Am I missing something ak's worth more than Ar

[MilitantBEEMER]

So where can I buy this IO AK47?

After taking the IO that I bought to range, I can no linger recommend. Feeding issues galore. I sold it this weekend to a guy that thought he could fix. If I ever go back to an AK, it will be a genuine eastern block.

 

[lambene]

so is Magpul AK/AKM MOE PMAG 30 for $11 a really good deal or just ok normal sales price?

 

[ThemGunsThough]

so is Magpul AK/AKM MOE PMAG 30 for $11 a really good deal or just ok normal sales price?

For an AK pmag that's a good deal. Normal price is $13 to $16 each.

 

[MrMillspecer]

Not an AK but I had a couple SKSs. And after shooting the ARs they were just talking up space and I'm not a collector. Didn't come close to the stoner design. Like you AKs interest me. Sold the SKSs at a nice profit. Keith's even gave me $300 trade in on one.

 

[titsonritz]

So where can I buy this IO AK47?

They are complete sh!t, don't bother.

 

[Boboclown]

Not an AK but I had a couple SKSs. And after shooting the ARs they were just talking up space and I'm not a collector. Didn't come close to the stoner design. Like you AKs interest me. Sold the SKSs at a nice profit. Keith's even gave me $300 trade in on one.

We are opposites... I don't think I could part with my SKS. How else would I launch a dummy grenade and bayonet a tree right after that?

 

[SOLID_arity]

Never really have been interested in an ak platform but for some reason I want to add one to the stable. Why in the hell are they almost all over the price of an ar. Is it the wrong time to buy one of these or are there some deals I'm missing out on? I like the idea of buying one and running anything threw it and beating it to the ground. Anyone have some ak advise?

Cost?
ARs are a more modern design with more modularity. Easier to manufacture and piece together. The market is also saturated because it's our gun. AKs require proper factories to make the parts correctly (which we never had), specific (expensive) tools to piece together and old school craftsmanship to do it properly. With zero experience, I'm confident I could piece together an AR over a weekend after some youtube videos and minimal investment in tools. AKs? Just look up some videos yourself lol.

Used to be that we could get combloc AKs for $300, but that was probably because of the lack of popularity, dollar's strength on the world stage back then, and lack of restrictive importation bans. Prices are coming down now that it's post election, but I doubt we'll see WASRs and such dip below $550 again.

Advice? Buy combloc.
IO is utter trash and should be avoided at all costs. Don't even associate them with Kalishnikovs. If it doesn't blow up in your face, it's probably going to have tons of failures then seize on you / fall apart before it hits 1k rounds.

RAS47s have cast trunnions and other cast parts that will fall apart with any abuse (such as the front sight leaf). Bolt/Carrier has been known to wear out prematurely from poor metallurgy - that would make me worry about headspacing over time. A few documented cases of catastrophic failure, probably because of it. The C39v2 is the milled version, so no cast trunnions to worry about but the carrier/bolt could suffer from the same issue and at that price, you can go with the below suggestions.

WASR or RH10 is amazing for an entry-level and probably what you should go with if cost is an issue. CHF chrome-lined barrels, no silly cost-saving use of cast parts and built by a factory that's been doing it for decades. Only downside is the cheap balsa-wood furniture that Century Arms has started putting on them state-side for 922r compliance. Combloc laminate furniture is cheap enough though - or you could go the tacticool route as it's standard warsaw pattern.

NPAPs are also nice and pretty similarly priced... but has a lot of non-warsaw, proprietary parts if you're wanting to tacticool it. Fit and finish is a bit nicer and while the barrels are CHF, they're not chrome-lined. Also some talk about softer receivers, but unless you plan to do constant mag dumps or run it over with a car, it'll be fine. Would still pick it over most US, non-kit builds.

VEPRs are the next price range up. Russian built, quality all around and overbuilt (RPK-ish with heavier barrels and bulged trunnions). Issue there is that you'll have to do the converting yourself if you get a sporter model.

After that, you'r looking at ~1k for converted Molot VEPRs and Arsenals, which are cream of the crop.

Then there are your ban-eras like MAK90s, SARs, Maadis and such which are quality but might be missing some features (like threaded muzzles or accommodations for a cleaning rod) and can fluctuate in price due to no longer being in production or importable. Same goes for SAIGAs I guess due to that silly ban?

PSA bought out DDI, so I'll lump them together: Full on US builds are going to suffer from the same things: trying to be competitively priced when our labor costs are much higher than former combloc nations.. also not having the factories/tooling/infrastructure already in place from old war factories that churned out AKs for the military. Means unless you drastically increase the cost of the product, you're looking at cast vs forged trunnions and 4150 nitrided barrels (best case scenario) vs CHF, chrome-lined ones. That said, time will tell.. the PSA kits might be nice and those compromises might have been executed well.

 

[IronMonster]

Look on Rifle Dynamics page at the Sharps Bros AK... if I recall the factory SBR version is just under four grand.

It is a very sexy thing however

Edit, found a link

<broken link removed>