on the chinese AK drums expire or norinco starts importing them again.

 

[Kurush]

As far as SHTF the terminal effects of 5.45 have been discussed before (not very good). For plinking it's great and let's face it, it's worth buying an AK-74 just so you have an excuse to buy the awesome rusty red bakelite magazines

 

[garrett1955]

not to be ignorant but what is a quad stack mag??? like a double stack but 4 or am i dead worng. any pics???

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

Quad stack mags are for 5.45 and are almost normal size, but they pack 60 rounds.

Also, 5.45 terminal ballistics are very good, and the bullet has a very nasty reputation and history for ripping people apart from the inside.

Lastly, only the uneducated would call Chinese AK's garbage. Romanian AK's are very good and serviceable, but Chinese Kalashnikov's are some of the best made. Because of this, it's not surpsing that some of the PolyTech's are good for over 1K and the Norinco's are going into the $700+ range.

I have a Norinco 86S bullpup in 7.62x39 (only a few hundred were imported) and it is worth a few thousand dollars - not that I would shoot it - but it is made beautifully and functions flawlessly.

 

[clange]

I demand pics of the 86S..in the nicest way possible of course.

 

[Crosshair]

Get a Saiga, they are being imported again. They cost about $260 for a high quality Russian AK. You do have to spend another $125 to convert it to a pistol grip configuration. Or you can get some 3/4" pipe and a dremel and leave it stock, but let it take AK mags.

 

[Curare]

A little AK story.

I just saw a patient from Sierra Leone here in the office. He left there about 10 years ago. I asked him if he served in the military. He said no. I then asked if he ever did some shooting. He said that his father, a diplomate, kept an AK-47 for home defense (seems like a great HD weapon for Sierra Leone). The patient recalled the first time he shot it out in the brush. With broken English and gesticulations, he demonstrated how the muzzle was going everywhere on full auto. It was hilarious.

I've also seen several AK wounds, 2 leg wounds and an arm (old and healed). Two were from Africa, the othe from SE Asia. One of the arm wounds entered near the elbow and left near the wrist--very little function left in that arm. [I've seen plently of people just shot--but never with a rilfe (all of my experience has been handgun and shotgun). From my limited experience, .40 FMJ to the head and buckshot to the gut are pretty darn effective.]

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

clange - If you *really* want 86S photo's, I can get a disposable digi-cam and take some pics of my ultra-sexy NIB low low low serial number 86S that is ultra-perfect shape.

But here are pics I've found around the net.

 

[Kurush]

That's neat, I don't think I've seen one of those before. It's like someone had a big pile of AK-74 parts and tried to build a FAMAS out of them. Very cool.

EDIT: I think there's an UZI in there too.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The Ak-74 brake really does keep muzzle climb down.

The magazine he describes uses an odd spring arrangement, sort of like two mags welded together with a single set of feed lips... it's twice as wide as an AK mag, but the same length.

 

[clange]

clange - If you *really* want 86S photo's, I can get a disposable digi-cam and take some pics of my ultra-sexy NIB low low low serial number 86S that is ultra-perfect shape.

Thats awesome. Thanks for the pics.