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Posted: 4/7/2021 11:33:34 AM EDT
When I started messing around with AK's earlier in the century, the prices on AR15 type rifles were outrageous. AK's were inherently more interesting, less common, and incredibly cheap to build or buy/modify.
Today that is not the case. Today, every Fudd, Chud, and Weirdo is looking for an AK at the same time... during a panic no less! We also have a market that excludes the countries with major production (Russia and China). Polish guns are selling for $1500 for gods sake. Its madness. Madness! Is it time to go over to the dark side and pick up some AR based rifles which are (by comparison) not as insanely priced right now? |
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You missed the cheap AR's man...........by about 12 months. AK's haven't been "cheap" in years.
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Quoted: You missed the cheap AR's man...........by about 12 months. AK's haven't been "cheap" in years. View Quote For sure, salad days for AR's that I had never before seen. Truthfully they are still cheap compared to what they used to be, for now. Ak prices never really followed the first panic, they just quietly started drifting upwards, slow and steady for years, until a few months ago when they went full-blown psycho. |
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My "AK journey" has been interesting. My first gun EVER was a Hungarian under-folder (pre-pre-ban) that I bought in the 80's for $477 tax,tag, title etc. Back then AR's were considered project guns and 'Nam vet's toys. Mini-14's and M1 carbines were very common among my shooting friends. No one had an AR. In the early 90's AK's and ammo were dirt cheap and plentiful. I remember rows of Chinese AK's and SKS' at gun shows. You could get a "paratrooper" SKS with short 16" barrel and it took standard AK mags for like $149!! I wish I had bought 10 of everything but back then $300 was a lot of money for me.
Since the '94 ban, I have been mostly into AR's especially when the ban sunset in 2004. I bought a Romy SAR3 around '03 for $319 because it was different and I liked the idea of an AK in 5.56 but didnt shoot it much since mags were a pain and accuracy was 3-4MOA compared to 1-2MOA for my AR's. Now (the worst timing possible) I have re-kindled my AK interest and it has been rough going (and expensive as hell). |
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I picked up an M10 kit for about $450 last year.
Its kinda nuts RH10 rifles are going for $1000 with cheap century furniture. |
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I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform.
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Quoted: I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform. View Quote Do you own any AKs? Would you sell a good clean shooter for $1,000? A quality AR has been well over $1,000 since before the pandemic. I have multiple AKs and only the Romanian ugly ducklings would be available for a grand. Properly built AKs are incredibly reliable and useful firearms with an amazing track record earned across the world. I'd take Russian and Bulgarian AK-74s, Polish underfolders, clean Chinese AKs, or a side-folding AK over any AR made by S&W, Ruger, Springfield, and now Colt. |
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Colt filed bankruptcy in 2015 and started shipping lots of weak commercial products. Look at their Expanse line of rifles and the market response.
Maybe CZ can run the company better now. We shall see, but Colt has been damaged. |
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Quoted: Colt filed bankruptcy in 2015 and started shipping lots of weak commercial products. Look at their Expanse line of rifles and the market response. Maybe CZ can run the company better now. We shall see, but Colt has been damaged. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Colt filed bankruptcy in 2015 and started shipping lots of weak commercial products. Look at their Expanse line of rifles and the market response. Maybe CZ can run the company better now. We shall see, but Colt has been damaged. Boy they must have gone downhill in the five years since I got my 6940. The more I think about it, the less interesting AR15’s are. I mean, go back a ways they had a certain aesthetic quality to them, but now the front ends look like cheese graters, just a silly gun really.. Quoted: You missed the cheap AR's man...........by about 12 months. AK's haven't been "cheap" in years. Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. Quoted: My "AK journey" has been interesting. My first gun EVER was a Hungarian under-folder (pre-pre-ban) that I bought in the 80's for $477 tax,tag, title etc. Back then AR's were considered project guns and 'Nam vet's toys. Mini-14's and M1 carbines were very common among my shooting friends. No one had an AR. In the early 90's AK's and ammo were dirt cheap and plentiful. I remember rows of Chinese AK's and SKS' at gun shows. You could get a "paratrooper" SKS with short 16" barrel and it took standard AK mags for like $149!! I wish I had bought 10 of everything but back then $300 was a lot of money for me. Since the '94 ban, I have been mostly into AR's especially when the ban sunset in 2004. I bought a Romy SAR3 around '03 for $319 because it was different and I liked the idea of an AK in 5.56 but didnt shoot it much since mags were a pain and accuracy was 3-4MOA compared to 1-2MOA for my AR's. Now (the worst timing possible) I have re-kindled my AK interest and it has been rough going (and expensive as hell). Honestly, the Chinese guns I’ve owned were hit or miss. Generally they are some of the worst Kalashnikov type guns out there, so maybe you dodged a bullet. Quoted: I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform. That’s because you are trolling |
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My son asked me tonight if I like AR’s or AK’s more.
