Recommend an imported AK-47 (7.62x39)

[Armchair Bronco]

I'm looking to add an East European AK-47 to my small but growing collection of rifles.

I want something that will pair up nicely against my CMP M1 Garand from 1954, so I want an AK-47 with the following features:

* A wooden, non-folding stock
* East European lineage, maybe Romanian or Russian
* 30-round magazine
* 7.62 x 39mm

And older gun in good condition might be fun to own but I want an accurate shooter. So I'm thinking a newer model with a minty bore might be the way to go. An AK-47 with hardware for a modern scope might also be worth looking at, although initially I'll be sticking with the iron sights.

What are my options? The Romanian SAR-1 shows up in a lot of searches. So does the Romanian WASR.

 

[ccsniper]

I am usually a basher of the WASR's but it fits your bill pretty nicely.

 

[Armchair Bronco]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm also looking for something that can double as a SHTF gun and was looking for something that uses 7.62 x 39mm ammo because it's still so plentiful and cheap.

I love my M1 Garand, but my specimen isn't a particularly accurate shooter (luck of the draw with the CMP) and surplus .30-06 ammo is increasingly hard to find.

Given this, do you still think a Romanian WASR, maybe one equipped with sight rails/hardware, is the way to go? The attraction of the AK-47 (versus something domestically made) is the low-tech, low-maintenance nature of the gun. A SHTF gun needs to "just work" with essentially zero maintenance.

 

[ccsniper]

yeah I think a WASR is your best bet. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most have canted front sights possibly canted gas blocks. I have had two WASR's, the first was a WASR 3 (.223/5.56) and the first time I shot it I got nothing but 3 round burst and then the gun did a mag dump after the hang fire. The second functioned fine but I just didn't really care for it (underfolder with canted front sight). You should be able to find one easily in any gunshop around almost everyone here has at least 2 or 3. If you find one make sure the place will take it back if it has any mechanical problems. Otherwise they are affordable, mostly reliable, stick em in the mud and still shoot kind of guns.

 

[Armchair Bronco]

Wow. I just did some quick research on canted sights and gas blocks on imported AK-47's, and this does appear to be a fairly common problem. The last thing I need is another gun with iron sights that conspire against accuracy. When my M1 Garand arrived from the CMP and I opened the box, my heart sank when I saw that the front sight had been adjusted to the extreme left edge of the mounting rail. In this case, it may have been to compensate for an inaccurate barrel, but in any event this gun isn't real accurate beyond 150 meters.

Couple more quick questions: sounds like you would recommend against going the GunBroker.com route since I can't try out the gun at first, right? Presumably, if I trust the seller I could ask about canted front sights and gas blocks.

Also, I don't live in California and don't plan to...EVER. I see a lot WASR's for sale that specify they are California compliant. Am I correct that any AK-47 that accepts a 30-round magazine is made to non-California specs?

 

[ccsniper]

sounds like you would recommend against going the GunBroker.com route since I can't try out the gun at first, right?

yes, the best way to tell if the sight is canted is to put the butt on the floor and look down the sight picture (kinda scary looking, and MAKE SURE THE GUN IS UNLOADED, even if it is in a shop. I have personally seen a guy fire a 10/22 in a pawn shop right into the ceiling.) You will be able to tell if the sight is canted real bad or not, almost all AK's have a little cant, but WASR's are the worst. You can't tell if the gas block is canted until you fire it I think, neither of mine had this problem so can't say for sure.

Am I correct that any AK-47 that accepts a 30-round magazine is made to non-California specs?

I don't live there but I think you can do some other modifications to the rifle such as removing the pistol grip and other such nonsense to make 30 rounders okay.

The last thing I need is another gun with iron sights that conspire against accuracy.

I wouldn't worry about it, AK's are not real accurate anyway. And I don't think the cant really messes with accuracy too much unless it is WAY off. Mine did 6" groups at 50 yards. It was another reason I got rid of it.

 

[Snakum]

If I had an AK that shot 6" groups at 50 yards I'd get rid of it, too. Even my crap Maadhi, the least accurate out of 1 Egyptian, 2 WASR 10s, and 2 WASR 10/63s, shot better than that. Nowadays, even a base model CIA WASR 10 with that crap Wolf ammo should shoot minute-of-pie-plate at 100 yards.

Armchair - AKs are generally not bad at all, accuracy-wise. If it will shoot a 12" group at 100 yards, and practically all of them will inless they're defective, you can use it as a defensive weapon. Most AKs will do far better than that will a little work and decent ammo. One of my two WASR 10/63s will print 2" groups with a scope, 3" with iron sights. And I've seen scoped Saigas that would consistently shoot sub 2" groups with Silver Bear or handload ammo.

Buy a Romanian WASR 10/63 (demilled w/ matching numbers) or a 922 compliant Bulgarian from a reputable maker and just talk to the folks when you order it to see if you can get a grade specific example of one. Some companies will look over their stock for you if you make nice. And if you get one that's fouled up, send it back and have them exchange it. Tres simple, n'est ce pas?

 

[Agent Smith]

Look no further:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?productid=17015&cat=353&page=1

Subsititute the synthetic stock for wood and you're set. For the money, there is no better AK on the market. These were running $800-1200 a few months back.

 

[armoredman]

Eastern European and accurate with wood stock? Not quite an AK, but close, and definately awesome.

http://www.czechpoint-usa.com/products/vz-58-rifles/sa-vz-58-military/

 

[Kymasabe]

WASR's are luck of the draw. THey were originally single stack mag gun that Century hogs out the magwell and converts to use double stack mags. I've seen too many with canted sights and excessive mag wobble. That being said, I broke down and bought a used WASR last week because I wanted a cheap, reliable, ugly AK. Paid $305 for mine out the door with three mags.

I am however a huge fan of the Saiga rifles, have/had many. They're imported usually in the sporter configuration and buyers convert them themselves back to the AK format. The gun is cheap, is built in Russia at the same factory that makes the Russian AK's, everything is brand new on it and the conversion is simple and only takes about three hours with basic hand tools, doing it the first time while constantly running back and forth to the computer to tutorial instruction. Well worth the effort, you install the stock you want, and you end up with a gun you know inside and out.