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OK, this is so crazy and too-good-to-be-true, but according to Russian newspaper (Google translation):

 

 

Hollywood actor Steven Seagal, recently secretly visited Izhevsk will probably advertise Izhevsk concern "Kalashnikov" in the United States.
Now the management group is in talks with the leaders of Russian Weapons (RWS) on the joint assembly in the United States rifles and shotguns "Saiga". The necessary investment in the project - 2.5 billion rubles.($ 80 million). A potential customer for finished products already have - a network of Walmart, which is ready to buy 200 thousand pieces "Saiga" in the year. And the advertising face of concern "Kalashnikov" in the U.S. can be a movie actor Steven Seagal, reports Kommersant .

 

Source: http://izhlife.ru/events/37969-stiven-sigal-mozhet-stat-licom-izhevskogo-koncerna-kalashnikov-v-ssha.html

 

Any more sources?

Anything from our Russian Comrades? Vinni83, how copy?

 

RWS: confirm/deny?

 

Keep your fingers crossed and pray hard for this to happen!

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Yeah Segal...meh... But as was stated above, having spare parts finally being available in the US would be great. Having them on the shelf beside the AR-15s at wallyworld would pretty surely make them so highly available that they could easily keep production costs way down from the elevated levels we have seen them rise on the market value scale over the past 10 yrs.

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If Segal could pull it off, my opinion of him would go from extreme douche to average douche on the douche-o-meter.  I hope it's true and can pull it off but I'm not holding my breath.

 

If Steven Segall can be responsible for Kalashnakov rifles being sold in Wal-Mart, that would put him one step below Chuck Norris!

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Yes, they are considering assembling Saigas in the USA. It will cut retail prices by lowering import duties. They are trying to follow Arsenal's path.

 

 

have you even look at what US made ARSENAL AKs go for, the SAM series?  those rifles are just as expensive as the ones that are imported, SLR series. so, I don't know where you come up with that notion that "It will cut retail prices by lowering import duties"

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What would really be nice to see is if they opened up an actual plant over here so we would not have to pay some US company like Arsenal or CAI to import parts kits or sporter rifles to assemble or convert and sell for overinflated prices. Like they did in Eqypt with the Maadi rifles for instance. Russian techs and machinery were sent there to train the Egyptians and make Kalashnikov rifles there.

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If Segal could pull it off, my opinion of him would go from extreme douche to average douche on the douche-o-meter.  I hope it's true and can pull it off but I'm not holding my breath.

 

If Steven Segall can be responsible for Kalashnakov rifles being sold in Wal-Mart, that would put him one step below Chuck Norris!

 

 

Damn right!! Buy a new AK at your local Walmart, sweet!!

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Yes, they are considering assembling Saigas in the USA. It will cut retail prices by lowering import duties. They are trying to follow Arsenal's path.

 

 

have you even look at what US made ARSENAL AKs go for, the SAM series?  those rifles are just as expensive as the ones that are imported, SLR series. so, I don't know where you come up with that notion that "It will cut retail prices by lowering import duties"

 

I was always under the impression that Arsenal was just a dick in that regard...

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If Segal could pull it off, my opinion of him would go from extreme douche to average douche on the douche-o-meter.  I hope it's true and can pull it off but I'm not holding my breath.

 

If Steven Segall can be responsible for Kalashnakov rifles being sold in Wal-Mart, that would put him one step below Chuck Norris!

 

 

Damn right!! Buy a new AK at your local Walmart, sweet!!

 

 I actually bought my first AK and SKS at my local Roses in the early 90's lol! A Maadi Mak-90 unissued in cosmo, and a Norinco SKS in cosmo, both with all accessories.  :)  I wish I had also bought one of the cheap Mosins they had and the L1A1 right beside that.  I'll have to find the sales flier I still have from the newspaper and post it, it's funny how cheap these things were then.

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I'm surprised it already isn't being done. None of the stamped receiver components are really complicated, and should be pretty easy to churn out on a CNC machine.

