Buddy of mine is looking to get rid of a post ban Norinco MAK-90, in excellent shape.  I can't remember if it has the standard stock or the thumbhole, but it comes with 4-5 mags and a couple hundred rounds of ammo.  Any ideas on what the going rate for one of these would be right now?  Thanks!

Somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 - $450 for the rifle alone.  Throwin' in about $10 per mag and a bit for the ammo I'd say $500 tops, but I'd be more comfortable at around $450 for the package.

My thoughts exactly.  GARY  N4KVE

Yup, I'd pay $500 for the package...assuming excellent condition, with a straight-cut receiver.

If it has already been 922r'd and comes with some ammo I would say around $650 maybe more.

If it's in used decent condition w/ thumb hole stock I would agree with the other folks.

If it was in extremely good condition w/ thumb hole stock I would say around the upper $500's.

Well, I guess locale has something to do with pricing.  I live in GA as does the OP and I somewhat recently purchased a like new NHM-90 for $400 OTD from a local shop.  This was in original, thumbhole stock configuration.  I'd agree about the higher value if it has already been legally converted, but there is no way in hell I'd pay upper 5's for an original thumbhole MAK.  $500 would be my very upper limit, and then only if I was desperate.  

If you pay upper 5’s for a MAK, then spend the cash for a half assed conversion you’ll be in it for $700 or more and still not have a threaded barrel, cleaning rod, or bayo lug.  If I were doing that I’d spend the extra cash and find a pre-ban.  It’ll always be worth more than a converted MAK.


For what you describe, in our area, I'll stick to my original answer... or walk.

People say that MAK90s go for $350, but I haven't seen one at that price in about 10 years. I think $450-$650 is a good price, but have noticed that milled MAK90s and stamped MAK90s always go for around the same price.

QFT

Well, like I said earlier, price varies with location.  Where I live it seems that gun prices in general tend to be lower than in some place around the country.  I guess that's why I always find GB prices to be out of line; there are just too many places around the country where people are willing to pay more, so that drives GB auctions, and seller expectations, higher than what my local area will support.  YMMV depending on where you live.

Here in S. Florida a stamped MAK will be about $150 cheaper than a milled MAK.  Stamped, $350-$400. Milled $450-$550. Mak's priced higher than this here in S. Florida just don't sell.  GARY  N4KVE

were are thease $350 stamped mac 90,s i will take 10 if i was selling the ones i got you could not have them for less than $650

Put me in line for another 10 please

West Palm Beach & Ft. Lauderdale gunshows. People walking around needing fast cash to pay bills. I missed a pre ban underfolder a while back for $500 by 10 seconds.  Not to be rude, but the big scare is over, & if you wouldn't let your MAK go for less than $650, plan on owning it until the next scare.  GARY  N4KVE

Well, I haven't found any for $350.  If I do they won't be for sale afterward.  I actually don't find them too often but the stamped ones are worth around $400 to $450 and the milled are a bit more.

I travel quite a bit for work and always hit the pawn shops that I pass.  I always have a few items I'm checking for including AKs.  I did wonder into a little pawn shop last week in a little out of the way town.  They had a really nice looking MAK sitting next to an equally nice Norinco Hunter.  The tags were turned around so I asked for a closer look.  The clerk handed me the MAK and before I even began my inspection I flipped the tag around and saw $749  I just handed it back immediately as I said "Whoa" and told him that it was almost twice what they sell for.  He didn't even comment.  I looked around a while longer and noticed that every thing in the shop was way overpriced.  I guess he had so much merchandise in there because he doesn't sell too much.  Either he's out of touch with reality or he's just counting on making his money on the occasional small town sucker that wonders in. That and the pawn interest.  With that said though, small town pawn shops that don't get a lot of traffic is usually where I find the best deals.  The larger city shops generally have more floor traffic and more people with more money to spend so they price accordingly.

The last one I bought was originally marked $549 so I just asked what he would do OTD.  He just looked at the tag and said $400.  You definitely can't go by the marked prices in pawn shops.

And that determines fair market value

If enough people did then the answer is yes.
If it's just a few people then the answer is no.

When it comes straight down to it we are the market.

I guess it depends on your definition of "fair market value".  Market value is simply set by how much something will bring on the open market.  In his case he can go to gunshows and pick them up cheap from individuals needing cash.  Why would he pay more?  So in his area that is "fair market value".

What sets "fair market value" in the housing market?  It definitely isn't the same today as 2 or three years ago.  The high number of foreclosures has killed the market.  There are tons of them out there and tons more people desparate to sell before it happens to them.  This affects market value.  Simple economics applied during bad economic times.

There were tons of Chicoms imported and sold in the early 90's.  Many were bought because they were cheap and never really used .  Now some of these buyers need some cash and dig these things out of the closet and sell them because they weren't really using them anyway.  Most of them aren't really "AK people", aren't on here or other AK related forums, and just don't give a crap except that they can pay their electric bill if they sell it.

So yeah, economic crisis sets fair market value of many things bought and sold on the secondary market.

If I just had to have one today I guess I could go on GB and get fucked.  But I don't.  I'm patient and keep an eye open for a decent deal.  I usually find what I'm looking for.  Of course i'm not looking for just one thing at a time.  I always have several firearms that I'm looking for so when one pops up cheap I nab it.  Works for me.

