First AK

[Akx39]

Hello all, not sure if I should post this in the general section but here it is.

I'm looking into getting my first ak-47 but could use some guidance. I know I want something in 7.62x39, and I am willing to put in the money for something nicer than an entry level. I'm hoping to spend around a grand give or take. As for stamped vs milled, I could go either way but am leaning toward milled. I also would like it to have wood furniture or the option of wood furniture.

One specific one I saw on armslist (dibs) is the Arsenal sam7r. The seller wants 1200 with some extra mags or 1100 with just the factory. I also see this specific rifle for 1249 on Cheaper than dirt, so I'm wondering if the savings is enough to justify buying used..

Overall though, if anyone has a suggestion to another rifle or good experience with arsenals they could share, that would be great. From my research they seem to be a good rifle (except for some canted sights) but most of the threads are a couple years old now.
Thanks

Read More

 

[SUPER X]

Hello all, not sure if I should post this in the general section but here it is.

I'm looking into getting my first ak-47 but could use some guidance. I know I want something in 7.62x39, and I am willing to put in the money for something nicer than an entry level. I'm hoping to spend around a grand give or take. As for stamped vs milled, I could go either way but am leaning toward milled. I also would like it to have wood furniture or the option of wood furniture.

One specific one I saw on armslist (dibs) is the Arsenal sam7r. The seller wants 1200 with some extra mags or 1100 with just the factory. I also see this specific rifle for 1249 on Cheaper than dirt, so I'm wondering if the savings is enough to justify buying used..

Overall though, if anyone has a suggestion to another rifle or good experience with arsenals they could share, that would be great. From my research they seem to be a good rifle (except for some canted sights) but most of the threads are a couple years old now.
Thanks

Once you go milled you will Rarely be impressed with stamped again.

 

[Porter]

Tho I own milled AK'S in a Sam7r and a SAM5 imo I would take a stamped receiver because of the weight savings. A milled AK is a little smoother but the difference is not worth the extra weight to me. It's not like a stamped receiver AK will not last many lifetimes either. Now saying that I would pickup a 107fr as you can find them slightly used for around 1k. There's my opinion, yours may vary

 

[Member 34319]

Arsenal or Vepr would be my choice if going for the good stuff.

 

[308]

MAK90 if you can find one where the seller is not attempting to hose you on the price. They are fine AKs with a bit thicker reciever and you can un-£€#¥ them back to original for a lot less than an Arsenal.

 

[DirectDrive]

This one is not high end but it seems nicer than the others in its price point.
PSAK-47 GF3 Forged Classic Red Wood Rifle (No Cleaning Rod) - 5165450298

And more $ left over for ammo.

 

[Porter]

This one is not high end but it seems nicer than the others in its price point.
PSAK-47 GF3 Forged Classic Red Wood Rifle (No Cleaning Rod) - 5165450298

And more $ left over for ammo.

For a little extra I would get a newer production WASR10. Stay away from American build AK's and stick to combloc only built AK's. Far too many American built AK's eat themselves up metal wise.

 

[Akx39]

I think I'm going to go with an arsenal, the used milled one if the seller still has it. Then in the future I'll see about getting a stamped mak-90 or a wasr.

Does that asking price seem reasonable? The mags are 2x circle 10 30rds, 3x tapco 30, 2x tapco 20s, 4x pmags and the factory five rounder. Sam7r

If so, is there anything I should look out for besides canted sights?

 

[titsonritz]

Does that asking price seem reasonable? The mags are 2x circle 10 30rds, 3x tapco 30, 2x tapco 20s, 4x pmags and the factory five rounder.

These are the only mags I'd factor in, Pmags are meh, Tapco is crapo.

 

[joken]

I recently acquired a new Mac 90. Got rid of the fugly plastic stock and bought a Magpul set. I swear this rifle had never been fired. I cleaned and lubed it up and took it to a friends place to shoot. Bowling pins hanging at 50 yards, and I was surprised that I hit one after another without touching the sights. Now it waits in the safe with the rest of the toys.

 

[Boboclown]

If it helps, if stamped receivers were bad they never would have made the switch. The Russkies are a practical people when it came to the AK. The stamped receiver is lighter, and any accuracy advantaged of the milled is hypothetical as stamped AKs can be pretty accurate too (within reason).

