AK-47

Classic Arms has yugos $450 -$480




I don't know. Any deals there?
http://www.classicarms.us

STG is $380 at Atlantic

Of all the AK's I've shot, the most consistent and accurate is the Chinese Polytech Legend AK-47S. It has a match grade barrel and milled receiver with excellent finish work. Of course, it also has a match grade price: $1750 new and $1100 used. Part of the huge price is the fact that they were banned by import by Bill Clinton after the Chinese tried to smuggle 2000 full auto guns into California and were busted by the ATF. After that, the price skyrocketed. If you want a decent AK for a much better price, the Yugoslavian AK's are hot right now since their sheetmetal reciever is very thick and almost as stiff as a milled reciever. Also, a great bang for the buck AK is one of those from Arsenal of Las Vegas, who makes US/Bulgarian style AK's, which sometimes are less accurate, but frequently absolute tack drivers. Very few lemons there. My old Arsenal SAM-7 AK had to have it's front sight moved almost all the way to the left side to shoot straight, and was a good shooter, but not nearly as consistent as the Polytech Legend. Most people go cheap, and grab a crappy WASR 10 Romanian, since they don't notice much loss of accuracy since most plink at 50-60 yards. I plink at 150 yards with the Legend. Yes, the rifle I got IS THAT GOOD with open sights. (I like scaring the M-4 AR shooters by doing that.) I have heard of Polytechs that don't shoot as straight, but paying a steep price for better quality control improves your odds of buying a tack driver. Another fun cheap AK, but hard to find now, is the SAR1 Romanian. And, at near the top of the range of quality and almost as pricey as the Polytechs, are the AK variants like VEPR's. You gotta select the AK for your pocketbook and accuracy expectations. Basically, you get what you pay for.

I had a SAR-1 before I even knew they were more valuble than a WASR. I bought my SAR for $350 and sold it for $400 and picked up a WASR for $350 with slant muzzle break and all the accessories... yes I was idiot!

SAR-1's are also not that much different than a WASR, other than the fact the sites are straight and they got the dimples (so no mag wobble), but they still have horrible finish's and crappy balsa wood for furniture.

You sound like you had experience with all of them.

1) What do you think of Maadi's? I remember about 15 years ago they were really the only AK's available.

2) How about Vectors? I heard Vector uses Polish parts kits and they are of high quality.

3) How about Lancasters? They are new in the game and they also seem to use the thicker sheet metal for stamped recievers.

4) I have heard the legend of the Poly Legend. When you say match grade barrel, are they all like that? Same quality as say a Kreiger?

5) I have heard the new stamp Arsenals are having issues. Is this true? An AK having issues? I myself got a milled AK and let me tell you, it is one awesome shooter. Would you say the Poly Legend reciever is of the same quality?

Thanks for your post and I find it dead on with what I have heard.

Eric, my old saussage jockey. This one's for you.



Not only have I been there, I even have the scars and broken bones to prove it. You'll have to excuse the quality of the picture, it's pre-digital, been awhile.