I want to start an AK collection but there are so many variations I dont know where to begin. what is the most sought after in regards to the country of origin. russian, romanian, polish etc
I want to start an AK collection but there are so many variations I dont know where to begin. what is the most sought after in regards to the country of origin. russian, romanian, polish etc
WELCOME !!!!
Paging 'Nut......
Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!
I hope you have unlimited income.
I sold all my guns and ammo, now I live the quiet retired life.
Welcome to the group !!!
Yougaddabekiddingme!!!!!
No, seriously the question is how much do you want to spend? The Chinese pre-ban (pre-George Bush the First-ban) are going up in price because of their scarceness and the fact that no more can ever be imported unless we get our constitutional rights back completely, which doesn't seem likely. If you have the money, check the going prices for the Poly Techs and early Norincos and after getting ideas as to what they truly are selling for, make the plunge. You really can't go wrong if you can find any Chinese for a reasonable price. Check Gunbroker for what are high prices these days. Note which ones are getting bids and which are not.
Post ban Norincos, from NHM-90, NHM-91, MAK-90 and 91, BWK-92 are just as nice as the pre, but just neutered to make Bush1 happy. Just steer away from any B-west Made in USA Norincos as some were ok, but most not, and there really is no way to tell them apart.
Many people like the Egyptian Maadis because they were made on Russian machinery, but the Egyptians didn't believe in making nice looking rifles, so the finish on them was horrible out of the box. The only true pre-ban Maadi would be a Steyr import ARM. All others were post ban. Again, having a Maadi in a collection is nice!
The Europeans run the gamut from the now Banned SAR series which were true Romanian military issue, the only issue AK imported into the land of shall not be infringed. There were earlier Romanians which were nice, and the current ATF approved WASR series which are hit or miss.
Bulgarian, Hungarian, all nice.
Russian, well unfortunately an agreement between the USA and the former Soviet Union, and still recognized by the current Russia are not importable. There are VEPRs and Saigas which are nice variants, with the VEPRs being more an RPK than an AK, and the Saiga able to be converted to an AKM look-alike.
Not to mention the zillions of now USA made AKs using USA receivers and parts from anywhere.
And that doesn't get into whether or not you want fixed, underfolder, or sidefolder, and which caliber, 7.62x39, 5.45x39 or 5.56x45!
Lots to choose from, suggest checking our different AK forums as well as the auction sites for ideas of the many variations that have been and still are available to those of us with rights that shall not be infringed, but have been.
Now separately, my personal idea for "most sought after" would be the Poly Tech Legend series, milled receiver rifles that were billed as the closest thing you could buy to a true AK Type 3.
Next up would be the Poly Tech known as the double underfolder. They had underfolding stocks with underfolding bayos.
Clayco imports of Norincos were considered the first recognized import of an AK variant. Getting expensive by the minute, a Clayco (as they are known) are priced by collectors.
Norinco 56S fixed stock, 56S-1 underfolder, or 56S-2 are great collectibles, as well as the 5.56x45 versions, the 84S series.
Of the Egyptians, the Steyr Maadi was number one on the collector list.
After that, it is just what you want. Milled receiver Europeans are nice to have. Hungarian made FEG receiver versions too.
Speaking about the Hungarian, their only pre-Bush1-ban rifles were Kassnar imported SA-85M. All others were post-ban.
And the list goes on, how many do you want to own, and how much do you want to spend.
I guess there are a limitless number of variations and prices. I don't want to be serious in that I spend $1000 on one. I want what I can shoot that looks nice I guess. I'm in the process of adding various firearms to my collection and would like 5 or so ak's in the mix.
If I could only buy 5 with a $1000 limit, I would have an AMD-65 sidefolder, a Yugo M70-AB2, try to find a Norinco 56S for under $1000 (still possible), then maybe an SLR-95, and possibly an SAR-1. You would then have a nice sample from several of the locations that sent AKs to the land of shall not be infringed.
This is one of the best explanations I have ever read on AKs. Wish I had read it when I first started my research. Thanks. http://www.gunsnet.net/images/icons/icon14.pngOriginally Posted by imanaknut
Welcome to the group !!!
