Does anyone shoot an AK?

[derek45auto]

5.45 with PLUM furniture

 

[LVSteve]

I owned a 20" Saiga in 7.62x39 but I never warmed to it. Biggest problem was that my example was desperately over gassed. I have a WASR but have not shot it in a while. Need to rectify that, I think.

 

[Combat]

I have owned many different AK's. To me, the best out of the box, factory one to get would be a Hungarian model. They have the best fit and finish AND way the best trigger pull. NEVER buy anything but factory milsurp mags.

 

[alwslate]

I have two Chinese, both with milled receivers, and one Romanian.
The Romanian is one of the earlier imports and looks to be better
fitted than some of the more recent mixed parts guns. I don't shoot
them very often but all are very reliable, can't remember a single jam
or misfire with any of them. All my mags are milsurps and I'm sure
that helps. With military FMJ ammo they will group into 3 1/2" from
benchrest at 100 yds, not bad considering the sights and triggers. I
have two ARs but for some reason I tend to trust the AKs more and
if someone was kicking in my door I would grab an AK rather than an
AR.

 

[gdnagle]

You can never have too many firearms. If you want it and can afford it buy it. It's you money.

I've wanted a AK variant myself but never got around to buying on. I do have two VZ58 variants which are 7.62X39 but are a different animal then the AK.

Now here in my area they is a shortage of 7.62X39 ammo but there's plenty online.

 

[Jessie]

I succumbed and bought the Polish Radom.
It's actually a well fitted and finished Ak.
The trigger is much lighter than I expected.
The truth will come at the range soon.
I sure cant complain at the price of the ammo if it shoots alright.

 

[Arik]

You can never have too many firearms. If you want it and can afford it buy it. It's you money.

I've wanted a AK variant myself but never got around to buying on. I do have two VZ58 variants which are 7.62X39 but are a different animal then the AK.

Now here in my area they is a shortage of 7.62X39 ammo but there's plenty online.

Love the VZ, have a Czech point myself! I don't know what the designer were thinking but they sure made it very lefty friendly. I don't know how you righty guys operate the safety and the mag release!

 

[oneflycowboy]

I have a couple of AK's and a few SKS's.

From left to right, A Czech made AK with a stamped receiver, A Chinese made AK with a milled receiver. The next three are SKS's, Chinese made and all SKS's have milled receivers.

I would like to add that I think the SKS is a better weapon than the AK-47. Not only are all SKS's made with milled receivers, the tolerances are much tighter and it's just a better made firearm.

AK-47's were originally designed to be made from a stamped receiver as most are and produced at a reduced cost when compared to the cost of manufacturing the SKS.

I paid $74 for my first SKS back in 1991.

 

[Arik]

Milled being better than stamped is an old wives tale. It's like a model 19 is better than a 66. (This dates back to the original stamped AK when milled was stronger than stamped circa 1947)

Czech AK? You mean a VZ? Those are all milled and a completely different rifle. If you have an actual Czech AK you have gold on your hands because they made a small number of them prior to 1958.

Although fielded by many countries, the SKS is largely viewed as a stop gap. Often issued to rear troops. In battle they were often looked down at and traded for AKs when available. The trigger mechanism is sensitive (not at the range I'm sure), has no select fire (some were retrofitted for it) and it takes just as long to load 10 rounds as It does to insert a 30 round mag. The Balkan conflict saw SKS being converted to FA with AK mags.

Another fact is some SKS were milled, not all. It's about 50/50 on milled/stamped SKS
Differences between milled & stamped Chinese SKS's

Milled sks-There are no rivited parts attatched to the reciever-exception being Navy arms scope bases.
Milled sks- may or may not have a milled or stamped trigger housing.
Stamped sks- The reciever will be a flat piece of metal bent to resemble a sks reciever. The barell trunion, will be attatched to the bent steel reciever by rivits. 

See this http://www.yooperj.com/SKS-14.htm  ---scroll down

A stamped Trigger housing has sharp edges on the metal, You can see where the interior parts are from a flat piece of metal that has been rolled into the u shape to accept workings, it will have very sharp edges. 
A miller trigger housing will have a more finished appearance. It will have fewer sharp edges. The parts will apearv as if they were pored into a mold and polished and the edges smother later

 

[nyeti]

I have several I really like. My favorite by far is my Arsenal SAM7SF. I just recently shot a .54" 3 shot group with Hornady SST and a 2MOA Aimpoint ML3. That was on computerized Olympic scoring equipment run by someone else. That gun is an honest to God 1 MOA out of the box AK. It is an example of how far that platform has come, just like the improvements to the M16 platform. I love the thing.

 

[alwslate]

I have a couple of AK's and a few SKS's.

From left to right, A Czech made AK with a stamped receiver, A Chinese made AK with a milled receiver. The next three are SKS's, Chinese made and all SKS's have milled receivers.

I would like to add that I think the SKS is a better weapon than the AK-47. Not only are all SKS's made with milled receivers, the tolerances are much tighter and it's just a better made firearm.

