So many AK's! Which is the best?

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MrPeter

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Since I have decided to get myself an AK sometime down the road, I have done a bit of looking around, and it seems like there are many different types. WASRs, Yugos, Romanians, etc. The price difference is enough to make me wonder, which one of these is right for me? Is it just asthetics? Why does one cast 300 and the other 600+?
Curious about your thoughts...
 
Price varies, depending on what parts were used and who built it. They pretty much all go bang, although the cheaper ones may have minor fit issues and maybe canted sights..

Just get one of each like the rest of us..


You know you WANT to! :evil:
 
get yourself an SKS in the meantime....before the Dems ban them all (maybe).

an SKS will set you back @$150.

as afar as AK goes....look at Saiga in 223 or 762. @ $300-400.
 
I can recommend the Vepr (pronounced "VYEP-er" in Russian) series by Robinson Arms without hesitation. I have a Vepr II with a 20" barrel in 7.62x39, and it's MUCH more accurate than a regular AK in that caliber while still being completely reliable and built like a tank. It even comes with a two-stage trigger. One drawback: they are quite heavy because they're built on RPK (Russian squad automatic weapon) receivers. The furniture is also different from a "normal" AK, if that matters to you. Here's a link:

http://www.robarm.com/

I don't know if there's a wait time on them right now; you might have to call and ask.

HTH
 
I own a Hungarian AMD sidefolder, Yugo underfolder, Romanian WASR10 and and I honestly can't I like any one more than the other. All never fail to fire, each has its own character and they are all fun. In general you'll find the Romanians are much more common so they will be the cheapest the new ones around $325-$350. The Yugos and Hungarians are going to be about $100 more than the Romanians in most places. Norinco's if you can find them are going to be in the $600-$1000+ area since they stopped importing them. I'd say if youre looking for your first AK do what most people do and buy a WASR10, you'll have fun and it won't cost you a fortune. Don't forget if you want a folding stock on your AK then youre probably gonna pay about $50 more than one with a wood stock.
 
If you are at all "handy" with tools,get your self a Saiga.
They go for @ $245-$360. That is the wide range of calibers.
They come in .410,20ga,12ga,7.62x39,.223,.308.
Took me 2 hours to convert my .308 to take a standard AK
stock.
They are very well made,and for the $$,the best deal.
For more info:

http://forum.saiga-12.com/

MRI
 
I would have suggested a Vepr also, but since you can't get them new right now, that might be a future buy.

I would recommend picking up a WASR. It ain't pretty, but you get a chance to shoot it and try it out without putting so much money into it. Just realize there are prettier and probably more accurate examples out there. My biggest complaint about WASR's is the sharp edges all over the side of gun including the charging handle. You almost want to take a file to it. Also, watch for excessive mag wobble or looseness, canted front sights, and make sure the safety works.

There are several other nice AK's: Arsenal, ArmoryUSA builds, Saiga conversions, Vector Arms, and others someone else can mention.

Check www.fbmginc.com on the Saiga conversions.
 
It's all a mater of personal preference. I have a Romanian SAR1 that I like a lot. I have however got about $1200 into it with mods. That is a rediculous amount to have in an AK but hey it is what I wanted.
 
The best AKs

cardman
I have 5 different types of AKs
and they all shot good. I read
the early Romanian ones had some
problems but, the new ones are
ok.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I'll definately look into all of these more.

What I like about the AK is the wood furniture, the high-cap mag, the modability, and the inexpensive ammo. Not for actual self-defense or hunting. I have other means for that.

Would you guys recommend the 7.62 or the .223 for that?

Oh and whats the difference between a milled reciever and a stamped one? The way the text has been put onto the reciever? Why does that make a difference?

Thanks again!
 
If you're going to buy an AK, I'd recommend getting it in the traditional 7.62x39 round. Diff between milled and stamped...stamped is just like it sounds, flat piece of metal, usually 1mm thick, stammped into shape, drilled, bent, and heat treated. Milled starts as a block of steel and is milled into shape, is heavier, usually results in a more accurate gun. There are some manufacturers making stamped receivers with 1.6mm thick walls, same wall thickness as milled. (Global Trades/Armory USA in Houston).

Anyway, my choice of "best" AK's. Teid for first place would be Krebs Customs and Arsenal Inc in Nevada. I own an Armory USA SSR-85C2 and fit and finish is great, is an awesome AK. I'd say Armory is way up there in seond place along with a couple of other builders. Mine wasn't terribly expensive either, I paid around $550 with blond furniture.
 
I would go for the 30 caliber also. I think people have had better luck with the WASR 7.62 rifles rather than the 5.45 or 5.56. I would suggest the 7.62 as a starting point regardless. If you decide you want to branch out later, you will know a bit more about them.

I have a Vepr K. I think it is a great weapon. A bit heavy, but tough, accurate, and reliable. Others are out there if you can find them, but many of the best makes are more expensive these days.

Also, as someone suggested above, an SKS is a great buy right now. Shoots the same 7.62 ammo and has a similar operating mechanism. A good companion to the AK clone in your collection.
 
yea, saiga's a good choice, don't pay over $300 for one though. i think the fair rate is $250 based on the places i know that don't charge an arm and a leg for stuff, if you can't find somebody local to do it for under $300 just get one on gunbroker for less than that and pay the transfer fee, i'd much rather outsource my business and encourage competetive pricing.
 
Would you guys recommend the 7.62 or the .223 for that?
Click to expand...

7.62x39 is the only way I would go with an AK. If I want a .223 rifle I would get and AR.
 
Don't be too dismissive of the .223 AK. My .223 Saiga is a great all-around gun: accurate, dependable, durable, and inexpensive. The .223 ammo is cheaper these days and I think the round is seriously underestimated in some quarters.

I have heard that the .223 Saiga may be more accurate than the 7.62 versions because the barrel is milled from the same stock as the others, but has a smaller bore, resulting in a stiffer barrel.
 
I'm with Roscoe regarding the .223 AK (although mine is in 7.62x39). The .223 is probably a deadlier round, it's more accurate at longer ranges, and high-quality steel core ammo is available. A good .223 AK should be about as reliable as any other AK.

Mags for the .223 AK are probably scarcer and more expensive, though. I'm not sure off hand, but I think they're made by modifying 5.45x39 AK mags.
 
the kalashnikov was designed to be cheap to produce, that means 1mm receiever, not 1.5mm in veprs and saigas. it was also designed to be reliable, that means loose tolerances, not some custom built precision fitted rifle. they were designed with an effective range of around 500m. you don't need a stiffer receiver and longer front trunion to keep flex down. go for the cheapest you can get that doesn't have one of those goofy barrel nuts welded to it for import. if you're getting it in 7.62x39 a slant brake is necessary for a quick followup.

if you want something more than what it was designed to provide you, the AR is nice if you're into that kinda thing.
 
:rolleyes: Me thinks VERP is 1.5 mm, Arsenal Inc .223 is 1 mm thick.
You can carry half again the ammo for the same weight in 5.45 x 39 or 5.56x 45 as you can in 7.62 x 39. Less recoil as well for the smaller calibers.

Me thinks keep it simple, no bolt assist for this guy.

Also, tolerance is how close you can keep to a dimension, ie + or - say .5 inches. CLEARANCE is the target distance between the parts. You can have excellent control on the clearance you want to make sure the snow, mud, and junk has a place to fall through and not jamb the works. I would argue a very well made AK can be accurate (remove the cleaning rod from under the barrel on all your military rifles).
 
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