AK-74... Where are some nice ones?

[Dollar An Hour]

I've already got a Polish Tantal in 5.45 and I'm thinking of picking up a '74 as I prefer the stock.

I see a couple at Atlantic Firearms, although they're not in stock. Anybody have experience with these particular rifles?

Otherwise, who's building a nice '74 right now? The new SGL-31 Arsenal is probably nice, but it seems way overpriced to me.

 

[nalioth]

Saiga 5.45x39s will be shipping within weeks.

They're gonna be inexpensive, made from all new parts, and you can mod them how you want.

 

[Dollar An Hour]

That sounds good to me. Inexpensive and new. As opposed to the luck of the draw rifles built from kits, or "arm and a leg" Arsenal pricing...

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

We have AK 74 rifles built using original Bulgarian Kits by In Range that just arrived beautiful fit n finish , we also expect some AK 74 rifles with russian red style wood furniture in late next week.

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

We also are expecting some of the Russian Saiga base AK 74 rifles in late next week , we will also be offering these in the full converted model by Red Jacket Firearms in 3 -4 weeks they should be real sweet !!

 

[Hammerhead6814]

But you guys at Atlantic Arms are expensive. Your cheapest rifle on the main page is a Saiga, and even then it's still $389, after tax and FFL your easily asking us to put down $420 on a monte-carlo AK. Your asking almost as much for a Yugo SKS! The cheapest 5.45x39 you have currently is the Tantal, and no one in their right mind would pay $300 MORE for a 5.45x39, especially when you see them at gun shows for $550~.

 

[Big_E]

^^
Well then don't shop with them then. That is whats so great about capitalism.

 

[Frankl03]

Also check Ohio Rapid Fire. I believe they build them from Bulgarian kits. Also check some boards for used ones in good condition like Ar15.com. You may be able to find a deal on Gunbroker.com.

 

[nalioth]

Also check Ohio Rapid Fire.

You got something against Dollar An Hour?

I'd not recommend ORF for anything they manufacture or assemble.

 

[Hammerhead6814]

Well, at least you can afford ORF. Better than selling your kidney on the black market, like for something Atlantic sells.

And I wasn't saying I would buy from Atlantic. I was pointing out that it's a bad idea to buy from them.

 

[M1key]

Atlantic's Tantals are/were made by Interarms with mil spec chrome-lined barrels. Everyone else sells the crappy ones made by CAI of which early ones had .224 Green River barrels that were keyholing at 25 yards. You get what you pay for...

 

[Kurt_D]

The new SGL-31 Arsenal is probably nice, but it seems way overpriced to me.

Until you consider the work they put into it for a proper conversion, not a half a$$ job many of these other places were doing and selling for $800-900 (speaking of converted 7.62). Check the thread(s) on ar15.com about using a bead of weld as a feed ramp and then wondering why there's FTF issues. Using rivets or plastic buttons instead of welding the extra receiver holes, reusing the shaved gas block, etc. Then add the SGL-31 uses Russian parts for the conversion not Bulgarian; it's as close to a Russian `74 you're going to get.


The base Saiga 5.45 are nice and a good way to go if you want to do the conversion work and/or want an inexpensive 5.45. Atlantic says Red Jacket will be doing some full conversions and they have a good rep so I'd wait to see what they offer but I wouldn't expect the price to be much cheaper than the SGL-31, and then I'll bet they use Bulgarian parts.

BTW Atlantic offers discounts to board members if I'm not mistaken, you might e-mail them for a price before you compare to other vendors.

 

[buck00]

One of the best kept secrets right now is Lancaster just started making Bulgarian AK-74s, and the intro price is really good.

If you've ever seen a Lancaster rifle, the finish is awesome- gunkoat over park, they polish their bolts, and finish the wood nice. They come with a limited lifetime warranty. $650 for poly and $699 for wood.


http://www.lancasterarms.com/

BULGARIAN AK 74 , 5.45 X 39 AK 74 WITH CHROME LINED BARREL ,FEATURES SCOPE RAIL, COMPLETELY REFINISHED WOOD WITH LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY

Model 7074 Wood Stock $ 699.00

Model 7174 Black Synthetic Stock $ 659.00

Model 7175 Plumb Synthetic Stock $ 659.00

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Here's one my brother assembled for me from a brand new AK-74 that had been demilled. He parked and then applied a baked finish from Brownell's over the parked receiver. All the other metal parts are original finish. I don't think anyone else puts out a nicer one.

