AK-47 Info

[Bonc_CHL]

Does anyone here have any experience with AK-47's? There are so many different types and brands that I can't make heads or tails of what is good and what is junk.
I am looking for something to make into an evil black gun, want to do a quad rail and scope and have good accuracy at 100+ yards.
Any info will help!

[Beiruty]

A Russian made AK is a keeper. Many will get a conversion from Saiga. AK are not designed to be sharp shooter at 100 yrd. You need to expect 3" grouping.
AK were designed to be short range Assult rifle, it is great in urban areas. However, it is a bit heavier than M16/M4, AR-15 platform.

There are 100% US made AK too. I have no experience with such rifles.

[74novaman]

I have a Russian made Saiga which I restored from "sporter" to a true AK. Its a great rifle, I highly recommend them.

[Bonc_CHL]

I have a Russian made Saiga which I restored from "sporter" to a true AK. Its a great rifle, I highly recommend them.

When you say you restored it, what exactly do you mean?

[ELB]

Go here and read everything, especially the Kalashnikov reference section.

http://warriortalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=121" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Saigas are definitely higher end AKs. Romanian WASRs are definitely lower end (and cheaper), and the fit and finish are not as nice. But both are generally reliable and will shoot. Some WASRs have had issues with canted front sights and such, but even then, more than a few owners have found that even with a canted sight it can shoot just fine. I wouldn't purposely buy one with a canted front sight, but if it was sufficiently cheap, I might and use the $$ save to buy ammo. Canted sights can often be fixed if you are somewhat handy.

From what I can tell, pretty much any of the Eastern Bloc produced AKs are of reasonable quality and relatively interchangeable in parts. IIRC, the Yugo versions do not have chrome-lined barrels. I have read that those produced in the Mid=East, like the Egyptian ones, do not follow the original spec as closely, but have not verified this myself.

Do not get too wound up on the reputation for alleged poor accuracy. It is a combat rifle, not a match rifle, and if you can shoot "only" three inch groups at 100 yards, you are doing plenty well for self-defense use. People regularly shoot combat effective shots out to 300 yards. For civilian self-defense use, I can't easily imagine too many scenarios where I would be shooting over 100 yards -- heck, I can't imagine much over 50 yards. Here's a report of a class where they were shooting torso-sized targets out to 600 yards, with 80% hits, using iron sights and cheaper Wolf ammo. Plus, at any range, it is going to have more zip than a 5.56, even if the holes are not as close together. http://www.warriortalk.com/showthread.php?t=33277" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you are looking to do single ragged holes at 100 yards, you are not looking for a combat rifle. If you looking for a serious defense rifle, an AK is hard to beat on effectiveness, and pretty much impossible on price.

[ELB]

I have a Russian made Saiga which I restored from "sporter" to a true AK. Its a great rifle, I highly recommend them.

When you say you restored it, what exactly do you mean?

I suspect what he means is this: some Saigas have been imported without a pistol grip to make it look more "civilian" and less "evil." I believe this also necessitated moving the trigger group a bit, and there maybe were some other changes. But at heart it was still an AK. Some people have converted the "back" to their true from by moving the trigger group and refitting the pistol grip. There are kits to do this, K-VAR is a company that sells them (and other AK parts).

[A-R]

I am looking for something to make into an evil black gun, want to do a quad rail and scope and have good accuracy at 100+ yards.

Then I think you want an AR, not an AK

[carlson1]

I recently had the same question. You might check the link below it had some good information in it.
http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic. ... hilit=AK47" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mctowalot]

I bought a Saiga on a whim and I'll share what I've learned:
The Saiga rifle as purchased NIB (new in box) will not accept "regular" AK mags without modification (to the rifle). There are a couple of companys (Surefire for one) that produce "hi-cap" mags. I bought some Surefire 30rd mags for mine a cost of around $25.00 per.
There are also aftermarket stocks available ($80.00?) to get that "true" AK look without having to modify the rifle.
I don't want to admit just how bad I got taken (I impulse bought and didn't do my homework) but I've seen them online for a little as $320.00
If you want it to accept "real" AK mags. there are companys/folks who will do the work for you for about $400.00 - or you can get the kit and DIY if you want.
The really cool thing about Saiga is your getting a "real" Russian AK - they are produced at the Izmash (sp?) foundry in the former USSR, the original birth foundry of the AK.
They make a lot of other stuff too - like motorcycles, cars, and washing machines (for clothes). Myself, I like Harley Davidson, Chevys, and Whirlpool for that stuff. But I like my AKs and my women Russian!
(She's reading over my shoulder - know what I mean comrade?)
PS - Unless were talking zombie apocolypse I don't see the need for the coversion - I'm speaking of the rifle of course.

