what to look for in a AK?

[warhawk77]

I was thinking SKS but for not a lot more I can get a AK. Mainly wanting it for hunting coyote, plinking at range and if SHTF.

What should I look for in a AK?

I found them online for $400 up to $1200 so what is the diff?

 

[99zhuggerz99]

im wodering the same thing. romania vs yugo vs Century??? its all so confusing

 

[Darral27]

I recently purchased a romanian WASR10. Went shooting over the weekend and put 120 cheap rounds through it without a single hiccup. If you buy one with a wood stock the only thing I would suggest is the butte pad. My shoulder is killing me.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

My personal experience? Get the cheapest new one you can find. I paid $400 for mine (WASR10) and it has never let me down. It shoots accurately enough, has NEVER jambed, hiccupped, or malfunctioned in any way. If you don't need the absolute best then you would just waste your money with a more expensive rifle.

 

[Stubz]

Your cheapest "new" AK will utilize a fresh receiver but surplus parts kit (barrel, furniture, etc..) from some com-bloc country. Fit and finish will suffer, barrel quality are hit or miss, sight alignment has been known to be problematic. (I have a WASR10 as well, have only had 1 issue and I believe it was a maintenance fault on my end.)

Mid range will be from a "higher end" country. Romania might have been more worried about pushing out numbers for other com-bloc members, where as Egypt would be equipping themselves. Fit and finish are better, better machining for a better quality product.

High end are new manufacture weapons. New receiver and fresh barrel. Parts should lock together tighter and function smoother.

That's most of your differences. For all that...it's an AK. You buy one because it goes bang when you tell it, not because you want to drive tacks @ 1000 yards.

 

[sgreen3]

My personal experience? Get the cheapest new one you can find. I paid $400 for mine (WASR10) and it has never let me down. It shoots accurately enough, has NEVER jambed, hiccupped, or malfunctioned in any way. If you don't need the absolute best then you would just waste your money with a more expensive rifle.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[Fordtough25]

Get what you can find/afford. WASR's get a lot of bad rep but 2 of my brothers have them and besides mag wobble they run fine. I have one from Egypt and one from Bulgaria and they function great. I'd love to have an Arsenal or Red Jacket just because I love AK's. Big difference in price. You also have stamped recievers vs. milled recievers, lots of people like milled better but stamped is great. My

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Your cheapest "new" AK will utilize a fresh receiver but surplus parts kit (barrel, furniture, etc..) from some com-bloc country. Fit and finish will suffer, barrel quality are hit or miss, sight alignment has been known to be problematic. (I have a WASR10 as well, have only had 1 issue and I believe it was a maintenance fault on my end.)

I think it is the opposite of this, old receiver new barrel. My AK used an existing full auto receiver/trunion and a new production chrome lined barrel.

 

[Fordtough25]

I think it is the opposite of this, old receiver new barrel. My AK used an existing full auto receiver/trunion and a new production chrome lined barrel.

Yea you're right for the most part. Also, just pick one up, make sure the sights are straight and the gun functions. If that stuff is good and you like the way it handles/looks get it!

 

[indyk]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/157845-whats_the_benchmark_quality_ak47.html
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/160414-ak_74_a.html
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/160157-k_var_vs_arsenal.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/159380-ak_underfolders.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/157187-in_the_market_for_an_ak47.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/153685-sks_or_ak.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/152808-looking_to_get_a_ak_47_a.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/152928-ak_legality_question.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/accessories_and_gear/148148-decision_help.html


https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/66095-ak_47_show_and_tell.html



https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/149559-ak_47_current_quality_whats_out_there.html


https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/152404-few_ak_questions.html


Here's some links i found that might help.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Yea you're right for the most part. Also, just pick one up, make sure the sights are straight and the gun functions. If that stuff is good and you like the way it handles/looks get it!

I second the straight sights remark. MOST of the new ones are going to be fine, but if its a "new" one thats a few years old it may have canted sights.

 

[indykid]

Buddy of mine got back from the sand box not too long ago and told me that in some areas you can buy a well used but working Kalashnikov for a chicken and loaf of bread. Of course they are illegal here where we have rights!

Seriously, the WASR-10 is a good beginner AK but if you can hand select one you are better off than if you ordered over the net. Look for gas and front sight blocks that line up first. While the site block is more a looks thing, a crooked gas block could cause the gas piston to hang up.

Fit a mag into the well and make sure it looks up nicely. Not too tight and not too loose.

