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AK47 Understanding

A

agabriel

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Since all of the suggested posts are 10+ years old...

I'm interested in learning more about AK47s. I know little to nothing about them. For some reason I seem find them increasingly interesting...

Which accessible and somewhat reasonably priced manufactures are decent today? What should someone look for when checking one out? Do you have to worry about magazine compatibility? It seems like building your own, like an AR, is a terrible idea unless it starts life as a shovel? Any local smiths put kits together? What is the budget for it to be back together?
 
You're best off buying a factory built, import AK in 7.62x39. For current production/offerings, can't go wrong with a WASR... WASRs are a semi-auto, modified for US import law Romanian AKM, built in a legit communist bloc arms factory, using the same chrome lined cold hammer forged barrel the military ones use. The fit and finish isn't great, but as a "do all" AK you can't go wrong, and you will probably be unable to shoot it out.

Nicer fit/finish are Arsenal SAM7R, it's a milled AK, a bit heavier. or a WBP Jack.

Basically there are tons of YouTube videos out there by highly knowledgable people such as Mischaco and AK Operators Union. Do some research and see what works for you. I'm not super familiar with it but consider joining and asking questions, getting opinions, etc on an AK specific site, where you can probably get better answers for technical questions.
 
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puška m70 said:
You're best off buying a factory built, import AK in 7.62x39. For current production/offerings, can't go wrong with a WASR,,, WASRs are a semi-auto, modified for US import law Romanian AKM, built in a legit communist bloc arms factory, using the same chrome lined cold hammer forged barrel the military ones use. The fit and finish isn't great, but as a "do all" AK you can't go wrong, and you will probably be unable to shoot it out.

Nicer fit/finish are Arsenal SAM7R, it's a milled AK, a bit heavier.

Tons of YouTube videos out there by highly knowledgable people such as Mischaco and AK Operators Union. Do some research and see what works for you. I'm not super familiar with it but consider joining and asking questions, getting opinions, etc on an AK specicic forum like AKfiles, where you can probably get better answers for technical questions.
Click to expand...

What he said.

I chortled when I read about "worrying" about mag compatibility. It's an AK. If the mag doesn't fit, just jam it in with more force, comrade.
 
Picton said:
What he said.

I chortled when I read about "worrying" about mag compatibility. It's an AK. If the mag doesn't fit, just jam it in with more force, comrade.
Click to expand...
@agabriel

Haha, sometimes you can bust out the hammer and a metal file too... but WASRs aren't 100% great for magwells, since they're machined out stateside by Century Arms Intl (the importer) due to falling under some of the absolutley insane and Byzantine import restrictions we have in this country

9/10 mags fit 9/10 guns fine, but due to the wide variety of countries and manufacturers of both AKs and mags, some can be a little snug, but it's usually not a problem.
 
puška m70 said:
@agabriel

Haha, sometimes you can bust out the hammer and a metal file too... but WASRs aren't 100% great for magwells, since they're machined out stateside by Century Arms Intl (the importer) due to falling under some of the absolutley insane and Byzantine import restrictions we have in this country

9/10 mags fit 9/10 guns fine, but due to the wide variety of countries and manufacturers of both AKs and mags, some can be a little snug, but it's usually not a problem.
Click to expand...
Most eastern euro mags fit fine, I’ve found the MAGPUL AK mags to be to wide than any eastern bloc mags.
 
agabriel said:
Since all of the suggested posts are 10+ years old...

I'm interested in learning more about AK47s. I know little to nothing about them. For some reason I seem find them increasingly interesting...

Which accessible and somewhat reasonably priced manufactures are decent today? What should someone look for when checking one out? Do you have to worry about magazine compatibility? It seems like building your own, like an AR, is a terrible idea unless it starts life as a shovel? Any local smiths put kits together? What is the budget for it to be back together?
Click to expand...

76Too said:
This line is NES GOLD!

@Mountain , set this young man straight, would ya?
Click to expand...
Damn! I take a little nap while waiting for primers to drop back down to $35 per 1000 and I wake up 10 years later?

1671504472244.jpeg

OK, I can give @agabriel a break since the search function here must be using some sort of cryptic logic that escapes me. I have literally typed in an exact title, clicked search by title, and not received the result I was seeking. However, in this case my thread from way, way back [laugh] was right at the top of the search results.

Wu Flu Quarantine Build - Hungarian FEG AK - w/ Pics

AK's are certainly a much greater challenge to build vs. other rifles I have built from a pile of parts. Boris received some internet fame for that legendary shovel build, but there are 80% AK receivers out there as well as receiver flats if you want that level of challeng. I would rank from most difficult to most easy AK >> M1A / M14 > M1 Garand >>> AR. In fact I and others do not regard AR projects as a 'build' but rather as 'assembly'.

I forget what was my total budget, but it was quite low. I think I paid around $300 for the Hungarian FEG kit. It was the classic torch cut kit with no useable parts already separated from the receiver pieces. The only special tool purchase I made was from a guy on Etsy who makes a barrel pin pusher, receiver support plate, and trunnion support for pressing out/in a barrel. ~$75 delivered and well worth it. Otherwise I made my own tools such as everything I need for setting rivets. I also made my own bench top press from scrap (free) components. The press has a unique modification that was my own idea that allows it to serve double duty as a barrel press. I spent $35 on the 12 Ton bottle jack for the press and ~$16 for the Harbor Freight bolt cutters that became a rivet setter for the front trunnion rivets. Quite a few pics in my thread.

