AK47 recommendations?

One thing I didn't point out in my earlier post...buy from the closest manufacturer possible and only if they have a store front. I would not order from anyone who's business I couldn't visit in person. That was a major factor in my choice of Ohio Rapid Fire. Close enough to drive to, they have a largish store open 6 days a week, the work is done on the premises.
 
I would not own anything If I did that.

Go with Trusted/reputable dealers/builders, no matter where they are.

If they are a Honorable company they will do you right. Living close to them will not make them be one if they are not already.
 
By drivable I mean within a day, I live in Indiana and do business as far as Iowa...easy days drive. Even a reputable dealer can have a major screw up occasionally. Being able to show up in person always helps. I should have said closest dealer you trust above....meant to.

If a dealer does not have a store front you can visit with established hours you are taking a risk, tabletop dealers aren't always as reliable as dealers who own a store. Fact of life...
 
I have a Krebs in 7.62, Arsenal side folder in .223, and a Bulgarian AKS-74 built off an ITM receiver. I've owned a vector underfolder in 7.62 and a Global Trades AK pistol as well.

The Krebs is best for modern ergonomics and sights, plus it has a thumb safety. The 74 is super light, short, and accurate. The Arsenal is as well. I sent the 5.45 and the 223 to AK-103.com to get "AK-100" type US made flash hiders installed. Excellent work.

I'd buy a reputable rifle in 7.62, figure out which features you want before hand, and send it to a professional if you're not comfortable modding it yourself, or if you want a stock blaster that's fine too.

I"m about to buy a fourth 7.62 since Barack told us we have to take AK-47's off the streets. I'll do my part for my country. :D
 
I have never seen any AK not work and I have had several from el cheapos to Krinkov's for a first timer that wants a great middle of the road AK get you a Yugo fixed or underfolder AK they have 1.6mm receiver which are very good.
 
TR Graham is awesome I have heard many great things about him and have owned some rifles hes built. Get one from him if you can he does quality work and is very well known in the gun community.
 
sanddragger28 said:
I have never seen any AK not work and I have had several from el cheapos to Krinkov's for a first timer that wants a great middle of the road AK get you a Yugo fixed or underfolder AK they have 1.6mm receiver which are very good.
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the one AK i have ever seen that was funky was a yugo undefolder lol...........had a out of spec mag well and mags didnt lock up right.

as far as different safeties and such if i wanted an AK i would get an AK, if i didnt like the ergos and wasnt willing to train to operate them properly i'd get something which fit my style like an AR, not bastardise a great design which works just fine.
 
quality and reputation of Vector arms? I was looking at an underfolder that looked really nice, except the way the reciever ejection port was covered up by the safety. It just looked strange.

Are they reliable? The parts were all brand new.underfolder still tight. Joe
 
Vector is a bit of a question mark these days, as to whether or not they're going to be in existence much longer. One of their executives got caught up in a Chinese ammo deal that the State Department is pursuing. They are trying to "change ownership" of the company to insulate the company from the actions of this person.

There are rumors of other companies bidding on Vector's proprietary lines, namely their UZI and RPD production.

I own a Vector-built all-matching Polish U/F built on a Global Trades receiver. The build is top-notch.

At this time I would think twice about purchasing a Vector given that future warranty/repair work is uncertain.
 
I think of AKs as the Honda Civic of the gun world. They all work forever, no matter how much you abuse them, they are sort of fun to tinker around with, but if you start doing too much to them and hanging lots of crap off of them they start to look silly, and beg the question, why didn't you just get something better to begin with?

I've had the more expensive versions, but I keep a crudely made WASR because an AK just needs to go bang every time, not be all purty. (Although i have to admit that Darkforester's example is a very handsome gun.)
 
Thanks Mule. it sounds sililar to mine with the polish parts except it has a
"Ohio" something made reciever, supposedly thicker than most? I take gun show talk with a grain of salt.

One of the most reliable rifles I've ever has is my Maadi with a thumbhole stock and no flash hider etc. It's a fun shooter, and inspires confidence due to it's extreme reliability.

