Steve's Guns Pt 7 - The Kalashnikovs

[Miduzu]

Hello All! I hope everybody had a great weekend!

This is part of a series delving into my late Father's collection, background here:

Steve's Guns Pt 1 - Antique Long
Steve's Guns Pt 2 - The Mausers
Steve's Guns Pt 3 - The Enfields
Steve's Guns Pt 4 - The Nagants
Steve's Guns Pt 5 - Misc. Bolt Action
Steve's Guns Pt 6 - Misc. Semi-Auto Rifles
Steve's Guns Pt 7 - The Kalashnikovs

This post is a little different from the rest. Dad was way into building AKs - I don't know with certainty how many of these were his builds but I would guess at least half. I helped with a few of them, and have some of my own. He did lots of trades with other builders as well.

I talked to a lawyer who specializes in firearms issues and he told me I should have no issue reselling legally as I did not manufacture them, but wasn't sure to what degree I might be liable for manufacturing defects - his suggestion was (this was like a free consult so a lot of this was off the top of his head) that anything I wanted to sell I could consign though a third party dealer and they would then take on any liability so that may be the way to go. If anyone has any thoughts on that I'd love to learn more - I'm trying to do everything myself without third parties, but this is one case where if there are liability concerns I would be willing to bend on that.

I've shot each of these, most of them many dozens of times, and would personally trust any of them, but what I would trust and what is fit for sale without liability are separate matters.

I also don't know what value looks like for AKs, especially 922(r) compliant US builds. Obviously we're not dealing with original parts for everything, but a lot of these seem to have some historical value in some regards (For instance, just the furniture on AK3 is amazing, and it's an awesome rifle in general). And AKs, everyone made them for decades, there are so many models that it's hard for me to track what has interest and what is bog standard junk. I dunno, hoping to learn more.

This is all I got in me tonight, but pistols still to come - thank you again everyone who took a look and provided feedback, it really means a lot to me!!

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Fortunately, these are all identified as my Dad kept a lot of notes, which I have included below - what I'm not as able to tell on my own is if any of these items stand out as being particularly unique or cool from a historical or collector's standpoint and I'm trying to get a general ballpark sense of the value of these items. I'm also not 100% sure if they are graded correctly - grades are often cited in the notes, but I'm not sure where they come from (dealer he purchased from, did he grade them on his own, etc.) and whether or not they are accurate. Finally, just wanting to share, he had some cool stuff and I figure that there is someone who will appreciate it and they're probably subscribed to this board!

As always if you take the time to have a look, I appreciate you - thank you very much!

Piece: AK1
Manufacturer / Importer: Kalashnikov Concern
Model: Saiga .308
Caliber: .308
Comments: Good Shooter, Sports Config, Replace Furniture
Images: https://imgur.com/a/zwSRxPM

Piece: AK2 (If I'm not mistaken this was sort of a cheaper kit that Dad took his first crack at parkerizing with. Shoots like a dream, but looks a little funky.)
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Romanian G
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant
Images: https://imgur.com/a/Tjvvv1K

Piece: AK3 (This one I want to know a bit more about given the Cyrillic carving on the furniture.)
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Yugo M72
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: steel original barrel, Yugp RPK, AK clone with red dot, 922(r) compliant
Images: https://imgur.com/a/VmmDzPp

Piece: AK4
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Bulgarian AK74
Caliber: 5.49x39
Comments: replacement barrel, AK74 clone with scope mount, 922(r) compliant
Images: https://imgur.com/a/18bnHH7

Piece: AK5
Manufacturer / Importer: CSI, ONT CA
Model: Norinco MHM-91
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: HBAR AK clone, 922(r) compliant, sith fancy red dot
Images: https://imgur.com/a/bqnsnrR

Piece: AK6
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Bulgarian AK47
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: VG+, 922(r) compiant, scope
Images: https://imgur.com/a/qjKX0vD

Piece: AK7
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Bugarian AK74
Caliber: 5.45x39
Comments: G+, needs refinish, NK-AC No 41923 scope
Images: https://imgur.com/a/faSrwwp

Piece: AK8
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Bulgarian AK47
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: VG, red finish, red dot
Images: https://imgur.com/a/1EfFNga

Piece: AK9
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Polish Tantal AK74
Caliber: 5.45x39
Comments: replacement barrel, 922(r) compliant, Bushnell red dott
Images: https://imgur.com/a/PBQOPzI

Piece: AK10 (This one... this was a joke, don't judge me. It was a crap kit, we had low expectations for it and made a silly build for fun, except in the ultimate irony, this thing shoots ridiculously well, like better than it has any right to.)
Manufacturer / Importer: CAI, Georgia, VT
Model: GP-WASR-10
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: VG, 922(r) compliant, canted barrel for reliability, parkerized, skull stock, red dot
Images: https://imgur.com/a/tvA0OV9

Piece: AK11
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Bulgarian RPK
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant, new barrel, needs reffinish, scope
Images: https://imgur.com/a/rOfskJD

Piece: AK12
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Egyptian AK sidefolder
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant, new chromed barrel, red dot
Images: https://imgur.com/a/QYF0Zmq

Piece: AK13
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Bulgarian AK47, SA65?
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant, flash hider blind pinned on by gunsmith, nice red dot,
Images: https://imgur.com/a/FNcGoaG

Piece: AK14
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Polish Underfolder AK47
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant, new barrel,
Images: https://imgur.com/a/HcrJ5CV

Piece: AK15
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Polish Tantal AK74
Caliber: 5.45x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant, Barskka red dot
Images: https://imgur.com/a/srkcQ7y

Piece: AK16
Manufacturer / Importer: Nodak Spud, Edna, MN
Model: Romanian Underfolder
Caliber: 7.62x39
Comments: 922(r) compliant, new barrel
Images: https://imgur.com/a/9NSX5f9

Piece: AK17
Manufacturer / Importer: TGI Knox, TN
Model: Romanian PSL
Caliber: 7.62x54R
Comments: FPK Dragunov, badly done screws in markings. Move.
Images: https://imgur.com/a/U9PV3D4

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

AFAIK, the Nodak Spud guns are all parks kits assembled on US-made receivers. Not enough of an expert to know if these are considered good receivers or not (most aftermarket AK kits are not), but in any event all of these are worth considerably less than a factory AK. Before the COVID panic, these would be $400 guns, but now.......I dunno, probably quite a bit more.

The PSL is the real gem there! Whoever put that Versa-pod mount on the bottom should be beaten severely with a wet noodle, but even so, that is probably a $2000-2500 rifle. The NHM-91 and Saiga are factory-made guns and quite desirable as well, figure $1000-1200 each on those.

That AK10 is, umm........unique, isnt it? Lol.

 

[Miduzu]

AFAIK, the Nodak Spud guns are all parks kits assembled on US-made receivers. Not enough of an expert to know if these are considered good receivers or not (most aftermarket AK kits are not), but in any event all of these are worth considerably less than a factory AK. Before the COVID panic, these would be $400 guns, but now.......I dunno, probably quite a bit more.

The PSL is the real gem there! Whoever put that Versa-pod mount on the bottom should be beaten severely with a wet noodle, but even so, that is probably a $2000-2500 rifle. The NHM-91 and Saiga are factory-made guns and quite desirable as well, figure $1000-1200 each on those.

That AK10 is, umm........unique, isnt it? Lol.

Yeah, that PSL is sweet and a crack shot - I think he got it at a deal because of the bad screw job, but... *shakes head*

AK10 - I just... I'm sorry lol... we're both going to have to account for that one at judgement.

 

[unklebuck]

FYI. I carried an FFL for many years. I have seen more than one collector disappointed by offering for sale their private firearms collections on the erroneous information they were given by others. The ATF-E are the big league players. Most attorney's have little, or no, experience playing ball with them. I suggest you contact Rock Island Arsenal. They are not attorney's, but I have used them to answer questions many times. Yes, they are an auction house, but they are dependable. And, as far as appraisals, they seem to know their business.