[cajunautoxer]

Before someone can recommend an AK what the price range you want to spend?

[ScottDLS]

Also, note that there is still somewhat of a "ban" on imported AK-47's. They are designated as a "non-sporting" firearm by executive order in 1989. This is not the expired 1994 "Assault Weapon" ban, but a designation supposedly supported by the 1968 Gun Control Act. So you can't just import a semi version of the AK-47 from Russia, the Chicoms, or anyone else. There has to be a certain amount of US content. Apparently there are some pretty good pre-89 semi's of Romanian manufacture. Since so many countries have copied the Kalashnikov design, there are many versions with varying degrees of compatibility. I would hope that a good AK "clone" would at least accept Russian and Chinese "spec" magazines...

...or "clips" as I like to call them

[Bonc_CHL]

I would like to stay in the $400 range. When I said i wanted accurcy, I guess what I mean was able to hit a target at 100 yards not really looking to shoot tacks.
i would love an AR but the price is what is stopping me, I think I can pick up an AK for half what I can an AR and still be happy with the results and then start saving for the AR.

[ELB]

J & G sales has a bunch of AK style rifles for sale, some less than $400, some more.
http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/rifles ... th/209_214" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Most of the lesser expensive ones are Romanian builds. Any foreign military rifle with "evil" features has a problem being imported because of the "sporting purposes" nonsense (hence the Saiga "sporter.") To be legal in the us, these rifles have to have a certain number of US-made parts. Most of the time the trigger groups, pistol grip, often the operating rod, sometimes the magazine, are of US manufacture. Also a number of Romanian rifles were imported with single stack magazines, but once here modified to accept normal double-stack mags. Receivers have of course been replaced to be semi-auto only. There is quite a market in build-your-own AK from parts kits and "80 %" receivers, but I have heard the parts kits are drying up somewhat.

Some suppliers/builders of AKs in the US have better reputations than others. Again, go to the warriortalk website and read as much as possible.

Ultimak makes a gas tube replacement that includes a picatinny rail for mounting an optic. You can get a quad rail for an AK, but it of course drives up the prices. Me, I'd be happy to just add the ultimak tube/rail, but to each his own.

And besides the AK-47/AKM series in 7.62x39, there is the AK-74 in 5.45x39...

[74novaman]

I have a Russian made Saiga which I restored from "sporter" to a true AK. Its a great rifle, I highly recommend them.

When you say you restored it, what exactly do you mean?

I suspect what he means is this: some Saigas have been imported without a pistol grip to make it look more "civilian" and less "evil." I believe this also necessitated moving the trigger group a bit, and there maybe were some other changes. But at heart it was still an AK. Some people have converted the "back" to their true from by moving the trigger group and refitting the pistol grip. There are kits to do this, K-VAR is a company that sells them (and other AK parts).

ELB is correct.

They come like this:


With the trigger moved back, a "monte carlo" style stock and a 10 round mag.

Its a very simple job to convert it to a more "military" AK. Mine has a galil style front handguard, folding stock, traditional ak pistol grip and a '74 style muzzle brake. Its a franken-k.

Don't have pictures of mine, but it looks vaguely something like this:

[cajunautoxer]

For $400 bucks I would save up more. You can find some AKs for your price range. But the problem is they may have canted sights, mag wobble, ect... Of it will shoot but I guess it's what's important to you. For $400 you may find a used upper or one on sale. Then just save up for the lower. Stripped lowers can be found for under $100. LPKs for $60ish and then a stock. I'm sure you could find someone to show you how to put the lower together