I have read some mixed reviews online about these, wondering if anyone here has experience with them.

How are they as shooters? How does everything fit together? I know they are mix-masters but I was just looking for an ak variant that will work everytime. This one came with a tapco trigger

My experience with them is that everything is lined up and looks great. Except for that I am having an issue with the safety pin lining up in the opposite side of the receiver. I posted a question about it in the troubleshooting forum

IO is known to be poor in the QC department, I would avoid them.

I disagree with the above. I bought a new IO Polish Radom made ak for $600 last oct. and couldn't be more happy. Out of the box right on at 100yds. Good quality for the money.

I also disagree with other posts. I have the wood sport AK from I.O. and I love it. Also has a lifetime manufacturers warranty. I tend not to run from places that have that much confidence in their products. Not saying they make the best AKs, but certainly not as bad as some seem to think.

I think the objections to I.O. are based more upon their business practices, deceptive ads, poor CS and lousy return policies rather than a specific gun.  Other than that they're a wonderful place to do business.

Is the "Polish Sporter AK-47" as shown on Royal Tiger's website COMPLETELY made in Poland or is it the one we've discussed here before as possibly having some Romanian parts?  A close up pic of the receiver shows it to be made in Radom, Poland.  Just wondering about the other parts.

Those are made in Poland, using Romanian parts (or any random parts that come on handy and cheaply) and with receiver made locally in Radom, Poland, by company named Pioneer Arms Corp. This company shares only location (City of Radom) with former "Łucznik" Radom - manufacturer of Polish AK, AKM, AKMS, kbkg wz. 60, Tantal, Onyks and Beryl and with current Fabryka Broni "Łucznik" Radom - manufacturer of Beryl and Archer line of rifles. Pioneer Arms Corp is US based company that manufacturers in Poland coach guns (for CAS shooting), PPS-43 replicas (using barrels sourced from FB Radom) and AKM clones (using no parts from FB Radom). Actually FB Radom is concerned about I.O. selling their product (Archer) side to side with Pioneer Arms product under same "Radom" designation as they are afraid that quality of the "other" product can harm how they product are received.

Short version - original Polish AKs were made in Radom, but not everything made in Radom is original Polish AK. Kind like Colts are made in Connecticut , but not everything made in Connecticut is by default "Colt".

Archers are nice all other rifles are worthless from them

Same here.

Man, I wish I had the chance to shoot "all other rifles." I'm assuming your comment is based on experience and not speculation or hear-say?

I just picked up my IO "Polish Sporter" from my dealer yesterday.  Paid $569.95 with free shipping and couldn't be happier (not having fired it).  It appears to be very well made and is much smoother and cleaner in appearance and operation when compared to my WASR and there is no mag wobble.  If I get to feeling better I will go shoot it this weekend and let you know how it goes.  I don't know if there are any purists in here, but mine is going to be defiled with an ACE side folder and internal receiver block as soon as I get a chance....I'm looking forward to it!

I have the sporter in the dark earth color, and it is solid, shoots great,  accurate, and well made.  I have no complaints.

I have an IO sporter ak that is not right and so far IO refuses to do anything about it.

point of impact is 2" to the left of point of aim with the front sight post moved all the way to the left.

Called IO and told them the issue.  After a while they finally agreed to have me send it to them.  They sent it right back complete with their test target confirming the problem but they didn't fix anything.  My gunsmith offered to look at it, he said the front sight base is canted a little bit and the barrel installation was all messed up and the barrel needs to be replaced, he called IO and they refused to do anything about it.  He says the only solution is to install a new barrel.  It's been 4 months now with no resolution.

If you happen to get a good gun, fine.  But if you have a problem don't count on IO taking care of it.

Reviving the thread.   There is an IO "Hell Hound (?)"at the local pawn shop. She kept batting her eyes at me.  Got an Ak itch.

Any thoughts?

Buy a WASR, or if you want the Romanian equivalent of the Hellhound (same combo sight/gas block layout), buy an M+M M10 - which is actually just still a WASR, made in the same factory at Cugir Romania.

+1

That about sum's it up.

HDH.

You don't have to shoot all of them, one can tell just by looking at them how Fu#ked up they are. I owned two of their rifles in the past , complete garbage.
For the life of me I don't know why anyone would even consider getting an IO Garbage build AK with so many other nice offerings in the market place.

One is far better off getting a Century Rifle, IO is run by bottom feeders and always will be. The so called "LIFETIME WARRANTY" will mean nothing when they declare chapter 11.

One more thing, if you ever have to sell your IO Garbage AK just wait and see what you get for it. lol

HDH.

This ^. IO is a no go in my book.