New to AKs, looking for guidance.

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  • firefighterjohn

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    @MatthewH have you looked at the KS-47 lineup from PSA? Palmetto dealt with a lot of the 7.62x39 AR mag issues by building a hybrid gun that takes legit AK mags. I'm not an AR guy and I don't have a KS-47, but I think I'd trust one of these more than an AR chambered in x39. Plus, those x39 AR mags look fugly as hell IMO.

    If you go this route, bonus points if you do eventually join the AK club, as you'll already have compatible ammo and mags.

    Or, go big and snag a Galil ACE.
    I've ran my friend's KS-47 pistol; from Palmetto, and it is a good one. He had several AK mags from different 'countries' and the ones I brought, all worked great; especially the AK PMags. It didn't like the AK ProMags but that was no great loss. I'd highly recommend the KS-47; at least their pistol line, as one to consider. It doesn't have last round bolt hold open but that's not really an AK feature anyway.
     

    IUKalash429

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    I've ran my friend's KS-47 pistol; from Palmetto, and it is a good one. He had several AK mags from different 'countries' and the ones I brought, all worked great; especially the AK PMags. It didn't like the AK ProMags but that was no great loss. I'd highly recommend the KS-47; at least their pistol line, as one to consider. It doesn't have last round bolt hold open but that's not really an AK feature anyway.

    Good hand-on feedback, thanks for sharing. And the Pro Mags don't surprise me - they are trash in real AKs, too.
     

    DadSmith

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    I've ran my friend's KS-47 pistol; from Palmetto, and it is a good one. He had several AK mags from different 'countries' and the ones I brought, all worked great; especially the AK PMags. It didn't like the AK ProMags but that was no great loss. I'd highly recommend the KS-47; at least their pistol line, as one to consider. It doesn't have last round bolt hold open but that's not really an AK feature anyway.
    My nephew bought a Russian parts kit underfolder. He got it put together then he bought promags against my warning.
    He came out to shoot it and every shot the pro mags dropped out of the rifle lol. I let him use one of my Magpul AK mags and he enjoyed the rest of the day. I told him to send the promags back if he could and spend the $25 each on pmags with the steel inserts.
     

    firefighterjohn

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    My nephew bought a Russian parts kit underfolder. He got it put together then he bought promags against my warning.
    He came out to shoot it and every shot the pro mags dropped out of the rifle lol. I let him use one of my Magpul AK mags and he enjoyed the rest of the day. I told him to send the promags back if he could and spend the $25 each on pmags with the steel inserts.
    Wow, the Promags fell out of your nephews AK but they wouldn't seat well in the KS-47. I've stopped buying Promag mags a long time ago. They are not dependable...you get what you pay for.
     

    Brownbyhonor

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    Jun 12, 2022
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    So it seems like I can't really go wrong with either the zpap or milled arsenal. I'm really going to look into a gen 2 ACE though. That really intrigues me especially for suppressing. Thanks INGO, you never fail!
    I was told the Ace gets hot at the front handguard after a couple mag dumps. Not much to insulate the hand up there. I'm still on the fence myself
     

    Brownbyhonor

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    I've only ever owned WASRs back when they were $400 all day and currently own a PSA GF3. The PSA seems better built. I dunno if the quality on WASRs has improved but the quality was wildly variable. Even the best one was a little wobbly and the worst one had canted sights and sounded like a bucket of bolts shaking every time it was moved. My greatest regret is not snatching up a bunch of the Norincos when they were not much more than the WASRs.
    I snatched me up a couple Norinco rifles. I'm still snatching lol
     

    Brownbyhonor

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    Hey all kind of an odd question. I am more interested in 762 caliber. But I'm unfamiliar with AK platform and probably won't be until I just break down and buy one. So what's everyone's views on ARs chambered in 762? I've heard bad things but seen some great videos & builds "allegedly"
    I've been told by builders they are a finicky build. Trying to get everything to work together is tough. I was advised to stay away from them myself. Plenty of other calibers to shoot from an AR. And the AK is the Supreme 762 rifle imo
     

    AmericanBob

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    I was told the Ace gets hot at the front handguard after a couple mag dumps. Not much to insulate the hand up there. I'm still on the fence myself

    Can confirm it gets a bit warm, nut it wasn't unreasonable. I picked up a hot pocket from wise men company to help with the heat but I really don't know if it is that necessary. We'll see if it makes a difference after I put the suppressor on it too.
     