[/IMG]

 

[Dollar An Hour]

If you've ever seen a Lancaster rifle, the finish is awesome- gunkoat over park, they polish their bolts, and finish the wood nice. They come with a limited lifetime warranty. $650 for poly and $699 for wood.

I own a Lancaster Polish Tantal, and live not far from the factory.

I heard from Red Jacket that their converted rifle will be about $100 less than the Arsenal... So, still expensive.

I know Red Jacket does good work. I own a Red Jacket AMD-65 that I really like.

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

We will have the Lancaster AK 74 rifles with red wood stock sets in early next week the price will be attractive , the In Range ak 74 rifles are A ++ nice units, we have the base IZ 240 Saiga AK 74 rifles due in Fri or Monday and will also be offering the Red Jacket Conversion of those rifles in 2 -3 weeks.

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

Yes we do offer discounts to board members please feel free to contact us for a discounted price quote and please mention your board user name . Our prices are resonable for the quality we offer and our reputation is solid in the industry , we back up our products and offer discounts to members who ask

 

[atblis]

Why don't you just put a regular AK stock on the Tantal? I am assuming you have a folder. You do realize a regular AK stock bolts right on don't you?

Otherwise, I'd just wait and get a Saiga in 5.45

 

[Expertowgunner]

those legion arsenal saiga conversions are awesome and i think worth the money. They use quality parts on all of their guns and you know that you wont get screwed on the quality when dealing with them.

 

[Deckard]

Your cheapest rifle on the main page is a Saiga, and even then it's still $389, after tax and FFL your easily asking us to put down $420

That doesn't seem to bad to me. I'm not really into AKs so I don't really follow their prices, but I'm still seeing WASR10s at my local shop for $450 and I thought Saigas were supposed to be of higher quality. Am I wrong?

 

[Atlantic Firearms]

Our Saiga IZ 132 is listed retail $389.00 again we offer discounts to High Road Members so the price would be less , please feel free to email us for a discounted price quote and mention your user name.

 

[nalioth]

Your cheapest rifle on the main page is a Saiga, and even then it's still $389, after tax and FFL your easily asking us to put down $420

That doesn't seem to bad to me. I'm not really into AKs so I don't really follow their prices, but I'm still seeing WASR10s at my local shop for $450 and I thought Saigas were supposed to be of higher quality. Am I wrong?

The Saiga is head and shoulders above any other AK imported today (yes, fanboys, even the Arsenals [I know you will now feel compelled to justify your Arsenal due to the high price you paid, but please don't - they're really not worth it]).

The Saiga is a quality rifle (or shotgun) right out of the box, it's manufactured right next to it's military siblings out of all new parts, and I maintain that it can be brought into line with your wishes a lot less expensively than paying for an overpriced and overhyped pig-in-a-poke.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Our prices are resonable for the quality we offer and our reputation is solid in the industry , we back up our products and offer discounts to members who ask

I want to confirm all this, though of course the prices are always in the "eye of the beholder." I've made two purchases with Atlantic Firearms and was happy with both. One purchase had a minor issue but they promptly resolved it to my satisfaction. Excellent customer service. One of several wholesale/online sellers who I would happily buy from again.

IMHO, the value of a pre-converted Saiga depends a lot on your skills and amount of free time. I'm currently converting a Saiga and it's not being the easy 1-hour job that I've read about, and I think I have decent mechanical skills. Of course, anyone who took high school metal shop class would be ahead of me. I am becoming suspicious that many of the "it's so easy" crowd are professional machinists. Or maybe mine just has harder metal and rivets than others (not really likely). Having a drill press with a vise and having solid carbide drills would make it easier, and I'm probably going to use it as an excuse to get both of those. If your time is valuable or you just want to shoot, it might be worth an extra couple hundred to get a pre-converted model. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from doing a conversion - you learn a lot and can do it exactly how you want it - just saying that it isn't the right answer for everyone.

 

[HardShell]

... I'd not recommend ORF for anything they manufacture or assemble.

Why, exactly?

 

[nalioth]

'd not recommend ORF for anything they manufacture or assemble.

Why, exactly?

Their products fail to perform?

Their customer service skills are nonexistent?

There are plenty of reasons not to buy anything ORF makes on the various AK/FAL/Galil forums - most of them provided by the owner himself.