I have an Arsenal 106 and an older wasr 10/63. Ironically, the wasr is the one without a canted sight (got lucky with that). The newer wasr-10s generally don't have a canted sight. The wasr isn't the best, but its still a good AK and goes the mile like any other AK. That being said either a wasr or arsenal will be good to go so just depends if you want to spend the extra to get an arsenal or not. I wouldn't knock a folder either. It may not look the best, but they make good truck guns.

This one is not high end but it seems nicer than the others in its price point.
PSAK-47 GF3 Forged Classic Red Wood Rifle (No Cleaning Rod) - 5165450298

And more $ left over for ammo.

Too new, PSA has a better shot of being the only good American made AK but time will tell on that. With an import you get something a little more proven.

 

[AshWilliams]

I don't think you can go wrong with either the SAM7R or WASR. I have both a SAM7R with some custom work done by Rifle Dynamics as well as a WASR-10.

The WASR is a workhorse, and although it's not quite as nice as my Arsenal in terms of fit, it's rugged and reliable. Once I got bit by the AK bug I found myself thinking about a high end AK, however, I've now gone full circle and view the AK with what I believe to be the proper perspective: it's a tool that is 100% utilitarian.

Regardless of which rifle you choose, once you give it a fair amount of abuse and put a few thousand rounds through it, you'll get the warm fuzzies everytime you take it out of the safe.

Congrats on your pending AKM purchase!

 

[titsonritz]

.Too new, PSA has a better shot of being the only good American made AK but time will tell on that. With an import you get something a little more proven.

This is the bottom line IMO. I'll stick with my Arsenal and SAR-1.

 

[Boboclown]

Cause a thread is useless without pics... This is the wasr back when it had wood.

And the 106 as a truck gun:

 

[Porter]

Cause a thread is useless without pics... This is the wasr back when it had wood.
View attachment 529768
And the 106 as a truck gun: View attachment 529769

Nice Bobo, I absolutely love my 106fr. And for the money the newer production wars10s are of great value that will last multiple generations.

 

[Boboclown]

Nice Bobo, I absolutely love my 106fr. And for the money the newer production wars10s are of great value that will last multiple generations.

I almost wish mine was the FR... But if it was I probably wouldn't have ended up using the second set of zenitco furniture I had lying around. And short of the TWS dogleg, I don't think you can get that PO 4x17 any lower either...

 

[Mikej]

When I got my AK I wanted something with wood, and imported. As much as they can import anyway. My thinking was, they designed them "Over there" and have shot the crap out of them , "Over there". Where ever that may be.
If it were me now, I'd be looking at something like this.
https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/morr-aam-rom47-red

To compliment the rifle these were better than described.....https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/4-pack-30-round-ak-47-mags-762-x-392012-07-30-01-08-50 Plastic mags just don't look right on a rifle like the one linked, IMO.

What I got a couple of years ago was a Polish parts kit with whatever US parts had to be used. It's worked very well. Other than some peeling of the nickle plating on the bolt carrier.

 

[Boboclown]

When I got my AK I wanted something with wood, and imported. As much as they can import anyway. My thinking was, they designed them "Over there" and have shot the crap out of them , "Over there". Where ever that may be.
If it were me now, I'd be looking at something like this.
https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/morr-aam-rom47-red

To compliment the rifle these were better than described.....https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/4-pack-30-round-ak-47-mags-762-x-392012-07-30-01-08-50 Plastic mags just don't look right on a rifle like the one linked, IMO.

What I got a couple of years ago was a Polish parts kit with whatever US parts had to be used. It's worked very well. Other than some peeling of the nickle plating on the bolt carrier.

That kit build has a U.S made nitride barrel. Might as well just get a wasr with CHF CL barrel.

For me this is how I see mags: Steel for 7.62, poly for 5.45 and 5.56.

 

[308]

Since it has been mentioned, the canted sight issue can be fixed at home quite easily.

 

[nwslopoke]

I have a Zastava/Yugo. It's been great but lightly used so far. Their reputation has been mixed. I do plan to add a 7.62x39 upper to my AR collection.

I believe that mutation has attained a level of reliability and accuracy enough at least it a path I want. I'll keep my AK just because as far as shooting that round this is a viable alternative.