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The "best" AK


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So, I was wondering, what is considered as the "best" production AK worldwide. price, legality and whatnot are not the issue. Any member of the AK family goes, although please don't go as far as naming the Galil. Preference goes out to 7.62x39mm, but other calibres are acceptable if you wish to nominate one such as the Beryl or whatnot.

 

The first that jumps to my mind is the Valmet/Sako Rk.95 (or it's ancestors Rk.76 & Rk.62). Anyone willing to put another rifle up against the Valmet? :devil:

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The Saiga weapons that I currently have are a S-12 I restored myself and a SGL21, (7.62x39 Legion rifle). I'd trust my life to either. I don't think I'd have any trouble differentiating between the

I disagree with the factual accuracy of your post.

I'll dispute it.   *Nicer Finish - Bluing is not better than park and paint. *Thicker receiver - This is arguable, but I take the opposite position. I want my rifle to be as light as possible, and

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For pre-ban Soviet weapons, Bulgarian made AK's tend to have the best reputation and reliability. For pre-ban domestics, the IMI/MR Galils are -incredible- though they stretch the envelope for what can be considered an AK.

 

For post-ban and current foreign variants, Russia maintains that their 103 is the top of the line (believable, since their special forces seem to have no problem using these finely tooled, modernized guns that are -funnily enough- relatively unchanged from their counterparts 60 years ago). If you can't get an import of a civilian 103, which is likely, VEPR's and their variants are quickly developing a great reputation at a point in their service lives when most carbines would start running into problems.

 

As for post-ban domestics... :lolol:

(But if you must, Century Arms stays pretty tight and true to the Kalashnikov tradition)

 

PS. I resent that Galil comment...

Edited by Folkien
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The Valmet, R4, and the Galil in that order. I guess that the Saiga and the Arsenal would be 4th and 5th. Considering how many countries have produced the rifles that is not bad!

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Interesting discussion.

 

On a closely related topic.

 

If you were to buy one more AK with price as a consideration what would it be?

 

I would like to keep the price below the 600 range.

 

On the list so far:

MAK 90

SSR 85C Bulgarian stamped receiver

 

Thanks.

Edited by saigaboy
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Folkien, your thinking if far too much restricted by what is available or was available in the USA.

6500rpm, a Valmet still has the AK look & feels, while a Galil jumps calibre and looks vastly different. it also borrows much from other designs than the AK.

Combat Medic, i must admit i know fairly little about the Zastava rifles (well, the AK variants anyway, the bolt actions and whatnot are rather common in the EU).

Azrial, bulgies are fifth in your count? i must admit i've never given Arsenal a closer look.

saigaboy, how can you fail to list Saiga? :)

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Valmet is #1 in my book. I had a couple of original Galil's and they are nice guns, but heavy and not as accurate as the Valmet. I had a sizable collection of Valmets at one time, but only kept one....a .223 folder that averages 1.5" groups and occasionally will toss out a Sub-MOA group. (Pic - 3rd from the right) About 8 years ago, I took this gun to a CMP match and kicked everyone's ass with it. Out of about 40 shooters, that gun ended up #1 by a big margin.

 

Here's a small portion of my past collection.

 

Edited to add - L to R in the pic.

76 .308 Wood Stock

76 .308 Folder

76 .308 Plastic Stock (POS)

76 .308 Folder

62 x39 Fixed Tube

76 .223 Wood Stock

76 .223 Folder (The one that I kept)

78 .308 Wood

71 .223 Plastic Stock (POS)

 

Collection-1.jpg

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ow man, that's just too friggin' sweet Tony...

 

i've been looking for a semi RK-95 forever, but those things are near impossible to find out here (EU). i'd certainly settle for an Rk76 or Rk62, as long as the furniture is right. i utterly hate the 'tube' stock though.

 

which Valmet/Sako do you prefer Tony?

 

PS: such a shame that you got rid of most of em!

Edited by SuA
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DAMB NICE collection, Since nobody brought up the lowly chinese milled receiver guns, I would like to offer a public service and suggest you don't muck up your collections with those things, just send them to me and I'll see that they get a good home........... You'll owe me but trust me in the long run its what is best for everyone..............

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What is the cut off here?

 

Valmets are 2nd gen Kalashnikov designs.

 

Galils/R4 are 3d gen designs..

 

 

When does it stop being an AK?

 

Is a Robinson XCR considered an AK?

 

How bout the Kel-Tec SU-16?

 

The Daewoo K1 or K2 ?

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MCASgt Don't be frowning about a mak, I have a milled receiver mak-90 still holding the title for most accurate 7x62x39 ak I have shot and that includes probably fifty guns from seven or eight countries.........

 

 

Frowning because it's my "ONLY" 7.62x39 that I own.

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Valmet is #1 in my book. I had a couple of original Galil's and they are nice guns, but heavy and not as accurate as the Valmet. I had a sizable collection of Valmets at one time, but only kept one....a .223 folder that averages 1.5" groups and occasionally will toss out a Sub-MOA group. (Pic - 3rd from the right) About 8 years ago, I took this gun to a CMP match and kicked everyone's ass with it. Out of about 40 shooters, that gun ended up #1 by a big margin.

 

Here's a small portion of my past collection.

 

Edited to add - L to R in the pic.

