Author Topic: Which AK 47 (Read 3348 times)

264fan · « **on:** December 11, 2010, 10:30:04 AM »

Wanting to buy an AK in 7.62X39, which companies produce the GOOD ones? Have heard some have function issues and magazine issues.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2010, 04:45:10 AM »

I owned a Norinco at one time that was very nice, I now have a yugo, wasr I think is the designation. Never had a problem with it either.

jmayton · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2010, 04:28:41 PM »

I have a Norinco. Thick steel on the receiver. Good trigger. I have friends that have Romanians and Yugos. All shoot well. You really can't go wrong with the AK as far as I know. They all are rugged and reliable.

gunner69 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2011, 09:11:03 PM »

I have the Kreps and it can't be beat, if you have the dollars. Mark Kreps takes the AK to another level.

jmayton · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2011, 07:59:23 AM »

Krebs uses Saiga rifles to build upon. . . but what he does with them, oh my! My Norinco will probably be getting a few Krebs upgrades this next year. But if you are looking for something reasonably priced, then the Krebs is probably not the way to go. But they are probably the highest quality AK's you can buy.

nfafan · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2011, 08:56:58 PM »

Century Arms subcontracted out a "milled Polish" AK build; starts with a US-made milled recvr, Green Mtn barrel, Tapco G2 FCG and likely a Tapco piston too. This is all combined with re-furbed Polish and Euro mix-master AK parts to come up with a $600 or less MILLED AK clone.

They have been getting rave reviews.

You probably have missed the boat on "new" Century Yugo AP M70AB1 fixed-stock and M70AB2 under-folder AKMs; arguably the best-made stamped AKMs in the $500.00 range. They were a blend of top-shelf new US parts and the refurbed parts sets from over-engineered Yugo M70 guns.

Try and find a used Yugo M70AB2 U/Folder for the apex of AK-ness.

The Yugo M70AB2T's still available now are built up on the thinner, smooth-sided, non grenade-launcher-reinforced recvrs.

Bugflipper · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2011, 09:45:51 AM »

All of the threads I have read on this subject point to the Chinese ones. Norincos mentioned already. The only bad I have read was on the Maadi. Spelling may be off, but I think they were Egyptian made. They came with a fancy laminated brown stock so should be easy to spot even today. I have had a Norinco for 20 years or so that has been neglected as far as cleaning goes. Started as a test. Several cases later it is just a habit not to worry with it. Maybe it's time for it's cleaning now. I'm feeling guilty.

JustaShooter · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:13:36 PM »

Quote from: Bugflipper on February 21, 2011, 09:45:51 AM

The only bad I have read was on the Maadi. Spelling may be off, but I think they were Egyptian made. They came with a fancy laminated brown stock so should be easy to spot even today.

I'm curious as I have a Maadi, what bad did you hear about them? I haven't seen any issues with mine (although the "fancy" laminated stock is anything but fancy to my eyes...)

Just a Shooter

nfafan · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2011, 06:02:37 PM »

JMHO;
The Century mix-master Yugo M70AB2 U/F or fixed stock M70AB1 - either version with the "RPK" recvr - are every bit as good a Norinco. They are built on the NoDakSpud/DanCoonan rcvrs with the grenade-launcher reinforcements. Re-furbed top-shelf Yugo parts sets with quality USA parts for 922 compliance - almost as good as the pre-ban originals from the Balkans. This is of course if you hand-pick your Yugo and don't E V E R buy a Century product sight-unseen unless you have a confirmed return/exchange path. (That goes for everything they "brand", as their subcontracted builders can be the worst in the business at times.)

Back in the day, the product-improved Yugo AKMs were imported by Mitchell Arms and were the creme de la creme of stamped AKs, and cost about twice what a CHICOM AK sold for.

Anyway, if you must have CHICOM; factory-made Norinco AKs - MAK90s - can still be found in their post-ban thumbhole configs for about the price of a Yugo mix-master if you look around. You will have to do the 922 work to get the pre-ban look, and even more work if you want to add back in the cleaning-rod attachment point and bayo lugs.

Strongly urge you look for a PolyTech AKS-762 "SP". The "SP"s have thumbhole butts, but are readily converted back to pgrip and butt, plus they have the cleaning rod attachment for the "just right look". And PolyTech cosmetics are top-shelf, and they are built on a thick recvr just like the Yugos.

The Steyr-imported MAADIs are well-made Russian-tooled but Egyptian-made stamped AKMs, and were - in the mid 80's - the closest that the West would ever get to a true Soviet-pattern "AKM". Even down to the bulged and laminated foregrips. Nothing wrong - just more Russki than the commercial-look of the Mitchell Yugos or Kassner Hunkies or blued-CHICOMs of the day.

The MAADIs to avoid are supposedly the "MISR"s that Century put together from Egyptian and CHICOM parts guns.

