What's the benchmark quality AK47?

[teddy12b]

Part 1: I'm not an AK guy, but I've been thinking about buying one. I tend to think in terms of AR-15's when comparing quality. Like it or not, in the AR world the Colt 6920 is the one that everything else gets compared to. What would be the AK equivalent of the Colt 6920?

Part 2: In addition to asking what's a good standard quality AK I'd also like to know what are the good magazines for the platform? What's the "Pmag" of the AK world?

Part 3: What features are sought after on AK's? I've seen some with different compensators on them, and others with the bayonet lugs. What else should I be looking for?

I'm just trying to figure out the benchmark for a quality AK. I've always kept the AK's on the backburner on my list of guns to buy, but with gun control in the news again I'm going to be getting a lot more serious about them.

 

[Gamez235]

I tend to see alot of people throw the Arsenals out in terms of what they think is the benchmark. I also see any of Jim Fullers (Rifle Dynamics), Krebs, and those Red Jacket guys tossed in when it comes to the custom built ones.

I have used the Arsenals to pretty much set my own benchmark. Compared to my old WASR, there was pretty much no comparison. Until I held my arsenal next to on of the examples mentioned above.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I tend to see alot of people throw the Arsenals out in terms of what they think is the benchmark. I also see any of Jim Fullers (Rifle Dynamics), Krebs, and those Red Jacket guys tossed in when it comes to the custom built ones.

I have used the Arsenals to pretty much set my own benchmark. Compared to my old WASR, there was pretty much no comparison. Until I held my arsenal next to on of the examples mentioned above.

What? No WaffenWerks love?

 

[Gamez235]

You guys don't give me any slack anymore.

Don't forget about;

Waffen Werks (Very nice Ak's) My personal Waffen Werks was one of the nicest I have ever seen, so nice in fact I couldn't bring myself to shoot it, and that NEVER happens! I'd toss Ohio Rapid Fire's (If you can find them) in as well.


Anything Century, inspect thoroughly before you buy and realize you are on your own if you have an issue in most cases.

Lancaster, run. Plain and simple, punch the guy for trying to sell you one and run to AZ and punch the guy building them in the nuts, HARD.

 

[mkbar80]

I believe Jim Fuller has a WASR package, whereby he will upgrade/improve yours it if you'd like to go that route.

 

[indykid]

How soon you children forget that before Bush1 and clinton and ATF banning your second amendment, we had great rifles from Poly Tech, with the Legend being the closest thing to a true AK Type 3 that you could buy in the land of shall not be infringed.

As for mags, any standard steel AK mag is pretty much indestructible.

 

[schapm]

I have often seen the Arsenal SGL-21 touted as the Colt 6920 of the AK world. Not necessarily the end all and be all, and certainly able to be surpassed, but a bar by which to measure the other rifles of its type.

 

[PTA grad]

I would say the saiga's hold the benchmark in the ak class, you can convert one yourself to avoid over paying for an ak. And I believe thats all an arsenal is, a converted saiga.

 

[Tombs]

The arsenals have "Saiga" stamped clearly on the side. SGL series anyway.

The deal with anything coming out of Izhmash is, they're usually building guns while half blitzed it seems. Even the worst thing to leave izhmash is head and shoulders above century. Typically it's just added character, until entire steps in machining happen to be missed. I've never had a bad one.

 

[curraheeguns]

I would put my factory M70AB2 or M70B1 up against any of them!!

ZASTAVA ARMS Kragujevac | Group 7,62x39mm

http://youtu.be/Z1YRaIbwlmc

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I got REALLY REALLY lucky with a Gunbroker bought, Century built WASR10. I can outshoot a lot of ARs with it and I have never had a single malfunction. Ever.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I'm not an AK guy, but I've been thinking about buying one. I tend to think in terms of AR-15's when comparing quality. Like it or not, in the AR world the Colt 6920 is the one that everything else gets compared to. What would be the AK equivalent of the Colt 6920?

So, you mean off the production line then? Hungarians from Krassnar (importer).

You can can some great custom (Firing Line, Krebs, inter alia) and semi-custom runs (Arsenal) now.

In addition to asking what's a good standard quality AK I'd also like to know what are the good magazines for the platform? What's the "Pmag" of the AK world?

Any mag that is not spent, warped or beyond rusty.

What features are sought after on AK's? I've seen some with different compensators on them, and others with the bayonet lugs. What else should I be looking for?

Compensators? Bayonet lugs? I care little for cosmetics.

I did mount a couple of Vortexes on a couple of AK-74s of mine but that was just for grins.

You look for what you look for in every platform: trigger and sights. Krebs does some fine work here but many other builders do great work including my friend Mike at the Firing Line in Oklahoma who tweeks my AKs.

Welcome to Firing Line-Guns and Indoor Range

I like crisp triggers, clean sights (bigger as I age, shut up, young lions), and a simple soft carry sling (leave the donkey dong slings for the mall ninjies and gun shop commandos), all the sharp edges rounded, and I like the action slicked as we right handers come underneath the weapon, as it is all about the manipulations not the bling bling.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

From the different factory AK's I have shot. I'll put my Maadi up against any other factory AK. As for magazines, I have taken a liking to Thermold polymer mags.

