Do you AK?

[Panzercat]

Now that a certain political figure has thrown her hat into the ring, I'm once again eyeing firearms that may become hard to get later on should she become elected. While I doubt such outcomes will come to pass, the last eight years have been an object lesson in certain political realities and I'm not willing to take chances. I have the AR covered, so now i turn to the other side of the fence: The venerable AK-47.

Now be honest, I know more than a couple of you have some, so i'm hoping for thoust insight into thy platform. Right now I'm eyeing a Gen II Yugo M70 N-Pap. Sounds like they're a pretty good buy for the budget conscious if you're willing to accept the lack of a chrome lined barrel and non-AK standard stock attachments , though there are work arounds for the latter. I still am itching to get one of those little AK pistol blasters, but those can be pretty specialized and I don't want my first AK purchase to turn into a range toy exclusive because I chose poorly. Any thoughts into these matters of the heart? I'm always on a budget, so I can't get too extravagant with fufu AKs with geewiz pedigrees.

Then again, it may have to wait. I just spotted these gems and dropped just shy of 1k for two of them.
We'll see if that was a good idea later or not. Call it a business proposition of sorts. (Dang that was fast. They didn't even last 12 hrs.)

[JOHNNY WACKO]

pap m92 pistols.

[Panzercat]

You're killin' me, Johnny. I probably wouldn't be SBRing it anytime soon. Still recommend one? Or two or three or however many it is you have?
I've been on the fence with the m92 for a while now.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

The all black 1 is the only 1 i have fired so far,I sold the plane 1 in first picture and have the 1 with wooden forend + brace still new unfired just incase...That thing shoots so good i most likely will never take the rifle out again soon. loud as hell , i don't care for the 2" long muzzle they have for them...

[Tycer]

Stick with a factory made gun, not a reassembled in USA gun. Century is supposed to be making a quality product now in their US factory. Clinton era guns that were made 922 legal in Bulgarian factories are available and well made. There are several US custom shops making great weapons. You will pay a premium for them. If I were to buy one today I would give the new Century one a go.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

I have never had a hiccup with any AK i owned. they are accurate and run forever.bought and sold several in my time. Not like you are target shooting the ak or you would choose a better suited gun.

but if you got the cash buy the best is my motto...But never have the cash

isn't the pap a century??
those are all pistols no sbr needed with the brace.

[2ndovc]

I've had several. The Hungarian AMD was the bomb!
I have a Yugo underfolder that is really well made and has yet to MF.

I'd really like one of those Krinkov style pistols.

jb

[Griff]

No. An if you ever see or hear of me with one, it's because someone gave it to me... AND, it'll be for sale!

[Sixgun]

I've had them all and the one I'm impressed with the most is the SKS.. I fitted them with 20 round mags and several thousand rounds later, they still run just fine.

It really don't matter what you choose, get the one that suits your fancy as Johnny wacko says, "they ain't meant to be target guns". Shoot and enjoy----6

[JOHNNY WACKO]

sks are fun also..

[MrMurphy]

Never seen an SKS run well with anything but the original mag, except an SKS-D (which was made WITH a detached 30 round mag intentionally).


The Yugos made a solid AK, you won't have any issues with them.

Bulgarian, Russian (VEPR), Polish, and Hungarian AKs all work very well.

On the odd chance you ever find one, the old Norincos worked very well, as did the Egyptian Maadi's.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

third from right is a noreinco sporter with ak mags.second in is a norinco mac 90 ak.

[Streetstar]

I dont ------ I went AR long ago and havent looked back --- the only time i was tempted wa when 5.45 ammo was stupid cheap in the spam cans (but of course then, in my AO, AK -74's were overpriced)

I have plenty of AR parts , a couple of complete guns , some ammo put away, and a bunch of mags --- why mess with success?

