Best AK on the market today?

[BehindBlueI's]

Title pretty much says it. What is the best AK on the market today, in your opinion, regardless of price?

I'm hearing really good things about VEPR. I looked at a Zastava and the fit and finish is nice, the wood looks good, and the receiver was heavy but I hear they have issues feeding as the single stack to double stack conversion leaves the single stack bolt in place.

Discuss among yourselves...

 

[Clarity]

Arsenal?

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

Aresenal or VEPR, IMO.

The Zastavas are nice rifles. I have fired both the full sized and pistol variants. The Zastavas do not have chrome lined barrels, and that is my biggest beef - but other than that they are nice (and if you maintain it properly, this is not as big of a deal as some have made it out to be). The wood on the recent specimens was pretty nice.

I doubt you could go wrong with any of these - taking into account inspecting the rifle first. Look for excessive mag wobble, canted sights, etc....

Norincos are great too, if you can find/afford one. I hesitate to include these, as they are not generally LGS finds.

 

[spencer rifle]

M70AB2 (not that AB2T stuff, either).

 

[Dsgnr_81]

Anything run through Rifle Dynamics.

 

[Cerberus]

Come on it's the AK you are talking about. just about any of them are going to run like they should, and have about the same accuracy give or take a 1/2". Go find the one that fits your budget and shoot the dog urine out of it.

 

[teddy12b]

I was reading a lot about the arsenal hype and I jumped on the wagon. The appeal of an AK47 that was fairly accurate is just too tempting to not try out.

Without a doubt Arsenal builds an outstanding ak47, but the accuracy was not there on the one I had and supposedly I had one of the better models for accuracy. After I had it for a while and wasn't happy I talked to a few guys that knew more than I do about AK's and I was told that the 7.62 models aren't as accurate as teh 5.45 models just because of the nature of the bullet design. Expensive lesson learned.

If I were to buy another (pending an Obama victory tonight I will) it'll be one of the waffen works ak74's in 5.45. The reason I'd buy one of those is because they have a cult like following similar to the arsenal ak, and the best part is that the ammo can be had for such a rediculously cheap price. $160 for 1080 rounds of rifle ammo is simply amazing. At some point that cheap ammo is going to dry up though, but by then you'd have a barrel worn out.

 

[jason867]

M70AB2 (not that AB2T stuff, either).

I second that...

I love mine

 

[Shoots4Fun]

M70AB2 (not that AB2T stuff, either).

I second that...

I love mine

I'll third this. Maybe not the best, but definitely excellent.

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

I was reading a lot about the arsenal hype and I jumped on the wagon. The appeal of an AK47 that was fairly accurate is just too tempting to not try out.

Without a doubt Arsenal builds an outstanding ak47, but the accuracy was not there on the one I had and supposedly I had one of the better models for accuracy. After I had it for a while and wasn't happy I talked to a few guys that knew more than I do about AK's and I was told that the 7.62 models aren't as accurate as teh 5.45 models just because of the nature of the bullet design. Expensive lesson learned.

If I were to buy another (pending an Obama victory tonight I will) it'll be one of the waffen works ak74's in 5.45. The reason I'd buy one of those is because they have a cult like following similar to the arsenal ak, and the best part is that the ammo can be had for such a rediculously cheap price. $160 for 1080 rounds of rifle ammo is simply amazing. At some point that cheap ammo is going to dry up though, but by then you'd have a barrel worn out.

This is true, but it is always a tradeoff.

7.62x39 penetrates barriers better. The 5.45x39 is much closer to the 5.56.

At one point in time the 5.45x39 was much cheaper than 7.62x39, which made it an awesome buy. Now, the 5.45x39 is still a bit cheaper - but harder to find. It is kind of a toss up at this point IMO.

I own a few variants of both, and love them all. Unless you get a lemon, it is really hard to go wrong with any AK variant - but some produce more lemons than others.

PS: Funny you mention Waffen Werks... my AK74 was built by Waffen Werks, and it has been an excellent rifle. I have somewhere between 3,000-4,000 rounds through it.

 

[tradertator]

Probably the best you will find on the market is the old Polytechs, and some of the other pre ban Chinese stuff.

 

[Horse]

Without a doubt: Krebs

 

[indyk]

My vote goes to

their joint effort with

makes fine Ak's



and dont forget

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Lots of good stuff out there that has been mentioned.

I like AKs from Mike at The Firing Line in Oklahoma. He can do a great job on the trigger. It's all about triggers and sights.

AK Rifles for Sale | Custom AK Gunsmithing | Tactical AK 47 Parts

 

[alan robert]

Valmet (safe queens still out there), Vepr, Saiga, Custom Galil (7.62x39 & 5.45x39), Krebs, Tromix, and the "improved" Sig 556R (7.62x39 Swiss AK).

I have owned Vepr (RobArms also) and today's market offers more parts and customizing than before for this brand.

Too many custom AK shops and products to mention. Money was not a concern, right? lol

 

[indiucky]

I have had good luck with the Bulgarian Arsenal SLR 105, 106, 107 series. I am down to just the SLR-106F right now but I wouldn't let her go for anything.

 

[Clay]

you guys are throwing a whole bunch of different crap into one bucket

For factory builds its hard to beat an SLR or Arsenal USA (saiga more or less).

I also <3 chicom rifles but the only ones you can buy today are imported in 94 or earlier.

 

[elliotle]

I had a friend that introduced me to his old Norinco. Then I bought a WASR. Then I bought an Arsenal and sold my WASR.

So far, I like my Arsenal the best. My friend's Norinco was nicer than my WASR.

1. Arsenal
2. Norinco
3. WASR

 

[edporch]

If you can find a Polytech "Legend" in 7.62x39, buy it.

It's a nice milled receiver AK made at plant 386 which also made AK's for the Chinese military at the time. (and maybe still)

Some made it into the country before Drug Czar/phony conservative Bill Bennett stopped the import of them under Bush #1.

 

[dmg45]

I have a norinco in 7.62x39 and one in 223. I wouldn't trade them for anything. They run anything I have fed them. I have also had a polytech legend, sure wish I had never let it go, was a beautiful ak, now they have almost tripled in price from what I gave for mine. So for now the norinco's will have to do.