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View Full Version : Newbie with question about what I have and what to do with it



spook1
08-29-2011, 09:49 PM
I am new here and to ak's, so sorry about the ignorant question. I just picked up a valley gun import (stamped on receiver) ak. My research seems to think it is a hunter as it also says made in china and has 386 in a circle on the receiver. Is thisbthe correct Id? Also I was wondering what kind of scope mount I would need and if there is any other accuracy modification I could do to it. I am used to bolt guns, and don't expect that kind of accuracy, but I am wanting to get all I can out of it. The trigger is surprisingly very good. I picked it and two 30 round mags up pretty cheap, so I am wanting to play around with it. By the way, it doesn't have a pistol grip and has a straight wood buttstock. What kind of replacement stocks are available? Again, excuse my ignorance, but thanks for any help you can give me.

Krupski
08-29-2011, 11:24 PM
I am new here and to ak's, so sorry about the ignorant question. I just picked up a valley gun import (stamped on receiver) ak. My research seems to think it is a hunter as it also says made in china and has 386 in a circle on the receiver. Is thisbthe correct Id? Also I was wondering what kind of scope mount I would need and if there is any other accuracy modification I could do to it. I am used to bolt guns, and don't expect that kind of accuracy, but I am wanting to get all I can out of it. The trigger is surprisingly very good. I picked it and two 30 round mags up pretty cheap, so I am wanting to play around with it. By the way, it doesn't have a pistol grip and has a straight wood buttstock. What kind of replacement stocks are available? Again, excuse my ignorance, but thanks for any help you can give me.

Welcome to Gunsnet! :welcome: <- I like using that smiley! LOL

Anyway, from the small description you gave, it sounds like you have a Norinco rifle. I believe that rifle doesn't have a (sideplate) scope mount.

As far as accuracy... an AK is like a 1911 pistol. Some are deadly accurate, others can't hit the side of a barn.

Does it look something like this:

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk185/DoughboyRacing/MAK_90.jpg

If so, yes you can convert it to a correct configuration (that is, pistol grip and real stock). But then there is a really stupid federal law you have to comply with that requires you to have 10 or less foreign made parts in the rifle. You do this by removing certain parts and replacing them with US made parts.

We will need more info about your rifle before any more suggestions can be made... and if you think the law I mentioned above is purely idiotic, then welcome to the club! :)

So, welcome again to Gunsnet and have fun... ask all the questions you wish. Someone here will have an answer for you.

-- Roger

stinker
08-30-2011, 07:00 AM
Pics are good.
We like pics.
Gun porn is good for the soul :hoo-yeah:

spook1
08-30-2011, 07:00 AM
The gun I have is exactly like the one pictured in the link below. Mine does not have any screw holes in the side for a scope mount, so I was thinking I would need to get one of the mounts that replaces your top cover. Again, any advice or info is appreciated.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=454404

stinker
08-30-2011, 07:47 AM
I think you're fubared for puting a scope on it. I can't think of a single mount that would work without drilling the receiver which is tricky at best and i also would not recommend doing in the first place. It'll destroy the collectors value.

The receiver cover mounts might not even fit that rifle to begin with and don't hold zero anyways. The only one that does is the TWS dogleg rail cover and it needs the rear leaf sight to be able to mount on the rifle so that's out.

FYI it's not a norinco according to that link too if it's exactly the same.

this is a hunter valley gun.ak47 imported by a outfit in la on the west coast.I think they are out of business.it is not a norinco, it dont have nornico stamped any where on it. it was made in the poly tec factory 386. as you can see it has a checkerd stock,also has a milled receiver.shoots great.if you google it you will find some of the norincos but you may not find any of the valley guns,it is kinda rare Im asking $625 might trade for some colts in that range.ftf on I 20 past six flags

El Laton Caliente
08-30-2011, 08:41 AM
"Nut may corrrect me, but IIRC ALL the milled Chinese came from 386... I have a hunter that looks just like that, I'll have to pull it out & look. I bought it to do the Galil convertion and never did and decided I like it fine as is. I like the fact with a five round in place no one looks at it as an AK, but pop in a 30, 40 or drum and you have the same funtionality. Mine also has a surprisingly good trigger pull.

I thought about scope options before, but can't remember right now. The rifle has about the balistics of a 30-30 lever gun, so if your eyes allow just use the iron sites.

Here's mine
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll228/ElLatonCaliente/Firearms/NorincoHunter.jpg

spook1
08-30-2011, 11:07 AM
Thanks for the replies. El Laton, my rifle is exactly like yours, with the rear peep sight. Like I said, it just has a 386 in a circle and says made in China, with the Valley Gun stamp as well. I was hoping to put a scope on this and it doesn't seem like it is going to be too good of an option. I will probably just have the receiver drilled for one of the side mounts then. Does anyone recommend a good side receiver mount? I picked this thing and 2 30 rd mags up from a buddy of mine for $180, as I was thinking it was probably a pretty good deal, and he needed money. So I figure if I drill it for a scope, I can get some good use out of it as a 4 Wheeler gun. Keep the replies coming.

printerman
08-30-2011, 11:39 AM
Welcome , post well and post often ....

stinker
08-30-2011, 03:24 PM
I will probably just have the receiver drilled for one of the side mounts then
Like i said i would'nt recommend that because that rifle is not that common, it's all original and unmodified and they can't be imported anymore so there will be no new ones any time soon, which raises it's value. You got a good deal on it too btw.

If you do have it drilled you need to find someone that knows EXACTLY what the hell they're doing or they can F:censored:K it up badly and get the mount crooked. Then you're stuck getting it welded up so it can be drilled again and refinished to fix it.

I would think a typical modern AK side mount would do the trick nicely on that rifle.
Like the one shown in this thread
http://www.gunsnet.net/showthread.php?12037-Looking-for-a-good-scope-mount

spook1
08-30-2011, 07:38 PM
Thanks stinker. What kind of value would this gun have? Like I said, I am new to AK's so I have no idea. I don't want to mess with it if it is valuable, but if it is just a $300 gun, I will probably go ahead and fix it up so that I can get some good use out of it.

imanaknut
08-30-2011, 08:03 PM
Welcome to the group !!! :welcome:

While the Norinco Hunter, and it's twin the Valmet Hunter never took off because they were too politically correct, they have gone up in value more than most would imagine. The Chinese can be found selling for near $500 which is amazing until you consider that the once $200 MAK-90 is going for over $500.

If you want to install a standard AK side mount, just remember you are narrowing the field of potential buyers in an already very narrow marked if you need or want to sell it. Granted you bought it for a great price, so you could probably not have a problem just getting out of it what you have in it.

As many here will agree, what you do with your firearm is up to you. How you customize it, and whether you do it in a what that it can be easily restored to original or modified beyond restoration is up to you. Personally I don't like modding anything that is fixed in number and no longer being imported. I do like when I see that someone took a rare Chinese AK variant and modified it, even if they are making my original more valuable because there is now one less around.

As El Laton Caliente said, many people bought the Hunter to use to build a Galil clone again making an original more valuable as with each converted Hunter, an original is more rare.

Think about what you want to do, but in the end it is your rifle.

And I have nothing against people who look at me as crazy when they learn I have a 25 year old never fired, still in box and wrapper Norinco AK variant!