Someone at work wants to surprise his kid a semi-auto AK-47 (is this an oxymoron?) for a graduation present. I don't have any idea what price is reasonable. He wants a functioning gun, not necessarily one with lots of "features" or excellent cosmetics. Any ideas what such a gun ought to sell for?

H. C.

I don't think many AKs have extra features or cosmetic excellence unless it is one of the gold plated ones that belonged to the late Hussein boys.

Get a Romanian SAR1 for about $300 bucks and you will have a shooting AK. Plateau Hunter

For a little more you can probably get a Bulgarian SLR 95. Milled receiver. Make sure it take the regular AK mags. Saw several on Auction arms.

SAR-1.....I have a couple and love them

Cosmetically, assembly wise, and fit, the Arsenal SAM-7 is your best bet for a really nice rifle. IMHO, it is a hit or miss proposition in finding one that is really accurate. It's kind of like how sniper rifles were selected in the old days.

Rifles are always test fired, and also in the old days, they were grouped at the factory to insure that they met minimum standards. The best grouping rifles were selected for snipers. They were tuned up a little and fitted with scopes.

True, there are less expensive rifles than the SAM-7, but if'n you want the best available, it's the best I've seen and I've seen a lot of them. However, for a first rifle you may just want to get the least expensive.

I would suggest you get one with a rail mount. Scopes are pretty inexpensive right now and it's a good addition. My Romanian SAR 2 (5.54x39) looks cheap, feels cheap, and shoots just fine. That AK-74 brake I installed is a little hard on the ears though. Gotta wear plugs and muffs!

Good hunting.

Eric

[ 09-11-2003, 19:28: Message edited by: Eric ]

The folded metal vs. milled AK is an interesting point to discuss. I'd be willing to wager that function and accuracy is relatively unaffected by the receiver construction. When they went to the AK-47 to the AKM in 1959, the Soviets noted a slight increase in accuracy in their test guns, despite going from a milled to folded metal receiver.

I've owned a Type 56S-1 and a MAK 90, both folded metal and they both shot well at 100 - 200 m.

Probably more than you want to spend, but the VEPR II is my choice. Built on the heavier RPK receiver, functioning, accuracy, and reliability are 100%. With Wolff ammo, as well as any other crap I have thrown through it, it rarely exceeds 2 MOA and quite often with some of the better ammo, like Winchester, it will throw 5 into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" five shot groups at 100 yards. I shoot mostly the cheap crap but it is still plenty accurate. I paid $525 for my 7.62 x 39, but they are the same price for .223, .308, and 5.45 x 39.

http://www.robarm.com/

I had one of the Sagia 7.62x39's with a 20 inch barrel. It would crono 2475 fps with the S&B ammo. That extra 4 inches gives you some velocity. The Robinson arms version would probably be really good. I got rid of the Sagia because it would use regular AK mags. However now it is different .

I meant would NOT use regular AK mags.

I would get the vepr K with a muzzle brake.

I was told it was againist the law to modify the Sagia to accept the hicap magazines. Also againist the law to modify the magazine. In the newer Sagia you can slightly modify the AK mags and they will work in both.

Damn, I forgot you had those laws.

Offtopic:
Is there any chance of overturning those laws? What are the chances of changing the anti-gun laws in your country? How is it done?

Eric - on the subject of AK-74 muzzle brakes; The stock brake will redirect the toxic primer material back into the shooter's face. Our EPA guys here recommend strongly against shooting a lot of former Combloc ammo through a rifle, so equipped. Non-military rounds don't appear to have this problem.