Century M70AB2?

[BlueEagle]

Century M70AB2? UPDATE: New Info on Pg 2

Anybody have any experience with this AK? I've got an insurance check, (well actually a prepaid debit card,) on the way, and I went ahead and lay-a-wayed one of these today. Fit and finish are excellent, on par with most guns that AREN'T com-bloc manufacture. Bolt operation was smooth, has the grenade sight, flip-up night-sight peg, and under-folding stock.

Anybody have one and love it/hate it/like it/wanna give it to me?

 

[Mosinguy]

If it has an American barrel on it, don't expect too much out of it. American AK barrels are generally regarded as sub-par.

 

[spencer rifle]

Depends. Is it an AB2 or AB2T? Ts have a thinner receiver and less robust trunion, and I have had problems with rivets fitting properly. Never had a lick of problem with the AB2, except trigger slap. Make sure it has a G2 trigger set, or put one in yourself. Relatively accurate for an AK, and easy to fit with night sights (if you have the original sights with the Tritium tube holders). Front and rear flip-up sights can still be painted with glow paint if no tube holders present. Expect to wrap the stock with paracord to make the cheek weld more comfortable. You can get an aftermarket grip that will hold the cleaning kit, since the stock won't.

Strong, accurate, versatile. Good choice.

As to barrels, others say:
"Century Yugos all have American made barrels. In this case, the US barrel is the better choice. Yugo barrels are none-chrome lined, and were shot for years with corrosive ammo and no cleaning. In the Yugo AK world, a "dark but strong" barrel is considered premium. Most are wasted."

Check your barrel yourself and be sure.

 

[Shoots4Fun]

Absolutely love mine...

 

[BlueEagle]

It is an AB2; I checked the layaway receipt. I will probably just put a dot of white paint on that flip-up sight for now. I can always clean that off and do phosphorescent later.

As far as wrapping the stock with paracord, how did you go about it? As far as, how did you secure the paracord after wrapping? I'm sure that I will want to do this, so I just wanted your opinion on it.

Will also probably be putting a Hogue grip on it; I know it has the pocket for the cleaning kit, but that's not why I want it. It's just so damned comfortable.

Which grip were you talking about that had the cleaning kit slot? I know the Hogue one has a kit that goes inside it, but that kit alone is like $150, if I recall.

 

[Shoots4Fun]

Mine is also the AB2 not the "T".

 

[spencer rifle]

As far as wrapping the stock with paracord, how did you go about it? As far as, how did you secure the paracord after wrapping? I'm sure that I will want to do this, so I just wanted your opinion on it.

Here's one way:
Cheekrest

Which grip were you talking about that had the cleaning kit slot? I know the Hogue one has a kit that goes inside it, but that kit alone is like $150, if I recall.

I don't have them here but I believe they are Tapco:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002E6T6JE/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i03]Amazon.com: Tapco Intrafuse AK SAW Style Pistol Grip: Sports & Outdoors[/ame]

Haven't got a cleaning kit for them yet, but if I don't find one to fit I can always improvise.

 

[BlueEagle]

Eh, I'll probably just stick with my standard Hogue grip; it's super comfortable. I'll definitely be doing that paracord wrap, though. Thanks for all the info guys; now I just can't wait to go pick it up!

 

[jimbob488]

better than a wasr 10

they seem better than a wasr

 

[Cerberus]

If it has an American barrel on it, don't expect too much out of it. American AK barrels are generally regarded as sub-par.

I've often wondered where this thinking came from. I love my AKs, but none are what I would call tack drivers, yet all my American made rifles are tack drivers. This is one particular nuance of the AK community that is a bit peculiar.

 

[Mosinguy]

I've often wondered where this thinking came from. I love my AKs, but none are what I would call tack drivers, yet all my American made rifles are tack drivers. This is one particular nuance of the AK community that is a bit peculiar.

They are more accurate because of the lack of chrome lining. American barrel steel, at least on AK rifles, is usually soft. They don't last long in the chamber area or muzzle compared to their European counterparts. I've seen pulled barrels that after 300 rounds had deformed chamber walls.

 

[BlueEagle]

Either way, I am definitely looking forward to getting this one to the range.

 

[INDY45]

I have the AB2 that you are buying,Only thing that I've changed was grip and I used the tapco SAW grip.Weapon works fine with fit and function NO PROBLEMS at all.Get plenty of extra mags and ammo and have fun

 

[Cerberus]

They are more accurate because of the lack of chrome lining. American barrel steel, at least on AK rifles, is usually soft. They don't last long in the chamber area or muzzle compared to their European counterparts. I've seen pulled barrels that after 300 rounds had deformed chamber walls.

