What improvements would you like to see to the AK and SKS Platform(s)?

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I'm fine with the AK design as it stands.

I have no more problem with the charging handle than I did with the Garand or M1A.

The sights work just like the sights on my pistol: very fast at close range and adequate to get hits on a man at 300 yards.

Folding poly stock (AK-100 type on a Arsenal SLR107FR) is comfy, folds compact, and has absolutely no wobble.

AK mags lock up tight and are built tough. Why would anyone wish for flimsy AR type aluminum mags for the AK?

The safety prevents junk from getting into the rifle's action, allows you to chamber check the rifle when it's on, is big and easy to use with muddy hands or when wearing gloves. You can't flip it on and off like I've seen taught for ARs or 1911s, but the AK isn't an AR or 1911.

BSW
 
This sounds really dumb and tacky for an SKS tryout.

For a brief experiment, can't somebody just cut out their own small plastic rear sight from leftover stuff (small broken kid's toy/model airplane...), create a peep hole, and use packing tape to keep it on the rear of the receiver? What skill would it require?
We could easily center it and set the height. Seems that it would be fairly rigid, just for a plinking test.

If groups are much better, then who cares? Some of us go to the range only when almost nobody is there (weekdays), 'cause we really dislike shooting, then waiting 15 minutes for old Bubba (ready for the killer beasts on the west TN/east AR "Veld") to take his 1-3 practice deer shots, and let us walk out to plug our black plastic target holes for the next rounds.
 
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A thumb safety such as the one found on my Arsenal, having handled AK's before I can't believe more companies aren't putting thumb safety's on their AK platforms.
 
I have no problems with either. Run both the way they were designed to be ran. It's easier and cheaper to adapt yourself to the gun than to change the gun.
 
It took some experimentation, but I'm happy with all of the improvements that I've made to my Norinco AKM.
The installation of my Krebs Mark IV Enhanced Safety will complete the list of improvements that I wanted/needed.


Suppressed-Norinco-AKM.jpg
 
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RUSSIA made a replacement rifle. i cant remember its name. first two rounds fire at faster rate than the rest. for a double tap in on trigger pull typ of thing. I'll see if i can find it. For me the only i would change would be a bolt hold open too. The yugo's did that already though. never seen one tough is the hold open in the mag?
 
I read this first page and had the SAME thought as Ignition Override... (about the peepsight). I know that Mojo makes a rear peep site for the AK/SKS, but I havent read any direct reviews of it...

And I agree about making your own... Sounds like something I might have to try out soon...
 
The CZ VZ 58! :evil:

But really,the AK the sights are the worst part of the design. Also, a G36 style mag well.
 
Rotating thumb safety
Last round hold open
Non-pivoting mag attachment
Longer sight radius
Decent trigger
 
I too like the AK just as it is. Why on earth would anyone want to use AR mags in anything?
They are the flimsy and one of the real weak points of the AR. AK mags are tough, durable and Com-Bloc military mags are still readily available for less than AR mags. Converting an AK to use AR mags is not an improvement by any means. The safety is fine, easy to find, positive to operate in very adverse conditions and keeps crud out of the action when engaged. The charging handle is just fine where it is. To charge with the rifle shouldered, either reach under or over the rifle. Bolt hold open are nice but not necessary. Having one can allow debris into the rifle in combat conditions if you don't notice it engaged and you are running/crawling through the muck.

The sights, as Briansmithwins mentions, are just like those found on combat handguns. For close range work, use them like a pistol using them to get a flash sight picture. For longer ranges, they work well enough for what the rifle is designed to do. Remember it is a combat rifle for close to medium range engagements. I like fixed stocks better than folding and I think the original short Warsaw Pact length stock on the AK to be ideal. However the folding stock on my Galil is very solid and if the new AK-100 folder is just as stable then that would be just about ideal.

More accuracy would be nice but in reality, the AK has more than enough to get the job done at the range of most infantry engagements.
 
Adapting the AK or SKS to take AR-15 7.62x39 magazines:

Remember guys, this thread is for "fun" and "new" ideas. Not "well this magazine is already there, tram tram, why change it? tram tram". The whole idea: fun. Interesting. New.

I mean, we've done everything else under the sun. My buddy has a Saiga with more accessories on it than any gun (and I mean ANY gun) needs. The damn thing has two tactical lights, a red AND green laser, an EO tech sight, and his magazines? Drums.
 
Decent sights! Put M1 Garand or M1 Carbine sights on the AK and you'd really have just about all I'd like to see. The key here is to leave the front sight at the muzzle and bring the rear sight (apeture, adj, wind, elev) all the way back...almost doubling the sight radius.

Of course the "return to zero" issue would have to be conquered first.

I am not talking aftermarket add-on here. I am talking a redesign of just enough of the receiver (and only just enough) to accomodate that and we'd have a neat new AK. Let's call it the AK2010:D
 
Krebs KTR-03

458e3e6545e252779b7f590f6c7e8351.jpg

its about as far as your going to get with an AK without turning it into something else.
 
I'd like to see better sights and I wish the Yugo SKS wasn't so heavy. AKs could also stand to be a little more accurate.

HB
 
I would like to have a Beryl style rail that wasn't ridiculously expensive. I'd like to see a drum that didn't sound like a was shaking a half full piggy bank. (but there fun enough to tolerate this)

I'd say a .308 version but Galil already did that. Since its based off the AK platform i'm gonna say a 20 rd (or more) mag for the PSL.

It would be nice if the mags went straight in but I'll live with rocking them in to have a mag that's built out of real metal, instead of pop can thin like the AR mags I have seen.

EDIT: I have no issues with the cocking handle or with the safety. I push the safety down with my thumb with no problems. I never have reached over to pull the handle always used my right hand to do it. To me its way less complex than an AR to operate with less controls to diddle with. While the AR does lock back and can be released with the left side paddle the forward assist thing is on the right and would require a odd reach with the left hand or a bump with the right palm.
 
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Previous posters stole my thunder, and ther's not too much that you cant fix from aftermarket parts so........

I would love to AKs/AKMs sell for right at 250-300 and ammo be at about .15/rd..... :)
 
I'm still on this anti tactical kick, so I need a milled steel receiver, milled cylinder, high quality walnut with cut checkering, high lustre blue finish, better sights, "jungle carbine" type funnel brake (I have one on my AK, soley because it adds muzzle weight & looks really cool), and +1 on last round bolt hold open.
 
I think Comrade Simonov got the SKS pretty darn close the first time. The only real gripe I have is with the limited scope mounting options - I finally went with a Choate drill-and-tap receiver mount that works really well but looks like a butt pimple. After seventeen years, that's the only nonstandard thing about my Chicom 'paratrooper'. Pretty boring, yeah, but all the tacticool crap just gets in the way of the rifle's functionality. Stripper clips might not be sexy, but once all the AK guys have exhausted their mags, you're still reloading as fast as you can push with your thumb.

A more easily adjusted trigger would be nice, though, as well as reworking that Chinese finger trap of a buttstock-mounted cleaning kit, and making windage adjustable without use of special tools.
 
I've already said nothing, but if I were to make changes I'd say a longer sight radius and built to larger proportions. I've never felt to comfortable shooting them possibly because they were designed for stunted Russian peasants and Chinese farmers and I'm 6' 4''.
 
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