School me on quality AKs

88Mustang

88Mustang

I got nuttin
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Currently I have a used wasr 10 with canted sight, and an M92 SBR. I am hoping the ak experts here can chime in with suggestions because I want to get a quality AK (7.62x39). Arsenal SLR-107CR looks pretty interesting.
 
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WASR 10 is a quality AK, just not a pretty one.

Arsenal is over priced for what they are. They look pretty, but not for long after you start shooting them. I don't personally care for their folding stocks either.
The CR models are even more overpriced than the FR's.

I'd find a Vepr and convert it or shell out for one of the FM's if you're looking for "top of the line".

If you're looking for no nonsense shooters without regards to aesthetics, look at SAR1's and MAK90's. If you're set on the CR look, get a SAR and have someone like @digitalpaladin10 press off the fsb and gb and press on a combo device. Get it refinished and call it a day.
 
M92 is great quality; since it's imported as a pistol, it isn't subject to klinton rules, and as such, it doesn't get molested by the apes at CAI.
 
Canted sights are relatively easy to fix. Some Arsenals come with them, too, along with even worse paint. I have two Arsenals and love them both, but I'm not a fanboy apologist for them. They are nice, sure, but a WASR shoots just as well and is just as reliable. Even WASRs with canted sights.

Quality is quite subjective, but here are a few that come to my mind. The new Polish offerings from WBP (not the Pioneer/City of Radom garbage) are high quality. Pricey, but buttoned up very well. Early import Maadis - Steyr, Pars, Intrac - are pretty close to the original AKM pattern, but come with no frills. Kit builds can be hit or miss, but Century's old M70AB2 is a great gun. The similarly old OPAPs are tanks - solid and now commanding a bit of a premium on the secondhand market. Speaking of solid, Veprs are rock solid, straight, accurate, and heavy. They are Russian brutes with a bit of unicorn mixed in now that they are banned. Also banned, Saigas are quality reproductions of the Russian AK-100 design, more so after you or your gunsmith make a few modifications. But at the end of the day, your WASR will shoot the same groups, kill the same hogs or zombies, and feed just as reliably as any other AK variant, even the ones that cost two or more times what you paid for yours (I am biased though, as Romies are my favorite AK variants).

What's your budget? Do you like wood or plastic? Shoot irons or prefer to run an optic? Like new or old? Care for a particular nation of origin? Plan to shoot or save for investment? You're hopefully stacking 7.62x39, but have you considered 5.45x39 or 5.56/.223 AKs? I do like the SLR series and have been looking for a used 107FR for awhile now but won't overpay what I feel is a fair price in my head, so I'll probably be looking awhile longer. I'd recommend the CR only if your plan is to SBR it. Then you'll have yourself a sweet 104 clone and a nifty shooter.

But don't hate on your WASR. It'll shoot tighter groups than a chopped Arsenal, canted sight or not. Even the highest quality AK isn't worth much if the owner can't shoot it well.
 
IMHO, Aresenals are fine rifles but no better than a WASR. They both are are basically imported as parts kits and put together stateside.
Just stay away from 100% American made AK's and you will be fine. I tend to like Chinese rifles better basically necause the fit and finish are so much better than ANY other AK. They also have higher quality barrels, receivers and the triggers don't need to be replaced. You will NEVER hear of a Chinese rifle having canted sites.
The only Aresenal tha I consider to be on Par with a Chinese rifle is the SLR-95 someone mentioned above. I would love to have one but I have a hard time paying a 1000 for a AK unless it's a preban.
 
Thanks all for taking the time, I appreciate it, a lot of good info here. I guess I will research for a while to figure out what I want.
 
Majicmike said:
IMHO, Aresenals are fine rifles but no better than a WASR. They both are are basically imported as parts kits and put together stateside.
Just stay away from 100% American made AK's and you will be fine. I tend to like Chinese rifles better basically necause the fit and finish are so much better than ANY other AK. They also have higher quality barrels, receivers and the triggers don't need to be replaced. You will NEVER hear of a Chinese rifle having canted sites.
The only Aresenal tha I consider to be on Par with a Chinese rifle is the SLR-95 someone mentioned above. I would love to have one but I have a hard time paying a 1000 for a AK unless it's a preban.
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Wasrs are assembled in Romania, sent with plyboard stocks and 922r'd here.
I don't know a ton about Arsenals but i think they're made in Bulgaria and 922r'd here.
I can't argue with anything else.
 
