I want an AK

Gear Head

Gear Head

Happy to be here
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
1,363
Location
Winston Salem
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
What should I be looking at? I've seen people say to stay away from american made and that a WASR or MAK90 is a good one to start with but I know nothing about these... I'm an AR guy. I found a Zastava M70 zpap for a decent price? Those any good? Educate me if you don't mind.
 
Last edited:
Congratulations, and welcome to the comrade life. It's pretty good over here.

I'd start by exploring this subforum and seeing what the AK hive mind has to say. This topic pops up as a new thread pretty regularly, and the same folks (myself included) pretty much copy and paste what we've all said before. These current times are a bit different than "normal" times, but most of the suggestions remain true. The Romanian WASR-10 will get you everything you need in an AK, unless you absolutely need receiver dimples. Chinese MAK-90s get you dimples, but not much more in my opinion. You'll also more than likely forgo an optic rail just in case you absolutely need one of those. They are both solid guns in my opinion, and either will suit you just fine, although you'll probably save a bit of coin by going the WASR route. Having owned both, I'd go with the WASR personally.

What's the M70 variant you are looking at? Is it one of the new Zastava USA factory ZPAP builds or an older Century-cobbled M70 variant? For these I currently own both and they are both decent guns in their own rights. If I had to grab one it would be the ZPAP hands down. Note that Yugo/Serbian furniture and many parts are not interchangeable with the more combloc standard WASRs, Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, Hungarian, etc. AKs.

In the past many of us - again, myself wholeheartedly included - 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, and C39 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.

Do you want an AK just to have an AK? What do you intend to do with it? How long do you intend to keep it? 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.?

If I had to suggest a single AK for someone new to the "platform," 10 times out of 10 I'd suggest a 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.
 
I literally almost typed "In before @charliesgrave" at the beginning of my post. It's a given you'll hear from both of us in any AK thread.

Looks like he beat me by a few seconds lol. I was typing on an AR but forgot to lube it and it jammed ;)
 
IUHoosier429 said:
Congratulations, and welcome to the comrade life. It's pretty good over here.

I'd start by exploring this subforum and seeing what the AK hive mind has to say. This topic pops up as a new thread pretty regularly, and the same folks (myself included) pretty much copy and paste what we've all said before. These current times are a bit different than "normal" times, but most of the suggestions remain true. The Romanian WASR-10 will get you everything you need in an AK, unless you absolutely need receiver dimples. Chinese MAK-90s get you dimples, but not much more in my opinion. You'll also more than likely forgo an optic rail just in case you absolutely need one of those. They are both solid guns in my opinion, and either will suit you just fine, although you'll probably save a bit of coin by going the WASR route. Having owned both, I'd go with the WASR personally.

What's the M70 variant you are looking at? Is it one of the new Zastava USA factory ZPAP builds or an older Century-cobbled M70 variant? For these I currently own both and they are both decent guns in their own rights. If I had to grab one it would be the ZPAP hands down. Note that Yugo/Serbian furniture and many parts are not interchangeable with the more combloc standard WASRs, Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, Hungarian, etc. AKs.

In the past many of us - again, myself wholeheartedly included - 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, and C39 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.

Do you want an AK just to have an AK? What do you intend to do with it? How long do you intend to keep it? 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.?

If I had to suggest a single AK for someone new to the "platform," 10 times out of 10 I'd suggest a 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.
Click to expand...

I really just want one to have it and because I think the history behind them is cool. I have shot an old beat up WASR a few years back. It was violent compared to a tuned, flat shooting AR and I loved every second of it. I don't want any optics, just want something to plink with occasionally. I've been looking on armslist (don't know where else to look besides here) which is where I found that zpap m70. Looks basically new so I'm assuming it would be the newer USA builds. Was listed for $900
 
Oh and I've read something in the past about difficulty suppressing AK's.. Could yall elaborate on that? I'd like to run my can on it if possible.
 
Gear Head said:
I really just want one to have it and because I think the history behind them is cool. I have shot an old beat up WASR a few years back. It was violent compared to a tuned, flat shooting AR and I loved every second of it. I don't want any optics, just want something to plink with occasionally. I've been looking on armslist (don't know where else to look besides here) which is where I found that zpap m70. Looks basically new so I'm assuming it would be the newer USA builds. Was listed for $900
Click to expand...

