Hey guys, I don't know much about AKs so I figured I'd ask y'all.  I was talking to some guys doing hypothetical BS builds and I mentioned wanting an AK purpose built for high firing schedules.  The first things I said was a heavier profile barrel and an RPK thick reciever.  One of the others immediately interrupted about how the 1.5mm recievers wear out faster as the have less flex.  Also made the comment that AK barrels.often outlive their recievers.  Thoughts?  Smelled like BS to me but I'm very new to AKs

Don't listen to the LGS counter monkey.

RPK receivers are thicker because they're made for heavier duty. Receiver flex? Been around AK's quite a while, never heard anyone worried about that happening.

My MAK has a Chinesium 1.5 receiver and has been going strong for about .. twenty years now?
I'm not really worried about it cracking.

Sounded dumb, good to hear from some guys with first hand experience, ty.

Follow up: do you think a thick receiver is necessary for heavier fire schedules?  Or is a heavy barrel the more important piece?  It's not full auto, binary eventually, and I mean a straight 300-500 rounds.  Don't want to destroy my gun why enjoying the freedom.

veprs are built on RPK thickness receivers

When Battlefield Vegas posted their experience with high round count ARs & AKs they reported that most AKs ran fine for 100k rounds til the rails started to crack, then they just welded them back up and kept going. I tried going back thru that thread to see what kind of receivers they were running but it's a LONG thread. From my small bit of experience the only issue I've seen with a receiver is cracking around the rivets on poor quality builds. Not something that's been an issue on reputable builds.

If this is the kind of thing that keeps you up at night I'd go with a VEPR. A VEPR is very well built, but the current prices make me think my money would be better spent elsewhere.  
Last I looked they were fetching $1600 at Atlantic.

I've never heard of heavier receivers breaking FASTER than thinner stamped receivers though.

Check out this thread by battlefield vegas. He's got great info on high round count AKs.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/AK-47/AK-abuse-update-on-Page-11-/64-159106/?page=1

Some noted things:
-RPD beltfed machineguns break faster than WASRs
-WASRs were freakishly reliable and ran up to the 100,000 rd count
-Dracos were just as reliable as the WASRs but the 90 degree gas port collected excessive carbon
-They've never lost an RPK in 6 years
-They've never had a milled arsenal receiver crack
-Never lost a VEPR 12
-Stamped receivers will suffer cracked trunion at 80,000-100,000 rounds
-Bolts will last to about 80,000 rounds.
-The gas tube will erode in 100,000+ rounds

Great thread, thanks for sharing.