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Help me pick out an AK variant

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freebyrd

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Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 16, 2009
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#1
Hey guys
smile.gif


I am looking to purchase an AK variant.

I see "Pre-Ban" and "Post-ban" types, and am wondering what the differences include.


Some that have caught my eye are "Romanian WASR's" as they can be had for $400-500 dollars.
<span style="font-size: 8pt">(Includes compensator, bayonet lug. Comes with two 30 rd. double stack mags., and side mounted scope mount rail. 4 groove barrel with a 1:10 twist. Barrel: 16.25", Overall: 27" (stock folded), 37" (stock extended), Weight: 7.5 lbs.)</span>

I also plan on putting Picatinny/rail mounts on it as well.

Price is important, as I am in grad school
mad.gif
, but quality is obviously equally important as well.


Thanks in advance!
 
#7
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

Check out Rifle Dynamics, I have heard rave reviews on a couiple different forums. I can't speek from experience though....I am not a big AK fan and I will never need a Zombie-esk rifle.

Jim Fuller "owner of Rifle Dynamics" is one hell of a guy. My friends father is good friends with him and he took us out shooting. Got to shoot many AK variants, ak47, ak47 RPK, ak74, his personel ak74U with a micro dot, and a PKM. All were full-auto, god damn that was a fun time.

If you really want an AK I would suggest doing some research on the ak74. The 5.45x39 round is cheap as dirt and has pretty good ballistics compared to the 5.56

Happy shooting, and remember "Search Button"
 
#8
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

The main question I would have is what other guns do you already own? If you have a few other good ones, and are pretty familiar with them and want an AK for fun, by all means get one. (I'm partial to 50 year old Soviet ones, or US made ones, due to the restrictions on buying later model foreign imports that were "neutered" and trying to upgrade them to what you want and having to worry about keeping track of the number of US made parts on the gun vs foreign parts)

If this is one of your first guns, I'd suggest skipping the AK as it's not it my opinion a good gun to learn marksmanship fundamentals on and instead get a AR-15 which can be had in the $500 to $600 range, or a good Savage bolt action rifle in .223 or .308, which can also be had in that same price range.
 
#9
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BoM6IFiyRjE"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BoM6IFiyRjE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

Have you done your requisite homework yet?
 
#10
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

If you can find one of the earlier Arsenal models they have the Steyr made hammer forged chrome lined barrels and are by far some of the more accurate variants available.

As with any other topic you will find that most people replying with stupid comments usually have no experience with the subject at hand and are incapable of giving good advice.
 
#11
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

I found a pre-ban Norinco Type 56 AKM and couldn't be happier.
Chrome lined barrel, thick stamped receiver, great trigger, very accurate and easy to suppress.
I determined the best optic mount for my needs was the gas tube rail from UltiMAK with an Aimpoint T-1 mounted out front.

T56SHTF-07-2010025.jpg
 
#13
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go here:

http://www.ak47.net/forums/board.html?b=4 </div></div>

+1,000,000,000,000!!!

If you want an AK, this is a FAR better place to start your search, ask questions and learn about what is good and isn't so good about the various AK offerings on the market right now.
 
#14
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: freebyrd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Some that have caught my eye are "Romanian WASR's" as they can be had for $400-500 dollars.
I also plan on putting Picatinny/rail mounts on it as well.
Price is important, as I am in grad school, but quality is obviously equally important as well.
</div></div>

Romanian WASR are so-so guns compared to others. I have seen some for as low as $350. It will go BOOM each and every time, however.
What do you need a picatiny rail for??? Absolutely hate when someone takes an AK and try to make it look like an AR. If you want the lowest price, the Romanian WASR is the one. If you want quality here some for you to think about:

True Soviet AK47 and its varients. Virtually impossible to find. Expensive.
Finnish AK. Good luck of finding one. Expensive.
Israeli Galil. Expensive and hard to get. You can custom build it though here in the US.
Arsenal build one. This is the best route to take if you want quality and availability.

AKs are plenty accurate for what they were designed to do. No doubt it's fun gun. Kalashnikov and his colleages purposely made loose tolerences the norm at the very beginning of the gun's world-wide journey; it was required by both the military standards of that era and the main application of the rifle - CQB; initially, the thought was to provide tank supporting troops with a devastating but compact weapon to suppress the German anti-tank gunners. Kalashinkov himself was a tanker so he understood the concept. The war was over long before the first batch of rifles were made in 1949.

Ammo. Cheapest is still 7.62x39. Plenty of ammo to choose from and store.
5.45x39 is an outstanding combat round superior to 5.56. Its center of gravity is at the rear of the bullet with a hollow cavity in front. When hitting tissue, it severely tumbles and breaks apart. The wound ballistics are simply devastating. An AK74 was, in fact, a weapons of choice of both the Soviets and Afghans due to its little recoil, the ease of full auto use, less weight of ammo, and combat effectiveness. But availability of ammunition is not as great as it is with 7.62x39. At least not where I live...
 
#15
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dlxcupid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Norinco MAK 90, best bang for the buck. Great trigger, awesome quality, fit is way better than most other variants. YMMV on the accuracy. </div></div>

Agreed. I sampled a few ChiCom MAK 90s before I purchased my Type 56 AKM.
High quality rifles with great triggers.
 