 

[451_Detonics]

Best AK but available only on the secondary market these day is the pre-ban milled receiver Polytech AK-47/S Legend guns. These are the Rolls Royces of the civilian AK-47 world.

 

[tradertator]

Polytech in my opinion, is the best available if you can find one.
-As far as features on the rifle, simpler is better. I can't stand an AK dressed out in Tapco, ATI, rails, etc..... KISS= keep it simple stupid.
-As far as mags go, any surplus ones are fine, especially the chinese and bulgarian ones.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Part 1: I'm not an AK guy, but I've been thinking about buying one. I tend to think in terms of AR-15's when comparing quality. Like it or not, in the AR world the Colt 6920 is the one that everything else gets compared to. What would be the AK equivalent of the Colt 6920?

Arsenal SGL series or even SLR series. The SGL is made in the Izhmash plant in Russia, the home of the AK since it's inception. They are built using all Russian military grade parts including the barrel which is hammer forged and chrome lined... it's considered to be among the best AK barrels out there. The SLR's are made in Bulgaria and are considered to be some of the best made copies of the Russian AK's. I prefer the SGL/Russian rifles.

Part 2: In addition to asking what's a good standard quality AK I'd also like to know what are the good magazines for the platform? What's the "Pmag" of the AK world?

The best AK mags are generally military surplus. I like the Bulgarian steel mags that you can pick up in the $8-$10 range. The Bulgy polymers are also very good. Mags are the life blood of your rifle, avoid cheap mags and generally I avoid domestically produced mags. You can't do any better than the Bulgarian military mags that are in ample supply right now.

Part 3: What features are sought after on AK's? I've seen some with different compensators on them, and others with the bayonet lugs. What else should I be looking for?

There aren't too many options when looking at SGL's and SLR's. You can get them with folding stocks (I like both the metal and polymer) and that's about it. Some will have an left hand side accessory rail (I prefer having this on my rifle) and some won't. Over the years Arsenal has made various configurations like Krink style rifles and such. They come and go from their product line and at times getting anything more than a fixed stock basic rifle is hard given their popularity and limited production numbers for the more desirable folders.

I'm just trying to figure out the benchmark for a quality AK. I've always kept the AK's on the backburner on my list of guns to buy, but with gun control in the news again I'm going to be getting a lot more serious about them.

The used Chinese made AK's are nice too, but the Chicoms haven't been imported for years and some can be rather pricey even for being used. There are some decent quality domestically produced rifles but I would go straight for the Arsenal if you want quality and authenticity.

 

[edporch]

How soon you children forget that before Bush1 and clinton and ATF banning your second amendment, we had great rifles from Poly Tech, with the Legend being the closest thing to a true AK Type 3 that you could buy in the land of shall not be infringed.

As for mags, any standard steel AK mag is pretty much indestructible.

Yes.
I got a Polytech Legend in the late 1980's just after Drug Czar and phony conservative Bill Bennett pushed to have their import stopped.

The Legend's milled receiver is much nicer and more solid than the previous stamped receiver AK I'd had before then.

I remember an article in a gun magazine at the time, showing the factory where the Legend was made.
They showed the raw receiver forgings and how the AKs were built.

My Legend has been rock solid and never misfed or jammed even once.

If you can get your hands on one, get it!

 

[whocares]

I have got to give respect to my MAK90 sporter. Norinco makes an A+ AK. Stamped or milled the Norinco AK models are supreme. I would put my Chinese AK up against any twice as expensive Polytech any day. The MAK90 is universally accepted by AK enthusiasts as being top quality

And the NHM91 is nice also

 

[vitamink]

As for magazines bulgarian circle tens are the bees knees. They just did an article in shotgun news where they outperformed every other mag. I would call them the "pmag" of AK. I've used them for years without a single hiccup. My favorite magazines are as follows

1. bulgy circle tens
2. UsPalm
3. bakelite
4. com bloc metal

As for rifles, you can't go wrong with arsenal. Yes, you can make your own sgl 21 with a saiga 7.62, bullet guide, furniture, etc. but the total cost is almost the same so i'd just buy an arsenal. One of the nice things about russian ak's is the level of depth and hardness to their barrel chroming process (they don't have an EPA)

You can get custom rifles that are better than the arsenal as mentioned earlier. Jim Fuller (rifle dynamics) seems to be the man to beat. He has a wasr package that makes a canted sight wobbly mag rusty gun into the best ak ever. All Aks are great. I love my custom maadi as much as my SGL and just as much as my wasr. They all look good, they all go bang.

By the way the little girl in the curraheeguns video is hysterical.

 

[Mac2012]

Glad to hear the Zastava AKMs rank up there. I've been looking at them for a while, but really trying to locate the B1 and not the underfolder. Apparently... I want what others are holding on to!