Falling In Love with the AK, Losing that Loving Feeling for

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 7n6

I agree with this. I bought AK's back when they were relatively cheap. Now I've been buying AR's because they are relatively cheap. A well rounded collection.

---

Yeah, part of the appeal of an AK is that at one time they were dirt cheap. I admit I bought a couple-three Arsenals back in the day, but the premium price charged for them made me go over them with a fine-tooth comb. If I found a loose gas tube latch or rattly receiver cover, for example, I felt cheated. I never looked at the ban style SAR-1's at $400 as anything but a "cheap reliable AK." When you have to pay AR prices or worse for an AK it's not such an attractive rifle.

These days "cheap" AKs are as much as descent ARs. Arsenals are more than standard Colt 6920 rifles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The question I have is when/if ever do AK prices come back down. I seems they rose in price during each panic of the last administration and unlike ARs prices never came back down. Whereas AR prices came down and then some and now seems cheaper than they've ever been.

I really like the AK but I have a hard time with the thought of paying more for one than for a Colt AR.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kevslatvin

The question I have is when/if ever do AK prices come back down. I seems they rose in price during each panic of the last administration and unlike ARs prices never came back down. Whereas AR prices came down and then some and now seems cheaper than they've ever been.

I really like the AK but I have a hard time with the thought of paying more for one than for a Colt AR.

---

It is because they are imported and that keeps getting more and more difficult.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kevslatvin

The question I have is when/if ever do AK prices come back down. I seems they rose in price during each panic of the last administration and unlike ARs prices never came back down. Whereas AR prices came down and then some and now seems cheaper than they've ever been.

I really like the AK but I have a hard time with the thought of paying more for one than for a Colt AR.

---

You're never going to see AK prices decrease because most of the supply has been cut off. However most quality factory AK's are already worth more than say a basic Colt AR, pre-bans sometimes worth two to three times as much or more. Truthfully the milled Arsenal's are a steal right now at those prices- especially the modernized versions. Even if they cost $1300 or whatever- that's nothing compared to what they'll be worth in a few years. So if you can get one now- I wouldn't wait, get two so you have a set.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 7n6

So if you can get one now- I wouldn't wait, get two so you have a set.

---

Luckily I have an Egyptian MISR-90 I got new in the late '90s. I wanted a MAK90 and that's what the gun store sold it as. Didn't find out what it really was till years later. Actually didn't know at the time MAK90's were just neutered AK clones. Cheap SKS's were all the rage but I thought MAK90's looked much cooler. I just picked up an unconverted Saiga in .223 a couple weeks ago at the gunshow. Wanted a 74 pattern rifle in 5.56 and it seemed a good base to start from. My trigger parts, grip and stock just came in.
I doubt I'll ever have an Arsenal but if I could ever stumble upon a Saiga again for cheap and have the money at the time I'd kinda like one in 7.62 to convert.

I think the trick to buying good guns cheap is recognizing when you see a market anomaly. The inexpensive bolt action rifles from the former eastern block countries during the '90's and early 2000's was a market anomaly. They were selling the rifles at prices far below what it would cost them to produce today and far below what it cost to produce them back in the day in real dollars. The availability of inexpensive AK's during the late '80's, '90's and 2000's was again a market anomaly. In their desperation for cash, the former communist countries were producing at very low prices because their tooling was already paid for. There's no way they would have been able to sell at such low prices if they had to create all the tooling. Now, AR15's are in a market anomaly. We're able to buy them so cheap simply because an increase in demand resulted in there being a large number of producers manufacturing more than they have previously. Since more (relative to other firearms) are being produced, the business overheads on a per unit basis are low. Couple that with the brutal competition that results from decreasing demand and you get very low prices. If supply and demand remain the same, some of these AR15 manufacturers won't make it. Now's the time to buy good AR15's cheap.

BTW, if you want a good AK cheap, then you can get a Serbian N PAP for right at $500.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 7n6

You're never going to see AK prices decrease because most of the supply has been cut off. However most quality factory AK's are already worth more than say a basic Colt AR, pre-bans sometimes worth two to three times as much or more. Truthfully the milled Arsenal's are a steal right now at those prices- especially the modernized versions. Even if they cost $1300 or whatever- that's nothing compared to what they'll be worth in a few years. So if you can get one now- I wouldn't wait, get two so you have a set.

---

I bought a milled Bulgarian Arsenal (SA93??) in the late 90's nib for $350. Unfortunately I sold it. I have always liked shooting sks's more that aks's. Just personal preference. I'm on the look out for a 16'' sks now. With all that said the more I shoot my AR's the more impressed I am with them. I have never had any problems with AR's.

Anyone know if ak-103.com is still in business and if so, what's the consensus? I'm wanting to do an AK-104 clone and don't know anyone else that does the conversion.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bret

I think the trick to buying good guns cheap is recognizing when you see a market anomaly. The inexpensive bolt action rifles from the former eastern block countries during the '90's and early 2000's was a market anomaly. They were selling the rifles at prices far below what it would cost them to produce today and far below what it cost to produce them back in the day in real dollars. The availability of inexpensive AK's during the late '80's, '90's and 2000's was again a market anomaly. In their desperation for cash, the former communist countries were producing at very low prices because their tooling was already paid for. There's no way they would have been able to sell at such low prices if they had to create all the tooling. Now, AR15's are in a market anomaly. We're able to buy them so cheap simply because an increase in demand resulted in there being a large number of producers manufacturing more than they have previously. Since more (relative to other firearms) are being produced, the business overheads on a per unit basis are low. Couple that with the brutal competition that results from decreasing demand and you get very low prices. If supply and demand remain the same, some of these AR15 manufacturers won't make it. Now's the time to buy good AR15's cheap.

BTW, if you want a good AK cheap, then you can get a Serbian N PAP for right at $500.

---

NO KIDDING.

$400 HK P7s, I'll take 6 please. $300 SIG P6s? I'll take 4 please. DOC HK94s, 90s import Maadi's and Romanian SARs. Too many others to name.