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Posted: 1/6/2026 9:52:28 AM EDT
Been looking for a cheap decent AK but I’m my area it’s either a Pioneer Arms or beat WASR that’s in the $6xx price range. Impulse bought this CAI 1960 yesterday for $634 plus tax. I’m not very knowledgeable on AK but the fit finish looks great, looks like it’s never been fired and has a milled receiver. Looked online and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of info on them. Some old posts saying they were best AKs CAI ever brought in, others saying it’s an abomination of Polish parts kits with US barrel and receiver. See 2 on GB both >$3k asking price. The only issue this one seems to have is a canted front sight, the action seems buttery smooth, the Tapco trigger seems ok but I don’t have anything to compare it to. Also no matching numbers    
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They were considered to be good. Iirc these have a non-chrome Green Mountain 4140 button rifled barrel. I remember the biggest complaint from people being that the milled receiver lightening cuts weren't correct for the model 1960... who cares? The Century builds are also using a pinned barrel whereas the original Polish rifles used a threaded barrel. |
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Originally Posted By mancat: They were considered to be good. Iirc these have a non-chrome Green Mountain 4140 button rifled barrel. I remember the biggest complaint from people being that the milled receiver lightening cuts weren't correct for the model 1960... who cares? The Century builds are also using a pinned barrel whereas the original Polish rifles used a threaded barrel. Thanks, I read the barrels were proprietary to the receiver but you’re the first person to say who made them. Saw post complaining about if it were damaged or shot out it couldn’t be replaced |
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Originally Posted By Tonyt915: Thanks, I read the barrels were proprietary to the receiver but you’re the first person to say who made them. Saw post complaining about if it were damaged or shot out it couldn’t be replaced Originally Posted By Tonyt915: Originally Posted By mancat: They were considered to be good. Iirc these have a non-chrome Green Mountain 4140 button rifled barrel. I remember the biggest complaint from people being that the milled receiver lightening cuts weren't correct for the model 1960... who cares? The Century builds are also using a pinned barrel whereas the original Polish rifles used a threaded barrel. Thanks, I read the barrels were proprietary to the receiver but you’re the first person to say who made them. Saw post complaining about if it were damaged or shot out it couldn’t be replaced Why couldn't it be replaced? Edit - I see it's because it's proprietary. A lot of these older AK I remember being "junk" are going for good money and are "great" now it seems but century has a bad rep. $600 is a great price for most any older import. Canted sight is solved by using an optic and if you shoot out the barrel couldn't you just treat it like a parts kit at that point? |
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Originally Posted By JamesJones: Why couldn't it be replaced? Edit - I see it's because it's proprietary. A lot of these older AK I remember being "junk" are going for good money and are "great" now it seems but century has a bad rep. $600 is a great price for most any older import. Canted sight is solved by using an optic and if you shoot out the barrel couldn't you just treat it like a parts kit at that point? I’ve never shot out a barrel so not terribly worried, curious if GreenMountain makes a replacement though. From the 1-2 posts I read on it, the barrel profile where it’s pressed into the receiver is smaller than standard AK barrels. Before I buy an optic mount I’m going to try it as is. I can live with the canted sight as long as it’s on target |
| I had one when they came out (wish I still had it). No complaints & don't recall any real negative reviews back then. But with Century involved, there's always a lemon floating around. Arms of America is putting together current kit builds of a similar gun (not sure if they're the same) and want $1500+. I would have easily bought that for what you paid. |
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Originally Posted By dump1567: I had one when they came out (wish I still had it). No complaints & don't recall any real negative reviews back then. But with Century involved, there's always a lemon floating around. Arms of America is putting together current kit builds of a similar gun (not sure if they're the same) and want $1500+. I would have easily bought that for what you paid. Supposedly what I can find is that these were contracted to be built by a different company and century just supplied the parts kits. Maybe ATM? From Reddit : ATM was About Time Machining. They made the receivers for the 1960 Polish parts CAI was importing and building several years ago. This is not their "Centurion" (C39, RAS, etc) breed of AKs. Cant find anything on Google for About Time Machining |