Brawny said:
Wasrs are assembled in Romania, sent with plyboard stocks and 922r'd here.
I don't know a ton about Arsenals but i think they're made in Bulgaria and 922r'd here.
I can't argue with anything else.
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Yeap, no way you look at it they are assembled here. Triggers are changed to too the help get the American made parts in to comply
 
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The new WBP imports at Atlantic seem very promising.

For now, I'd roll with the new production WASR or RH-10, best bang for buck. - https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/ak47-rh10-classic-ri3036n - That is basically just a WASR with a combo FSB/GB. Pretty cool IMO and would make a good SBR candidate.

If you can find a deal on an Arsenal SGL I'd jump on it. There was a very solid deal here in the classifieds. Not sure if it's still up.

Also, always keep an eye out for older imports in good condition, like a SAR-1 or an ACC/Intrac Maadi (not a MISR).
 
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Brawny said:
Those WBPs are hollering at me but so is my wife so . . .
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If/when these WBP barreled receivers come back in stock, they are a good option if you already have some parts lying around: https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/childers-pol-wbp-barreled-receiver
wbp-cg1-barreled-receiver-27-jpg-1.jpg
 
Given the opinions on the WASR having functional parity with the higher priced variants, I am gonna get the WASR sight straight and stick with it. Also need to get the M92 looked at, firing it unsuppressed the BCG hangs every single shot about a 1/4 inch before the bolt hold slot on the safety.
 
88Mustang said:
Also need to get the M92 looked at, firing it unsuppressed the BCG hangs every single shot about a 1/4 inch before the bolt hold slot on the safety.
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Do you mean the M92 bolt is not fully cycling? Or is it getting stuck? Unsupppresed, are you shooting the gun with the booster on the muzzle? Does this happen with different ammo and different grain weights? Sounds like it may be a gas issue, which M92s can be a bit finicky about.
 
IUHoosier429 said:
Do you mean the M92 bolt is not fully cycling? Or is it getting stuck? Unsupppresed, are you shooting the gun with the booster on the muzzle? Does this happen with different ammo and different grain weights? Sounds like it may be a gas issue, which M92s can be a bit finicky about.
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Perfect candidate for a KNS gas piston.
 
IUHoosier429 said:
Do you mean the M92 bolt is not fully cycling? Or is it getting stuck? Unsupppresed, are you shooting the gun with the booster on the muzzle? Does this happen with different ammo and different grain weights? Sounds like it may be a gas issue, which M92s can be a bit finicky about.
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After it fires it gets stuck:

QpTQpA2.jpg


Also it does not get stuck with the dust cover off (hand cycling). When the can is on it, it gets stuck ~1 out of 10-20 rounds
 
Now it sounds like it may be a binding issue, but possibly combined with a gas issue since it's not consistently repeating suppressed vs. unsuppressed. Do you shoot it with a booster when unsuppressed?

Did you hand cycle the bolt carrier to take the photo above? If you smack the rear trunnion does the carrier then slide forward and close? Also, are there any strange or uneven wear marks on the inside of the dust cover? Same for the bolt, carrier, and receiver rails. And the piston - any weird marks on the end of it?

If you take the FCG out, does the bolt cycle freely with the dust cover on?
 
IUHoosier429 said:
Now it sounds like it may be a binding issue, but possibly combined with a gas issue since it's not consistently repeating suppressed vs. unsuppressed. Do you shoot it with a booster when unsuppressed?

Did you hand cycle the bolt carrier to take the photo above? If you smack the rear trunnion does the carrier then slide forward and close? Also, are there any strange or uneven wear marks on the inside of the dust cover? Same for the bolt, carrier, and receiver rails. And the piston - any weird marks on the end of it?

If you take the FCG out, does the bolt cycle freely with the dust cover on?
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No booster, using YHM QD flash hider.
I smacked trunnion with a rubber mallet and it closed, no marks on dust cover, carrier, rails or piston. I sent a pm to @digitalpaladin10
Oh there is only slight resistance when the carrier travels over hammer
 
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88Mustang said:
No booster, using YHM QD flash hider.
I smacked trunnion with a rubber mallet and it closed, no marks on dust cover, carrier, rails or piston. I sent a pm to @digitalpaladin10
Oh there is only slight resistance when the carrier travels over hammer
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He'll get you squared away. Something may need to be filed/polished, or the recoil spring replaced. Hopefully it's a cheap gremlin to root out. Good luck and let us know when you get it figured out. The M92 is a hoot!
 
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