Palmetto State Armory PSAK-47...

[Auto426]

Post-89 MAK 90 (straight cut) and KBI Hungarian SA 85 imports are still some of the best guns you can buy, and with a thumbhole stock you can usually find them for $500-$700. Throw $100-$150 in furniture and 922r parts at it and thread the muzzle and they are solid.

While I know that there are options out there, not everyone enjoys trcking down a used gun and then doing all of the 922r compliance work themselves. I prefer being able to buy a new gun that's already 922r compliant and has a warranty to back that work up, and unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of options anymore in the lower priced AK market. WASRs are better than they used to be, but it would be nice to be able to buy a basic AKM that isn't a crap shoot and has a decent finish. Hopefully PSA can provide that.

[burgeman]

Quick question about all these new American made Ak's, why don't companies go ahead and thread the barrels with 5/8x24 threads to open up more options on muzzle devices?

[buckshot1220]

Because 5/8" is almost 16mm which would mean the barrel would be much thicker and the standard pattern FSB and gas block would not work as well as a host if other factory and aftermarket accessories.

[burgeman]

Yea as soon as I posted, I googled it and remembered why I was unable to do it on a Saiga I had. I think CNC warrior makes an adapter for 14x1 to 5/8x24, so that is always an option

[KalashniKEV]

I would not get too excited about this just yet, PSA has a less then stellar record with customer service and has sold some pretty lame quality items in the very recent past (Think PTAC).

This.

I can only imagine the meeting at PSA HQ that spawned this rifle...

"Gentlemen, our QA/QC sucks, and our workforce flat out does-not-care about installing parts (like gas blocks) correctly... how can we go on as a business, just slapping crap together and throwing it out the door??"

"Ummmm... I don't know, sir... maybe we should just make AKs..."

Instant promotion for that guy!

LOL

[teutonicpolymer]

When I see an Eastern Bloc weapon and hear about things being from a solid manufacturer with experience building belt-feds... my thoughts go to Vltor.

My first thought wouldn't be Vltor mainly because it is all the way in Tucson while PSA is East and has access to closer manufacturers.

Also there are people asking about side folders and such, and this brings to mind the fact that there are solutions out there like Ace folders and the like.

[teutonicpolymer]

Larry Vickers knows a little bit about AKs, and he already publicly vouched for the quality of the parts and the company making the parts for this, so that's at least a good start. The PSA premium line of of AR stuff has been solid, and their customer service has drastically improved in the last few months, so I think things are looking promising.

I was also told by a PSA rep at SHOT that they are going to release a second version of this AK with an upgraded trigger, nickel boron BCG, and a rail mounted Aimpoint H1, for $999! If that is indeed true, and they can keep it at that price point, they will sell a metric ton of them.

If that is real I may be sold. I just hope they sell them over a long enough period of time so by the time I have the dollar it will still be available!

[jschmitt08]

It appears these are shipping now. Anyone get their hands on one yet?

[Chatterbox]

It appears these are shipping now. Anyone get their hands on one yet?

According to reports on TOS, there were quite a few out of spec parts, including bolts.

[Fishbed77]

Lots of discussion on akfiles.com (if you can wade through the high noise-to-signal ratio).

Basically, the front trunnions of these rifles are cast, which is a big no-no for AKs. Avoid them unless PSA switches to forged trunnions.