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7/9/2008 7:56:15 PM EDT
I consider Bushmaster to be the every-man of ARs because I see them most often at sports and hunting stores (Academy, Gander Mountain... etc). They're not the cheapest, but I would venture to say that they do seem to fit better for the budget minded individual who isn't as educated on the varying manufacturers.

I RARELY see any form of AK at any sports and hunting store, till recently I spotted a pair (one with wood stock and the other with polymer) in a Big R (essentially a farm store with some hunting stuff thrown in). I didn't catch the makes but they were both just over $600. My question is, what is the Bushmaster of AKs? Is there a budget AK that seems more easily available than most?

tia
7/9/2008 9:22:20 PM EDT
[#1]
Romanian WASR is considered the bottom of the barrel on AKs. Century, the importer, brings them in as guns that will only take a single stck mag and once they get here century opens up the magwell to take the regular AK double stack mags(somtimes rather sloppy machineing results in a loose magwell.

 Most companies are now offering rifles that are built from parts kits from various builders. In this catagory you must do your own research to find out who's best, who's OK, and who's not worth a damn.

  Usually anything pre-ban is GREAT !! because those were made in countries that were very familiar with the AK design, like Bulgaria, China, Egypt, etc. Sometimes you can find a post ban rifle at a decent price then DE-Ban it by adding the right amount of US made parts to stay in line with fed 922r statue. True pre-bans command a premium price, anywhere from $850-$2000 depending on where it's from and condition. Hope this helps.

 If you can find one get your self a romanian SAR-1 the monkeys at century never messed with those, it's a post ban (no bayonet lug, no threaded muzzle) probably $450-$550 price range        
7/9/2008 9:27:20 PM EDT
[#2]
personally i like the sks better simply becasue they are cheaper.. and in my experience more accurate although you do have to do a bit of work to get them up and running well. by which i mean adding us made parts and such. a descent sks will run around 300
7/9/2008 9:53:12 PM EDT
[#3]
You will never find a Bulgarian preban that I know of, only one or two may have come in that I have heard of and they were NFA firearms.  If the $600.00 AKs you are looking at are WASRs, walk away.
7/10/2008 5:58:08 PM EDT
[#4]
 Sorry Mak, I was thinking of the SA-85 from FEG, hungarian not bulgarian, my bad.
7/10/2008 8:46:08 PM EDT
[#5]

Quoted:
My question is, what is the Bushmaster of AKs? Is there a budget AK that seems more easily available than most? tia


No, there's not. It's a different game in the AK arena. Most of the ones that are easily available and budget priced are either junk or need what you would have spent on a better quality gun to make them better.
7/10/2008 9:10:22 PM EDT
[#6]
Not necesarily.  My Yugo's on NDS/DCI receivers are very good rifles and cost less than $500.  Even my Yugo on a global receiver is a quality rifle.  Sometimes you just have to sift through the options.
7/11/2008 6:32:31 AM EDT
[#7]
So what are the typical price levels of AKs? In the AR world, your budget guns are 700-900, the better stuff is 900-1100, and the high quality stuff is 1100 and higher. At least that is how I see things (though some crappy ones are over priced).
7/11/2008 8:09:51 PM EDT
[#8]
saiga rifle -non ak 250-350
romy wasr <$400
cheap maadi (misr) chicom mak 90 <400
romy SAR $500ish
hungarian amd65 500
yugo m70 450-550
converted saiga ak 500-800
polish tantal 550
polish akm 700-800
hungarian amms 700-800
lancaster/vector romy g builds (akm clone) 500-600
bulgy stamped arsenal 700-900
vepr 800-1000
milled arsenal 1200
preban (sa85m, poly, norinco, clayco, maadi) 900-1800

personally i own a few arsenal rifles (milled-stamped-545-762), custom saiga conversions and a sa85m preban but thats just me....for the money id buy a lancaster....
if i had more money....prbably a bulgarian build, poly legend, cz, or something rare
7/11/2008 8:12:27 PM EDT
[#9]
^ That's a fairly accurate price table. Generally AKs start around $300. Good ones are usually $500-1000. $1000+ is generally reserved for peculiar, rare or non-importable, collectible models, of which there are actually quite a few varieties.
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