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AK47's - Who makes the best one and why?

Ran 100 rounds of Wolf black box through my new WASR yesterday, and it shoots absolutely awesome. I still hear the "I want an AK but not a WASR" well do some research before you get this attitude because they are very nice rifles. The fit/finish is very nice and the front sight is nice and straight!
 
Ran 100 rounds of Wolf black box through my new WASR yesterday, and it shoots absolutely awesome. I still hear the "I want an AK but not a WASR" well do some research before you get this attitude because they are very nice rifles. The fit/finish is very nice and the front sight is nice and straight!
nothing wrong with a WASR. Do you have the tapco G2 trigger or the new century one?
 
Ran 100 rounds of Wolf black box through my new WASR yesterday, and it shoots absolutely awesome. I still hear the "I want an AK but not a WASR" well do some research before you get this attitude because they are very nice rifles. The fit/finish is very nice and the front sight is nice and straight!

The new WASRs are getting a lot of love on AKFiles and elsewhere. As long as you can accept and understand what they are and what they are not (just like any firearm) you should be just fine. I would say many (not all) that turn their noses up at WASRs are basing it off the old ones. That said, you need to inspect and scrutinize a WASR before buying just like you would any other rifle.
 
People are leaning towards WASRs now because of the issues with US built AKs being made out of crap parts. Plus Romania isn't sending anymore rifles here for a long time so what's here is drying up.
 
The new WASRs are getting a lot of love on AKFiles and elsewhere. As long as you can accept and understand what they are and what they are not (just like any firearm) you should be just fine. I would say many (not all) that turn their noses up at WASRs are basing it off the old ones. That said, you need to inspect and scrutinize a WASR before buying just like you would any other rifle.

People turned their nose up at WASRs back when you could pick up a milled arsenal for $650 and things like a SAR-1 for $100-150 more than a wasr. Yes, in relative terms, back then, the WASR was a piece of shit. The canted front sights didn't help either. Times change- and 12+ years later, Compared to the current crop of AKs though under a grand, it's better than most of the pack. It's all relative.

-Mike
 
nothing wrong with a WASR. Do you have the tapco G2 trigger or the new century one?

Says Tapco on inside of the trigger housing where the grip comes up but has a big C on the side of the trigger itself and is double hooked so I think it's the RAK-1 trigger from century. It is real smooth, not really lightweight but it breaks clean.
 
Says Tapco on inside of the trigger housing where the grip comes up but has a big C on the side of the trigger itself and is double hooked so I think it's the RAK-1 trigger from century. It is real smooth, not really lightweight but it breaks clean.
Perfect if its the RAK-1. If the hammer is rounded its a RAK if it has 2 sharp points its a G2 like 1st picture.
and the Tail end of the Carrier gets worn in bad if its a G2 (2nd pic) You can sand down the High points on the G2 Hammer and should be GTG.
 

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Here's my 2 cents. I bought a few Chinese ones back when the fair store was around. I have a total of 12 to be exact. I took one out of the box and started using it. It's a mak90 and I still use it today. Always works and has never malfunctioned. I was under the impression they were going to wear out because out the cost I paid. I believe 280. Each when new. So 20 ++ years later I have santurri go over my original mak and nothing needs replacing. But it did get painted and updated furniture. The other 11 I never have used. They sit in a safe still in their boxes. Side folder, unfolded etc... Chinese ak variants rock. I'm well over 16000 rounds and still counting
 
i also have a Norinco NHM 90 , the in between between a 56s, and mak90's it comes with a threaded barrel , bayo lug ground off , but other than that it is a preban 56s ak. i love it and don't regret selling my arsenal for one. it is a reliable beast. I stopped shooting it because well, as long as i live in MA i can't really just go out and get another . and with the cost of getting the gun worked on for a new barrel or hard to find and expensive parts , i would rather just shoot my scar 17, because i know i can still get parts and i don't even need a gunsmith to replace the entire barrel assembly. so the AK is now a storage piece.
 
Unless you've got one unfired, in the box, and are saving it as an investment... shoot them!

There is no amount of shooting the average civilian is going to do that will wear out an AK, especially a foreign made one. The barrels were designed to handle thousands and thousands of rounds in full auto fire.
 
Unless you've got one unfired, in the box, and are saving it as an investment... shoot them!

There is no amount of shooting the average civilian is going to do that will wear out an AK, especially a foreign made one. The barrels were designed to handle thousands and thousands of rounds in full auto fire.

This for sure..

I bought the Sam7r years ago and its my most expensive AK (Not worth the Most though my SGL21 is) and I shoot the Sammy the most, Ray is right, get them out and use them.
 
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Just changed out the grip and stock on the Serbian NPAP M70 to make it SUPER KILLY!!! Seriously, the buttstock upgrade from RapidFireTek basically served one purpose...to add a QD sling mount. $150 or so later, and I can now attach my sling with the push of a button...so much for 'bang for buck', but i get chubby every time i look at it now! :D

As a side note, what are you guys using (if any) for sights other than irons? i kinda liked the idea of a little red dot or something, but i might just leave this bare bones.
 
