I am finally buying a Pistol Grip AK.
PROBLEM: Most of the local shops' guns look like a drunked up crack head put one together in the dark.
I.E. front sight canted, rear sights angled, funiture misaligned, etc.

I want a nice enough fit and finish. Granted, it is going to be a field gun, but that WASR I saw today could not have been safe (the impact zone could have NOT been anywhere near where the bent sight was so called aligned to)!

Please help. Which gun is the best for the money. I hear the Robinson AK's are nice but have not seen one.

Lastly which caliber with hicap mags?
The mags are plentiful and cheap so what are the + and - of each.
It is strictly a plinking gun so don't worry about terminal ballistics, hollow point availability, etc.

Many Thanks
V

What's your budget?

No real budget limit.
Do not want to pay TOO much, or I could buy a preban right?
Thanks
V

If it were me I'd do it right the first time... build a Bulgie 74 kit.

Kit $161.80 shipped if ordered online at www.k-varcorp.com.

AK74 Receiver from OOW for $71.95 shipped to your FFL plus transfer.

RSA trigger group provided by Inrange at time of build, I believe $65 installed!

US pistol grip from K-var $15

US gas piston from Tapco $20

Optics rail from Tantal $30

Build including refinish and testing and tweaking and return shipping from Inrange $225

So who builds it and what is the process?
How much can I do?
KVAR is here in Vegas and I have a friend that does parkerizing here as well.
Thanks
V

Hiram, nice breakout on the AK process.  I think you hit it right on the head.

Having your weapon assembled can be accomplished either by yourself (excellent information available on this site and competent subject matter experts to assist you) or you can have one of the Gunsmiths do it for you for a fee.  I have had first hand experience with InRange C2 as well as Ohio Rapid Fire and highly recommend either one.

- Independence Arms
- In Range C2
- Ohio Rapid Fire
- Solstice Arms

As always, thorough research followed by telephone contact should be accomplished with each gunsmith so you as the customer are completely satisifed with their service, cost, turnaround, warranty, etc.

As far as which caliber your AK should be.....BOTH.  You can never have enough AKs.

Choose wisely grasshopper!!

Happy Shooting,

KF

While the Romy guns improve with each year, hand pick is still my recommended way to get a $300 AK. Before I suggest models, lets talk caliber.

7.62x39 is .07/rnd, likely 4" groups of 5 at 100 yds, but lots of bullet drop at 200+. Cheap mags/ammo everywhere.
5.45x39 is .10/rnd, likely 3" groups of 5 at 100 yds, flat trajectory, ample cheap mag supply, ammo imported by major distributors.
5.56x45 can plink at .10/rnd, cheap 5.56 shoots like cheap 5.45, better 5.56 can certainly be had and some AKs respond well and some are run too loose to care much, good mags are twice as expensive as other AK mags and far less common.

With help from the round's taper, the 5.45 and 7.62 feed with amazing reliability. The 5.56 is good in an AK, just not as slutty in performing.

I second the idea of getting one of each.

 Yes the Romanians do look rough.  Don't think Jaguar, think Ford 600 tractor.