AK varients and pictures

[agentl074]

I may be interested in an AK variant in the future. I have seen one that was really nice at 21st Century Firearms - all black and really cool - which was made in the USA! Does anyone have photo's of their AK's and set ups?

 

[techres]

Oh, yeah baby!

CAI Yugo Underfolder:

Romak III PSL:

Two Yugo's at the front of the table with an STG just beyond them:

Krebs Yugo Pistol:

Golani:

That is about it for now...

 

[esrice]

Tagged for later.

Being more of an "AR guy" myself (lately), can someone give me a *brief* overview of "Top Quality", "Middle Quality", and "Bottom Quality" as it relates to AKs?

For example, most people will agree that, when it comes to ARs, that Noveske is at the Top, Bushmaster is in the Middle, and M1S is on the Bottom. How does this work with AKs?

Bring on the pics!

 

[NateIU10]

Converted Saiga 223. my one and only AK variant, got it in 223 to keep common caliber with my ARs

 

[techres]

Tagged for later.

Being more of an "AR guy" myself (lately), can someone give me a *brief* overview of "Top Quality", "Middle Quality", and "Bottom Quality" as it relates to AKs?

For example, most people will agree that, when it comes to ARs, that Noveske is at the Top, Bushmaster is in the Middle, and M1S is on the Bottom. How does this work with AKs?

Bring on the pics!

Of course, Shooter521 is going to do this better than I, but I will give it a stab:

Best:

Krebs
Arsenal (with some recent exceptions)
Vector
Pre-Ban Chinese
Pre-ban Russian

Middle:

Lancaster
Ohio Rapid Fire
Yugo
Saiga

Low:

Mac90's
CAI anything (other than Yugo's)
Inter Ordinance
WASR

That's off the top of my head.

 

[ncthorn]

My Saiga:

 

[shooter521]

can someone give me a *brief* overview of "Top Quality", "Middle Quality", and "Bottom Quality" as it relates to AKs?

When you come over on the 1st, remind me to give you a tour of the AK side of the house.

Unfortunately, the Second Golden Age of the AK is rapidly fading. If you're looking to get in now, your options are much more limited, prices are higher and the quality much lower than even just 4 or 5 years ago.

That said, here's my very generalized hierarchy:

TOP
Bulgarian milled receiver (SLR95, SAM5, SAM7, etc)
Yugo M70 (Mitchell import)
Hungarian SA83/85 series
Steyr Maadi
Pre-89 Polytech
Vector

Kit builds by Krebs, InRange, Tromix, AK-USA and POHF (and others)

MIDDLE
Bulgarian stamped receiver (SLR-105/106/107 and SLG series)
Arsenal USA/Global Trades SSR series
Saiga
Pre-89 Norinco
Early Romanian imports (MkI and MkII, CUR-1/2, ROMAK)
Interarms Tantal
Yugo M70 (Century Build)
Hungarian AMD65 (Century Build)
TGI AK74

Kit builds by Lancaster, Henderson, Red Jacket and ORF (and others)

BOTTOM
Norinco MAK90
Century SAR series
Century Tantal
Maadi MISR
InterOrdnance STG & AK47C series
Century GP1975
Century WASR series

Kit builds by Wellco Arms (and others)

DON'T EVEN GO THERE
Hesse/Vulcan

Kit builds by Elite Firearms (Fort Worth, TX) and Joeken/JKF (and others)

 

[Clay]

IMO, I would disagree with both of you on Norinco MAK90s. Other than the fact they are neutered, I would put them on par with most of the "middle" rifles listed.

 

[Sinner Man]

MAK90s ARE considered great guns as they are all original Chinese etc. that have been neutered to take advantage of the sporting clause. A lot of people are very happy with them when they change the stocks and grips (as well as parts to make it compliant) and get a muzzle device installed.

 

[shooter521]

I would put them on par with most of the "middle" rifles listed.

MAK90s were neutered guns (with a thumbhole stock second only in discomfort to the Romanian PSL type), but were also assembled in the typical cheap and hasty ChiCom fashion. They generally have a thin blued finish, electropenciled or dot-matrix type engraving, flimsy furniture (balsa anyone?) and slappy triggers. Some of them also have slant-cut receivers, which prevent them from taking regular AK stocks. Then there were also the "contraband" MAK90s that came in with the third pin hole in the receiver (illegal machine guns) and the ones caught in customs that got the thumbhole stock slapped on OVER the underfolder that was welded in the closed position. Individual MAKs may be nicer than most, and they ALL run, but their track record for quality overall just isn't up there with some of the others.

The pre-89 Norincos and Polytechs were pretty darn good - arguably the best of their time - but IME the MAK90s didn't do justice to that legacy.

YMMV.

 

[Turtle]

OK some would argue on rather this counts as an AK variant. But Heres The king IMO VZ-58

After a few changes

 

[gunrunner1212]

My Norinco Milled MAK90.

 

[MoparMan]

Here's my Romak 991 that i got from another member here. Shoots great and no problems.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Here is mine, nice and used

 

[indykid]

A couple of my favorites, long barrel version of the Norinco 84S-1. Yes, I forgot to put the cleaning rod back when I posed them. It's an old person thing!

 

[agentl074]

Very nice!!!

 

[Hammer]

SAR 1, lost this one in a boating accident.

 

[MoparMan]

SAR 1, lost this one in a boating accident.

Where at? I need it

 

[Hammer]

Where at? I need it

In the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[MoparMan]