I'm about 1.5 eyes closed on my way to sleep right now, but feel free to post or shoot me a PM of the link if you want. $900 isn't technically horrible in this market, especially if it's FTF and you avoid FFL and shipping costs, but I'll gladly take a peek at the gun for sale and offer any friendly suggestions. For any private virtual seller, I always ask for as many detailed, high-res, non-blurry photos of internals, bolt, carrier, muzzle/bore/crown, rivets, magwell, etc. as they care to share before agreeing to meet up. Armslist doesn't really promote the use of lots of decent pics in listings, and the less they are willing to share the more I'll spend my hard-earned funds elsewhere.

Regarding suppressing the AK, it's all about thread concentricity. There are some simple methods to ensure you won't experience baffle strikes or worse, but speaking of cans @BigWaylon can add some wisdom to that. What can do you have? Obviously, make sure it's rated for 30-caliber and don't waste time picking up whatever accessories you would need. For the AK, KNS adjustable gas pistons are life savers, especially for suppressed shooting. Also, if you're committed to bringing home an AK I'd suggest donating plasma, saving up a grand, waiting six-ish months, and buying a Dead Air Wolverine.
 
IUHoosier429 said:
I'm about 1.5 eyes closed on my way to sleep right now, but feel free to post or shoot me a PM of the link if you want. $900 isn't technically horrible in this market, especially if it's FTF and you avoid FFL and shipping costs, but I'll gladly take a peek at the gun for sale and offer any friendly suggestions. For any private virtual seller, I always ask for as many detailed, high-res, non-blurry photos of internals, bolt, carrier, muzzle/bore/crown, rivets, magwell, etc. as they care to share before agreeing to meet up. Armslist doesn't really promote the use of lots of decent pics in listings, and the less they are willing to share the more I'll spend my hard-earned funds elsewhere.

Regarding suppressing the AK, it's all about thread concentricity. There are some simple methods to ensure you won't experience baffle strikes or worse, but speaking of cans @BigWaylon can add some wisdom to that. What can do you have? Obviously, make sure it's rated for 30-caliber and don't waste time picking up whatever accessories you would need. For the AK, KNS adjustable gas pistons are life savers, especially for suppressed shooting. Also, if you're committed to bringing home an AK I'd suggest donating plasma, saving up a grand, waiting six-ish months, and buying a Dead Air Wolverine.
Click to expand...

I'll pm you the link. I have an Omega.
 
Really suppressing an AK generally requires a sleeve. The gun is so open with a giant cut for charging handle/bolt carrier, gas bleed for the gas tube, etc. that there are many places for the sound/gas to escape. The gun is also already very front-heavy. All of the weight at rest, especially when charged into battery, is towards the front. I wouldn't want to shoot all day with another 6 - 8 inches of metal hanging on to the threads. The gun wasn't designed to be suppressed. It was designed to make every infantryman a machine-gunner, after their experience fighting the Germans. It was an affected design because of the machine gun bias of the German infantry tactics, and the advent of the Sturmgewehr (StG-44). I guess it really depends on how quiet you would want it, but my advice is not to start with this in mind on a factory AK. Nobody is threading a US-made AK barrel to be concentric, as has already been pointed out.

My suggestion on a path forward is a bit different than others here. For $1,000 dollars into a manufactured gun...I would find a builder (there is one on here in Kernersville), and then go spend your money on a known good receiver (NoDAK is the most common, and there is also Morrissey that used to do all of the heat treat for NoDAK), and then source the nicest kit of your choice. There is nothing magical about a Chinese AK, other than Bush Sr. saw them banned from the market. Hence the high price, as none more are coming. Romanian AKs are one of the bottom rungs of the ladder, and you used to be able to get your hands on a WASR for well under $500. As a general rule of thumb, Century has nothing that I want. I have heard too many stories, and if it needs correcting by a professional (very possible), you will be at a builder anyway to get it fixed.

A really great kit, from a country that really knows their stuff, is the MPiKM from East Germany. Not only does it have the absolute coolest furniture in the AK world (Bakelite, as I understand it, was invented by an East German family that was stuck behind the wall), but German weapon machining is, well, likely the best on planet Earth. Get a matching numbers kit, get you a US-made receiver, and you will need a few more US parts (google 922r and AK), but it is nothing major and easily addressed by buying a Tapco G2 trigger group.

