There's one of these with black polymer furniture at my favorite gun store for $499 NIB that I saw today.  I really liked the look and feel of it.:



I've already done a search here and at gunsnet but want more info from people here who have shot or own one.  I realize that the slant brake is not easily switched out (pinned, etc.) and there is no bayo lug but I'm fine with that.  Yes, I know I can get a Vector (bayo lug/threaded barrel) for a little more but I'm already on their waiting list FWIW.

I got one a short while ago-

The Good:

Beautiful fit and finish and 100% perfect function with any brand ammo

The Bad:

Accuracy was really poor, 2-3 foot groups at 100 yards. Trigger slap drew blood and so it wasn`t alot of fun to shoot.

Call Global and returned it at their expense and they have shipped a replacement due to arrive today-from talking to the various people at Global it seems they want satisifed customers and are trying to turn out a quality product.
Will post results with the replacement rifle this weekend.

Thanks.  2-3 feet?  I know it's an AK but I'd like a little better accuracy.  I'd be curious as to the replacement's results.

2-3 feet? youch. that sounds a little extreme to me.. i can only hope that was a gun mess up.
i can't even imagine the accuracy up close being decent at that spread. that makes me shooting my wsar in an unsupported stance down those ugly iron sights seem like a sniper's weapon. sheish.

If it's straight, (gas Block and front sight ) and it's a FEG ( Hungarian reciveer ) then get it. I paid $585 for my SSR 85 B 3 years ago. Cheers WarDawg

I have a SSR-85 CW.  The fit and finish is better then any AK I have ever seen.  The wood is very pretty.  I havent been able to shoot it yet.  No cant and FEG receiver.

sounds like they ran the pin all the way through the bbl. 2-3 ft? Holy crap.

Well, not to hijack anyone`s thread but my replacement came today and I`m not very pleased with Global`s customer service to date:
1. Rifle was sent in two weeks ago, was supposed to have a replacement in a week. Replacement never showed up-I called and found out they had forgotten about it (their words).
No problem per Jim Streetman- I`ll pick out a really nice replacement for you.
2. The rifle I sent back was returned in a coffin style box that I got from the CMP when I ordered my Kimber small bore rifle. Extremely heavy cardboard with a doulbe layer of egg crate foam that sandwhiches the rifle and prevents any movement. Was clear to Global on the phone to please return my new rifle in the same container. I`ve had items damaged by UPS and didn`t want to take a chance on buggering-up a new rifle.
3. Was promised my replacement would be the new style rifle with the muzzle threaded 1/2" X 28 which is the same as AR-15 muzzle threads.
UPS comes tonight with the following-
1.The most piss-poor packaging ever seen in North America. Global used a regular single ply cardboard box with a single wrap of thin bubble wrap plus one(1) small wad of newspaper for packing. Operating handle was portuding through the box (note to remember:UPS truck floor is harder than AK op rod). Op rod is scarred and finish scrapped to bare metal on the end-nice packing job Global.
2.Rifle sent is not the new style as promised- so will assume Mr. Streetman at Global either cannot remember what he promises or lies about what he can or will deliver. I don`t have a problem with the pinned-on brake, which was the configuration of the original rifle, but I expect someone to deliver what they promise me.
3.Chamber has a nickle-sized spot of rust which won`t remove, I thought chrome wasn`t supposed to corrode.
4.Firing pin looked like it has been used as a nail set punch, tip is grossly deformed and off center.
5.Lower handguard doesn`t fit the reciever very well and has been built-up with epoxy to fit( another note: light grey epoxy doesn`t blend in to black handguards)
6.Buttstock screws have buggered heads.
A piss poor excuse for a replacement in my opinion.
The firing pin is a easy fix, so are the handguards, and I can live with the pinned-on muzzle brake.
This rifle`s only saving grace will be if it shoots well-I`ll find out tomorrow morning but frankly after all this  have lost my interest in it. Calling Global  any more is out of this question as it took 4-5 long distance calls at my expense to get my replacement sent out. I believe they have had their chance to make it right and failed.
Hope at least this one shoots better than the last one-good luck to anyone else who has to deal with Global, I won`t be giving them any more of my business.