 

It's only in the last couple of years that parts kits have risen to the point where it could be a realistic option to start making parts kits in the US, maybe with unique features like built-in AR stock support, GI peep sight built into the rear trunnion, etc.

 

If I had access to CNC machinery, I would seriously throw a lot of time into doing it.

 

As far as making Saigas in the US, I'm all about it, but they better not be making sporters. They need to make them as-is the way they are available outside of the US. Not many people realize how huge the Saiga product line actually is, but we can only import a  very small fraction of it.

Edited by mancat
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... As far as making Saigas in the US, I'm all about it, but they better not be making sporters. They need to make them as-is the way they are available outside of the US. Not many people realize how huge the Saiga product line actually is, but we can only import a  very small fraction of it.

 Indeed...

http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/weapon.shtml

 

Saiga rifles:

http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/saiga.shtml

http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/saiga-m3exp.shtml

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I would buy an SVD in a heartbeat.

 

Somebody mentioned Arsenal. They have a well known reputation for raping the American consumer. Many think they are the Cadillac of AK's but their quality control is pretty spotty in reality...

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The US units would be too tight and would probably jam. The "Vodka tolerance" on the parts is what makes them sing.

 

Yeah... so far most of "USA quality" AKs that I seen were below Pakistani cave-quality as far as reliability.

 

Everyone loves to talk smack and joke about vodka specials and all that but realistically absolutely no one made a mass-produced, quality and reliable AK in USA for the same price-point yet (from "scratch").

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USA 'made' AK rifles are generally made from used or old parts made in a different country by a different company.

 

Its much like: production rebuilding classic cars from used parts vs making new cars with new parts.

 

I was mostly talking about US made receivers... good recent example would be Waffen Works with their own new production receivers -worked much better before they stopped using NoDak Spuds (even they took years to make their receivers mostly problem-free and consistent). And that is "just" stamping sheet metal in to shape...imagine they try to produce bolt carriers and bolts... yeah no thanks.

 

I will still stay by my statement that just about any critical part of the gun that was attempted to be made-in-masses in US so-far turned out to be expensive and either junk or at best very inconsistent in the long run. Hardly something to brag about and make fun of Izmash or even Romanians for their canted sights etc.

 

I would love a reliable, wholly US -made AK of at least same quality as a Saiga but realistically what will that cost? over 1k? Hardly exciting other than at least having some spare parts.

 

If Izmash can setup an operation here along with their machinery and CAD design files so that it would stay exactly like their Russian setup... perhaps it will be a good thing...if they stay relatively cheap.

Edited by HappYBallZ
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Smaller US manufacturers are already making barrels, bolt carriers, op rods, pistons, gas blocks, etc. for the guns, so the question might not be "if?", but "when?".

 

US manufactured Kalashnikov platform shotguns would be costlier to build and market for a variety of reasons. To be widely accepted beyond this community of true believers, the emphasis would have to be on quality, reliabitily, and versatility rather than on quantity.

 

Apples to apples, I think we could expect to see pricing on par with something on the order of a Benelli M4, with specialized models costing more, and stripped down entry level models costing a bit less.

 

The largest caveats for any medium to large manufacturer looking to move into US manufacturing would be market conditions, and the regulatory environment. Most entities with pockets deep enough to pull something like this off, and do it right, are going to be looking for a level of market stability which currently does not seem to exist.

 

ETA: There is a US company that has been manufacturing US made developed and has been advertising US made Kalashnikov platform shotguns for some time now. The company seems to be doing just fine, and I don't see their products at Wal Mart, or Cabela's  - so someone else is buying them.

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ETA: There is a US company that has been manufacturing US made Kalashnikov platform shotguns for some time now. The company seems to be doing just fine, and I don't see their products at Wal Mart, or Cabela's  - so someone else is buying them.

 

Who would that be? First I've heard of this.

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The company is formerly a forum member, and makes an aluminum 30 round drum for the S12. I don't advertise for, or endorse their products. Their distributor is a former forum business member.

 

Please see the strike through corrections above.

 

Mike

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