The best AK

[Edgemont]

If you were to purchase just one Ak-47 rifle which model/manufacturer would it be?


Please only respond if you have actually used and tested Ak's.

I'm looking for personal testimony as to your opinion of the best obtainable Ak type rifle.

I'm leaning toward the M&M M10-762.
Any thoughts?

[tech]

I've been quite pleased with a Saiga conversion done by Red Jacket in Baton Rouge...but you'll find many folks have many different models that work just fine. Not at all familiar with M&M...

[WILL]

So far I've owned a Maadi, 2 Yugos, an original 1980s Valmet and an Arsenal AK. I’m going to discount the Valmet from the conversation because it’s an exotic. Moving on, the Arsenal was the most refined, but also the most expensive at about $1,000. All of them worked flawlessly and produced about the same accuracy, except the Maadi and both Yugo's had canted sights from the factory. They were fixed by a gunsmith for about $100 each, and now are as functionally perfect as the Arsenal in every way except maybe fit and finish. They don't exhibit quite the same attention to detail that the Arsenal does. So the Maadi and Yugo’s, including the repair work, ran me about $600 per gun. As mentioned, the Arsenal was closer to $1,000, and all of them perform exactly the same. Bottom line, you can spend alot of money for an AK-47, but it's still an AK-47. Save the money and get a Yugo or similar. It's not a show gun, it's a work horse. Take the extra $400 and buy magazines and ammo.

[1Admin]

I've never used one... but I've HEARD on the internet that...

:) J/K

Pretty soon, I have a feeling ANY AK you actually have is going to be the quote "best" unquote AK.

Grew up and raised on Polytechs. My original "baby A" (my best friend has baby "K" LOL) has well over 30,000 through it. Beat to hell and back. Headspace is about shot on the gun, but it still functions flawlessly, just not as accurate as it once was. Sits in the safe now with a note that says "break glass if needed to shoot Captain Cho of the North Korean army." What some of the staff here call my "McNasty" is another Polytech that has also seen better times. Probably only around 15K through that one, in use since about 06.

A non shot out Poly is accurate, very well made and a beautiful thing. They are expensive now and hard to find. They are more for people that just want to collect them now....

Arsenals- probably the current best out of the box AK. I did have a slight problem when really dirty with the trigger not resetting on a 21-61. Not a huge deal but could have taken two deer that day instead of one- 2nd one stood still but the trigger stayed back. Gun was very dirty at the time from a couple classes in a row and a good bit of "homework." After it was cleaned I have not had that problem come up again.

Cons on the Arsenals- a LOT of proprietary parts makes having a boatload of cheap spare parts hard to do. "Yeah but it's an AK" - yeah but it's stupid not to have some spare parts for your weapons.

Yugos- I've never owned one. The original pre-tampered with by Century ones were likely much better. ANYTHING marked "Century arms" should be gone over with a fine toothed comb.

Romanians- I've owned about 5 of them over the years, most were crap. Front sights canted, gas tubes canted, crazy stupid lazy stuff like them not fitting parts rights so they grind down the top of the bolt carrier to make it fight. A relative's one leaves little metal filings regularly in the rear of the receiver- yet it makes hits at 300 (with an ACOG :)

Maadi- Egyptian. Had one, never honestly used it a bunch, more of a safe queen. Had the stupid thumbhole stock, that was probably why...

If you learn it and practice it correctly, the gun is fun to shoot, accurate to 300 yards and will go the distance for you. Does a lot for a "dumb commie rifle" ;)

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

From 1Admin...probably the current best out of the box AK. I did have a slight problem when really dirty with the trigger not resetting on a 21-61. Not a huge deal but could have taken two deer that day instead of one- 2nd one stood still but the trigger stayed back.

What? You hunt animals with an AK? So what the libtards on CNN and other talk shows say is not true? :rolleyes: I heard/read some of them say that you don't hunt animals with an "Assault Rifle". I just scoffed at their ignorance....

