Starter AK for $600ish?

[bigity]

What would be some suggestions for a 'starter' AK for around 600? (without mods).

I'd like something somewhat 'tactical' with a rail or two for lights/laser/etc.

I haven't fired a rifle outside of my Remington Viper .22 since basic training.


This is what I'm leaning towards ATM, but my knowledge of desirable features is limited.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/prod ... mm+16.5%22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[drjoker]

What would be some suggestions for a 'starter' AK for around 600? (without mods).

I'd like something somewhat 'tactical' with a rail or two for lights/laser/etc.

I haven't fired a rifle outside of my Remington Viper .22 since basic training.


This is what I'm leaning towards ATM, but my knowledge of desirable features is limited.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/prod ... mm+16.5%22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Search for a bubba'd norinco mak 90, chrome lined barrel . Pristine one will cost you over $700.

[bnc]

I would get a WASR 10 or 10/63 or a Zastava N-PAP for your first AK. Both are readily available under $600 and you can add whichever rail you like. The WASRs have chrome lined barrels and take standard AK furniture. The Zastavas do not have chrome lining, but they are good quality cold hammer forged barrels. The Zastava will generally have better build quality overall, but Yugo/Serbian AKs do not take standard AK furniture so there are not as many available accessories (the rifles are catching on and the aftrmarket is growing).

Atlantic Firearms has both and specializes in AKs:

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/compone ... l?Itemid=0

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/compone ... l?Itemid=0

[bigity]

Thanks all.

I really like the took of that WASR. How hard is it to install rails and such? I'm more technical than mechanical :)

[drjoker]

Beware of the Bubba made gun.

Notice the pinched receiver where the rivets pinch in the receiver. This is pure crap and a symptom of a Bubba made gun.

What I mean by Bubba'ed Norinco is a Norinco that's been altered somehow (but still legal). For example, duct tape marks on the handguard where Bubba taped a flashlight to his AK for nightstand duty. What is NOT legal is if the Norinco has had the thumbhole stock replaced by a pistol grip. Be careful of legality.

For more info:
http://www.ak47world.com/rifles.html

Buy AKs built in real military factories, NOT in Bubba's "factory" (garage) in the US. As Norinco & Poly-Tech of China build EXCELLENT AK's, and so does Hungary with their SA-85M AK's by F.E.G. (not AMD-65 'Kit Guns' by Century...), 'Real' Yugoslavian AK's - imported by Mitchell Arms of Santa Ana, CA in the 1980's, Egyptian Maadi AKM, ARM, RPM & RML models only (not the MISR & MISR-90 'creations' by Century Arms...), 'Real' Bulgarian AK's like the SA-93, SLR-95, SLR-96, SLR-101 & SLR-105, and 'Real' Romanian AK's like the Intrac MK-I (AK-47), MK-II (AK-74) & early SAR-1, SAR-2 & SAR-3 Rifles !

[drjoker]

What would be some suggestions for a 'starter' AK for around 600? (without mods).

I'd like something somewhat 'tactical' with a rail or two for lights/laser/etc.

I haven't fired a rifle outside of my Remington Viper .22 since basic training.


This is what I'm leaning towards ATM, but my knowledge of desirable features is limited.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/prod ... mm+16.5%22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BTW, the ones sold by "Atlantic Firearms" is made by Century. I would only buy that if I could test fire it and hold it. I wouldn't buy that over the internet. Just Google them.

They say "100% American Made" on their website. Usually, I'll recommend American made over all else, but in this case, I suggest caveat emptor (buyer beware) because the American company obviously is NOT an AK arms factory. They're just buying decommissioned AK parts without the lower receiver overseas due to importation bans. Then, they make a lower receiver and bolt the original parts to their lower. If the receiver is thin enough and floppy enough for the bolts to pinch it in, then I'd avoid it if I were you.

As always, inspect it before you buy it. I'm not saying that they're bad because I don't own one and never shot one made by Century, but I'm just saying, "be careful".

P.S. since the price of third world labor has gone up and the price of automation has gone down, the American AR-15 is now cheaper than an AK-47. You can get an AR-15 for $560 from Grabagun but you'd be hard pressed to find a quality AK-47 such as a Norinco for less than $700.