AK-47's were originally designed to be made from a stamped receiver as most are and produced at a reduced cost when compared to the cost of manufacturing the SKS.

I paid $74 for my first SKS back in 1991.

Ah...both of your AKs have stamped receivers. I have never
seen or heard of a stamped receiver SKS before this thread.
Stamped or milled usually refers to the trigger housing in
SKSs and it looks like at least two of yours are stamped.
The trigger guard is the give-away, it will be bent and
welded sheet metal. The stamped AK receiver has the dimple
in the side to reduce clearance of the magazine well. A pic
of a milled AK. Note the lightning cutouts and lack of rivets.

 

[kevin in nh]

A Henderson AK-74


A Polish Tantal and another Henderson Arms AK-47....the 7.62x39 is a better round than the 5.56 IMHO

 

[oneflycowboy]

Milled being better than stamped is an old wives tale. It's like a model 19 is better than a 66. (This dates back to the original stamped AK when milled was stronger than stamped circa 1947)

Czech AK? You mean a VZ? Those are all milled and a completely different rifle. If you have an actual Czech AK you have gold on your hands because they made a small number of them prior to 1958.

Although fielded by many countries, the SKS is largely viewed as a stop gap. Often issued to rear troops. In battle they were often looked down at and traded for AKs when available. The trigger mechanism is sensitive (not at the range I'm sure), has no select fire (some were retrofitted for it) and it takes just as long to load 10 rounds as It does to insert a 30 round mag. The Balkan conflict saw SKS being converted to FA with AK mags.

Another fact is some SKS were milled, not all. It's about 50/50 on milled/stamped SKS
Differences between milled & stamped Chinese SKS's

Milled sks-There are no rivited parts attatched to the reciever-exception being Navy arms scope bases.
Milled sks- may or may not have a milled or stamped trigger housing.
Stamped sks- The reciever will be a flat piece of metal bent to resemble a sks reciever. The barell trunion, will be attatched to the bent steel reciever by rivits. 

See this http://www.yooperj.com/SKS-14.htm  ---scroll down

A stamped Trigger housing has sharp edges on the metal, You can see where the interior parts are from a flat piece of metal that has been rolled into the u shape to accept workings, it will have very sharp edges. 
A miller trigger housing will have a more finished appearance. It will have fewer sharp edges. The parts will apearv as if they were pored into a mold and polished and the edges smother later

First off your link is dead....

Next, every SKS has a forged, milled steel receiver and receiver cover. If you have one without it's a cheap copy or very rare.

Although there are a few (and expensive) milled-receiver AKs in the US, the vast, vast majority of Kalashnikovs in civilian hands have a stamped, sheet metal receiver. Cheap to build, but not really high quality.

The whole point of inventing the AK was to reduce cost and production time.

The result is a weapon that is adequate for Red Army conscripts and peasant revolutionaries, but feels flimsy and uncomfortable compared to the SKS.

 

[oneflycowboy]

If you want real quality in an AK platform, then look at the Israeli Galil .

Here is one that I have with a couple more of my AK's.

Galils are built with a rotary bolt design and milled receiver.

They are a vast improvement over the flimsy cheap AK's...

 

[Arik]

Ok lol whatever milled or nothing!

Galils were good copies of Valmet. Might as well get that since they are both about as easily found. No Galils have been imported for the last 20 years +/- . If tou find and actual import Galil and not a parts kit they go for $2500 +. And please don't tell me you count that Century made abortion Golani. The one with the super high quality milled receiver that they decided not to heat treat, not to install a bullet guide, and out of spec magwell. But hey its milled, that alone makes up for it failing.

Galil uses the same rotating bolt as the rifle it copied, the Valmet which uses the same rotating bolt as the rifle it copied....the AK. Both milled and stamped AK use the same rotating bolt

 

[oneflycowboy]

Ah...both of your AKs have stamped receivers. I have never
seen or heard of a stamped receiver SKS before this thread.
Stamped or milled usually refers to the trigger housing in
SKSs and it looks like at least two of yours are stamped.
The trigger guard is the give-away, it will be bent and
welded sheet metal. The stamped AK receiver has the dimple
in the side to reduce clearance of the magazine well. A pic
of a milled AK. Note the lightning cutouts and lack of rivets.

Yeah, you are correct, after looking closer, one it just a heavier stamped metal on the AK. As for the SKS, they all have milled receivers. I never said anything about trigger guards...

 

[oneflycowboy]

And please don't tell me you count that Century made abortion Golani. The one with the super high quality milled receiver that they decided not to heat treat, not to install a bullet guide, and out of spec magwell. But hey its milled, that alone makes up for it failing.

Sorry my "Century made abortion Golani" does not meet your high standards of approval...

I was just trying to add to the conversation in this thread. You on the other hand seem to be more concerned with me and my personal firearms.

Yeah you're real classy dude, you can take it from here....

 

[LVSteve]

First off your link is dead....

Next, every SKS has a forged, milled steel receiver and receiver cover. If you have one without it's a cheap copy or very rare.

