Why Are AKs So Much More Expensive Than they used to Be?

That's almost exactly what I was going to post. But what still doesn't make sense to me is that Russia is quickly becoming the largest EXPORTER of small arms in the world. With that being the case all of the AKs must be going somewhere else besides here. It's a shame that G.W.B. allowed the ATF to come up with the BS no importing of barrels or else maybe we'd still be seeing quite a few cheaper AK variants.

I don't know exactly why AK types and Saiga's have had such a big price increase. I would guess political scare is the big reason and people willing to buy at any price. I own a Arsenal SA M7S that is now "worth" close to 2K. Well, it really isn't worth more than a couple hundred. The 2 Saigas I own were 199 dollars each but I see them at 850 bucks at gun shows. No way in the world are they worth that much. Hell, 199 was too damn much to pay. If thier manufacturing costs are over 15 bucks I'd be surprised. I thnk with a little patience and restraint we will see this panic through and prices should ease and quantities be sufficient.

Yes, the import restrictions, then barrel bans really hurt the AK market. Someone else mentioned the value of the dollar as a legitimate reason everything has become more expensive. We just don't have the buying power we once had.

AKs are great assault rifles as designed by Kalashnikov. It even gets better as 7.62 x 39 and 5.45 ammo are more affordable compared to the overpriced 5.56 which is another story of its own.

Im glad i got my AK 74 four yrs ago. Its a hoot to shoot it like a .22 magnum on steroids.

I don't disagree with anything that's been written here yet. There are many reasons why the price of AK's have risen. However, there is also a pattern that American shooters have toward the acceptance of Russian/East Bloc/Red Chinese firearms. When they are first imported into the US, they are derided as "commie guns", "junk". "peasant weapons" and other insulting terms. As time goes on and people show up at the range with them and gradually, some brave souls would give them a try and find out they are good firearms. Then, gradually word gets out and the prices go up because everyone wants them. I was the first guy on the block, so to speak, to show up at the range with an SKS, a Mosin-Nagant, a Makarov, AK's and a VZ-52 and old guys would walk over to my position and say "what the heck is that?" American shooters are a very conservative bunch in the sense that they aren't usually open to new types of firearms and it take awhile for them to warm to them.

How about the similar VZ-58? They are milled instead of stamped etc. In the last two years the news has leaked out.
Even the famous "hickok45" field strips both a VZ-58 and a WASR AK, to demonstrate how totally different they are.

The 58s on Gunbroker appear to be listed about $150 more than they were a year ago.

mordechaianiliewicz said:

Okay... so it occurs to me that AK-style rifles are much more expensive than they were just a few years ago, and I don't think it's just Sandy Hook....

They seem to have been creeping up in price for the past few years.... Here and I was thinking about an AK-74.

Anyone know why?

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Beats heck out of me as one can get Chinese SKS in excellent condition with fixed 20 round magazine for about $300. I guess people out there want semi-auto AKM rifles.
Ok. Today young Anglo-looking guy (Ralph Lauren shirt, slacks, penny loafers) came in with case into LGS. I was thinking Westley Richards, but he pulled out civilian version of AKMS-74. Oh Lordie, what is happening?

Preppers push the demand too.

Most preppers favor the AK over any battle rifle. Lots of people are jumping on that bandwagon. The ar15 requires maintenance. AK's like it, but truly dont need it very often. Also, i really do belive that AK's were underpriced for a very long time. You get a whole lotta gun in an AK... It doesnt matter what the production costs are. You stack up the 400 dollars you might have spent on a good wasr... what else can you get for that?

Supply and demand..........

Well, there's lots of factors. Some are big factors and others are little. Off the top of my head and in no particular order....

a Democratic president always helps gun sales soar (due to people fearing them being taken away/limited)
increased demand
decreased supply
both of the above largely due to response to Sandy Hook, Aurora, other despicable acts
inflation
the increasing popularity of being a "doomsday prepper"
and of course the plain fact that things are getting harder and harder, while people are also waking up to reality and investing in their security

"Supply and demand" does not really answer the question. Obviously it's supply and demand but I believe the OP is asking why has demand gone up and/or supply gone down. I would expect part of the reason is a relatively rapid increase in the popularity of black rifles in general. Also, the introduction of high quality AK's that naturally will fetch a higher price. Arsenal came up with a clever way to provide very genuine AK's and others have followed suit. This has increased the popularity and demand of the AK platform in general.