I don't like throwing the "parts guns" label around as all guns start out as a collection of parts. This was driven home in S&W school when we made two model 65's each , which went to Q/C and were sold as if off the line.

The Maadi is certainly not a parts gun, as it came from a real russian plant bought by egypt and set up there officially, kind of like HK in portugal amongst other places.

Thank you all for the information. I always try to learn from these type threads. Joe
 
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D25 said:
I think of AKs as the Honda Civic of the gun world. They all work forever, no matter how much you abuse them, they are sort of fun to tinker around with, but if you start doing too much to them and hanging lots of crap off of them they start to look silly, and beg the question, why didn't you just get something better to begin with?

I've had the more expensive versions, but I keep a crudely made WASR because an AK just needs to go bang every time, not be all purty. (Although i have to admit that Darkforester's example is a very handsome gun.)
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LOL, luckily for me I've always thought AKs were among the most attractive gun designs ever, so I don't feel like I'm getting ugly for reliability like some of the Civics.

As for tricking out an AK instead of getting something better to begin with... I really can't seem to find anything better. If I did I would buy it. Cheap ammo (that isn't tiny), ultra-reliable, reasonably accurrate, time tested, hi-cap mags, folding stock... I just don't know what other gun can offer that. If I did, I'd take a serious look at it.
 
chaya said:
LOL, luckily for me I've always thought AKs were among the most attractive gun designs ever, so I don't feel like I'm getting ugly for reliability like some of the Civics.

As for tricking out an AK instead of getting something better to begin with... I really can't seem to find anything better. If I did I would buy it. Cheap ammo (that isn't tiny), ultra-reliable, reasonably accurrate, time tested, hi-cap mags, folding stock... I just don't know what other gun can offer that. If I did, I'd take a serious look at it.
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Oh, don't get me wrong- I love 'em, and don't consider them ugly. But I don't think that Mr. Kalashnikov was really concerned with the aesthetics either. It's more of a beauty in the utility of the design that appeals to me.

The tricked out AKs that bother me are the ones that have a bayonette and a 10x scope, or a $400 laser on a $350 gun- that kind of tacticool.
 
D25 said:
Oh, don't get me wrong- I love 'em, and don't consider them ugly. But I don't think that Mr. Kalashnikov was really concerned with the aesthetics either. It's more of a beauty in the utility of the design that appeals to me.

The tricked out AKs that bother me are the ones that have a bayonette and a 10x scope, or a $400 laser on a $350 gun- that kind of tacticool.
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Bingo. Function is beauty!

LOL yeah that makes sense. I'd start out with a base AK that is top quality, then put on extras if I needed them.
 
I view the AK 47 round rather like the 9.3x57mm mauser, a non round for everyday hunter. The 7x57mm and the 9.3x62mm were heaps better interms of accuracy and punch. It lacks the energy of the 7.62 nato and the accuracy of the 5.56nato and the 7.62nato. The South Africans used to rebarrel the captured AK47s for pseudo infiltrations to get reasonable accuracy.


It was designed for reliable high rate cycling. Shorter round = quicker cycle than the 7.62nato and a larger caliber than the 5.56nato = better reliability and lower deflection in bush conditions. At short ranges it was magic on full auto in the hands of a reasonably trained soldier. It gave oomph to barely trained soldiers. For what it was designed it was brilliant.
 
:thumbup: I have read nothing but great things about Jim Fuller/Rifle Dynamics. I have two Romanian kits set aside so Jim can do his AK magic.
 
Tim-Gabz said:
I view the AK 47 round rather like the 9.3x57mm mauser, a non round for everyday hunter.
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Actually the 7.62X39 is the equivalent of the 30-30 which, within it's range, has taken huge numbers of deer sized game. When loaded with good bullets such as the excellent Barnes Triple-X it adds additional range to the round for hunting. Cor-Bon kicks it up a notch further with it's 150gr CorBon Hunter load at 2300fps.
 
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