Quoted: Well, not to hijack anyone`s thread but my replacement came today and I`m not very pleased with Global`s customer service to date: 1. Rifle was sent in two weeks ago, was supposed to have a replacement in a week. Replacement never showed up-I called and found out they had forgotten about it (their words). No problem per Jim Streetman- I`ll pick out a really nice replacement for you. 2. The rifle I sent back was returned in a coffin style box that I got from the CMP when I ordered my Kimber small bore rifle. Extremely heavy cardboard with a doulbe layer of egg crate foam that sandwhiches the rifle and prevents any movement. Was clear to Global on the phone to please return my new rifle in the same container. I`ve had items damaged by UPS and didn`t want to take a chance on buggering-up a new rifle. 3. Was promised my replacement would be the new style rifle with the muzzle threaded 1/2" X 28 which is the same as AR-15 muzzle threads. UPS comes tonight with the following- 1.The most piss-poor packaging ever seen in North America. Global used a regular single ply cardboard box with a single wrap of thin bubble wrap plus one(1) small wad of newspaper for packing. Operating handle was portuding through the box (note to remember:UPS truck floor is harder than AK op rod). Op rod is scarred and finish scrapped to bare metal on the end-nice packing job Global. 2.Rifle sent is not the new style as promised- so will assume Mr. Streetman at Global either cannot remember what he promises or lies about what he can or will deliver. I don`t have a problem with the pinned-on brake, which was the configuration of the original rifle, but I expect someone to deliver what they promise me. 3.Chamber has a nickle-sized spot of rust which won`t remove, I thought chrome wasn`t supposed to corrode. 4.Firing pin looked like it has been used as a nail set punch, tip is grossly deformed and off center. 5.Lower handguard doesn`t fit the reciever very well and has been built-up with epoxy to fit( another note: light grey epoxy doesn`t blend in to black handguards) 6.Buttstock screws have buggered heads. A piss poor excuse for a replacement in my opinion. The firing pin is a easy fix, so are the handguards, and I can live with the pinned-on muzzle brake. This rifle`s only saving grace will be if it shoots well-I`ll find out tomorrow morning but frankly after all this  have lost my interest in it. Calling Global  any more is out of this question as it took 4-5 long distance calls at my expense to get my replacement sent out. I believe they have had their chance to make it right and failed. Hope at least this one shoots better than the last one-good luck to anyone else who has to deal with Global, I won`t be giving them any more of my business.

Well that is why I never ordered one of their rifles and like CAI I recommend people get their hands on them before purchasing. Damn shame for them as if they had a better reputation I'd have bought several of their rifles by now and probably got a few of my buds to get them also. Vector got my money this year and maybe Arsenal next year.

Global? I guess I'll pass.

Quoted: If it's straight, (gas Block and front sight ) and it's a FEG ( Hungarian reciveer ) then get it. I paid $585 for my SSR 85 B 3 years ago. Cheers WarDawg

The receiver is made in Bulgaria.  Here is more info from here-->www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?t=215555:

The US parts are hammer, trigger, disconnector, gas piston, pistol grip, and muzzle brake.

and

The rifle comes in assembled. We have to do some final touches here. The receiver is made in Bulgaria using a second set of our 1.6mm dies. It is identical to the one we make here. It is of course fully heat-treated. The barrel and the rest of the parts (excepting the US parts) are Bulgarian AK-47 pattern parts. The barrel is a military issue AK-47 barrel, made in Bulgaria. Chrome lined, Steyr-process hammer forged. It is the thicker barrel from the AK-47, not the thinner AKM barrel used on the current Bulgarian production. The blond wood is made in Bulgaria, as is the black polymer stocks. The sidefolder is Hungarian.

Any comments about the above extra info?

Thanks DV for the update.  I'm less excited about the rifle now but I'll still take a good look over the two they have at the shop.  I'm concerned about not being able to get reliable service, 1 year warranty or not.  I had a major problem with a Vector AK and they shipped me a replacement promptly.

