tooooo many AK options

[w1151228]

Ok so about a year ago I got a I.O. INC AK47, thing looked cool but I didnt really care for how junky it felt to me. I would like to get something that feels more solid and not a chunk of tin. I see 500000 different options when it comes to AKs just like ARS. Can someone point me in the right direction of what I should look for and what I should stay away from? Looking to spend 800-1000.

[CSACANNONEER]

Pretty much any milled receiver should not give you that feeling.

[driveljay]

C39 for a milled or an npap/opap for a stamped receiver. The milled C39 feel awesome but to me they seem to get hot to the touch very quickly. For the money, I really feel the yugo paps are the best bang for the buck.

[anothergunnut]

There's a lot of choices depending upon your price point. At the value end (around $600) are the WASR and N or O PAP rifles. A little more expensive are the highly regarded DDI stamped ($700 - $800) or milled ($800) rifles. At the top of your price range ($1,000) are the stamped Arsenal rifles. Check Atlantic Firearms as they are a highly regarded retailer that accomodates CA residents.

I think the consensus on the AK files is the WASR for a value priced stamped rifle. I don't think there's a clear consensus on the milled version; if I was in the market I would go with a DDI.

[Mickael81]

Get a Saiga and do the conversion yourself. $900 should cover all the cost including buying a used hydraulic press. Last I checked, Turners was selling Saiga's for $550. You can also pick one up in CG for about $400-$500.

My next option would be an N pap.

[Rosereader]

As Mickael81 mentioned, do a Saiga conversion. Or, build a rifle yourself. Parts are easy to come by and it's a great project to get into.


Other than that, Arsenal has a good reputation. I can't vouch personally as I haven't owned one though, so I can't fully back it. From what I have seen on the one's I've looked at though, they are built to a fine standard.

[w1151228]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. I really like the idea of doing a custom build but honestly I dont know enough about builds to pull something like that off and dont really know of anyone who could come over if I got stuck etc. Does anyone one know of someone in the central valley 209 area code or maybe a company that can build you something custom? I learned the hard way in the past about building something custom when you dont know what your doing, nothing like having to buy extra parts to make an AR build work $$$

[highpower]

I suppose there is a certain satisfaction in building your own AK, but it takes much more skill (not to mention tooling) than an AR build. The time for inexpensive AK building is in the past and unless you already have the kits and tools it is just not cost effective.

I prefer to buy factory built rifles over kits assembled on aftermarket receivers, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some decent kit builds out there. The Polish rifles that Atlantic sells are assembled on US receivers from demilled rifles and from all accounts they are solid rifles.

I have a Century M70AB2 underfolder that IMO is as good as any AK out there and it was a mere $500 when I bought it brand new last year. I personally think that currently a WASR is about the best deal for the $. But if you look around there are deals to be had on the used market and except for the the above mentioned M70 and a M92 PAP I just bought, all my other rifles have been purchased used.

Good luck with your search.

[MoltoMario]

Do yourself a favor and save a bit more for either a converted Saiga, or better yet a Arsenal SAM series rifle. Other then that I've seen Atlantic have some Maadi rifles, those are very nice Egyptian rifles built on all Russian tooling.

[jujubeez]

I like century c39 for the price and quality

[MrPlink]

Wasr, Saiga, Vepr, Npap, Opap.
That should be your base line.

[D.A.V.I.D.]

I would take an arsenal sam over an arsenal saiga. thats just my preference

[SoberClurichaun]

Next AK for me will probably be a WASR, or perhaps an M92 if I can find one that's at a reasonable price.

[BigPimping]

Just buy something imported. Buy from those who use them.

[jrpowell3]

For me, it was/is the WASR.