The ar15 requires maintenance. AK's like it, but truly dont need it very often.

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I don't find that that my AR-15s require any more maintenance than my AK (a 7.62x39 converted Saiga). Both designs are stupidly reliable.

I will say, though, that the ARs do take longer to clean, thanks to all the nooks and crannies of the chamber, BCG, and upper receiver.

And, as said before, part of the supply going down has to do with the increasing difficulty of getting complete and extremely cheap parts kits due to import rules changes in '06, IIRC.

Ok. Today young Anglo-looking guy (Ralph Lauren shirt, slacks, penny loafers) came in with case into LGS. I was thinking Westley Richards, but he pulled out civilian version of AKMS-74. Oh Lordie, what is happening?

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I have no idea what this even means.

Because people will pay the asking price. Same reason people were selling $650 AR's for $2000 5 months ago. All the stupid people maxed out their credit and prices have fallen below $1000 again.

Well I'm glad I bought my WASR for $400. Recent gun show prices were $899.

The best value will be an imported AK pistol, which doesn't have to be 922r compliant and requires no US labor.

Labor costs in the US gun industry are high compared to our foreign counterparts. This is why you see handguns at reasonable prices, but rifles are being sold 3x what they are worth- no foreign competition.

Ok. Today young Anglo-looking guy (Ralph Lauren shirt, slacks, penny loafers) came in with case into LGS. I was thinking Westley Richards, but he pulled out civilian version of AKMS-74. Oh Lordie, what is happening?

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I have no idea what this even means.

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Me neither. I didn't realize there was a dress code required to own an AK.

I typically wear a dress shirt or polo with slacks when I walk into the LGS, usually because it's after I leave work, or because I don't want to look like one of those doofuses wearing Ed Hardy shirts and the like. I love my Saiga AK, by the way.

AK's Dont have forward assists, And will never have a reason to

You ar is probably very reliable because you treat it good. Have you ever put more then 2000 or so rounds through without cleaning it? Thats my point about the AK, far less "necissary maintenance"





...and thats why the demand has gone up!

for some now "unstupid" reason I had a few cheap Romanian WASRs in one of my safes, cheapest one I paid $350 for, the most $400......I felt kinda silly till I unloaded them in the last few months for average $800.....don't sound so stupid now. wish I had bought more.....anyone want a Bushmaster 308 ORC.... ?

Pure economics. Nothing else.

Good products drive up demand, which in turn drive up costs.

Manufacturing costs have little to do with it. A pair of $100 Nike shoes costs $5 to make, but the demand drives the price high. Same pair of no-name $5 shoes might sell for $10.

The AK47 is just the most recent among several Soviet or other worldwide guns that gained popularity due to affordability and excellent design. See Mosin Nagant, SKS, and any number of surplus pistols and rifles.

Do falling ammo prices help support AK-74 and -47 prices?

Gunbot now shows
5.45x39 ammo at .18/round. But I don't like the notion of cleaning corrosive residue from several components in a semi-auto rifle (even if cheap).
7.62x39 at .25/round. This ammo bubble has shrunken even quicker than I anticipated!

Or maybe the Tula and Ulyanovsk plants increased production several months ago.

You ar is probably very reliable because you treat it good. Have you ever put more then 2000 or so rounds through without cleaning it? Thats my point about the AK, far less "necissary maintenance"

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Uh, a LOT of people have done that!

"Filthy 14" hit 40,000 rounds some time back... http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_2_138/196990_Filthy_14_is_now_over_40_000_rounds.html

Let's not spread the misconceptions about AR reliability any farther. AKs are great rifles without needing to set up a false comparison.

5.45x39 ammo at .18/round. But I don't like the notion of cleaning corrosive residue from several components in a semi-auto rifle (even if cheap).

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$0.18 isn't bad, for sure.

Corrosive ammo clean up is cheap and easy. And that is one credit to the AK -- it can be swiftly disassembled and washed out with hot water very completely so cleanup is a breeze.

You ar is probably very reliable because you treat it good. Have you ever put more then 2000 or so rounds through without cleaning it? Thats my point about the AK, far less "necissary maintenance"

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Uh, a LOT of people have done that!

"Filthy 14" hit 40,000 rounds some time back... http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_2_138/1...00_rounds.html

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Sam, thanks for beating me to that.

And xxjumbojimboxx, AKs don't need forward assists because they don't have non-reciprocating charging handles.