Not so. I don't know why that link will not take as it looks OK to me. The parent site is here. Yooper John Scroll down to the link for page 14 and you will see a stamped SKS. trying the direct route one more time. Yooper John

 

[Arik]

There is nothing wrong with adding stuff except when it's Internet rumors and old wives tales. Comparing a Golani to a Galil is like comparing a S&W to a Spanish made copy of a S&W. They look the same and shoot the same caliber but they are not built the same and won't hold up the same. Most of It is reproduction parts. If It was imported after 2005 it doesn't even have the original barrel. But it is made by a company that is known for cutting some serious corners. The parts kits came from Guatemalan military..... from rifles that were no longer suitable for issue, even in a 3rd world country. They were already used in Israel then sold to Guatemala who used them even more. After all that they got cut up and shipped here. The recievers were not heat treated properly and many were out of spec before being assembled. Do a Google search. If you read that about a S&W I wonder what kind of opinion you would have. This isn't me not liking YOU or YOUR rifle. This is me not liking THAT rifle. Century BUILDS are usually outsourced to the cheapest companies and they don't waste errors. They will do whatever it takes to make It fit because chances are the avg shooter won't shoot that much to notice the problem and by the time they do the warranty is over. This is the same company that when building metric FALs, ran out of upper parts so they grinded standard parts to force fit. If you know FALs you know thay while they look the same, metric and standard FALs have almost nothing interchangable. Same company that grinded on the bolt face of the CETME and the C93 to force the headspace instead of replacing the rollers as is standard procedure. Grinding is free, rollers cost money. Same company that installed barrels ment for 5.56 into rifles that shot 5.45 cal and called it good enough. Wrong size barrel and wrong twist rate. 50 yard shots grouped like shotgun and keyholed. Their reply was that you are using the wrong ammo. So yeah when I hear Century BUILT I know it's junk. Has nothing to do personally with you

 

[oneflycowboy]

There is nothing wrong with adding stuff except when it's Internet rumors and old wives tales. Comparing a Golani to a Galil is like comparing a S&W to a Spanish made copy of a S&W. They look the same and shoot the same caliber but they are not built the same and won't hold up the same. Most of It is reproduction parts. If It was imported after 2005 it doesn't even have the original barrel. But it is made by a company that is known for cutting some serious corners. The parts kits came from Guatemalan military..... from rifles that were no longer suitable for issue, even in a 3rd world country. They were already used in Israel then sold to Guatemala who used them even more. After all that they got cut up and shipped here. The recievers were not heat treated properly and many were out of spec before being assembled. Do a Google search. If you read that about a S&W I wonder what kind of opinion you would have. This isn't me not liking YOU or YOUR rifle. This is me not liking THAT rifle. Century BUILDS are usually outsourced to the cheapest companies and they don't waste errors. They will do whatever it takes to make It fit because chances are the avg shooter won't shoot that much to notice the problem and by the time they do the warranty is over. This is the same company that when building metric FALs, ran out of upper parts so they grinded standard parts to force fit. If you know FALs you know thay while they look the same, metric and standard FALs have almost nothing interchangable. Same company that grinded on the bolt face of the CETME and the C93 to force the headspace instead of replacing the rollers as is standard procedure. Grinding is free, rollers cost money. Same company that installed barrels ment for 5.56 into rifles that shot 5.45 cal and called it good enough. Wrong size barrel and wrong twist rate. 50 yard shots grouped like shotgun and keyholed. Their reply was that you are using the wrong ammo. So yeah when I hear Century BUILT I know it's junk. Has nothing to do personally with you

Your grade school banter and ramblings are little more than the collection of negative information you have read on the internet. I doubt you have ever even handled a Galil and/or Golani semi-auto sporter to make a fair assessment.

Century did issue a recall back in 2007 and 2009 to correct some problems and if an owner had other problems they could send the rifle back for those repairs as well.

Here is a copy of a recall letter.

CENTURY INTERNATIONAL ARMS, INC.
236 Bryce Boulevard
Fairfax, Vermont, U.S.A. 05454
Tel: (802) 527-1252 Fax: (802) 527-5631
Date: August 29, 2007
Subject: Galil and/or Golani Semi-Auto Sporter Rifle


We are requesting that customers who purchased the Galil and/or Golani semi-auto sporter that have serial numbers between

GAL00001 and GAL02393

send in their firearm to us as we have modified the bolt and are installing a new firing pin and firing pin spring to ensure that your Golani offers you the utmost safety and reliability.

All Galil and/or Golani rifles that have the letter "F" or "X" on the bottom of the receiver front cut off have already been upgraded and your rifle does not need to be sent in to us.

If you are a dealer, please provide us with the names, addresses and contact information of the purchasers of these Galil/Golani rifles. We will contact them directly.

If you are contacted by these customers, please have them call us at 1-800-270-2767 to obtain a return authorization.

We appreciate your cooperation in this matter and hope to have this situation resolved as quickly as possible.