I said it would be like choosing my favorite child. Which by the way is you of course, I said. He’s an only child. |
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I honestly shoot better with my AR's, but they all have optics. My AKs only have red dots. That being said, the AK is so much more fun to shoot, but that's just like my opinion man.
I like all kinds of rifles. I really like FALs, PTRs, and would love me some SIGs, but my wallet isn't fat enough for those yet. Over the years, if it's semi, and military, I've probably owned it, and sold it. However, I still have my AKs and my ARs. Variety is the spice of life. |
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Quoted: I honestly shoot better with my AR's, but they all have optics. My AKs only have red dots. That being said, the AK is so much more fun to shoot, but that's just like my opinion man. I like all kinds of rifles. I really like FALs, PTRs, and would love me some SIGs, but my wallet isn't fat enough for those yet. Over the years, if it's semi, and military, I've probably owned it, and sold it. However, I still have my AKs and my ARs. Variety is the spice of life. View Quote I hadn't considered a FAL honestly.. But the US clones are running cheaper than bulgarian and Russian AK's right now, so maybe they are in the cards. |
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Quoted: I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform. I think it's probably those who are late to the game and want to catch up, maybe for collecting. If you think about it, the number of options is much smaller than they were years ago and the supply of existing ones is low. Whatever is out there is commanding a high price. Quoted: My "AK journey" has been interesting. My first gun EVER was a Hungarian under-folder (pre-pre-ban) that I bought in the 80's for $477 tax,tag, title etc. Back then AR's were considered project guns and 'Nam vet's toys. Mini-14's and M1 carbines were very common among my shooting friends. No one had an AR. In the early 90's AK's and ammo were dirt cheap and plentiful. I remember rows of Chinese AK's and SKS' at gun shows. You could get a "paratrooper" SKS with short 16" barrel and it took standard AK mags for like $149!! I wish I had bought 10 of everything but back then $300 was a lot of money for me. Since the '94 ban, I have been mostly into AR's especially when the ban sunset in 2004. I bought a Romy SAR3 around '03 for $319 because it was different and I liked the idea of an AK in 5.56 but didnt shoot it much since mags were a pain and accuracy was 3-4MOA compared to 1-2MOA for my AR's. Now (the worst timing possible) I have re-kindled my AK interest and it has been rough going (and expensive as hell). I followed a similar path...my first was a Maadi that set me back $298 (very high for an AK back then). I also remember the rows of Chinese AKs and SKS that seemed like they couldn't give them away. If only I had a time machine! I did however, keep my interest with AKs throughout the ban era and beyond and stopped with 14 total. And to think I once considered getting rid of them. Today, they're worth quite a bit if I were to sell them but I can't keep up with the cost to add more. [b] Quoted: [b] Honestly, the Chinese guns I’ve owned were hit or miss. Generally they are some of the worst Kalashnikov type guns out there, so maybe you dodged a bullet. I disagree. I think the Chinese are among the nicest and smoothest AKs ever made. And I'm talking about true Chinese, not Chigyptian abominations by Century. |
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Sometimes I almost wish that I had bought one of those Chinese AKs back when they were going for $269, almost.