Pretty much.

True, but because he ran into one individual selling a Mak90 for $350 to pay bills isn't even enough of a sample from the market to speak of an economic crisis and then put a price on the rifle. He was simply at the right place at the right time, nothing more.

I just bought one from a guy I work with for $350.  I would have paid more, I'm not sure how much more but $100 extra give or take and I still would have bought it.  I just don't think he knew what he had and for that reason I paid him his asking price and didn't try to talk him down.

Not one gunshow. How about every month there are at least 20 people walking the show with AR's, & AK's, at rock bottom prices. Florida is the foreclosure capital of the country now, & when given the choice of selling a gun today, or losing a house, guess which wins. Plus many of those MAK's cost the seller $200 many years ago, so they're still making a profit. The trick is to be at the show an hour before closing on Sunday & have cash in your pocket. Hey, if I had the time I'd go to a gunshow in Louisiana, where all those people affected by the oil spill will be selling their guns CHEAP to pay bills.  GARY  N4KVE

Yeah, your right.  You can't base market value on  one individual event.  But if you go back up top you'll see that I never said anything about $350 MAKs.  I implied that $400 to $450 was the going rate for a clean used MAK in my area.  I haven't seen one for $350.  If I do it'll be mine.  That is my target price range and they can be found for that price, if you don't just jump the gun and buy the first one you find regardless of price, like the last one I saw that was marked $750.

The thing with MAKs is that they haven't been imported in over 15 years.  There aren't any new ones coming in everyday to set the price like on a WASR or other commonly available rifle.  With MAKs we're dealing strictly with the secondary market so that makes it more complicated.  There are no wholesalers to set the pricing baseline so it is really just a factor of supply/demand and local economic conditions.  Much like real estate, it just varies depending on where you are.  The OP is in GA, so am I, so I was responding to him based on what I’ve found to be the general price point for these rifles in our area.  I don’t give a shit what they sell for in NY, Mass, or even China for that matter.  The only thing that matters to me is what I find and buy in the stores I visit in my perpetual search for good deals on guns of interest to me.

Ya know, I haven't been to a show in years, but now might just be the time to start hitting them again.  Most of the dealers are loony with their prices but like you said, there are deals to be found among the individuals.

I understand what your saying. I actually forgot what you said above when I quoted you.

Hey Gary, you need to start hitting every show and nabbing every $350-$400 MAK you can find.  Then sell them to all of the guys in OR for $500 - $600.  Everybody comes out a winner; you make a nice profit and the OR guys get a good deal for their area.

I just haven't been running across them often enough but then again I haven't been hitting any gunshows lately either.

Next weekend there are 2 local gunshows. 1 in West Palm Beach, & another in Ft. Lauderdale. About 50 miles apart. I will be at both shows. The last West Palm Beach show I saw a dealer asking $400 for a Romy SAR 1. Another dealer asking $400 for an Egyptian Maadi. Both were willing to bargain. I already have 7 AK's so I didn't buy any. 3 of the 7 are MAK 90's. 1 stamped, [paid $300 last year], & 2 milled [paid $440, & $550], & the $300 & $440 gun already had pistol grips. There are deals, just walk away from the high priced guns. There are plenty of threads on the AK forums of people finding Arsenal Classics for $600, Chinese prebans for $300, etc. These people just wandered into pawnshops & got lucky. You might stop by 100 shops & be insulted by the crazy prices, but that 101st visit will reward you with a sweet deal. Sure, most vendors at the shows are crooks, but a few are honest. But, the best deals can be found walking the aisles from people hurting for cash. They don't take plastic, so have cash in your pocket.  GARY  N4KVE

I have a milled angle cut MAK-90.receiver that my father in-law picked up when they first came out.  He was a gun smith before he died.  I've always hated the thumb hole stock.  It is comfortable but I hate it because it was bastardized by the feds and don't want to comply with that mind set.  I want to keep it legal too.  The gun was imported by I.D.E. USA Inc out of Southfield, MI.
I would love to put a folding stock on it but I guess it's damn near impossible to do.  Will any standard AK stock work on this single tang angle cut receiver?
The Ironwood design stock looks good but it looks like I would have to find all the hardware(butt plate etc) to go with it.
The $39 plastic dragonov style looks good but heard they are POS.   Any suggestions.  Sorry about the rambling.

Milled Mak's have a double angle cut, and a hole cut in the back of the receiver which makes finding furniture nearly impossible to find that will fit it. The only option I know any more is Ironwood Designs. They make a stock set with special hardware to fit. There is actually a long metal bolt that runs through the length of the stock and attaches inside the receiver, which will not allow for a cleaning kit.  I ordered one with the buttpad, but it didn't come with the sling swivel. I had the IWD  stock on mine at one point and it fit well and looked great. I highly recommend one.

I bought one 6 months ago from a friend and former customer that was having some business financial problems. He had 2 unfired NIB MAK 90's and gave me my choice and said make him an offer.We both were happy with the $500 I offered. I might have paid a little more than it's street value but he has always been a fair customer and always paid his bills on time. I consider a good deal one where both the seller and buyer are satisfied.

The stamped,square cut rifle was in the original Styrofoam box and rust free with all the original mags,sling,oil bottle etc.