What about my US made chrome lined barrels? They are more accurate as well. I think I'm going to call BS on this. I've been in the AK community a long time, and some of those guys hate just about anything US made.

 

[BlueEagle]

UPDATE: So....we liked mine so much, that we just went and my wife, (she was my fiancee only 3 weeks ago,) put money down on one for herself. She shot mine today and enjoyed it, and she has been saying for awhile that she wanted a rifle. When we hit the store, these were the only underfolders they had; she handled a couple and liked them, so I picked one out with a straight site and smooth operation.

I enjoy the fact that we'll be able to share ammunition and magazines....the only difference will be that hers will have the forend painted pink shortly after arrival, and she will probably use pink paracord to wrap the stock.

So....anybody think that an M70AB2 with a "Fairytale Pink" forend and pink paracord stock wrapping will look weird?

It'll match her Mossberg 500 with the same paint on the stock and forend. And her model 85 .38 that she carries. There is definitely a trend here...

 

[tradertator]

What about my US made chrome lined barrels? They are more accurate as well. I think I'm going to call BS on this. I've been in the AK community a long time, and some of those guys hate just about anything US made.

I think the dissent towards American made AK barrels are they aren't cold hammer forged, or at least that's what I've read.

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

I think the dissent towards American made AK barrels are they aren't cold hammer forged, or at least that's what I've read.

^^ Mostly this.

In America, the AK47 is not considered a rifle that our military or law enforcement utilizes. With no military specifications to build to, and no large law enforcement contracts to fill, they have no financial necessity to tool for high quality builds. They are built as commercial guns - for the commercial market, and mostly used for recreational shooting in reality. We could make quality AK barrels if we wanted to - but most of the producers looked at the bottom line and realized that most people walking into a local gun store don't know the difference, and prefer the lower price tag.

Those that are willing to pay more usually want specific builds anyway.

It really comes down to consumer demand, and the profit margins shrinking if they tooled to produce higher end barrels.

Low cost firearms fly off the shelves - higher quality, more expensive firearms are purchased less frequently by a much smaller demographic.

All that being said, I have only fired one of the M70AB2 variants, and it functioned without issue. YMMV

Sounds like yours functioned well, since you and her enjoyed it? Let us know how hers turns out, with pics even if you change it up.

 

[BlueEagle]

I will be sure to post pictures of the pair of them, once we get them both. Not sure when she is going to pick hers up; Orion has up to a 3 month layaway policy, so it may be awhile.

I wouldn't expect any issues though; mine functions perfectly, no issues, and I love it. Compared to my WASR, I can visibly see that the trunnion and receiver are both much thicker and heavier duty. And I like the extra locking pin that they put on it to keep the dust cover and recoil spring in place. The flip up front site is nice; she said she would pick up some glow in the dark nail polish and some bright orange nail polish next time she goes to the store, and then mix them together. So we can paint the flip-up with that and have better night time visibility.

My only gripe, if you can call it that, is that it comes with a couple of those last-round-hold-open magazines. The majority of my magazines are NOT that kind, and so having a handful that are is just screwing with my head. I need to label them or something.

I'm pretty excited honestly, that we'll be able to share ammunition and accessories and whatnot. I was leaning towards a 7.62x39 rifle for her, just for the ammunition, and thinking that she may have wanted an SKS or something else, but I am glad that she liked the AK. She did good the first time she shot it, too.

 

[tradertator]

If you don't like the magazines, I'd be more than happy to trade you out with standard ones

 

[BlueEagle]

I did my stock wrap, and I actually did it my own way. I think it turned out pretty good for the most part. Don't have a picture at the moment.

What I did was lay a loop of paracord down over the stock, with one short tail, (just about 3 inches part where I wanted the wrapping to end,) and one long tail, about 10 feet or so. The top of the loop on the other side went about 2 inches past where I wanted the wrap to end.

Wrap with the long tail, until I reach the end. Tuck the tail through the end of the loop, and then pull the short tail with pliers. That pulls the loose end down underneath the wrapping. I pulled it about halfway back. Then cut both tails, (which were sticking out opposite sides of the wrapping,) and melted them down with a lighter.

It looks good, and it is tight. We have already ordered the pink paracord to do Elizabeth's with when she gets it in.