Should I buy a Chinese AK?

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MEH

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A guy offered to sell me his Norinco .223 AK. I asked him all kinds of questions about it, but all he could tell me was it's a pre-ban rifle i.e. with a bayonet lug and no thumbhole stock.

The problem is that this guy didn't know much about AKs and he didn't have it with him, so I don't have the model number and I don’t know if it’s milled or stamped.

How much would be a fair price for a Chinese .223 AK and do you think I should buy it?

Thanks
 
Should I buy a Chinese AK?
Click to expand...

Why ever not?

I looked over a Mak-90 at the toy store recently. The build quality was better than the Romanian AK I bought a couple months ago.

so I don't have the model number and I don’t know if it’s milled or stamped.
Click to expand...

Stamped most likely. Pull the receiver cover and look.

Price? No idea.
 
Buy it, because it's pre-ban. Then drive around upstate NY and make "neener" faces at everyone who has a post-ban gun. :)
 
If it's a "pre-ban" then it is not a MAK-90.

Does it have a under-folding stock or a regular stock?

If it's an under-folder stock with bayonet lug, than it's most likely a Type 84-S, which typically sell in the mid to high $1000.
 
I dig my MAK90 - its been a great gun, picked it up from a friend of a friend for $250. Love the trigger, one of the better triggers in a stock AK.
 
Norinco .223? I'd say hold off until you can get some more info on this particuliar firearm. Is it even possible to get any more information from this guy?
 
I got more info on the rifle today. It's a Norinco 84-S with a fixed stock; he says he wants $700.00 for it. It has a little rust and needs to be cleaned.

What do you think?
 
I have one NIB.

Still hunting for mags. Only Norinco mags fit. I have some German .223 mags and they are just a hair too wide for the magwell.
Blonde reddish wood furniture.

Cool gun but I would trade it for 2 good AKs in 7.62x39 as I want a shooter.

Think about mag availability and cost.

FuzzyBunny
 
Mags! Mag availability would be my big issue. The price seems reasonable given the rust isn't an issue and you don't have a problem with searching for the right mags. If you are wanting an AK in .223, for two or three hundred more you could find an Arsenal that would definitly be worth its money.
 
Not a bad deal, depending on the amount of rust--but not a great deal either.

If you want a 223 AK, consider a Yugo m95 (about 100 more for one in nice/new condition). Although, that's an underfolder and don't know if you're after one of those or not (I've built one of mine as a fixed and love it--the yugo's are "beefier" feeling and have the heavy rpk style trunnion.)


ETA--ooh, nice milled 223 on gunbroker for buy now of $895 (but its an arsenal milled! sweet...hmmm)
 
Thanks for all the advice everybody. I think I'll probably buy it, it seems to be in very good condition and I really like AKs.
 
RE: Mak90s, I was buying them in 92 for $129, sks's for $99.More than tripled my money during the ban.Don't recall a Norinco in 223 during that time.$700 is way too much money for a rusty unknown when you can buy this for $500
pix672833328.jpg
With extras to make it into this
pix672833140.jpg
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/viewitem.asp?item=74559002
 
Here is the thing,,,,
Chinese AK sporter rifles in .223 caliber do not have the reputation of being the most reliable AKs in the world. they never could get these rifles to run quite right no matter how many gussy up items one adds to the sale offer.


If the rifle was a 7.62X39 I would say go ahead and buy it.
Since it is a .223 and sight unseen I would suggest you pass.
 
Parts availability would be my concern, next to magazine availability.

I never had a breakage with my 7.62 MAK90, but it always concerned me that the Chinese guns were just enough different from the commonly available Euro/Russian AKs that nothing was going to be a simple drop-in.

That goes for stock parts, too, the one thing that you'll almost certainly want to change.
 
The 84S and the Mak 90 and NHM 91 in 223 all share a weak firing pin spring that can lead to doubling OR firing upon loading. ONLY the 223 models have a spring loaded firing pin.

ALWAYS point it downrange when chambering a round.

$700 is a pretty good price for a pre-ban. Bluing on the Norincos can be a little thin.

30 rd 5.45 AK-74 magazines WORK in .5.56mm/.223 Norinco guns if you only load 20 rounds. You can get follwers from Robison arms that 'convert them' to load 30.
 
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$700 is a pretty good price for a pre-ban. Bluing on the Norincos can be a little thin.
Click to expand...

I did end up buying it by the way, it looks very nice now that I cleaned it up but unfortunately I can't shoot it right now because I'm looking for a new target range.

30 rd 5.45 AK-74 magazines WORK in .5.56mm/.223 Norinco guns if you only load 20 rounds. You can get follwers from Robison arms that 'convert them' to load 30.
Click to expand...

Does that work with the metal magazines or just the polymer?


The 84S and the Mak 90 and NHM 91 in 223 all share a weak firing pin spring that can lead to doubling OR firing upon loading. ONLY the 223 models have a sring loaded firing pin.

ALWAYS point it downrange when chambering a round.
Click to expand...

I always do, but thanks for the warning. :)


Thanks for the info! :D
 
The ak74 plastic magazines work with 20 rds... I have not tried the USA made 223 magazines but at $14, why not give one a try?

Any gunsmith can replace the firing pin spring with a stiffer one and it should eliminate the problem.
 
The ak74 plastic magazines work with 20 rds... I have not tried the USA made 223 magazines but at $14, why not give one a try?

Any gunsmith can replace the firing pin spring with a stiffer one and it should eliminate the problem.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
The 84S and the Mak 90 and NHM 91 in 223 all share a weak firing pin spring that can lead to doubling OR firing upon loading. ONLY the 223 models have a spring loaded firing pin.
Click to expand...
My 7.62x39 MAK-90 had a spring-loaded firing pin. Are the problems only with the 5.56 versions?
 
NO

Don't but from China unless there is no other option. We buy too much from them as is. We're selling them the rope they'll use, well, you know...

"The final struggle in China will not be between communists and non-communists, but between communists and ex-communists."

"The beatings will continue until morale improves." --- Chinese Communist Party

As to the use of a certain melodious Americanism, I believe it dates back to General Chesty Puller in Korea. When the Chinese came into the war, they hit a Korean Marine unit, which reported "many, many, many Chinese." Puller asked to speak to the intelligence officer:
"How many Chinese do you estimate?"
"Many, many, many!"
"Let me speak to the operations officer."
Same question, same answer.
"Let me speak to the regimental commander."
Same question, same answer.
"Do you have a US Marine liaison officer there?"
"Major Smith speaking, sir!"
"Smith, how many Chinese are there?"
"A whole sh*tpot full, sir."
"Thank God I finally found someone who can count!"
 
^You do know that the importation of most Chinese firearms have been banned for a decade, right? All these guns have been in the country for a while. You aren't supporting the Chicoms when you buy a Norinco AK clone these days.
 
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