Kalashnikov parts kits - What would you do?

[Tejicano Loco]

About 20 years ago I started buying parts kits for FAL’s and AK’s when they were cheap and plentiful. At that time, I was more interested in the FAL’s, bought metric FAL uppers in bulk, and built most of those.

As things usually go for me, after that life got in the way. I ended up back in the reserves, started a family, and my career/skill set took me OCONUS. So those AK parts kits are still sitting there waiting for me to do something with them. I recently took a look and the current prices nearly took my breath away.

What I have are complete kits (with barrels and 922(R) compliance parts) - Polish underfolders and un-fired Bulgarian AK-74’s with folding triangular stock.

So I’m wondering what would be best option for me to do with these extra kits. Should I – a) build them myself and sell them? b) Have them built by a “reputable” shop and then sell them? or c) sell them as kits and be done with it? If “b)” – which shop would you go to?

 

[troy fairweather]

I would just sell the kits

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

which shop would you go to?

Brandon Herrera's shop.

 

[BCR#1]

Unless you already have the builder tools, sell the kits as a shop will just rip you off on a build.

Bill

 

[caribou]

I had a bunch of kits i bought cheap and sold recently at a pretty penny.

Look up current prices.

I had a Romy RPK kit that cost me 140$, sold it for 625$, Sten kits for 25$ for 200$ and others.

 

[Tejicano Loco]

Thanks for the input. I guess I will build two for my own use - an AK-104 handgun (or possibly SBR) and a "Kyber Pass" side-folder from one of the Polish kits - then sell the rest as kits.

I sitll don't understand why the prices for kits are so high. I saw an AK-74 kit on Gunbroker that sold for almost $1,800 (!!!?!!?!!) - when complete, working guns go for half that amount. I understand that the gun market is overheated right now but this seems crazy.

 

[brunowbe]

I saw an AK-74 kit on Gunbroker that sold for almost $1,800 (!!!?!!?!!) - when complete, working guns go for half that amount. I understand that the gun market is overheated right now but this seems crazy.

Complete factory guns in 5.45, especially from ex com bloc factories go for way more than $1800 these days. Look up selling prices for SLR104s and various SGLs. Guns built on parts kits that have no proof of being built by a reputable builder should go for lower prices, it’s a crapshoot if they’re put together properly and will not have any issues, both cosmetically and functionally.

 

[GBExpat]

... Should I – a) build them myself and sell them? b) Have them built by a “reputable” shop and then sell them? or c) sell them as kits and be done with it? If “b)” – which shop would you go to?

c ... I would just sell the Kits for large profits ... and no headaches.

 

[Jim Watson]

Sell the kits. No time spent assembling and your customers will be glad of the opportunity for ghost guns.

 

[Telekinesis]

I would recommend selling the kits, either to a shop so they can build them and sell them as shop rifles, or to individual builders. If you build them yourself for the purpose of selling them without a FFL you might run into issues (maybe legal, but likely the “unknown builder” issue that might lower the sale price), and paying to have a builder put them together and then you selling them seems to be needlessly complicated.

I recently started getting into AK building and wanted to do a 74 kit, but those prices are crazy. The 7.62 kits are pricy, but a 74 kit at over $1,500… I just hope somebody sees these prices and starts to import parts kits again. Makes me wish I got into all of this stuff back when you could get a nice Rommy G kit for $100.

Considering you’ve held onto them this long, I’d recommend building at least one yourself just so you can have one. Sell the rest and you can cover the cost of any new tooling you need plus a good bit of cash.

Gunbroker will likely get you the best price, but if you do sell it to a builder, make sure it’s a good company (like Rifle Dynamics) who will do a good job.

 

[caribou]

Matching soviet AKSU and 74 side folders get premiunm, they cant import those anymore, at least directly from Russia.
Others go for a bit less.

 

[GBExpat]

Should I – a) build them myself and sell them? b) Have them built by a “reputable” shop and then sell them? or c) sell them as kits and be done with it? If “b)” – which shop would you go to?

c ... I would just sell the Kits for large profits ... and no headaches.

Heck, I just realized that I should probably take my own advice.

Whilst doing a quick basement inventory of my 7.62x51 milsurp ammo, I noticed that I still have a number of Parts Kits on the shelf: 6 AK, 1 StG58, 1 PPS43, 1 G3 and 2 Mystery Kits (no external identifiers).

I was surprised to find I had a complete StG58 Kit (from Dan's) because I though all of my FAL components had long-ago been intermixed in several storage containers.

I reeeeeally need to spend a couple of days down there to determine just what I have.