After my experience today with the replacement rifle Global sent me I cannot emphasize strongly enough to anyone thinking about buying a armoryUSA rifle NOT to purchase one.
Got to the range and found the following:
1.Trigger is great, good for any service rifle, crisp two stage pull, no trigger slap, no doubling.
2.Accuracy good enough at 50 yards to consistently hit a tennis ball off the bench, measured groups at 100 yards ran 6"-8"-believe the rifle is a bit more accurate than that but middle-aged eyes and iron sights aren`t such a good combination.
3.VERY unreliable, many stovepipe jams and light firing pin hits. (rifle is properly lubed and ammo was Wolf 122gr. FMJ and Silver Bear Match FMJ)
4.Front sight doesn`t have enough windage adjustment to sight in the rifle- still lacks 8"-10" at 100 yards with the front sight driven over completely to one side.
So after two weeks of phone calls with lenghtly conversations full of promises that I would be given a serviceable rifle I`m no better off than I was originally plus will have a impressive long distance phone bill with several calls to Houston, TX.
I`m very disappointed with the outcome of dealing with Global and have really reached my limit of patience with having this issue resolved by them.
I don`t think that they made the effort they claimed they would to correct this.
So looks like my alternatives are to go around with Global again Monday and hope the cycle of broken promises ends and they really do finally correct all this,  or see if I can just send them this POS back along with my sales receipt and have them refund my purchase price (most unlikely) or try to pawn this POS off on someone who wants the challenge of correcting its faults, or trying to trade it in (at a $$ loss) at a gunshow on a quality AK clone (like a Aresnal or Krebs).
Hope on one else has this bad of luck with their rifle- this is supposed to be a fun hobby and the fun has gone out of this- at least for now.

I swear it seems that when you return things they send you something someone else returned.

Quoted: After my experience today with the replacement rifle Global sent me I cannot emphasize strongly enough to anyone thinking about buying a armoryUSA rifle NOT to purchase one. Got to the range and found the following: 1.Trigger is great, good for any service rifle, crisp two stage pull, no trigger slap, no doubling. 2.Accuracy good enough at 50 yards to consistently hit a tennis ball off the bench, measured groups at 100 yards ran 6"-8"-believe the rifle is a bit more accurate than that but middle-aged eyes and iron sights aren`t such a good combination. etc. . .

Ouch!

AKs are the VW beetles of rifles.  Chinese peasants cobble them together and they work and shoot well.

What is Global doing that is producing such horrible accuracy?  Incorrect headspace?  Are their barrels pins incorrectly installed?  How hard could it be for a company with the ability to make good receivers to make decent rifles?  I am really wondering because the fit and finish of my SSR-85cw revials or surpasses an AR that I own.  The wood is beautiful and function so far is awesome.  But I havent been able to shoot it yet.

Global used to be a decent company.  I bought a SSR-85C about 4-5 years ago built on a FEG rx and the rifle is great.  As of late, their production rifles seem to be complete shit.  I think they use a alot of different parts in their builds such as Chi-com trunions with Polish barrels and so on.  I bought on of their AMD underfolders after the ban ended and my bolt looked like it came from Afganastan.  I too strongly recommend folks take their money elsewhere.  Jnewt built my Bulgy sidefolder using one of Global's new 1mm rx and he said the rx was very good quality so I'll take his word.  If Global built it recently, then it is probably a complete peice of shit.  Oh yeah, Jimmy seems like a complete goober in person.

Seemed like a nice enough guy on the phone but after my experience with him I`d say you`re a good judge of people.

Quoted: Seemed like a nice enough guy on the phone but after my experience with him I`d say you`re a good judge of people.

The main reason I'm so harsh is that I've meet him at shows and he really dogs out Arsenal Inc and then really talks up Global's products.   After buying one of his turds and having read many accounts of the crapp he puts out, that is when I decided he is full of shit.  Another builder located in Fort Worth says Jimmy basically has a sweat shop putting together AKs.  I have no way to confirm this, but it seemed plausible (sp).  

