Any AK "experts" here?

[cookie]

I've been looking at the Bulgarian AKs recently, primarily those from the two competing Arsenal companies (Arsenal USA and Arsenal, Inc.).

Does anyone here have firsthand experience with products from either of these builders?

 

[osprey21]

I don't know diddly about AK's but take a look at this.
arsenalusa
Hmmmm...

 

[cookie]

These are the three I'm trying to choose between:

Arsenal, Inc. SAM-7 Carbine

Arsenal USA SSR-85C

Arsenal USA SSR-85B (still available on gunsamerica.com)

 

[cookie]

Here's the one I'm really leaning towards, but it's out-of-production. I heard they only made a limited run of 100.

SAM-7 Classic

 

[Deanh]

Here is the last AK47 that I bought. It's kind of unusual, but can be found in the $750-$800 range.

It's a Gordon Technologies SSR-99P. Basically its built on a Polish gernade launching AK47 kit with an Arsenal Bulgaria milled receiver. It's beautifully made and has a neat gas switch that shuts off gas to the action so it's all used for launching the gernade.

 

[cookie]

Here's one I missed this morning. I was just a little slow. :cuss

 

[AliYahu]

Deanh, looks great with those early slab-side magazines!
cookie, I know the Arsenal USA/Global Trades guns are good, I know the man that runs the company. He is strict about quality, and usually good to deal with.

A

 

[salvo]

Here are my two Bulgarians, the top is a Gordon Tech SLR 100H and the bottom one is a SA93
As far as AK's go the milled Bulgarians are the cream of the crop! IMHO

 

[root]

I only have one AK varient.
It's the polytech red side folder....

later
Rich

 

[jt325i]

Big difference between Arsenal Inc & USA are stamped versus milled offerings. Always a huge debate over which is better. I've had both types & prefer stamped due to the lighter weight. Milled would last 2 or 3 lifetimes instead of only 1 or 2 like the stamped models. Course the Russians initial designs were all stamped so works for me.

Norinco 84S-1 .223 underfolder (sold this one awhile back):

Romanian SAR-1 7.62x39 (2000 import):

It's got some upgrades on it. Kobra Gen 2, Ironwood furniture set, RSA trigger group & retainer plate, slant brake. It's more accurate than the Norinco I sold.

 

[mbakercad]

Cookie,
Did you decided on which to get? I do not own either but I have been researching them for the past couple of months. From what I can tell you cannot go wrong with either. I have read about some quality control issues with Arsenal USA but I believe that was very minor. Plus I have been in contact with Jimmy (I think the owner) and he has been very helpful. Very quick to respond to any question, etc.

I plan on getting a Arsenal USA SSR-85C in the near future. My biggest complaint with the SAM-7 is the attached muzzle brake. I much prefer the slant style muzzle brake. True the Classic model does not have a muzzle brake but the cheapest I have seen one sell for is $770. I can get the SSR-85C for about $550 and I think it is every bit as nice of a gun. I also like the parkerized finish on the Arsenal USA models. Let us know what you decided on.

 

[cookie]

Cookie,
Did you decided on which to get?

No, I'm still having a hard time choosing. I can locate all of them, but everytime I think I've made my mind up I see something else. The Gordons that have been posted here are a good example. I was sure I'd go with an "Inc." until I saw these.

Decisions...

 

[cookie]

It's got some upgrades on it. Kobra Gen 2, Ironwood furniture set, RSA trigger group & retainer plate, slant brake. It's more accurate than the Norinco I sold.

Did you add the slant brake? Oh, and that Ironwood looks great. How much did it set you back? Was it a "drop-in"?

 

[mbakercad]

jt325i,
How was your front site block and gas block on your SAR-1? Many of them are canted from the factory. I have also heard that trigger slap is common in the SAR-1's. I have a Maadi which was purchased in 95. I have been told that trigger slap is very uncommon in Maadi's but mine sure has it.

 

[jt325i]

Did you add the slant brake? Oh, and that Ironwood looks great. How much did it set you back? Was it a "drop-in"?

The slant brake was on the gun when I got it. It looks factory but is an add-on that was silver soldered. K-Var sells it. I purchased the gun used. (The guy bought it, had it a year & only put 30 rounds through it during that time) Sights were straight, gas block seemed properly aligned so looked like a winner to me. I paid just over $300 for the gun back then. (Post 9/11 the prices went up considerably for awhile, they seem to be getting cheaper again now) The Ironwood I bought from a guy off Assaultweb for $60. It sells for a little bit more than that from Matt @ Ironwood Designs (www.ironwooddesigns.com) I used some Formby's Tung Oil Varnish on it. I had to drill the holes for the swivel, both holes where the butt stock goes into the receiver & cut the groove in the lower handguard for the metal spacer that keeps it from touching the barrel. Did a little sanding on the lower handguard for proper fit but nothing too complicated. I like the Ironwood stock because it's 1" longer than the original (too short for me) & has a rubber pad on it to help minimize the recoil. The SAR is a really great gun for the money once you replace a few of those crappy parts Century puts in the gun.

Edit: Check out this guys slant brake. It's exactly like mine. (Not the mashed up one in the photo, hehe)

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105802

 

[mbakercad]

I hope to join the ranks of you UZI owners sometime down the road. I have a few other projects I need to complete first. But I will try and keep up with this site and learn as much about UZI's as I can until I am ready.

 

[pmf]

I have 2 AKs -- a fancy milled receiver made by Arsenal (SLR-95) converted to pistol grip config, and a cheap SAR-1 by CAI. I've come to the conclusion that an AK as an AK so you might as well just get a cheap one. The SAR-1 is $300 almost anywhere. And the AK design is so robust even CAI can't screw it up. Yeah, it has some trigger slap, but that's easily fixed if you want to bother with it. The SAR-1 has a side mount for Russian optics. I got a Kobra red dot scope for it for around $120. Makes it much more fun to shoot.

People into fancy AKs seem to favor the VEPR by Robinson Arms. It runs around $600. IMO, just get a cheap one that takes the standard double stack magazines. Frankly, I like the stamped receiver because its lighter.

Everybody ought to get an AK. For the prices these days of $300 for the gun, $6 per mag and ammo that's 8.5 cents per round, there's no excuse not to have one.

 

[cookie]

You guys won't believe what I located. Pics coming next week. :ak

 

[RoverDave]

You guys won't believe what I located. Pics coming next week. :ak

That sort of post is not allowed under the Geneva convention.

 

[cookie]

OK, OK. Once again, you guys have forced me to cancel the bikini models.