The money i would spend on an AK would be better spent on more ammo for the AR's

[hayabusa]

My son and I built several a few years ago from demilled kits. Built one from a new Nodakspud receiver and the rest from flats we bent into receivers. All riveted. Yugo & Polish under folders and Romanian. An RPK. Every one of these ran perfect. We only shot probably a hundred or so rounds from each of them.

Still have a few kits left.

hayabusa

[92&94]

I had an SKS in college, when spam can ammo was $20 a can or something crazy low like that. It was great fun to shoot, but I never could love it like a lever gun.

Whenever I'm tempted to buy an AK or more likely another SKS, I just think of the levers or ammo I could buy instead, and the mood quickly passes.

[rodeo kid]

I have just one, a Chinese Norinco I bought long ago, maybe 1976 or 1977. It caught my eye because it was a folding stock and was in .223 instead of 7.62x39. It has fired probably 8 or 9 hundred rounds over the years without a problem. While I have a Colt AR that I cherish, if I had to bug out with one rifle it would be the AK because it will always work. God Bless.

[cas]

Some years back I wanted to get more familiar with how they worked. Figured the best way to do that was build one. Went with more of a distressed "real world AK" look.




I turned it into a fishing kayak last winter. I use that a lot more.

[Panzercat]

Best deal on the m92 PAPs i'm finding is $429 x5 mags. Price is slowly dropping out from under them.
But dang it's been a busy week. Just got my AR back from warranty repair and have two Mini14's coming tomorrow. I think one of those pistols is definitely on the list, however. Just got to let my wife breath a bit before taking out another Marriage Bank high interest loan.

[7.62 Precision]

Some years back I wanted to get more familiar with how they worked. Figured the best way to do that was build one. Went with more of a distressed "real world AK" look.

One of the best looking AKs I've seen!

[7.62 Precision]

Hard for me too get too excited about AKs, once I shot a few of these:

[Tycer]

After taking a couple of AK operator courses, I've found that guns purported to run great have failures at these multi-day events where ~1000 rounds are run through them during various drills. None of the factory made guns had failures that were not ammo related fixed by clearing drills. Virtually every American assembled demilled gun had issues requiring the armorer's assistance. Virtually every 5.56 had mag issues/FTF. The Russian and Chinese guns ran flawless, the Clinton ban era guns that came over as singlestack opened up to double stack ran well although a couple had to have the magwell tweaked, the better builder's guns ran flawless, Krebs and Arsenal come to mind.

[horsesoldier03]

I had an extremely poor opinion of AKs until I had the opportunity to shoot one with a milled receiver. However, the MERICAN in me says AR is best!

[7.62 Precision]

After taking a couple of AK operator courses, I've found that guns purported to run great have failures at these multi-day events where ~1000 rounds are run through them during various drills. None of the factory made guns had failures that were not ammo related fixed by clearing drills. Virtually every American assembled demilled gun had issues requiring the armorer's assistance. Virtually every 5.56 had mag issues/FTF. The Russian and Chinese guns ran flawless, the Clinton ban era guns that came over as singlestack opened up to double stack ran well although a couple had to have the magwell tweaked, the better builder's guns ran flawless, Krebs and Arsenal come to mind.

This mirrors my experience with AK courses. In AK courses I see far more problems and malfunctions than in AR courses.

Certain AKs, like the Arsenals and Krebs you mentioned, generally run flawlessly, and the vz.58s as well, but many other AKs will experience issues from time to time, or constantly, depending on the rifle.

Also, more bloody hands with AKs.

And best to stick to calibers the AK was designed for, or were designed for the AK.

[Panzercat]

This mirrors my experience with AK courses. In AK courses I see far more problems and malfunctions than in AR courses. Certain AKs, like the Arsenals and Krebs you mentioned, generally run flawlessly, and the vz.58s as well, but many other AKs will experience issues from time to time, or constantly, depending on the rifle. Also, more bloody hands with AKs. And best to stick to calibers the AK was designed for, or were designed for the AK.

Any commentary on the Zavastas making their way here? I'm looking hard at their M70 NPAP line. Or their various pistol counterparts.

