I had to admit that $950 sounds a bit on the high side, but for milled, I can understand it being over $800. Maybe if you could find some additional history or authenticiation for it that would help.
Maybe Im feeling bratty because I was spoiled by my first AK, which was only a Romanian WASR-10. It was a GREAT shooter for a "used" $299 on the gun rack back in 2005. All the other guns on the rack were marked $399, but this one looked in just as good of condition and was marked $299, so I decided it was going to be mine. Zero malfunctions ever. Roughly 4.5 - 5'' groups with Wolf ammo straight outta the box. Plenty good for me. Then I needed some cash and let somebody pay me $500 for it. What a mistake.
A year later I wanted a second AK so bad I could taste it. So I got a Yugo Underfolder, because the underfolder seemed awesome. I gave in and paid $650 cash for it at a gunshow - and even then thought I might have overpaid a bit. The underfolder feature in and of itself was cool - but that rifle couldn't hit minute of Barn for the life of me. Im not kidding when I say it was having a good day if it could hold an 8 inch group at 100yds. 11-12'' on a bad day. Worked on sights, had friends who were better shots than me try, but no dice.
I wanted to like that Yugo so hard, but I couldnt stand the shame of a rifle that had a one foot MOA. The Yugo had to go.
So out with the Yugo (and a few other unloved guns) and in with the M1A springfield scout. 18 inch barrel. 2'' MOA outta the box with stock Winchester White box 147FMJ. Love the scout. Got a good deal on it for $1300 too. The M1A has been a wonderful rifle, can't say enough good things about it. But its a very different animal than that old Romanian WASR AK. I thought it was the M1A platform itself that I loved, so I picked up a full sized M1A later... but I didnt love it nearly as much as the scout. The handeling was so different. It reminded me of the difference in the AKs that I had. Ended up trading the full size M1A for an old triump motorcycle, and think I got the better of that deal.
Although the Yugo left a bad taste for AKs in my mouth for a while, my experience with the Romanian WASR leads be to believe there are still some great quality AKs out there for great prices.
Look, Its all about what makes you happy:
- If you like the look and feel of your milled AK, then don't worry about the $850 and just cherish it!
- Its an AK so you know it will always go bang when you pull the trigger!
- If its a good shooter for you, and you feel confident that you can hit what your shooting at, then hang on to that rifle forever and you won't ever be sorry.