76 .308 Wood Stock

76 .308 Folder

76 .308 Plastic Stock (POS)

76 .308 Folder

62 x39 Fixed Tube

76 .223 Wood Stock

76 .223 Folder (The one that I kept)

78 .308 Wood

71 .223 Plastic Stock (POS)

 

Collection-1.jpg

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Valmet is #1 in my book. I had a couple of original Galil's and they are nice guns, but heavy and not as accurate as the Valmet. I had a sizable collection of Valmets at one time, but only kept one....a .223 folder that averages 1.5" groups and occasionally will toss out a Sub-MOA group. (Pic - 3rd from the right) About 8 years ago, I took this gun to a CMP match and kicked everyone's ass with it. Out of about 40 shooters, that gun ended up #1 by a big margin.

 

Here's a small portion of my past collection.

 

Edited to add - L to R in the pic.

76 .308 Wood Stock

76 .308 Folder

76 .308 Plastic Stock (POS)

76 .308 Folder

62 x39 Fixed Tube

76 .223 Wood Stock

76 .223 Folder (The one that I kept)

78 .308 Wood

71 .223 Plastic Stock (POS)

 

Collection-1.jpg

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Is that first one a stamped 76w in .223 or is it a stamped 76w in 308. I know it has been 8 years since the pic but I have never seen a stamped 76 308. So that was a rare one.

I curently have over 40 of your Bulgi mags and 17 Valmets. Your mags made me loose it and get into Valmets again.

 

62ribbed 62 wood 62 wood plastic 71p 71w 76tf 308 76milled x39 76wood 308 76 tf 76 tf 76w 78/83 78.223 78 x39 78 308 82 and a fricken 308 hunter.

 

All I need is a 76 milled folder in 7.62x39 and I swear to god I will quit.

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I consider the evolution of the AK to be as follows.

 

Gen1 AK-47 (late 40's - early 50's)

Gen2 AKM (mid 50's - early 70's)

Gen3 Valmet 62 (60's)

Gen4 Valmet 76 / Galil AR & ARM / AK-74 (mid-70's)

quasi-Gen5 AK-103 (90's)

 

Beyong that - you get into stuff that is a hybrid that uses AK sub-systems (usually the gas system) incorporated into AR sub-systems (usually the upper/lower receiver arrangement and/or sight system). The perfect example that comes to mind is the FNC and, more recently, the Robinson XCR (The latter of which I have not heard very much positive press on by competition shooters or "operators").

 

I have owned 2 FNC and really liked them, but I prefer my AA Galil ARM and it is probably the most accurate semi-auto rifle I own - out to about 250 yds. (The very first Galil's were build by Israel on un-marked stamped Valmet receivers - later on they were milled "in-house"). I sold my first FNC for $450 to get my Galil - back in 1988 - for $750 NIB w 3 mags.... (My - how times have changed!). The Second FNC I traded in on an HK 33 which turned me off of HK rifles for good (very uncomfortable to shoot and accuracy was never better than :rolleyes: ...)

 

When talking of calibers... which production caliber in the last 30 years are you refering too? Tried and true 7.62x39, 5.45x39, 5.56x45, 7.62x51, 7.92x57 (8mm Mauser) or 7.62x54R. I have even seen ones in 6.5x55 Swede and 7.62x45 Czech, though I would hardly view these as "standard production" guns.

That said - for the money, I really like the quality of the Russian and Chinese AK's. The Yugo, Romanian (real stuff - not WASR stuff) and Bulgy AK's a really pretty decent too.

 

Just my humble honest opinion...

 

Macbeau sends...

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I consider the evolution of the AK to be as follows.

 

Gen1 AK-47 (late 40's - early 50's)

Gen2 AKM (mid 50's - early 70's)

Gen3 Valmet 62 (60's)

Gen4 Valmet 76 / Galil AR & ARM / AK-74 (mid-70's)

quasi-Gen5 AK-103 (90's)

 

I have to disagee. I was not referring to generations in regard to issue or manufacture date, but in terms of features and parts intercompatiblity.

 

Gen1 = AK47

Gen2 = AKM/AK74/AK-100 Series

Gen3 = Valmet

Gen3.1 = Galil

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I consider the evolution of the AK to be as follows.

 

Gen1 AK-47 (late 40's - early 50's)

Gen2 AKM (mid 50's - early 70's)

Gen3 Valmet 62 (60's)

Gen4 Valmet 76 / Galil AR & ARM / AK-74 (mid-70's)

quasi-Gen5 AK-103 (90's)

 

I have to disagee. I was not referring to generations in regard to issue or manufacture date, but in terms of features and parts intercompatiblity.

 

Gen1 = AK47

Gen2 = AKM/AK74/AK-100 Series

Gen3 = Valmet

Gen3.1 = Galil

 

Okay - Fair enough. I think that beyond the Galil / Valmet 76, you get into the hybrid stuff like the FNC, Robinson XCR, and piston-driven AR stuff.

 

A. Lots of folks like the AR's fine machining, mag well, mag release, trigger group, upper/lower receiver arrangement and selector.

B. Lots of folks also like the AK's simplicity, direct gas piston, positive extraction/ejection of cases, light weight steel construction, gas-ringless bolt and under/side folding stock.

 

Much of what you see "new" today (in whatever caliber) is basically an almagimation of both systems, trying to acheive the best of both worlds...

...for what it's worth...

 

The choice is yours...

 

Macbeau sends...

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