Bugflipper · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2011, 06:23:19 PM »

NFA called it right. They were the ones with the finely sanded laminate and a clear coat. Check into century international arms. The chicoms can make an ak from scratch in not much more than a grass hut. Century couldn't even get a decent ak from a parts kit. Most members here given the proper tools and instruction could do a better job than the guerrilas with hammers that century keeps around.

Tommie D · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2011, 08:26:08 AM »

Quote from: nfafan on February 21, 2011, 06:02:37 PM

The MAADIs to avoid are supposedly the "MISR"s that Century put together from Egyptian and CHICOM parts guns.

You can send all those "Maadi MISR's to avoid" to me. I paid $150 for my CAI Maadi MISR S/A ten years ago and it still ROCK'S. Never had a single problem with it.

nfafan · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2011, 11:14:08 AM »

Quote from: Tommie D on February 23, 2011, 08:26:08 AM

Quote from: nfafan on February 21, 2011, 06:02:37 PM
The MAADIs to avoid are supposedly the "MISR"s that Century put together from Egyptian and CHICOM parts guns.

You can send all those "Maadi MISR's to avoid" to me. I paid $150 for my CAI Maadi MISR S/A ten years ago and it still ROCK'S. Never had a single problem with it.

That's why I used the word "supposedly". Always debate over MISRs and thumbs up/down. I figure ANY AKM that works like it should is better than not owning one at all.

Bugflipper · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2011, 12:22:48 PM »

The US banned the MAK-90. There were several hundred already in the US in customs that could not legally be sold. Atf ordered they could be sold as parts kits if the receiver was destroyed. MAK-90 have a barrel that has 19mm diameter barrel shank that is pressed into the barrel trunnion of the receiver. The Maadi receivers barrel trunnion being a AKM, had a barrel trunnion hole that was 23mm. So a 1.5mm thick steel sleeve was needed to attached the Chinese barrel to the Maadi receiver. This resulted in the first manufactured MISR-90 rifles looking like these were assembled with a hammer by monkeys. There were large scratches and gouges on the barrel, sleeve, barrel trunnion ,rear sight and receiver. The barrel trunnion spacer is the culprit to a bad misr90. They tend to loosen over time. A loose barrel is never a good thing. The receivers like all ak were flat stamped then bent to shape. Some had issue if CIA did not get them bent (break press) straight. There was a lot of hammer marks to true one up at the factory if it was out of square. This would also effect reliability if the action could not cycle on a squared, level plain.

Plenty of bad news on the misr90 over on the AK boards. If you have one that functions properly, wonderful. Thread was intended for OP to figure out which ones are the good ones. Not to slight CIA owners. But the company is known for producing bad firearms, not just this particular ak, their hk91 has been known to be even shoddier than the maadi.

Oldfenderguy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2011, 06:53:57 AM »

I own a few AK rifles, including an older Yugo M70AB2 which I really like, but my favorite is a custom Izhmash Saiga/Legion AK-103 by Chris Butler (AK-USA).

Lightweight, dependable as a hammer, and very accurate.

It's currently running a Vortex Viper 2x7/32 scope along with a Streamlight TLR-1S tactical light.

drdougrx · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2011, 03:55:56 PM »

Hey Oldfenderguy,

What's a ballpark price on the Butler AK?

Oldfenderguy · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2011, 04:41:59 PM »

Quote from: drdougrx on March 31, 2011, 03:55:56 PM

Hey Oldfenderguy,

What's a ballpark price on the Butler AK?

In the $850 ballpark with either the Warsaw or slightly longer NATO length buttstock.

I'm using the NATO length as I run a scope most of the time and like the extra length.

As you probably know, Chris is one of the better known AK-103 builders in the country and turns out very high quality products. Excellent triggers, completely dependable, and VERY accurate.

drdougrx · « **Reply #16 on:** April 01, 2011, 06:46:20 AM »

Thanks for the reply! One last question...do you need to supply a base gun for a build???

Oldfenderguy · « **Reply #17 on:** April 01, 2011, 07:58:10 AM »

Quote from: drdougrx on April 01, 2011, 06:46:20 AM

Thanks for the reply! One last question...do you need to supply a base gun for a build???

Nope, that price includes the new Izhmash Saiga/Legion rifle modified by Chris and you don't have to supply anything.

Hard to believe, but the cost of the custom AK-103's seems to have come down over the past year or so..

drdougrx · « **Reply #18 on:** April 01, 2011, 10:05:25 AM »

Sure looks cool! Might look into one rather than yet another AR.

jmayton · « **Reply #19 on:** April 01, 2011, 01:14:26 PM »

I think that everyone who chooses to be a gun-owner should own at least one AK. . .if for no other reason to remind them how accurate but unreliable their other guns are.