Best choice for an "RPK style" rifle :

Century Polish (no optics mount)
Century Romanian AES10
Buy kit and have a Yugo M72 built by a 'smith
Buy a 20" HBar Vepr (no bipod)
Im not a traditionalist, so Im open to slapping a bipod on a 20" Vepr HBar.

Ive always wanted a M72 but missed the boat when they were cheap. I see the kits are reasonably priced, but havent sourced a 'smith or a Yugo RPK receiver.

Ideally I'd like to use a slidefire stock on it for fun at the gravel pit but thats just added bonus, not the primary reason to get one.

What does the hive think?

I went the AES-10B route and I couldn't be happier.

Strip and stain the furniture yourself or buy a set?

That's actually the third set I've done.  I used Navy Blue RIT Dye.

I sand and remove the existing stain.  Then I use Pool Chlorine and let it soak for about 90 minutes, essentially bleaching the wood.  I let it dry over night (best done in the summer here in AZ).  Then I heat up about 1/3 a bottle of Navy Blue RIT Dye and let it soak for 60-90 minutes.  I do a very light sanding, maybe just a little 0000 steel wool.  I've done Polyurethane coats in the past but lately I've gone without because it makes the wood too dark for my taste.

I'm actually looking to change out the furniture to an RPK lower with a built in picatinny rail, add a Magpul AVG and change out the stock to a Bonesteel Arms right side folder with an M4 tube but I haven't figured out the right stock I want to add.  I'm also looking to get a 3-9X POSP as the scope with the 7.62x39 reticule and 400M rangefinder.

There are a couple of good videos of the RPK + Bumpski combination on you tube.
One is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnpABM_wZPI and You Tube usually finds at least one more if you watch the first one

 

Where's the best price?

Im bummed I didnt grab one from jgsales or psa last year

There were some great deals in the past. I finally caved and bought a used/"like new" AES-10 from a FFL on Armslist for $675 delivered a few months ago now.
Absolutely no clue who even has any for sale currently.

It's possible that the AES-10B is done. Like the PSL, Cugir has stated through Century several times that they were not making any more.

The flood of AES-10Bs a couple years back were supposedly built off of rifles that were "discovered" in a warehouse somewhere in Romania - who knows how true that is.

Stuff could get really interesting if Romania ever decides to drop the 5.45x39 round - could potentially spell a ton of parts kits coming in, but may be tough to find the Romanian RPK-74 barrel.

You're best bet in gunbroker as I have not seen any from dealers for a year plus.

I had Meridian Ordnance in KY build up an M72 kit for me, they did a nice job with it, look them up if you go that route.

The last aes10b I saw listed was for 1k, I would say they're worth about 700 realistically.