Which AK is "Better"?

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sprice

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I have the ak itch and have decided on the 5.45 round, it is best for my needs/wants. I'm wondering if I should get a converted saiga or a bulgarian and upgrade it same as I would the saiga. I would give them each different barrels and stocks/grips/handguards. What will be more accurate?

It's between these and I would have to pay someone to convert the saiga because I don't know how and don't want to risk screwing up my gun. Bulgy: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct911.aspx or the saiga: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct796.aspx

What kind of accuracy can I expect from these with quality barrels?
 
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You're much better off with the Saiga. Only do yourself a favor, and buy a factory model and convert it yourself.

Any "Bulgarian" you buy is gonna be "Bulgarian" in name only, as the majority of the parts (in the case of the Century models) are made in the USA.
 
If you want to cut to the chase and have a top of the line rifle right out of the box, buy an Arsenal Inc converted Saiga.
Izhmash builds these models exclusively for Arsenal Inc to be easier to convert to military configuration.

These are probably the best quality new production AK's on the market, and are as close as we'll ever get to a genuine military issue Russian AK-74.
Arsenal Inc sells their conversions through the big gun distributors and K-Var.
With these all you have to do is open the box and go shooting.
 
We just did this in a recent thread.

I chose Vector then and still choose Vector now.

FYI, there are AR-15 uppers in 5.45.
 
I just got a Smith and Wesson 5.45 upper. Have not had the chance to shoot it yet but I bought it from a friend that just bought an AK74 which he said was preformed a lot better.
 
The Arsenal SGL (Russian) are probably the best AK's on the market right now.

The SGL-31.94 with the polymer side folding stock is the "real deal". It's an almost perfect copy of the AK-74M which is the current Russian military rifle. I did a full review on one here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtjpEI9amUM

It has a side folding Russian polymer stock which is very desirable. They are limited production items from Arsenal right now, they're listed as "Special Editions". Arsenal constantly changes their line-up so I would get one of these now if you can.

They have real Russian receivers and not US made receivers on de-milled parts kits. The barrels are hammer forged and chromed lined Russian made barrels. Again, most of the current AK74's offered by companies such as Century have US made barrels and vary in quality.

I have two Russian SGL's and love them. I'm considering buying a 3rd while I can still get them. Izhmash, the Russian firm that makes AK's closed it doors a week or so ago, they went bankrupt. So their future is in flux... hopefully they resume operations.
 
Why not? That is what they are there for.
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Exactly. The Saiga looks the way it does with the non-pistol grip stock, relocated trigger, etc. due to goofy US import laws. By returning them to their original specifications you're liberating it, not "hacking it". It's "hacked" the way it comes into the country IMHO.
 
Sorry guys, I must just not be a Saiga fan :eek:. I kinda think of its as those kids riding around with Honda Civics with fart pips and intakes. Sure they look cool and all......
 
Sorry guys, I must just not be a Saiga fan . I kinda think of its as those kids riding around with Honda Civics with fart pips and intakes. Sure they look cool and all......
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You're not a fan of AK's or Saigas?

Saigas are far from "Civics with fart pipes", they are the defacto standard in AK's as Izhmash is the original manufacturer of the rifle. Everything else is a copy, and in many cases and unlicensed copy at that. I would much rather have a Saiga than some U.S. hack job with mis-matched parts from all over the place.
 
I do like AKs, that’s not the case! I don’t have anything against the Russians either. I am well aware that they where the originator and am familiar with the whole Mikhail Kalashnikov history. But original dose always default to the best. Just look at Colts ARs. I would just rather have something like an Arsenal, Poly, Norinco, Vepr, and some of the M92s are nice. I’m also biased since I’m a milled guy, so maybe my opinion doesn’t count. There are some good AKs produced, might be used but good none the less. Nice photography nalioth.
 
All Arsenal does it "hack up" a Saiga and then sell it with there famous marketing ploy to get you to spend about 3x as much money as you need to.

Step 1 - Buy Saiga

Step 2 - Spend an afternoon in the shed and convert it

Step 3 - ?????

Step 4 - Profit
 
Step 2 - Spend an afternoon in the shed and convert it
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This is exactly what scares me. And then these rifles find their way to auctions and local sales to people who have no idea it was modified by a backyard “shed” gunsmith.
 
That's why you buy a brand new one, you don't have to worry about anyone else's mistakes.

The rifle will cost you between $300-350, and the basic conversion will set you back maybe another $100 or so depending ont eh parts you pick out.

So you're in for $400-450, and have the closest thing to a true AKM that you can buy. If you are handy in the least, you should be able to follow a walk through and complete the conversion.
 
atlanticfire said:
dirtymike1 said:
Step 2 - Spend an afternoon in the shed and convert it
Click to expand...
This is exactly what scares me. And then these rifles find their way to auctions and local sales to people who have no idea it was modified by a backyard “shed” gunsmith.
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Why does it scare you? You don't trust your own work?

dirtymike1 didn't say "buy a converted Saiga" - he said "convert it yourself".

The nice thing about converting Saigas is that they're relatively foolproof and even if they're not converted "right", they can usually be fixed.

Although I've personally never heard of a Saiga being destructively converted (as in - unsafe to shoot).
 
I haven't done mine yet, spending money on my new 10/22 at the moment, but I've read everything I can on the conversion and honestly unless you drop the running dremel tool into the bore, I honestly don't see how one could really mess this up. And one can avoid that by not using a dremel :)

the only thing I could see someone easly messing up is opening up the mag well by taking to much material out of it.
 
dirtymike1 said:
the only thing I could see someone easly messing up is opening up the mag well by taking to much material out of it.
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I'm confused.

Why would anyone be messing with the mag well?
 
Filing out the mag well to accept 30 rounds mag's. Or am I having a brain fart and not remember what I read....
 
dirtymike1 said:
Filing out the mag well to accept 30 rounds mag's. Or am I having a brain fart and not remember what I read....
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You're having a brain lapse.

The mag wells are capable of accepting any milsurp mag.

Now, the mag latch, OTOH, may need some work to accept a milsurp magazine.
 
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