Lastly, if you aren't on AKFiles shame on you. There are several of us here, but a nation of people that dwarf my now 10+ years of research over there. Watch out for Nalioth, he expects you to do research before asking a basic question.
 
Last edited:
cjkgt97 said:
There is nothing magical about a Chinese AK
Click to expand...

@Majicmike reading like
giphy.gif
 
Yep the Chinese stuff was so bad, they had to ban it in 91 just to keep it from killing us all :p

damn you Norinco and your superior 1911s!!!!
 
Majicmike said:
it doesn’t bother me. More for me. I just love reading the threads about all the issues the Chinese rifles have:D and how once someone shoots one they can’t wait to trade it off for a real rifle.
Click to expand...

Majicmike and I have discussed this before. Nothing I say is directed at him. The mystique around them is not warranted. They work fine, like other AKs. I am not against Chinese AKs, I just like to dispel marketing. This one is mine, and perhaps it is karma that it was unfired, "stored its entire life in a climate-controlled vault", and the front sight, out of the box , is as crooked as an old woman's stare. #WeSupplyWalMart

IMG_20200618_155100.jpg IMG_20200618_155010.jpg
 
I only kid, @cjkgt97, and I didn't meant to imply that your comments were directed at anyone in particular. I also agree with you - Chinese AKs don't float my boat but I do appreciate their history, their lore, and their place in the AK family tree. And folks who sell them definitely appreciate the prices they tend to fetch.

That's why I always suggest an inspected WASR-10 as a first AK. Cugir really stepped up its QC after about 2013. A WASR gets you into the AK game at a decent price; it gets you a legit, proven, war factory built, imported Kalashnikov; it gets you a gun that shares furniture, stock and aftermarket parts, mags, and ammo with most other AKs; and the fact is, a WASR gives you just about everything that any other factory import or boutique AK at absurdly higher price points can offer.

If you love it, you can scratch that AK itch with the more expensive and more highly sought after variants. If you hate it, you'll more than likely get your money back selling a WASR. That likely won't be the case with an IO, Riley, PSA, or many kit guns.
 
Zastava is good to go. I love mine. But yes, *Be absolutely sure* that any furniture you buy is Yugo-specific. Thankfully, Magpul and Midwest Industries both label their parts very well, as do OpticsPlanet and other online vendors that sell them. Though I will say that the stores I have frequented in-person do not tend to carry the Yugo furniture.

For AK resources, definitely check out AK Operators Union on Youtube. Rob Ski has been a wealth of advice for me, learning about which AKs and AK accessories are good or junk.

Also, PSA AK-E. *Fantastic* AK, if you can get ahold of one. Specifically the AK-E.
 
Last edited:
Have still been looking. Found a nice zpap on armslist but it fell through after the guy quit responding. I've hit 3 pawn shops this week to no avail.
 
I am lucky enough to have a CFF member building me one exactly like I want. Kinda like waiting for Santa!!!! Can't wait to get my hands on it!!!
 
back in '02 I bought a WASR for about $300 and it was fun, but I didn't shoot it much. I wound up trading it (and a couple hundred dollars) away 10ish years ago for a full size .40 USP. Wound up selling the USP because I needed to pay my mortgage one month.
I've been wanting another AK pattern for a while, but the prices these days - ouch
 
Yeah, I have a saiga and correct parts from the motherland that will be going to him for the 103 conversion
 
DrScaryGuy said:
back in '02 I bought a WASR for about $300 and it was fun, but I didn't shoot it much. I wound up trading it (and a couple hundred dollars) away 10ish years ago for a full size .40 USP. Wound up selling the USP because I needed to pay my mortgage one month.
I've been wanting another AK pattern for a while, but the prices these days - ouch
Click to expand...

If Trump wins everything will go back down. But there's always the chance that he won't and then we'll... You know you'll wish you would have bought now even at inflated prices.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
@digitalpaladin10 is my man that is building my "Osma" gun!!!! Price is yet to be determined. Just waiting for him to contact me and say "when" he wants money.
Click to expand...
My "Carolina Hammer" is completed. Should have it early next week. Already told him to start another one!!!!! Just like it!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom