Want an AK Folder best v/s best bargain opinions

[TRK2AJK]

i am thinking about gettin an AK type folding stock rifle.
would really appreciate opinions and pics of yours. what is the best, who is making a bargain priced quality folding ak? thanks, biloxi.

 

[Destructo6]

The Romanian side folders are about $37 at Federal Arms Corp (gunsnstuff).

 

[shortydog]

check out www.vectorarms.com.

 

[Dave R]

Question: are you looking for an AK (rifle) with a folding stock? Or are you looking for a folding stock to retrofit to an AK? I'd suggest the latter, as its easy (and now, legal) to retrofit the folding stock. Just find the AK you want and add it.

I vote for the Romanian side folders. (German side folders are the same.) Under-folders require a special trunion that can be a pain to install. And you have to remove the magazine to fold/unfold.

Side folders can be operated without removing anything.

Some side-folder cover up your safety and trigger when they're folder. The Romanian/German ones do not. You have full access to controls whether folded or unfolded.

 

[TRK2AJK]

well, i was originally thinking i would get a complete folding weapon (side folder). but if i can save a little by adding the stock my self, i will look into it myself
are most folding stocks universal or weapon specific? (some stocks will fit mak 90s, but wont fit bulgarian aks and vice versa?
thanks again

 

[MAKOwner]

Some fitting may be required on the part of the stock that protrudes into the receiver depending on what the stock was intended to fit, as Chinese and European AKs are slightly different, but you should be able to make either work with few exceptions.

How much do you want to spend? Vector Arms sells their underfolder AKs (which with an underfolder you won't be able to easily swap on any AK yourself, requires a specific trunion and several holes in the receiver) for $500, Vector is supposed to do a real nice job...

Ohio Rapid Fire offers some side folder AK74s (the type of sidefolder that is generally more "desirable" as it's rarer and also requires a specific trunion, etc) for somewhere around $600 I believe.

The cheapest and easiest method would be to get any of the Romanian AKs that sell for $300ish and swap on a Romanian sidefolder rear stock, easily get one for under $50 and they drop right in...

There is also the Tapco sidefolder for somewhere at or under $50 too, but they're not milspec surplus stuff, made mostly of plastic, I question their durability (but I don't have one...)

 

[Badger Arms]

Check out what you can do with your romy:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=114707

 

[zeke]

Most cost effective may be a Romanian with side folder.

Have an underfolder made by Vector with Russian parts kit. Am very pleased with it, and the stock FOLDS AND UNFOLDS over a 30 round mag, with considerable clearance. It is shorter and slimmer, when folded, than the side folders seen so far.

 

[bosshoff]

Are you sure DaveR ?

DaveR you stated that installing a side folder or under folder on an AK clone is legal. Am I wrong in thinking there is more to this? I thought there was some code, not law (G23? or something) which stated that an imported rifle (I am assuming we are talking about an imported AK clone.) had to have a maximum number of foreign parts around 10? There is a list of which parts are counted, and which are not. I.e. rivets don't count as parts, gas tubes do, etc. As I understand things, this has not changed with the sunset of the AWB ban.
As before, I think that if a folding foriegn made stock is installed, some of the foreign parts will have to be replaced with US ones to offset the parts count.

 

[Dave R]

Thanks for catching me, bosshoff. I should've said its legal if you keep your US parts count legal.

But if you buy an AK with the original Romanian stock set, and replace the wood stock with the Romanian folding stock, your parts count hasn't changed.

Here's a thread from AK47.net that discussed parts counts pretty thoroughly. Parts Count

It seems to me that all Romanian SARs and WASRs imported by Century Arms use original (imported) stocks. They have other US parts. But I could be wrong, so caveat emptor.

 

[TRK2AJK]

thanks for the advice and links. tommy

 

[benEzra]

DaveR nailed it. SAR-1's and other Romanian-derived AK lookalikes already have the correct number of U.S. made parts to be 18 USC 922(r) compliant. Just don't replace any U.S. made parts with imported ones.