Yougaddabekiddingme!!!!!
No, seriously the question is how much do you want to spend? The Chinese pre-ban (pre-George Bush the First-ban) are going up in price because of their scarceness and the fact that no more can ever be imported unless we get our constitutional rights back completely, which doesn't seem likely. If you have the money, check the going prices for the Poly Techs and early Norincos and after getting ideas as to what they truly are selling for, make the plunge. You really can't go wrong if you can find any Chinese for a reasonable price. Check Gunbroker for what are high prices these days. Note which ones are getting bids and which are not.
Post ban Norincos, from NHM-90, NHM-91, MAK-90 and 91, BWK-92 are just as nice as the pre, but just neutered to make Bush1 happy. Just steer away from any B-west Made in USA Norincos as some were ok, but most not, and there really is no way to tell them apart.
Many people like the Egyptian Maadis because they were made on Russian machinery, but the Egyptians didn't believe in making nice looking rifles, so the finish on them was horrible out of the box. The only true pre-ban Maadi would be a Steyr import ARM. All others were post ban. Again, having a Maadi in a collection is nice!
The Europeans run the gamut from the now Banned SAR series which were true Romanian military issue, the only issue AK imported into the land of shall not be infringed. There were earlier Romanians which were nice, and the current ATF approved WASR series which are hit or miss.
Bulgarian, Hungarian, all nice.
Russian, well unfortunately an agreement between the USA and the former Soviet Union, and still recognized by the current Russia are not importable. There are VEPRs and Saigas which are nice variants, with the VEPRs being more an RPK than an AK, and the Saiga able to be converted to an AKM look-alike.
Not to mention the zillions of now USA made AKs using USA receivers and parts from anywhere.
And that doesn't get into whether or not you want fixed, underfolder, or sidefolder, and which caliber, 7.62x39, 5.45x39 or 5.56x45!
Lots to choose from, suggest checking our different AK forums as well as the auction sites for ideas of the many variations that have been and still are available to those of us with rights that shall not be infringed, but have been.
Buy It Cheap!
Stack It Deep!
Original Member-July-1999!
Welcome to the Board!!!
LMAO! There was a movie where the kid walked into the gun shop and said "I want a big gun that holds a lot of bullets." The gun shop owner answered "Bless you my son."
My ambition in life is to collect 1/10th of the AK varients that have been in production!
'Nut likes, with good reason, the Chinese varients. I've been more of a collector of odd balls. Valmets, I think, are one of the greats. Yugos are beautiful. Galils run better than about anything out there. The snipers like the PSL and the Yugo M76...
Now start on the full autos which start at $15,000 these days.
Depending on your cash you can spend a quarter million on a collection and just be starting...
Question one should be what first AK fits my budget...
Welcome again... and bless you my son!!!
I think I am going to make this a sticky, explained enough times I can't believe I haven't done it before.
Because we like to talk AK's...
Find this:
Last edited by El Laton Caliente; 01-29-2012 at 10:30 PM.
yup, made it a sticky to discuss the different variants available, what the differences are, and what each of us like and why.
You know, it is true that I don't mind explaining it over and over, because collecting the different variations is fun, but this thread will save my fingers!
If I could only have 5 different AK's
They would be.....
Milled AK in 7.62x39 (AK-47)
Stamped AK in 7.62x39 (AKM)
True RPK in 7.62x39
AKS-74
AKS-74U (Krinkov)
I don't own all of these. I love me some variants, but out of my list, I only own 2 of 'em.
ELC mentioned Valmets and Galils. They are both great, but I don't consider 'em AK's. They are completly different platforms/designs to me.
Last edited by Partisan1983; 01-29-2012 at 11:50 PM.
Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!
HAHA, that movie was Kuffs. Can't believe I remember that.
"Verily, I have often laughed at the weaklings who thought themselves good because they had no claws."
-Nietzsche
"Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory."
-George S. Patton
I just had an offer to buy a preban chinese double underfolder and a hungarian from tgi on a nodak receiver. this is so froeign to me. I gotta look this up
The double underfolder is a true collector's piece. What condition?
dunno. I asked for pics. I'll post them when I get it.
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