So the AK I'm looking at has the blonde color wood and id like a darker look. I don't want it to be bright red. What stain would you guys recommend?

Depends on the wood type and if you want it to be a "correct" finish.

something like this:

i was thinking maybe a red mahogany color

Here's a thread I started in regards to recreating the Polytech Legend mahogany color (rifle in the pic you posted). I haven't got around to finishing it though. It's almost a perfect match. Someone commented in the thread to use Chestnut Ridge Military Stain. It would be easier and you would get the same effect. Below the link is a pic of how mine have turned out so far.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/AK-47/Recreating-the-Polytech-Legend-Finish-Stain/64-164899/

What rifle do you have? You could possibly be ruining a collectable with this 'furniture dying'. For example if you had a pre-ban FEG......

IMO, buy a different set of furniture to play with and save the original set as is...so you want be sorry later.