[Edgemont]

Honestly that would be one of the main reasons to go with an AK over an AR in my opinion… So I could hunt dear with it.
Shucks, if I could get my hands on an Ushanka then I'd really be in business for a good dear hunt!
Of course, if I were to run into some other hunters they might think we've been invaded or something.

[Gus14]

Heck, I have a WASR-10 that has put three deer in the freezer. My preferred deer hunting rifle is the .50 Beowulf, just like my .45-70 lever gun but it is an evil black rifle.

[rice paddy daddy]

I got a Romanian WASR 10 back in 2007 when Obama got the nomination. Why that particular AKM? My local Ace Hardware had it in the rack, the Democrats didn't want me to have one, the price tag was $319, and I'm a po' boy. It was The Perfect Storm.
Mine does not have any of the Romanian "issues" such as canted sights or gas block, does not have receiver dimples but the mags lock in tight, and works just fine.
Now, I have not had the experience of shooting a $1,000 AKM so I would never be able to compare them, but my cheap WASR goes BANG each and every time it's supposed to.
Can't ask for much more than that.

[Benn Gleck]

I have a Norinco under folder that I like, its always worked well for me. I also have an ak 74 made from a Bulgarian kit with NoDak spud reciever. I bought it because the Russian ammo was so cheap that I could afford to buy 10,000 rounds along with it. Turns out that the 74 round is the most accurate flat shooting of my carbines. I would like to see what it would do with match ammo and a better shooter. ;)

[brokedownbiker]

Mak-90 would be my choice, the Chinese receiver is a bit thicker, seemed to be a little more accurate and dependable than the other examples I've owned/shot. (Not sure if the receiver thickness had anything to do with it though)

[Edgemont]

Have you had good luck with chinese stuff? I've always had a natural aversion to Norinco stuff. What can of realistic MOA can expect out of a normal norinco?

[brokedownbiker]

I've had nothing BUT good luck with Norinco AK's and SKS's. Reliable and reasonably accurate, although my idea of accuracy might not be yours. These are military rifles designed to be accurate enough to kill a man at 300 yards or less; and they meet that goal. Are they 'tack drivers'? oh no, far from it; but they will consistently make hits on man sized silhouettes at up to 400 yds (in the case of my favorite SKS, 500), the AK's at a bit less. Not stellar accuracy but competent; their reliability has always been their selling point to me.

Just my personal experience here, can't speak for anyone else.

[rice paddy daddy]

My Norinco SKS is a nice rifle.
As far as accuracy, as bdbiker noted above, military rifles are not made to win the Camp Perry National Match. they are made to perform under adverse conditions. A 4" group at 100 yards is acceptable for a military rifle using military ammo.

[Lowdown3]

I'm still biased to the Chinese AK's although I have more experience with the Polytechs than the Norincos but I wouldn't be surprised if it was essentially the same thing. Might find a decent price on a MAK90, not sure as I haven't priced things like that in a long while. I got to the point a couple years ago when I bought an SGL21 61 during that Christmas sale in 08 or whenever (For about $500), that it was better to train with that gun than the Polys that had increased in value so much since purchasing $385. in 1988. I have one Poly that still sees training use but the rest are "put up" for the time being. They are the closest things I have to locker queens :) although all but one have seen decent use.

K-var.com still has quality AK's RELATIVELY cheap..... Relative to the current sitch....

http://www.k-var.com/shop/SAM7R.html

These are well built AK's. I've "heard" of people getting more than that for WASR's at gunshows and such. Might be a good time to TRADE UP, sell a WASR or lesser AK and get a higher quality one like this.

[Rmplstlskn]

A few reported that at the Richmond, VA gun show some MAK-90's were priced at $1400. Not sure how many sold, but that was the price... A guy sold a FTF deal on an old CAI Romy for $900. So it is still crazy out there...