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Just changed out the grip and stock on the Serbian NPAP M70 to make it SUPER KILLY!!! Seriously, the buttstock upgrade from RapidFireTek basically served one purpose...to add a QD sling mount. $150 or so later, and I can now attach my sling with the push of a button...so much for 'bang for buck', but i get chubby every time i look at it now! :D

As a side note, what are you guys using (if any) for sights other than irons? i kinda liked the idea of a little red dot or something, but i might just leave this bare bones.
I only use stock Irons but throw on my QD 1-4 at times
 

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As a side note, what are you guys using (if any) for sights other than irons? i kinda liked the idea of a little red dot or something, but i might just leave this bare bones.

My only rifle with sights is my 10/22, I use irons on all others. That said, I've been thinking of picking up RS Regulate side scope for my AK with ACSS Red Dot. I really like being able to quickly pop it on or off, since I still really enjoy irons.



Not so sure which sight, but I will get something that will work with the RS Regulate (there's a few options).
 
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I've gone both ways, RS side rail and 30mm rings and Ultimak gas tube replacement rail. The Ultimak tube + red dot (full cowitness) is faster to bring up and use. Never an issue holding zero even after taken out for cleaning.
 
As a side note, what are you guys using (if any) for sights other than irons? i kinda liked the idea of a little red dot or something, but i might just leave this bare bones.

Russian stuff. [wink]

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....go on....

What are you looking to do with it? If a quick co-witness dot for speed steels (blazing 10th's between targets, 3gun, etc.) is the goal, the Ultimak and your choice of 1x (bushnell, MRO, Primary arms) dot is unbeatable IMHO. Cowitness with factory irons gets it done quite nicely. If you are looking for something to go out some distance, the RS sidemount with flat base or rings is good if you want to run a 1x-6x tube.
 
what the christ is that!?!?

i like it!

That's a PK-A. I've also got a PK-01. Both sit nice and low and hold zero when reattaching. Kalinka sells them but for more money than the site (Eastwave) I purchased that PK from. They import from Russia and it comes through Canada. My wife freaked because when the package showed up, it was wrapped in brown paper with Russian stamps all over it.
 
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Eastwave is a good source for Russian optics. I've used them just as Ray has. You just have to expect a longer shipping time than Kalinka as your package will get held up in customs.

Russian optics are a mixed bag- some are great, some are shit. Kobras, while cool and fun to play with, have a long history of reliability issues. I have a PK-23 that works great when it... works. Ivan who designed the battery springs didn't account for the stress relaxation, and they yield and stop pushing the batteries as well as they did brand new. Every now and then it needs a good whack to complete the power circuit in the cold.

Optical clarity isn't nearly as good as Eotech, Aimpoint, etc. But it's workable.
 
What are you looking to do with it? If a quick co-witness dot for speed steels (blazing 10th's between targets, 3gun, etc.) is the goal, the Ultimak and your choice of 1x (bushnell, MRO, Primary arms) dot is unbeatable IMHO. Cowitness with factory irons gets it done quite nicely. If you are looking for something to go out some distance, the RS sidemount with flat base or rings is good if you want to run a 1x-6x tube.

100-200 yard steel plates would be the use case, preferably with pretty fast acquisition. Ray's PK has piqued my interest but always interested in opinions.
 
I had an RS mount with a Sparc red dot on a Saiga 308 and it worked well. Solid mount, nice clear optics. It just didn't look like it belonged on a Russian AK.

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100-200 yard steel plates would be the use case, preferably with pretty fast acquisition. Ray's PK has piqued my interest but always interested in opinions.

100 is doable, but even with the smallest moa dot you'll be covering a small 8" target at 100yd. I'd think at 200 you would cover it.
 
100 is doable, but even with the smallest moa dot you'll be covering a small 8" target at 100yd. I'd think at 200 you would cover it.

Yeah, 200 might be a stretch. My club's supposed to be adding 200 yds soon so I was hoping to be able to stretch it a bit. I've got no problem with 100yds and irons when I do my job, but it would be nice to have something handy.

Any recommendations?
 
I tried it both ways, ultimak + burris or triji MRO for fast shooting. No difference in the burris or MRO for me 0-100yd other than the huge price difference. Works great for 2-gun or 3-gun nation type cardboard targets, moving around a 9-hole board, and hitting 40% IPSC reduced torso sized AR550 targets up to 100yd.

For an honest 200yd+ 1x dot won't cut it anymore, if it were me I'd try an RS siderail w/ rings and a fixed 3x Vortec or 1-4x/1-6x variable JM-1 reticle or similar if you need to cover the whole range. The RS should give you enough eye relief placed further back.
 
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