For sure, next time will be easier and faster than this first time was. Building an AK is MUCH more work than assembling Legos guns (AR's) and you absolutely must be doing it to enjoy the build, otherwise you would be better served by purchasing one of the AK's recommended by others. For sure a rewarding project and eventually I would like to do another, but I might wait until I retire in a few years LOL.

ILbEHCsh.jpg
 
BUY an AK? WTF is that shi*?

I feel old now. When I joined here, I don’t think you could buy a complete AK. If you could, it was out of my budget.
Parts kits were common enough. I think I paid around $200 for a Maadi kit and same for a Bulgy ‘74 kit.
Back in 2014, we had an epic AK build party up in Gardner at a members house. I think we completed 21 or 22 that day. Quite a few of the pre-populated barrels had to have the headspacing fixed.

I’m curious if any currently active members here were at that event?
 
You can always convert a Saiga Sporter if you can find one...

maxresdefault.jpg

20220501_103331_resized-jpg.137911
 
dgrafton said:
BUY an AK? WTF is that shi*?

I feel old now. When I joined here, I don’t think you could buy a complete AK. If you could, it was out of my budget.
Parts kits were common enough. I think I paid around $200 for a Maadi kit and same for a Bulgy ‘74 kit.
Back in 2014, we had an epic AK build party up in Gardner at a members house. I think we completed 21 or 22 that day. Quite a few of the pre-populated barrels had to have the headspacing fixed.

I’m curious if any currently active members here were at that event?
Click to expand...
I was born too late to get into the golden days of AK stuff... nowadays unless you want something really specific or historical, usually isn't worth it... it's more expensive to build a Yugo (Serbia), Romanian, Bulgarian or Polish AK from a parts kit than it is to purchase a factory gun. You don't have to deal with used parts, sourcing a likely inferior US made barrel (can't import de-milled kits with barrels now)

You can buy a brand new, factory gun from those respective countries that's arguably better quality and put together than most of what you can get in the US.

I see Bulgarian 74 kits with orig barrel listed at ~$1500-1800... wow...!

Plus, unless it was built by a known, professional builder... I would always want a factory AK over something built here on a US receiver by an unknown 3rd party.
 
JRT said:
Most eastern euro mags fit fine, I’ve found the MAGPUL AK mags to be to wide than any eastern bloc mags.
Click to expand...
My WASR came with Tapco mags.
Bulgarians, Croatians, etc didn't fit.
Magpuls did.
Just got to try different ones.
I just sent 8 assorted that didn't fit to a buddy with a note.
"If they don't fit just pass them on. Do not send back!
 
dgrafton said:
BUY an AK? WTF is that shi*?

I feel old now. When I joined here, I don’t think you could buy a complete AK. If you could, it was out of my budget.
Parts kits were common enough. I think I paid around $200 for a Maadi kit and same for a Bulgy ‘74 kit.
Back in 2014, we had an epic AK build party up in Gardner at a members house. I think we completed 21 or 22 that day. Quite a few of the pre-populated barrels had to have the headspacing fixed.

I’m curious if any currently active members here were at that event?
Click to expand...

If it is the same guy I am thinking about, pretty sure I sold him his first AK at a NES get together in the early pre-historic days of NES. Was a milled Arsenal.. Someone took a pic saying something like first AK transfer at a NES kegger lol Maybe it wasn't the dude who lived at the house, but was definitely an NES member at the party.. Admin or EddieCoyle probably has a better remembery than I do :)

Damn, that was a long ass time ago, @Admin still lived in MA ... Was like 2004 maybe...
 
Last edited:
dgrafton said:
BUY an AK? WTF is that shi*?

I feel old now. When I joined here, I don’t think you could buy a complete AK. If you could, it was out of my budget.
Parts kits were common enough. I think I paid around $200 for a Maadi kit and same for a Bulgy ‘74 kit.
Back in 2014, we had an epic AK build party up in Gardner at a members house. I think we completed 21 or 22 that day. Quite a few of the pre-populated barrels had to have the headspacing fixed.

I’m curious if any currently active members here were at that event?
Click to expand...
Yes , that member moved out of state awhile ago. Nice guy.
 
puška m70 said:
I was born too late to get into the golden days of AK stuff... nowadays unless you want something really specific or historical, usually isn't worth it... it's more expensive to build a Yugo (Serbia), Romanian, Bulgarian or Polish AK from a parts kit than it is to purchase a factory gun. You don't have to deal with used parts, sourcing a likely inferior US made barrel (can't import de-milled kits with barrels now)

You can buy a brand new, factory gun from those respective countries that's arguably better quality and put together than most of what you can get in the US.

I see Bulgarian 74 kits with orig barrel listed at ~$1500-1800... wow...!

Plus, unless it was built by a known, professional builder... I would always want a factory AK over something built here on a US receiver by an unknown 3rd party.
Click to expand...
Oh, I get it!
I did see kits a few weeks ago. Cheapest was $1200!
I almost choked, then cried a couple tears
 
dgrafton said:
BUY an AK? WTF is that shi*?

I feel old now. When I joined here, I don’t think you could buy a complete AK. If you could, it was out of my budget.
Parts kits were common enough. I think I paid around $200 for a Maadi kit and same for a Bulgy ‘74 kit.
Back in 2014, we had an epic AK build party up in Gardner at a members house. I think we completed 21 or 22 that day. Quite a few of the pre-populated barrels had to have the headspacing fixed.

I’m curious if any currently active members here were at that event?
Click to expand...
I was there with another member, great day too bad we couldn’t do more like that.
 

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