Stopped at a gun store on my lunch break today just to look and chat; nice folks, I've bought from them before. The salesperson asked me if I was looking for anything in particular. I told him I had taken an interest in AK style rifles. He said they only had one used AK in the store (in fact, it was the only AK they had) and showed it to me. It was a Romanian SAR 1 from 2002. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but something that got my attention. Like I said, not the prettiest thing, but looked to be in decent shape. Used but bot abused. I didn't have time to make a deal and complete the paper work, but I asked the guy if they'd consider a trade for one of my AR15s, and he said yes, to bring it in. 

When I got off work, I went home and got one of my ARs (my least favorite) and went back to the store. We worked out a trade I could live with. I can easily buy another AR15, but there are no new SAR1s in gun stores, that I know of...

Had no intention of buying another AK when I woke up this morning, but the opportunity presented itself. I've read a lot of good things about the SAR 1, predecessor to the WASR 10.

Good trade.  Would have done the same.

I remember when SAR1's were like $275 and SAR2 and 3's were $199.  

Hold onto to that rifle !! A threading die & GB with bayo. lug and it's one of the best AKM clones out there.

Nice! SAR1s are one of my favorite AK's.

Good pick up. My 2002 SAR1 tends to outshoot my SLR107R most days.

Very nice, I walked into my Lgs this week and picked up the twin brother to yours.  I got it for $400!!

Dang, that was a great deal!!! 

The LGS had a price tag of $689 on the SAR 1 I bought. From what I've seen on GB and else ware, that was not an excessively high price. They gave me a fair trade-in price on my PSA Freedom AR 556, but you come out way ahead of me. Congratulations!!

ETA: I was comparing the SAR 1 to my recently acquired WASR 10, and the SAR 1 is a better quality AR in more ways than one. The bolt and bolt carrier is heaver/wider on the SAR 1, and the mag-well opening is neater/cleaner, with the dimples in the receiver; the wood is also nicer on the SAR 1, with the cleaning kit in the butt-stock. Not sure why I bought the WASR. I guess maybe I just wanted to compare it to the SAR 1, and have heard good things about the newer model WASRs. Heck, I like em' both; although I may end up selling or trading the WASR for another SAR 1... :-)

You did real good OP on that SAR-1, enjoy it!

State made AKM.

Can’t beat em.

I picked up another one at a gun show a couple weeks ago for $500, looks hardly fired.  Great rifles!

Not a bad find, looks identical to the first gun I ever bought. I bought a new SAR-1 in 2000 the day I turned 18 for $400ish.
Ended up selling it during the big panic for $1200 cash and 20 ounces of silver.

I had one from that year, with the real dark wood. Great gun. I had a Kobra sight on it. 400 meters was nothing with it. I paid $275 total, tax and all for it at Classic Arms back when they were a good company. Sort of local, my ex got one with the blonde wood same day, same price. Her family didn't live far from there.

We walked out with two SAR1s ( $550 ), 2,000rds Wolf ( $140 ), 20 Eastern European mags, with pouches ( $50 ). Total of $740, well, there was another $600 or so , but that was from taking her shopping and out to eat.

The SAR1 is good choice!

Mine's a 2001 (cost $300 back then).  It looked just like the one in the OP when I got it.

It's been 100% except for some trigger slap that got really annoying on cold days.  Swapping the CAI trigger for a Tapco fixed that for good.

In celebration of the sunset of the AWB back in '04, I threaded the muzzle, put on a slant brake, refinished the whole rifle with Gunkote and put Ironwood furniture on it with a bakelite PG and Russian sling.