Well, I know when I`ve been screwed.
Big gunshow next weekend so  I`ll try and trade in this armoryUSA one on a quality build.
To show how badly I did my choosing Global this is what I passed up to bring home the POS I have now:
M76 Valmet, wood stock. 6-7  30 or 40 rd. Valmet mags, $1500.00
M71 Valmet, mall ninja  secrete-squirrel camo painted metal, 1 Valmet mag, $1100.00
Aresnal AK 47, milled, pinned on muzzle brake (not a military style as far as I know), O.D. furniture, $749.00 (had two but I wanted as close to military as possible; i.e. a slant brake)
AK 74, stamped on OFR Rec., $550.00
Norinco (stamped IIRC)pre-ban .223 with one factory 30 rd. mag $900.00
The Global rifle had the best fit and finish and was closest to the military configuration I wanted in the original 7.62 caliber.

Hope the dealer with the Aresnal rifles still has some in stock-
I`ve decided that calling Global again will be an excerise in furstation- I believe Mr. Streetman is unable for some reason follow through on his promises- his only out would be to take the rifle back and refund my purchase price-but I believe that would leave me with shipping them the rifle back and waiting on a refund from them- and I have every reason to believe from their past record that I would have Hell`s own time getting a check out of them. Plus then I would be out out the cash for the rifle in the first place plus no rifle in hand for trade-in value towards another AK.
I also have no patience dealing with incompetents and liars anymore.
I`ve owned many guns over the past 30-odd years and this is the only one ever to have given me any problem that was to remain unresolved to my satisfaction by the manufacturer.
All I wanted from day one was a well made and relible AK rifle for a informal shooter and a addition to my service rifle collection.
I`m still looking for one.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Seemed like a nice enough guy on the phone but after my experience with him I`d say you`re a good judge of people. The main reason I'm so harsh is that I've meet him at shows and he really dogs out Arsenal Inc and then really talks up Global's products.   After buying one of his turds and having read many accounts of the crapp he puts out, that is when I decided he is full of shit.  Another builder located in Fort Worth says Jimmy basically has a sweat shop putting together AKs.  I have no way to confirm this, but it seemed plausible (sp).   There is definitely some very bad blood on Jimmy's part with Arsenal Inc.

What started all of this angst toward Arsenal Inc?

Well, just to show I don`t know when to quit I called armoryUSA Monday afternoon and had another conversation with Mr. Streetman about the whole situation from the beginning, he offered to exchange for another rifle but also said their inventory was very low at the moment.
I politely told him that rather than take a chance on another (this would be the 3rd one) rifle from him I would much rather his company refund my purchase price.
He readily agreed to this- my stipulation was that I keep the rifle I have now until I receive my refund.  When I get  my purchase price back he gets the rifle back ASAP.I hope that this way if I never receive any refund from him I still have a rifle for trade bait on another AK.
I didn`t want to return the rifle and wait on reimbursment and take a chance on losing both the rifle and money.
All my paperwork proving the amount I paid for the rifle  was mailed this morning U.S. mail with delivery confirmation signature required.
Am seriously beginning to think a higher power doesn`t want me to own a AK.
I`m waiting with crossed fingers to see what happens, appreciate any positive thoughts sent this way.

Listen guys.  If Jimmy says he will refund your money he will.  Not defending their work.  I had one a couple of years ago.  

BUT, Jimmy does try to make things right even if he fails to accomplish the mission sometimes.

Well, I hope this post brings this thread back to the top.
To be fair I have to say that my refund check from Global arrived today for the full amount of the purchase price of my armoryUSA rifle. Check was signed by Mr. Streetman and although it was sent out dated later than the date he told me it was mailed (I called to follow-up after having not received it in a timely manner as first promised) he did keep his word.
The armoryUSA rifle is packed and goes out first thing Monday A.M. back to Global.
Honestly I am very surprised that I did get my money refunded but I must be fair and give kudos to Mr. Streetman for keeping his promise.

So as of now I am the proud new owner of a Arsenal SLR-101S I bought today- am very impressed with it so far-will try it out tomorrow .

It took awhile and the frustration factor was higher than I would have liked but I have finally ended up with a quality AK.

Thanks for the update and congratulations on your new purchase.