List of best AK manufactures

[stenz]

Hey gang,

Can someone post up a list of what is considered the best quality AK's made. Not just the top 2 or 3 but around 10 would be sweet.

Just trying to get an idea of what I need to be looking for when I am in the market again.

Thanks

[nisils14]

The AKs I find regarded as the better AKs are Russian, Yugoslavian, Bulgarian, Polish, and Chinese. I'm sure there's more out there are really nice I'm forgetting like Krebs or something.

[stenz]

Nice. Are there brand names or are they just referred to by their nationality.

[lead_magnet]

My list:

Vepr (Russian)
Saiga (Russian)

The above are IMHO the only way to go for your building block to build the rifle you want off of. Both you can get virgin (brand new) in the box, unlike a lot of the other surplus rifles.


And yeah, the majority of the rest are pretty much just by nationality. The Yugo's are supposedly nice, though I've never owned one. A WASR (Romanian) is considered bottom of the barrel, though I've seen good examples of them, kind of hit-or-miss with quality.

The Draco (AKA an AIMR in Romania) is a good gun to convert to an SBR, or was at least back when they were cheap.

You do have some really pricey builds out there like the Arsenal, Rifle Dynamics (if you want to wait 12+ months for a gun), Red Jacket, Krebs, Etc, which are basically Saiga's that they modify a little and engrave their name on, then mark them up WAAAAY more than they are worth.

[lead_magnet]

Nice. Are there brand names or are they just referred to by their nationality.

Vepr is pretty much a brand name
Saiga is a "brand name", built in the Izhmash factory in Russia, they offer several models Ie. the Saiga 12 (12 gauge shotgun AK). I tend to lean towards anything Saiga, they are built really well, and are a great bang for your buck esp. if you convert them yourself. The Izhmash factory makes the AKs used by Russia's military and several other military and police contracts. They are kind of the Colt of AKs.

[Great-Kazoo]

Hey gang,

Can someone post up a list of what is considered the best quality AK's made. Not just the top 2 or 3 but around 10 would be sweet.

Just trying to get an idea of what I need to be looking for when I am in the market again.

Thanks

Anything that has straight sights, good-vg fit & finish. Doesn't look when you pull it off the rack like it had been abused, before ever leaving the store.
Does it have matching numbers? That shows the company who assembled them took the time to find good parts kit. because realistically most AK's on the shelf OTHER THAN SAIGA & VEPR have been assembled off kits.
Saiga & Vepr mfg their rifles for the commercial market, imported, then have US parts installed to meet 922 of the 94 Crime Bill.
There are some century guns that are crap while some if not most of the later imports have been fairly consistent quality wise. Importers and builders mature in the mfg process.
Example i own an early Arsenal SLR-106. Great rifle only the finish sucks, paint not adhering here, never dried there. It was a semi jam-o-matic, until i read how to fix the feed ramp and bevel the chamber. easy to do, YET today's Arsenals would never leave the mfg in the condition mine, as many others, were allowed to.

I suggest you hook up with some of the board members who own them when ever they post, looking for other shooters to join them. OR start a Would like to shoot some AK's as i am in the market. Will supply ammo.

[BPTactical]

No particular order:

Norinco/Polytech. Chinese
FEG. Hungarian
Arsenal. Bulgarian
Ishmash/Ishevek. Russian
Cugir. Romanian
Maadi. Egyptian
Zastava. Yugoslavian
Polish

I am sure I missed a couple somewhere. Everybody has their own idea of "best".
I always like the ChiCom variants, good rifles.
That being said I pared down my collection to the one rifle that was the most accurate, smoothest shooting AK I have ever owned.
A Century built M70 Yugoslavian.

[Wulf202]

Having owned a few im a fan of stamped receivers. Milled adds about a pound to the gun.

Does it shoot straight ?
Are the sights straight?
do mags fit and feed properly?

If yes it's gtg

[SouthPaw]

I owned a Century WASR 10/63 bought from Bear Arms a few years ago for $429 and it was a VERY solid shooter. Shot straight, mags fit very well and it feed everything. I was very pleased with it.

[jreifsch80]

molot (vepr)
zastava
fabrik bron (polish beryl)
feg
arsenal
izhmash (saiga)
cugir

that's pretty much all that are available from factory arsenals, some arsenal ak's are arsenal made ak's (bulgarian ((10)) plant) and some are converted saigas