    Gravyman

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    I'll get slaughtered by the import elitists, but domestic AKs are improving by leaps and bounds. Psa GF3s are generally considered good to go for a crazy good price. Won't have a chrome lined barrel, but will run like a champ. I have a gf3 and a GF5. Both work great.
     

    DadSmith

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    Congratulations and welcome, comrade. It's pretty fun over here. :smileak:

    What's your budget for one? Needless to say, present times are a bit different than they were just a few years ago. Still, the tried and true Romanian WASR-10 will get you everything you need in an AK, unless you absolutely need receiver dimples.

    Zastava USA's ZPAP M70 builds are pretty good, but note that Yugo/Serbian furniture, optic rails, and other parts are not interchangeable with the more standard WASRs, Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, Hungarian, etc. AKs. Same goes for Chinese furniture.

    Generally speaking, when it comes to AKs: imports > domestics. In the past, I and most of my fellow diehard AK fans have tried to steer folks away from American made AKs such as IO, Century (their imports are usually fine, but in-house guns such as the RAS, VSKA, C39, and BFT are junk), Riley, and early PSA models. That said, PSA has really grown and evolved since its first questionable gen-1 PSAK, and I wouldn't write off their newest models. With PSA you also get a lifetime warranty and from what I understand, some pretty decent customer service with good communications. Still, PSA has a dubious reputation of beta testing its guns on consumers, so if you go that route I'd look at a GF4 or GF5. Or don't look at PSA and check out a K-USA 103 instead.

    A few more rhetorical questions to think about. Do you want an AK just to have an AK? Do you intend to buy more than one? Have you ever shot one? Do you have any 7.62x39 already in house or will you need to invest in ammo, mags, spare parts, accessories, etc.? Ammo and mags are key, and all the good combloc/surplus stuff is more expensive and harder to find these days, so make sure you're budgeting for the future.

    If I had to suggest a single AK for someone new to the "platform," I'd suggest a new or nicely used WASR-10 with a case of Wolf ammo and as many surplus steel and/or surplus bakelite and/or Bulgarian Circle 10 polymer mags as you can get your hands on. Cugir's relatively affordable take on the AK will do literally everything that a milled Arsenal, Russian VEPR, or $2,000+ "custom" Krebs carbine will do, and you'll have enough money left over to fill your Dacia trunk full of ammo. And this is coming from an unapologetic Arsenal fanboy.

    If you can't find a WASR, the ZPAP is just a bit more money and will scratch your AK itch for sure.
    In your opinion what are the top 10 AK's made in the last 2 years.
    Order them the best as #1 and down if you would. Give us AK noobs a guide.
     

    IUKalash429

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    OK Doke, here it is, couldn't wait to share it! My suppressor mount should be here any day and then she's done. I've only put 100 through her so far but it's really smooth.
    View attachment 216939

    Damn, Bob! :rockwoot:

    My first AK was a WASR-10 (still have it). In less than two months you went from "want" to decked the heck out. Really well done, and I dig the monochromatic browns - kinda puts out a SCAR vibe. ACEs are hard to beat for fit and finish, reliability, and accuracy.
     

    IUKalash429

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    In your opinion what are the top 10 AK's made in the last 2 years.
    Order them the best as #1 and down if you would. Give us AK noobs a guide.

    kramer-seinfeld.gif
     

    IUKalash429

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    @DadSmith - ooph, now that is quite a tall order. I had to pour a stiff drink and noodle on it a bit. This is a highly subjective topic, and my AK purchases have trailed off nearly 100% in the past two years, due to all the gun and ammo shortages surrounding the last presidential election, COVID, Sloppy Joe, and so forth. There are a Slavic ton of fantastic import AKs that have been made in the last 20+ years, that I would have zero issue recommending even if they were to be purchased today well used. Some of those guns would even trump some of the guns I am listing here, since I am trying to keep it to factory-built rifles produced since 2020.

