The AKM in 2017, what should I be looking at

[KalashniKEV]

...in particular the Magpul Zhukov furniture set. Magpul's extra stocks and fore ends have always been rock solid, and a substantial upgrade on whatever I've handled them on.

I have the Zhukov, and it's not exactly what I'd call rock solid. I still like it though for optics use as it also raises the comb slightly.

To those suggesting the Arsenal, my initial post was designed to get deeper feedback than 'buy an arsenal'.

I'm actually not too hot on Arsenal these days- too many QC issues... especially the gas blocks all being universally too-far-away on their AKSU types.

My SLR-104UR in particular also had a front sight that was bent over like a candle wick, then there was this guy who waited on a factory SBR:



After that you get to deal with their poor finish and crappy CS in the states.

They have a lot to fix with themselves, and I think people give them far too much credit.

Always buy an imported AK. No American company can make one worth a damn.

Take this advice as a starting point.

To those suggesting the SAR1, what makes that a particularly worthy buy vs the WASR?

As others have stated- it's built on the same receiver as every other legit Ratmil or Cugir AKM, they just skip drilling the auto sear axis where the Y stamp is.

You can still get a 100% correct factory AK built on that receiver, BTW:

...Jim Fuller said the best bang for the buck in the AK world is a used CHICOM AK.

Outside of the Polytech Legends and the 56S guns, most Chinese AKs are garbage.

Weak blue, rustomatic, pallet wood stocks... just junk.

The same is true for the SKSs.

Look at a Norinco commercial SKS like the "paratrooper" or D-model next to a /26\ Jianshe gun. Same thing as an MAK-90 vs a 56S-2.

[Moose-Knuckle]

All AK's that are imported are made at state Arsenal's using the same hammer forged barrels. I've owned Chinese, Yugo, Bulgarian, Russian, Romanian, Egyptian, and Hungarian AK's. Currently I just have Bulgarian, Russian, Hungarian, and Romanian guns- which I feel are the best of the imports to own overall. I've owned both milled and stamped guns over the years but now only own one RPK variant with a milled receiver, primarily because milled guns are just to heavy and are pushing .308 rifle weights. I currently have AK's in 5.56, 5.45, and 7.62x39.

If I could only own one rifle the rest of my life- it would be an unbanned 7.62x39 Romanian SAR 1, outfitted with the Romanian wire folding stock, a railed handguard, and RS regulate mount with some type of optic. Unlike the Russian/Bulgarian guns, the Romanians got the folding stock with rail system correct- it folds to the right and allows you to keep your optics in place for storage.


7n6

The Jim Fuller quote was about the best price going on used pre-ban AKs, I don't price pre-bans as they are not my thing. I ass-u-me Fuller is up to speed on the AK market.

To date I've never owned a CHICOM AK for no other reason than I've never happened on a good deal. I own Bulgarian, Russian (both Izhmash and Molot), and Romanian (SARs not WASRs).

IMHO they are all g2g.

I stay clear from American AKs with the exception of high end custom shops of a known quality.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Outside of the Polytech Legends and the 56S guns, most Chinese AKs are garbage.

Weak blue, rustomatic, pallet wood stocks... just junk.

The particular gun Jim Fuller talked about in the interview I mentioned was the Norinco MAK-90 as he has experience working on them.

Again, never owned any of the CHICOM AKs so I'll stay in my lane as to their quality.


Interview referenced, MAK-90 comment @ 11:36:

[MountainRaven]

Only in the US - where Chinese AKs are collectors items and not hard use weapons - do Chinese AKs have a stellar reputation. Everywhere else, from Finland to Syria, their rep is not so hot.

Admittedly, the Chinese AKs in the US were mostly made in the 80s while the Chinese AKs abroad are of significantly more recent vintage (and the older ones have probably all been ridden hard and put away wet on more than a few occasions). Combined with their collector status, I doubt anyone today in the US is going to run a Chinese AK hard like they have with WASRs, Arsenals, and others.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Only in the US - where Chinese AKs are collectors items and not hard use weapons - do Chinese AKs have a stellar reputation. Everywhere else, from Finland to Syria, their rep is not so hot.

Admittedly, the Chinese AKs in the US were mostly made in the 80s while the Chinese AKs abroad are of significantly more recent vintage (and the older ones have probably all been ridden hard and put away wet on more than a few occasions). Combined with their collector status, I doubt anyone today in the US is going to run a Chinese AK hard like they have with WASRs, Arsenals, and others.

I read somewhere that both the Finns and the Israelis have hoards of CHICOM AKs cached for end game scenarios. Like in the event it's the big one and they have to pass out small arms to every last man, woman, and child kind of a deal.

No idea as to the era of manufacture and definitely not first line long arms as the Sako/Valmet and Tavor/Galil/M16 do the heavy lifting in those nations.

[KalashniKEV]

Interview referenced, MAK-90 comment @ 11:36

1) How can an item that owes it's place in the market solely to scarcity and it's legal-import-status be regarded as "best bang for your buck?"

2) Use your eyes.- A Chinese AK will quickly rust away, the Chu wood can be dented with a fingernail, and will be in splinters at the end of a week of patrolling.

3) Dude is looking straight TWEAK.

Chinese AKs = worst possible value.

Only in the US - where Chinese AKs are collectors items and not hard use weapons - do Chinese AKs have a stellar reputation.

...and only for people who form their opinions on internet message boards (the very same people who are stroking over the Swiss clones of the Taurus SMT and the Intratec Tec-9 at 10+x the price).

I read somewhere that both the Finns and the Israelis have hoards of CHICOM AKs cached for end game scenarios. Like in the event it's the big one and they have to pass out small arms to every last man, woman, and child kind of a deal.

I've not heard that version of it.

Here's the real story- Finland MoD tried to stretch their budget by purchasing Chinese AKs.

"They'll only be for Reserve use," they said.

Parliament gave them the money, and they adopted it as RK 56 TP. When the rifles arrived and they saw what a Chinese AK actually was, they went straight into the trash can (where they belong).

So much for saving money.

Now, as far as paying EXTRA for low quality manufacture due to artificial scarcity?

[MegademiC]

How are Egyptian maadis? 10 years ago they were thought to be solid. Is that still true?

[KalashniKEV]

How are Egyptian maadis? 10 years ago they were thought to be solid. Is that still true?

I think they're OK.

The errornet knowledge that people have been trained to memorize and repeat is "built on Soviet machines! Closest to an Izhevsk AKM!"

Shiny black paint is not applied well, rivet heads tend to be weird and misshapen.

Plus the value is not good because of scarcity.

[RetroRevolver77]

How are Egyptian maadis? 10 years ago they were thought to be solid. Is that still true?

I owned six of the Y stamp Maadi's. These were post ban imports which I then had un-banned to pre-ban specs. Overall they are OK but they are a little rough. I did like their lightweight RPK variant with factory bi-pod though, I thought it was neat and well thought out- looked really good once I got it unbanned as well. If you want the best quality true AKM imported to date, then I'd go Hungarian- if you like the full stock guns. I own three currently, pre ban fixed, pre ban folder, and an AMD that was redone correctly. If you like the Russian look with red iodine stained furniture- rather than going with a Maadi, just go with a Romanian, they also made laminate furniture and once unbanned- with a little staining on the furniture- they clean up really nice.

[scooter22]

KEV, is that an SBR'd "Draco"?