Build, Party of One?

IUHoosier429

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Picked up a couple of clearance PM md. 90 kits from Midway: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102103873?pid=885362

Very happy with the results. These are listed as "grade 2" kits but it sounds like it's been a crapshoot, with several buyers reporting grade 3 condition or worse parts. I lucked out - both my kits are in great shape. Here's the better of the two, a nice all-matching example of Cugir's handiwork in 1992, with 95%+ bluing left and no dents, cracks, scrapes, or rust:

g3tK1Tkh.jpg

mYlEbYTh.jpg


I'm not certain, but I almost feel like the pistol grip is Polish. If not, it's the cleanest Romanian grip I've seen. And check out that old gnarly leather sling still attached to the side folder. Bonus!

Cugir is synonymous with the WASR, Romy Gs, etc., but I was excited to unwrap a less common Sadu Mechanical Plant kit in the other box. That one's a bit rougher and sports a cracked UHG, but all numbers match and it'll make for a sweet BFPU build at some point. No sling on that one, but no complaints.

Up next is deciding on Childers or Re-Creator receivers, sourcing barrels, and possibly turning one of these into something like this:

DCB_Shooting_Romanian_short_AK_rifle.jpg


If you have space, time, and a bit of coin to roll the dice on a Romanian AK parts kit, I say go for one of these. Midway has a few options on sale and still in stock.
 
I debated grabbing one or two of these, but lack a press and proper tooling for squishing rivets.

Looking forward to your build completed.
 
I've read reports of these kits being great or trash. Kind of keeps me from one.
 
I've read reports of these kits being great or trash. Kind of keeps me from one.

We read the same stuff. I was a bit hesitant too but figured at this price, what the hell. They arrived in three days, and Midway will accept returns if your kit is garbage.
 
What would be a ball park figure for total cost of doing one of these builds---I know next to nothing about AKs but enjoyed the one I had years ago.
 
What would be a ball park figure for total cost of doing one of these builds---I know next to nothing about AKs but enjoyed the one I had years ago.

Depends largely on three things:

1) cost of the kit
2) cost of the receiver (and barrel if the kit doesn't come with one)
3) cost of the labor

For a stamped kit, you're looking at low $300s (Romanian) and high $600s (Polish). This is all ballpark, and prices and inventories change. Add a barrel - let's ballpark that at about $100 for American made or about $200 for European. Add a receiver (again, loose estimates here) - $30ish for a flat and $50 for an 80%; $75 for a Morrissey and $125 for a Childers, Nodak, or Re-Creator (plus the FFL fee for those completed receivers). Finally, look at labor. "Free" (plus the cost of rivets and headspacing gauges) if you have the equipment, time, and skills to do it yourself. $100-$200 for a local smith, depending on their skill level and how well you know them, and it goes up from there. $400+ for those builders revered by the AK community (and you'll wait weeks which will turn into months). You want one guy in particular I'm referring to to re-weld a torch-cut milled T3? Better post your kidney on Craigslist.

But for more budget-minded folks like me, let's just round and say $350 (kit) + $100 (barrel) + $100 (receiver) + $200 (builder) = $750 out the door for a quality rifle hand-built by a local gunsmith you know and trust. Closer to $500 if you do it yourself. Not quite a "steal" to roll your own, but you're getting a one-off gun oozing with character and built to whatever specs you can dream up, that will more than likely be fitted with far more attention and precision than a combloc factory like Cugir or even Arsenal.
 
Depends largely on three things:

1) cost of the kit
2) cost of the receiver (and barrel if the kit doesn't come with one)
3) cost of the labor

For a stamped kit, you're looking at low $300s (Romanian) and high $600s (Polish). This is all ballpark, and prices and inventories change. Add a barrel - let's ballpark that at about $100 for American made or about $200 for European. Add a receiver (again, loose estimates here) - $30ish for a flat and $50 for an 80%; $75 for a Morrissey and $125 for a Childers, Nodak, or Re-Creator (plus the FFL fee for those completed receivers). Finally, look at labor. "Free" (plus the cost of rivets and headspacing gauges) if you have the equipment, time, and skills to do it yourself. $100-$200 for a local smith, depending on their skill level and how well you know them, and it goes up from there. $400+ for those builders revered by the AK community (and you'll wait weeks which will turn into months). You want one guy in particular I'm referring to to re-weld a torch-cut milled T3? Better post your kidney on Craigslist.

But for more budget-minded folks like me, let's just round and say $350 (kit) + $100 (barrel) + $100 (receiver) + $200 (builder) = $750 out the door for a quality rifle hand-built by a local gunsmith you know and trust. Closer to $500 if you do it yourself. Not quite a "steal" to roll your own, but you're getting a one-off gun oozing with character and built to whatever specs you can dream up, that will more than likely be fitted with far more attention and precision than a combloc factory like Cugir or even Arsenal.

Gotcha. Given how prices have shot up on AKs it is something to think about. In a perfect world I would buy another WASR for $250 but I fear those days are long gone.
 
In a perfect world I would buy another WASR for $250 but I fear those days are long gone.

Indeed they are, my friend. You can barely get an SKS for $250 any more.
 
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