Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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Hey everyone. I am currently in the market for a starter AK-style rifle. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of experience with AKs, and I don't have the budget for something like an Arsenal. I'm going back and forth between a WASR, N-Pap, or maybe a RAS47. I was wondering what advice and experience people have on these and other budget AK solutions.
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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Mntnrunner516 wrote:Hey everyone. I am currently in the market for a starter AK-style rifle. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of experience with AKs, and I don't have the budget for something like an Arsenal. I'm going back and forth between a WASR, N-Pap, or maybe a RAS47. I was wondering what advice and experience people have on these and other budget AK solutions.
Are you willing to buy used?
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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If it were me, I get an unconverted, Russian-made Saiga. They can't be imported anymore, but people are still selling ones they bought up before the ban.

If you don't mind scaring your neighbors, the Palmetto State Armory Gen 2 PSAK-47 is a made in the U.S.A., non-traditional AK variant. They redesigned the AK using what they thought were the best features of various designs. It looks like they are sold out at the moment, but I think the polymer stock models were under $700. The wooden stock version reviewed here was $850.

https://gundigest.com/reviews/seeing-re ... red-review

People have complained about their customer service, it's a high volume operation, but your local gun dealer may carry them. The first generation rifles had some imported cast parts that some reviewers knocked, so I'd go for version 2.0.
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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Do you have an SKS yet? That's a good place to start. Be forewarned, though - once you get your AK, you may still find yourself shooting the SKS more often . . . .

If you're absolutely set on an AK, though, a WASR isn't a bad inexpensive choice as long as you buy locally and examine it before buying. Their workmanship is known to be . . . . . . inconsistent. Poor fit and canted sights are not uncommon on WASRs; but they're not all made poorly. There are plenty of good ones to be had - I just would advise against buying one online.

As for the N-PAP - good guns, but the high comb on their stock can make them less comfortable to shoot than other AKs.

The only thing I know about the RAS47 is they're made by Century Arms, who had a terrible reputation; but it has gotten better in the last couple of years. I would not even think twice about getting one of their C39 v2 models if I ran across a sale. If you can find an RAS47 made after 2015, I'd say take a chance on it if the price is right.
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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Aztex999 wrote: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:03 pm Do you have an SKS yet? That's a good place to start. Be forewarned, though - once you get your AK, you may still find yourself shooting the SKS more often . . . .

If you're absolutely set on an AK, though, a WASR isn't a bad inexpensive choice as long as you buy locally and examine it before buying. Their workmanship is known to be . . . . . . inconsistent. Poor fit and canted sights are not uncommon on WASRs; but they're not all made poorly. There are plenty of good ones to be had - I just would advise against buying one online.

As for the N-PAP - good guns, but the high comb on their stock can make them less comfortable to shoot than other AKs.

The only thing I know about the RAS47 is they're made by Century Arms, who had a terrible reputation; but it has gotten better in the last couple of years. I would not even think twice about getting one of their C39 v2 models if I ran across a sale. If you can find an RAS47 made after 2015, I'd say take a chance on it if the price is right.
Could you clarify on the c39v2? are you saying you would buy or you would not buy? I have one gun imported by century but none made by them. I still wish i could get rid of the century marking on it though. It feels like a tag of shame >.>

Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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I have a C39V2 and love it. I also am aware of the raceway issue and that it will likely become a wall hanger after it starts closing on a No-Go gauge and am ok with it.

Unlike the IO and other QC-failure companies, the only real issues the C39V2 face are due to tolerance stacking unlike the earlier C39V1's which are half of the messes that gave Century their reputation as being 'not as good' gunsmiths. The IO models will fail far worse than any C39V2; the Century flagship models will only blow off the dust cover and wreck the inserted magazine if they fire out of battery due to their machined receiver being VERY strong.

I hear the RAS-47's made since October 2017 are far and away better than those made earlier but I need to find out what serial numbers were being shipped at that time to help folks out.

Palmetto State's AK's are VERY good deals.
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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My last Arsenal was a really great rifle, and I never regretted paying more.

NPAP at Atlantic - $689
WASR at Atlantic - $725
Arsenal at Atlantic - $874

Personally, I would just wait another month, save an extra $200 for the Arsenal. Buy once, cry once! Seriously, when was the last time you regretted buying the best?

If there is no way you can swing the Arsenal, then buy the WASR. The WASR is a standard AK (nothing much proprietary like the NPAP), and they're decent AK's. So you can accessorize as you see fit.

But I really can't stress enough how much happier you will be if you just bought the Arsenal.
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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FrontSight wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:39 pm My last Arsenal was a really great rifle, and I never regretted paying more.
Yeah, as an Arsenal and WASR owner, I agree. I love my cheap old WASR and they're still a good deal (as others have said, they're usually fine if you can inspect them in person), but the Arsenal has zero of the minor issues I've had with other AKs (rattles, bad fitment, awful stock triggers that slap, etc).

The only issue I ever had with the WASR was that, after having and shooting it for almost 15 years, I tried a side-mount Venezuelan red dot on it just recently and realized the side mount was very much off. No such worries with the Arsenal, so it gets the optics.

Of course, I've beat up and mistreated the WASR in ways that I'd never do to the Arsenal, and that's part of the fun of a budget AK. Pros and cons, but whatever you choose it's hard to go far wrong with an AK.
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Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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BillMcD wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:53 am Could you clarify on the c39v2? are you saying you would buy or you would not buy?
I meant I definitely would buy. For the right price, of course.
Classic Firearms have RAS47s for $529.99 That's a pretty good price for a new AK.
Last edited by Aztex999 on Sat Apr 07, 2018 5:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Don't go where the road don't go - Ringo Starr

Re: Looking for advice on budget AKs...

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I have the Century Arms Yugo Underfolder. It also is stamped Made in Yugoslavia Never had any issue with it. It is all metal except for the foreguard that is a nylon plastic. Had my sister-in-law's husband look at it and he said looked great. He is from Croatia and had been drafted into the Yugoslavian Army before the breakup.
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