did i get a good deal?

[buckeye12]

I bought a mak90, slant cut receiver in really good condition for $650.00. Came with 3 30rd mags and I think its a 75 rd drum mag. A few questions......I'm going to put ironwood stock on it but it doesn't have year before the serial number. It is 20xxx, I'm figuring that is low?? It also has matching numbers and is stamped 386. Also doesn't say spotted and isn't etched with any words. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[buckeye12]

Lol not spotted, should say sporter. Thanks.

[imanaknut]

Welcome to the group !!! :welcome:

Not all MAK-90s had the first two digits of the serial number as the date, so that is not unusual. It should say "Made In China" on the receiver, as well as the importer's name. The 386 indicates that if there was no Bush the First stupidity, your rifle would have been stamped as a Poly Tech.

My question is it a stamped or milled receiver? The 386 stamped models came in both variety. If it is milled it is worth even more.

Ironwood Designs is a great place to get a stock for either the slant cut stamped receiver or the strange angle cut and round hole of the milled receiver.

$650 is a very good price these days, and considering that if the 75 round drum is Chinese, that alone sells for at or above $100 by itself.

[buckeye12]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Forgot to mention that it is milled and it says made in China and I'm assuming that the importer is somewhere in this mess......C.A.I.ST.ALB.VT........that is what is marked on the receiver right next to by norinco. Thanks.

[imanaknut]

Knowing it is milled changes my response just a bit. $650 with the drum is not just a good price buy a GREAT price!! Milled MAK-90s with just one 30 round standard AK mag are selling for $1000 and up these days. Ironwood is the only company that I know of that makes a stock for the Milled MAK-90s.

CAI is Century who imports a ton of stuff.

Next question, is the barrel the standard 16 inch? Reason for asking is that Century brought in some rifles from Canada, and their requirements for minimum barrel length is 18 inches.

[buckeye12]

New to ak platform. I'm not sure of barrel length. Easy to strip and measure? Measure the overall length?

[imanaknut]

ATF measures the barrel with the bolt closed, drop a dowel rod in it, and verify that the 16 inch mark is below the muzzle. I usually just take a tape measure and measure from the muzzle to the end of the barrel inside the receiver. For our purpose, close is good enough.

I ask because some people value the longer barrel MAK-90 a bit more than the standard. There is also a 19 or so inch version which normally was marked "MAK-91". That was what would have been the Poly Tech Legend National Match before Bush1, but there were other markings that did not get ground off, so you would have noticed the "National Match" stamp.

[imanaknut]

Wanted to add, if you are half good with wood, you can make your own stock. I made a mess of my garage, but this was the result:

http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/medium/Norinco_MAK-90_restored.JPG

Milled MAK-90 made to look like an early Kalashnikov.

[buckeye12]

Looks like i have a 16in barrel. Thanks for all the info. I'm not good with wood at all so I will be paying ironwood. I don't feel bad in dropping more money into now that I know I got a good deal. One more question, I want to go with the blond color stock for new furniture from iwd. What wood would you recommend? Also the mags are Chinese without the spines.

[imanaknut]

I would go with the Birch. I think that would be the easiest wood to get the light blond or even the goldish tone of the Chinese wood.

As for the mags, I prefer the spineless Chinese as they make mag changes easier.

[buckeye12]

Thanks for all your help. Now I just need to shoot it. BTW, you did a great job on yours in the picture above. Beautiful gun. Thanks again.

[TB215]

Milled MAKs go for a grand these days.

You did good.