    SO ... the following (and again, highly subjective and probably forgetful) list is worth exactly what you paid for it. Here we go:
    1. Gen 1.5 Galil ACE in 5.45x39. To me, the first-gen ACEs are superior to the gen twos, if for no other reason than the fantastic iron sights. These limited edition 5.45 guns came in 16", 13", and 8" barrel variants, and only 545 of each were produced. Like I said a few posts above, the ACE is a ridiculously high quality and reliable gun. And 5.45 will forever be my favorite round. Full stop.
    2. Arsenal SAM series (SAM7 = 7.62x39; SAM5 = 5.56x45). I mean, it's a Bulgarian version of the venerable Russian Type 3 AK-47. Milled receivers are typically smoother and more durable than stamped receivers, and this is Arsenal's flagship gun.
    3. FB Radom Beryl series (762 = 7.62x39; 556 = 5.56x45). Poland has been building terrific AKs for decades. The Beryl is a modern take on the AKM and Tantal, and quality and reliability are right up there with the best of the best.
    4. Czechpoint Vz.58 in 7.62x39. I know, I know ... it looks like an AK but it isn't actually one. Using a short-stroke gas system and sharing no interchangeable parts with an AK other than ammo, slings, and muzzle devices, the Vz.58 is a milled variant with a superb barrel, and I particularly like the history of these guns. Even though it was a Warsaw Pact nation forced to standardize weapons based on Soviet requirements, Czechoslovakia was like "Yeah, no. We'll rock an x39 gun but otherwise we're going to do our own thing." Props.
    5. Zastava USA ZPAP M70 series (7.62x39 only - I'm still not fully sold on the 5.56 M90 variants). Yugoslavian/Serbian pattern guns have been coming in as kits and factory builds for a long time. The newer Illinois-based (yuck) Zastava USA introduced what is basically a stout O-PAP with a chrome-lined barrel, at a price point that competes with American AKs. Zastava USA has done some polarizing/questionable business practices and its customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Additionally, lots of teething issues, as well as the furniture and optic mount incompatibility with standard AKs, but the M70 has been hugely popular and overall a pretty good investment for owners who want a legit factory-built import gun with a deep-rooted history.
    6. WBP Jack and Fox in 7.62x39. Full disclosure - I have not owned one of these. But WBP is another Polish entity turning out high-quality firearms from everything I have read. More on the commercial side of things vs. a rich military history, but with a low-four figure price tag that rivals some of the American offerings, I would definitely take a hard look at WBP first before considering a domestic AK.
    7. Cugir WASR-10 in 7.62x39. Ah, my first love with AKs. The first AK I ever shot, and the first AK I ever bought about seven years after the fact. The Romanians don't win "best of" for anything really, but their wares have a special and big place in my heart. The lowly yet mighty WASR doesn't look the best. It doesn't cycle the best. It has far from the best QC, and its reputation is less than best. But at the end of the day, it does literally everything a $3,000+ VEPR or SLR-107FR or Gucci Rifle Dynamics or Krebs build will do. Even though everything is more expensive and scarce these days, the WASR is still pretty affordable when it comes back in stock, and remains the first gun I recommend to anyone looking to purchase their first AK.
    8. Kalashnikov USA KR-103 in 7.62x39. A pretty faithful reproduction of Russia's legendary modernized AKM, the AK-103. It is widely understood (though I am not for certain) that KUSA managed to obtain the Russian TDP for this gun, so it's a solid clone, just as the KR-9 is a much closer copy than PSA's AK-V of the Russian Vityaz submachine gun. Still though, it's an American gun, and when it generally comes to AKs, imports > domestics. That said, I will 100% buy a KUSA AK-74 whenever they hit the market.
    9. Palmetto State Armory GF5 in 7.62x39. PSA has done and continues to do a lot of things wrong, ESPECIALLY when it comes to AKs. A lot. But now on its fifth generation of AKM, PSA offers a pretty solidly reliable gun with a cold hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel from FN (and finally, for the love of God, a cleaning rod). And, if you still happen to get a lemon, which would not be out of the realm of distinct possibility, you have PSA's alleged lifetime warranty to fall back on.
    10. A used import AK. Okay, kind of cheating here, but even though many of these are no longer made or imported, it doesn't mean you shouldn't be looking at them. Like I said at the top of this horribly long-winded post, I would eagerly choose a well-maintained Russian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Yugo/Serbian, Chinese, etc. gun before I even considered something brand new made here domestically. These guns are designed to outlast us, so don't be afraid of some wear and tear and round count down the pipe. My WASR has many, many thousands of rounds through it, hasn't been cleaned since Obama was in office, and still shoots as well as it did brand new.
    Okay, going to give my fingers a break. Hope this was at least somewhat helpful. Speaking of fingers, I'm through four fingers of Russian vodka (RIP) and wrote this from the top of my mind without reviewing any notes, so I'm sure I left something good off, or altogether forgot a bunch of stuff. If anyone has any questions about or interest in other AK variants not listed here, please feel free to ask. Za Zdarovje!
     
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