I wouldn't worry about the metal finish as you can always refinish the rifle nicely with high temp grill paint. Wood finish again is not a problem as at least I personally like refinishing the wood to give it either a more Russian red or Romanian orange. Or you can refinish it as your heart enjoys because you are not buying a collector piece.

Some of the high end AKs, especially the ones from China are nice and while some are shooters, because of import laws and other various unconstitutional bans, they have for the most part become collector pieces and prices have gotten crazy.

Still you can find a Chinese MAK-90 for a little more than a WASR-10, and they have the best factory trigger of any commercial AK.

Egyptians are nice as people like the idea that they were made on Russian tools, but unfortunately many were made by drunken arabs so they too suffered from similar thing that the Romanians had, like crooked parts and trigger slap due to poor trigger parts.

Luckily the newer WASRs come with Tapco G2 trigger sets, so trigger slap is less an issue.

There are plenty to chose from, and only a few that you can go wrong with. B-west rifles with USA receivers are to be avoided due to poor builds and heat treat issues. Also avoid Hesse or Vulcan (same company) models as they too put them together as if they were drunk and blind.

And last, please continue to ask questions to avoid buying something you might regret. There are no dumb questions. Dumb answers maybe, but never a dumb question.

 

[indykid]

I think it is the opposite of this, old receiver new barrel. My AK used an existing full auto receiver/trunion and a new production chrome lined barrel.

Question, you have an AK that has a full auto receiver? As in the third pin hole and other items not found on an ATF approved receiver?

Just curious.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I recently purchased a romanian WASR10. Went shooting over the weekend and put 120 cheap rounds through it without a single hiccup. If you buy one with a wood stock the only thing I would suggest is the butte pad. My shoulder is killing me.

Darral, if you put a butt pad on it, where would you put your tool kit? Also it wouldn't be as effective when you butt stroke your attacker/zombie. Steel FTW.

Seriously though, if you shoulder it properly it won't hurt your shoulder. It should actually rest in the pocket of your shoulder just to the inside of your armpit, and don't squeeze the rifle into your shoulder as hard. It does not have that much recoil so you don't need to manhandle it.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Question, you have an AK that has a full auto receiver? As in the third pin hole and other items not found on an ATF approved receiver?

Just curious.

Nope, just the trunnion. The part that is the actual frame or strength of the rifle.

 

[Darral27]

Darral, if you put a butt pad on it, where would you put your tool kit? Also it wouldn't be as effective when you butt stroke your attacker/zombie. Steel FTW.

Seriously though, if you shoulder it properly it won't hurt your shoulder. It should actually rest in the pocket of your shoulder just to the inside of your armpit, and don't squeeze the rifle into your shoulder as hard. It does not have that much recoil so you don't need to manhandle it.

I was thinking my issue with was I am 6'5 and in order to see straight through the sights I had lean my head down farther than what most people would. My hopes where to get a scope mount and scope to raise the line of sight a little so I could shoot from a more comfortable position. I will try to pay a bit more attention to exactly how I am holding it next time out though. Never know, you could be right.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I was thinking my issue with was I am 6'5 and in order to see straight through the sights I had lean my head down farther than what most people would. My hopes where to get a scope mount and scope to raise the line of sight a little so I could shoot from a more comfortable position. I will try to pay a bit more attention to exactly how I am holding it next time out though. Never know, you could be right.

The original stock is shorter than we Americans are used to. The best way is to not "blade" or stand sideways. Square your shoulders up to your target like you are wearing body armor and want it facing your threat. That way you get a little better cheek weld on the little bitty stock LOL.

I put Tech sights on mine, it brings the rear sight all the way to the back of the receiver. Works great for me, but I'm only 5" 11" as well.

 

[warhawk77]

Thank you for great info everyone. I am going to hit some local stores today and get my hands on a few.

 

[g+16]

mainly fit to you, may have to change stocks to adjust for you height, bent arm lenght, I have both a mssir egy., and a mac-90, yea both ban items but they shoot great

 

[sporter]

I was thinking SKS but for not a lot more I can get a AK. Mainly wanting it for hunting coyote, plinking at range and if SHTF.

What should I look for in a AK?

I found them online for $400 up to $1200 so what is the diff?

Chrome lined foreign made barrel. Stay away from the US made barreled guns.

WASR, Mak90's, SGL's, Arsenals, NHM90/91, MISR, SLR95's, SA85m, etc. have foreign barrels.

Money difference sometimes will mean a quality difference, sometimes not.

SGL Saiga from Arsenal is the cadillac of the Ak line right now @ around 800-1200 bux (depending on model).