I once went to a gun show that required people to open all gun cases so that they can put a zip tie in the action to prove that the gun is unloaded. The guy in front of me in line had an original Norinco AK-47 and was going to open the bag. It was brand new and still sealed in the bag from the 1990's. It still had Chinese air inside the bag. The door man at the gun show couldn't bring himself to open the bag and bought the gun off of him so that Chinese gun could sit undisturbed in Chinese air for another couple of decades! LOL!

[bigity]

I thought century made some rifles and imported others?

[bnc]

That's true. Some rifles, mainly ones that are described as having US made barrells and/or receivers, or "made from new and imported parts" means that Century built them from kits. The Zastava rifles are made in the Zastava factory in Serbia and are made 922r compliant by Century. Atlantic Firearms sells both Century-made guns and Century-imported/converted guns. They are known for good customer service when dealing with getting a bad rifle. J&G and AIM are also good places to shop.

[bigity]

Saw a WASR at the local Gander Mountain today, I liked the feel of the gun and the sights did not look canted at all and the mag area didn't seem to have any of the pinching I've read about...but dang, price on it was $829. Double the price I have seen online.

[The Annoyed Man]

I once read that imported AKs are made 922R compliant by addition of American-made trigger groups. Is that true? I don't really know anything about 922R.

[AdioSS]

I'm a BIG fan of the VEPRs if you can find one.

[bnc]

I once read that imported AKs are made 922R compliant by addition of American-made trigger groups. Is that true? I don't really know anything about 922R.

922r is one of the more rediculous laws out there that basically says that semi-auto rifles and shotguns with "evil" features are not allowed to be imported, but can exist if made domestically. There is a list of qualifiying parts that, if more than 10 of them are foreign made, classify the rifle as "foreign" and therefore illegal for importation if it has the evil features. Therefore, we get these rifles imported with benign, family-friendly thumbhole stocks and 10rnd mags (etc) rather then in their original, murderous, soul-corrupting configurations.

So, importers import rifles in "hunting" configurations, and then convert them to accept standard-capacity mags, muzzle devices, pistol grips and all the like. In order for this to be legal, much of these parts must be US made in order to reduce the foreign qualifiying parts to 10 or less. A trigger group counts as 3, with the Tapco G2 being the most popular (very good trigger actually). Magazine body, follower, and floor plate also count, so if you use US mags there are fewer parts to change on the gun itself (yes, the gun can be legal to shoot with US mags and illegal with foreign mags). The rifle must not be able to accept standard cap mags, so some rifle are imported with single stack mag wells that must be machined out, or they come with a slightly different mag catch (and lack of bullet guide) that only works with the manufacturer's proprietary low-cap mags (i.e. Saiga, VEPR). You can then add a bullet guide and trim the mag catch to accept proper mags.

Furniture counts, but remember it is foreign parts removed that is important, not US parts added; so, removing a thumbhole stock counts as reducing foreign parts by 1 even though you add 2 US parts (stock, pistol grip). Sometimes a gas piston is swapped since it is relatively easy. Each rifle will have a different number of parts to remove.

You can buy rifles in their "sporting rifle" configuration and convert it yourself, or find one already converted. Converted rifles are sometimes done by the importer, like Century, or done by the retailer. Of course, the conversion can easily add a few hundred to the cost of your rifle. If you are interested in an AK or some other foreign gun there are plenty of websites to find 922r info, such as how many qualifying foreign parts does the BATFE consider certain guns to have, what replacement parts count, what modifications/parts can be done/used without violating the law (complete with letters from the BATFE statign as such) and etc.

I'm a BIG fan of the VEPRs if you can find one.

Me too, probably the best made AK on the market, right up there with Arsenal if not better.

[MechAg94]

Vepr rifles are some of the best. A bit more than $600, but you do get value for the money.

[AdioSS]

I only gave $600 for my .308 Winchester VEPR & saw them for sale recently for $500!

[MechAg94]

I only gave $600 for my .308 Winchester VEPR & saw them for sale recently for $500!

I will have to keep an eye out for that. No money now, but maybe later.