#16
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VYD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Ammo. Cheapest is still 7.62x39. </div></div>

5.45x39 has it beat by about half. The AR makers have gotten with it too so your least cost to feed/most accurate surplus popper these days is in this chambering. We're talking $.11/round last time I got some.

An AK variant in 5.45x39 is a lot of smiles per dollar.
 
#17
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VYD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Ammo. Cheapest is still 7.62x39. </div></div>

5.45x39 has it beat by about half. The AR makers have gotten with it too so your least cost to feed/most accurate surplus popper these days is in this chambering. We're talking $.11/round last time I got some.

An AK variant in 5.45x39 is a lot of smiles per dollar. </div></div>

Yeah, that was the tip of the disinformation iceberg for me, too. 5.45x39 is still cheap and it recoils like an electric typewriter.
 
#18
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

Perhaps in some places, no argument here. But what I see locally, 5.45 is either the same or a bit more. Some 7.62 ammo is as cheap as $3.95 per 20. Never seen a box of 5.45 for $2.20 (.11 per round). If you go high quality like Federal, Fiocchi, Norma (don't think they make it anymore), etc., it's gonna cost you regardless...But the point is, for one kind of 5.45, there are three+ kinds of 7.62. That's a big plus if you plan to stock up on ammo...just saying.
 
#19
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VYD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Perhaps in some places, no argument here. But what I see locally, 5.45 is either the same or a bit more. Some 7.62 ammo is as cheap as $3.95 per 20. Never seen a box of 5.45 for $2.20 (.11 per round). If you go high quality like Federal, Fiocchi, Norma (don't think they make it anymore), etc., it's gonna cost you regardless... </div></div>

Who buys it by the box anyway?
 
#20
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

If you ain't givin your UPS guy a Hernia or have your own forklift you take over to the truck terminal when your ammo comes in, then you have absolutely NO BUSINESS discussing AKs on this site. GET A CLUE POSER!!!!!!
 
#21
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you ain't givin your UPS guy a Hernia or have your own forklift you take over to the truck terminal when your ammo comes in, then you have absolutely NO BUSINESS discussing AKs on this site. GET A CLUE POSER!!!!!! </div></div>

Seriously, I had to come out to the truck to get mine in the door because the UPS guy was slinging his tripes over his shoulder by the time he got done with mine. Century did free shipping for orders over $500 and I took very liberal and repeated advantage of it. Go big, or just stay there on the porch.
 
#22
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

The single biggest advantage 762x39 has over 545x39 is it makes the plastic jugs jiggle more when you are shooting videos of your hotties to put up on the internet.

My hits therefore profits are so much higher on my vids where the girls shoot 762... easily makes up for the difference in ammo price.
 
#23
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The single biggest advantage 762x39 has over 545x39 is it makes the plastic jugs jiggle more when you are shooting videos of your hotties to put up on the internet.

My hits therefore profits are so much higher on my vids where the girls shoot 762... easily makes up for the difference in ammo price. </div></div>

If you keep on typing things like that Shanky will show up -- too many trigger words.

Some info on 5.45: http://www.ak47.net/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=129804
 
#24
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

Not a true AK but the VZ58 is a great weapon.

It locks open on last round fired, has a striker not hammer driven firing pin, and a very sweet trigger pull.

I found it points better than my AK, field strips easily and is of very simple construction.

Cost is the biggest drawback, around 900 bucks per copy.
 
#25
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The single biggest advantage 762x39 has over 545x39 is it makes the plastic jugs jiggle more when you are shooting videos of your hotties to put up on the internet.

My hits therefore profits are so much higher on my vids where the girls shoot 762... easily makes up for the difference in ammo price. </div></div>

Amen and AMEN, brother!!! Its worth it to pay $0.20/round instead of $0.11 or $0.12/round for better jugg jiggling!!!
laugh.gif
Its downright un-American to suggest otherwise!!
 
#26
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The single biggest advantage 762x39 has over 545x39 is it makes the plastic jugs jiggle more when you are shooting videos of your hotties to put up on the internet.

My hits therefore profits are so much higher on my vids where the girls shoot 762... easily makes up for the difference in ammo price.</div></div>


Unfortunately, it's usually big fat guys who are jiggling in those videos...mix in a treadmill every now and again.

I have a polish tantal, and 5.45 is $119/1080...tough to beat that set-up for a day of fun on the range on the cheap.
 
#28
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kenda</div><div class="ubbcode-body">At the end of the day its all about tits with you guys. Jeez. </div></div>

That's unfair, Kenda.

I'm more of a butt and legs man, myself.
 
#30
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

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Oh joy, oh joy, Santa has passed through the heartland ...

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NvqJhK-PdZA"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NvqJhK-PdZA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
 
#31
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

AK's are fun, and the Kalashnikov operating system is downright reliable. Accuracy is not their strong suit.

Unless you're fighting a war, though, there are better ways to employ that system.

Do some research on the Saiga family of firearms, they employ the Kalashnikov operating system in a manner that is more sportsman-friendly, and can be had in chamberings ranging from 410ga, to 12ga, to 7.62x39, to .30-'06 (although some versions are danged hard to find in the flesh).

Greg
 
#33
Re: Help me pick out an AK variant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

H20-how's that aimpoint like the heat? </div></div>

I have experienced no problems, heat related or otherwise.
 
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