[Streetstar]

Hard for me too get too excited about AKs, once I shot a few of these:

The vz58 s are intriguing--- despite my AR bias--- if you squint, they look like a Valmet

[7.62 Precision]

The vz58 s are intriguing--- despite my AR bias--- if you squint, they look like a Valmet

They are great. The quality is so high, and the design is way different than an AK. With a milled receiver they are lighter and better balanced than a stamped AK, controls are better, bolt stays back on the last round, recoil is much better - you stay on target, better accuracy than most AKs.

[Malamute]

The vz58 s are intriguing--- despite my AR bias--- if you squint, they look like a Valmet

I wish the Valmets were still available, they had several definite improvements over the average AK. If we're wishing, I'd like to shoot, or own, a Sako m92 or rk95

[Streetstar]

The vz58 s are intriguing--- despite my AR bias--- if you squint, they look like a Valmet

I wish the Valmets were still available, they had several definite improvements over the average AK. If we're wishing, I'd like to shoot, or own, a Sako m92 or rk95

In looking further --- the Valmet does appear to be more of a purebred AK than a VZ --- but i love the more polished looking appearance of both of them ---- weren't the Valmet's killed off in the US by the 1989 bill, same as a lot of the HK's and the Galil's ? (the Galil is another fine AK variant --- if you want things done right, get an Israeli to do it -- LOL )



Galil LMG

[Malamute]

The Galils were straight off copies of many aspects of the Valemts. Its been reported that they actually used Valmet receivers for the first batches. I like the Galils also, but some things they did were sort of funky, like the bipod forend. Several other countries copied the Galils, Italy and South Africa being the ones I know of. Most have milled receivers. Valmet did an M-76 model with a stamped receiver, but the majority are milled.

It seems rather modern to have tritium night sights, but they were on the M-62 (yes, 1962) Valmets and all models since. The M-62 rear sight is an aperture mounted on the heavier, reinforced top cover. Its adjustable out to around 600 yards I believe. It flips over forward to present the night sight in an open notch, and with separate adjustments to zero. The front night sight is a flip up fat post. The mag catch is longer with a tab sticking out to the right, can be actuated by the trigger finger, and has a guard to keep it from being inadvertantly hit. The front sight is screw adjustable for windage, and the entire sight moves, not the post in the ears. Overall, the sights are a huge improvement over regular AK sights in all aspects.

Despite makers claims of the Galil being an original concept gun, the Galils and Valmets are pure AK inside. All fire control parts are drop in. The gas piston is different, as is the gas tube.

I believe the pic above labelled "Galil LMG" is actually the ARM model, a basic infantry rifle with 18" barrel and bipod. They had other models with 16" barrels (AR), no bipod, and some even shorter, (SAR).

[Streetstar]

Malamute , it appears you know your AK's quite well --- much better than me ---- I mistakenly called the Galil above an LMG because i saw the bipod -- but then again, the barrel profile is pretty light for that kind of duty


I get a kick out of the Valmet ad speak --- it must have been an ad in Soldier of Fortune magazine or something back in the day --- i picked up a few copies of that magazine from the late 70's/early 80's not too long ago and by today's standards, the ads are howlingly funny ---- as if the reader will be heading to the Congo or Latin America within a week or two

"Make Your move to Valmet ----- and move up front with the professionals ! "

[7.62 Precision]

Panzercat, before you pick up an AK, I will shoot some emails to Tim Harmsen, Marco Vorobiev, maybe Dave Fortier.

They are all very up to speed on the AKs and one of them should be able to give me some info to help.

[Panzercat]

Panzercat, before you pick up an AK, I will shoot some emails to Tim Harmsen, Marco Vorobiev, maybe Dave Fortier.

They are all very up to speed on the AKs and one of them should be able to give me some info to help.

You're too generous. I've got some Mini14's to fondle, so no rush.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

Just go buy 1,it's not that hard and there not that much...