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Originally Posted By Tonyt915: Supposedly what I can find is that these were contracted to be built by a different company and century just supplied the parts kits. Maybe ATM? From Reddit : ATM was About Time Machining. They made the receivers for the 1960 Polish parts CAI was importing and building several years ago. This is not their "Centurion" (C39, RAS, etc) breed of AKs. Cant find anything on Google for About Time Machining Yeah, I think that’s what I came up with back then. |
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Originally Posted By Tonyt915: Thanks, I read the barrels were proprietary to the receiver but you’re the first person to say who made them. Saw post complaining about if it were damaged or shot out it couldn’t be replaced Originally Posted By Tonyt915: Originally Posted By mancat: They were considered to be good. Iirc these have a non-chrome Green Mountain 4140 button rifled barrel. I remember the biggest complaint from people being that the milled receiver lightening cuts weren't correct for the model 1960... who cares? The Century builds are also using a pinned barrel whereas the original Polish rifles used a threaded barrel. Thanks, I read the barrels were proprietary to the receiver but you’re the first person to say who made them. Saw post complaining about if it were damaged or shot out it couldn’t be replaced In theory the barrel should be the same as a Bulgarian profile pinned milled receiver barrel. Yugoslavian M70 profile barrel may also work but not 100% confident. Yugoslavia used the same heavier milled style profile barrel with all of the later pinned barrel M70 models. Basically you're just looking for any 16" 23mm pinned barrel for a milled receiver - and there isn't anything technically special about a pinned barrel milled receiver, but the barrel component journal sizes for the gas block and front sight blocks are typically different, as most milled AKs used a slightly thicker barrel profile than the later AKM and derivatives. So you're mostly concerned with matching the dimensions that those parts require. |
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GM still offer the barrels for sale, but any milled pattern barrel could be made to work. https://www.gmriflebarrel.com/GMRBItem.aspx?Item=AK47-7GM&ReturnURL=/military-barrels/ak47-replacement-barrels&Category=10388116-66a9-4cc9-b386-6fa32ca88fa2 |
AK building addict in recovery. Fell off the wagon.
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Originally Posted By AEnemaBay: GM still offer the barrels for sale, but any milled pattern barrel could be made to work. https://www.gmriflebarrel.com/GMRBItem.aspx?Item=AK47-7GM&ReturnURL=/military-barrels/ak47-replacement-barrels&Category=10388116-66a9-4cc9-b386-6fa32ca88fa2 That’s cool they offer a chrome lined replacement. |
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Originally Posted By Tonyt915: What cleaning rod do I need for this one? I like the aesthetic of the AK with the cleaning rod under the barrel. Will any polish rod fit or is it specific for this model? I don’t know the answer, but if one doesn’t fit, I usually just cut it to the length I need. As you mentioned, it’s just aesthetics. |
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Originally Posted By dump1567: I don’t know the answer, but if one doesn’t fit, I usually just cut it to the length I need. As you mentioned, it’s just aesthetics. Thanks for the answer, I didn’t know if they are threaded or could be trimmed on the end toward the receiver |
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it is neither a unicorn nor total junk. The CAI 1960s were built from Polish parts kits on US receivers/barrels, so they’re not true Polish military rifles, but the kits themselves were usually solid. Milled receiver and smooth action are good signs. Canted sights are pretty common on Century builds, unfortunately. They do not really justify the crazy GunBroker prices, but at mi 600$ you did not get robbed either.
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Yes, they are good. As others have stated, while Century had some lemons along the way, these were GOOD. I have one of their Polish underfolders with a green mountain barrel and it has been fantastic. Shoot and enjoy! And if you really want to be frustrated, try to find a Type 1 Bayonet for a milled receiver. That's very specific and bayonets have gotten wild in price. |
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As others have stated, when folks were complaining about WASR AKs having issues, they looked down upon Century Builds. These were outsourced and are a great buy for the price. I think it was $600 back in the day. Enjoy and enjoy getting yourself a Gen 1 Bayonet to match. |
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I really wanted one at the time but was buying Arsenals. Got excited to see this thread |
Panem et Circenses
I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it. - Churchill
I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it. - Churchill
| A standard cleaning rod won't fit on these, because Century mounted the front sight base too far rearward on the barrel. I remember people who bought these rifles were chopping off the rear threaded section of a cleaning rod, just to have a non-functional, "cleaning rod look". |
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