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Quoted: I think it's probably those who are late to the game and want to catch up, maybe for collecting. If you think about it, the number of options is much smaller than they were years ago and the supply of existing ones is low. Whatever is out there is commanding a high price. I followed a similar path...my first was a Maadi that set me back $298 (very high for an AK back then). I also remember the rows of Chinese AKs and SKS that seemed like they couldn't give them away. If only I had a time machine! I did however, keep my interest with AKs throughout the ban era and beyond and stopped with 14 total. And to think I once considered getting rid of them. Today, they're worth quite a bit if I were to sell them but I can't keep up with the cost to add more. I disagree. I think the Chinese are among the nicest and smoothest AKs ever made. And I'm talking about true Chinese, not Chigyptian abominations by Century. View Quote Who in their right mind would ever pay 3k for a full auto AK, said the idiot typing this back in the day. If only.....the regret is real yo. |
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Quoted: I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform. View Quote To me $3-4k AKs are the gun equivalent of a two million dollar 640 sq ft shack in San Francisco, there's a sucker born every minute. |
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Quoted: I disagree. I think the Chinese are among the nicest and smoothest AKs ever made. And I'm talking about true Chinese, not Chigyptian abominations by Century. View Quote Objectively, you are wrong. China makes some of the worst kalashnikov pattern guns out there. HOWEVER, you are entitled to your opinion, and I respect you. |
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As a builder since 2009ish it is an interesting thing to see. Every AR15 I ever sold.... I don't bat an eye at it/doesn't hurt me mentally.... every AK though ended up moving along.... broke my heart. I still have nightmares about shit I sold to get my wife a laptop or make a car payment. I learned my lesson on shit like that a long time ago.
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I’m in the opposite position, I got my first AR in 2003 when they were still pretty unique and pricey. Then the 94 ban sunset and I started loading up on mags, then ARs got super mainstream, more manufacturers came online and they got cheaper so I build every AR I ever even considered wanting and so now I’m starting to build out a collection of Aks which is much more challenging and that adds to the fun in a way.
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This is not so complicated. Yes you should get an AR. They are made here so the parts, the ammo and the mags are easy to get. Its not really up for serious debate, is it?
I am a big AK guy going way back and a original IMI Galil ARM is probably my desert island gun (its between that and an HK91 - that is another debate - if I had to go down to 3, it is hands down the .223 Galil, the HK91 and an MP5 type) but we do live in the US. |
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Quoted: I disagree. I think the Chinese are among the nicest and smoothest AKs ever made. And I'm talking about true Chinese, not Chigyptian abominations by Century. View Quote I think not. Typical Chinese AK's are poorly built, poorly finished, corners cut wherever they could. Like Big Sal, I was there in the early 90's when Chinese AK's were plentiful and very low priced. Low priced because they had horrid reputations for quality. Not sure I ever had one that didn't at least have a totally misaligned front or rear sight. |
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Quoted: I don't understand the people willing to shell out a thousand or more dollars on any AK platform. View Quote ^^^^ I've shot AR's side by side with a 74. It's no contest. AR is superior in every way relevant to a civilian shooter / home defense. AK is a damn cool collector gun today. Used to be a better range toy when they were cheap, and salad days of cheap chinese ammo. No longer the case today, just a neat collector gun IMO. I know it's the AK discussion forum, so flame on...... |
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Don't blame me. I don't have one, don't want one.
I have shot a few and I don't like the sights or the look. So, if they are still $0.50 cheaper than they would have been if I had stacked up a collection, you should buy me a beer. |
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Bigsal You're sounded like a newbi. How do you buy guns normally? I don't know about you, but I buy guns only when I find a deal.
Over the years (started in the waning years of the last century) I found my pre-bans and the WW2 firearms. I don't cry Mauser doesn't make Gewehre 98, or Japanese dont make Arisaka. I still found some Gewehr 98 rifles including a DWM and a Spandau. No, I don't have a time machine either. |
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Quoted: ^^^^ I've shot AR's side by side with a 74. It's no contest. AR is superior in every way relevant to a civilian shooter / home defense. AK is a damn cool collector gun today. Used to be a better range toy when they were cheap, and salad days of cheap chinese ammo. No longer the case today, just a neat collector gun IMO. I know it's the AK discussion forum, so flame on...... View Quote I'm not sure I can really argue with you here, other than to say, it depends on the shooter. When I grew up, we learned to shoot with 22's that has the same style sites that AKs do. So when I got older, learning to shoot well with an AK was easy for me. A lot of people do better with the peep sites ARs use. I personally like them both, and while I do tend to shoot my ARs better than my 74's, it's not by much and most likely has to do with magnified optics vs, red dots. I think if you put someone well versed on the 74 up against someone well versed on the AR, they'd be fairly even (using standard military ammo). And that caveat is what and why the AR is better for most people here in the US of A. Better ammo selections. All that said, I'd take my 105, or AKSU into the field with me, and feel good about it too. Love my AKs, but if I had a choice, I'd be taking my AR, and if I could, I'd take both, the ARFCOM way. |
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