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Posted: 12/7/2003 1:33:47 PM EDT
| OK, so I am well aware of bad reputation that Hesse has garnered, which seems to come primarily from the shoddy worksmanship their completed rifles. But is there anything fundamentally wrong with their AK receivers? I haven't decided what to build my PMKMS kit on, and it's basically come down to the OOW, Global Trades, or Hesse versions. The OOW has that annoying selector hole issue, while the (soon to be released?) Global Trades receiver has the extra weight that I don't think is needed. The Hesse receiver is also nearly half of the other two. |
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I had a really bad experience with HeXXe firearms and their shoddy customer (anything to make a buck) service. Campy and others say the HeXXe receivers are okay....for me...it's the name on the receiver I will never be able to deal with.... Let's just say that I do have a weapon built on a HeXXe receiver...and I decide to sell it at a gunshow one weekend (so I can finance another project)...I guarantee you the first thing out of the mouth of a potential buyer will be "Oh hell no, that's a fucking Hesse Rifle." And no matter how hard I work to convince him that I had it built by a reputable gunsmith, he will think otherwise.....no sale. So....if you want a keeper, that you will never resell, then okay...get a HeXXe. KF |
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for me, it's been easier and more accurate to build on a hesse than the itm/oow receivers. neither are commie-perfect, but it's my opinion the hesse is dimensinally more accurate and more authentic looking. right now, i'm waiting to drop a dime on global trades and see if they can out-do hesse. the thicker sheet stock matters little to me...the other details mean far more. |
You're probably right about the resell value. Do you know if INRANGE is willing to build off of them? That's probably where I'm going to send it to be built once I get all the parts together. |
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I've seen the work by Sellars. Top notch. I don't believe you can legally remove the Hesse name from the receiver. I believe that's what krink was talking about above. I've seen Hesse rifles at the local gunshow and I can't say that I care for the welded receiver. Red Faction |
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No, you can't remove Hesse from the receiver any more than you can remove the CAI stamping from an Imbel FAL rifle, but when you see a manufacturer's stamp on it like Azex or ORF, etc. you know it isn't a Century rifle. Same thing with the Hesse. Are they stamped Hesse or Vulcan Arms? |
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Wait for Global to start producing receivers. They will be the same thickness as the milled but less weight than the milled. The trunnions will have to be ground to fit the receiver but it'll be worth the wait. They say the life of the standard stamped receiver is 10k rnds(factory specs before small cracks,1mm, appear around rear trunnion rivets). The milled receiver is 15k rnds(factory specs also). The Global receiver will be the same as the milled as far as these specs go. The wait will be worth it!! |
In general yes, but most competent builders will tell you their aK receiver is very well made and in some ways superior to OOW receivers. And no, I'm not waiting for a Global receiver that is going to cost 4 times as much as the Hesse/Vulcan Arms. |
I heard this too  . Now why in the hell is Global making the new receivers thicker? How conveinient for a home build, grind/mill the trunnions to fit  . I would guess buttstocks and lower hanguards will also have to be hacked to fit more than usual and pretty much be dedicated to that particular gun then. I also wonder if standard FCG pins will be able to be retained with the thicker receiver. After going to The IMTS in Chicago last year and seeing the current technology available, I am amazed that someone in America cannot or will not make a commie clone AK receiver. I can't think that making a good AK receiver really takes that much technowiz. How fucken sad.  Sorry for the rant guys, but this subject just pisses me off.
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AJjer, these specs are from Arsenal of Bulgaria as far as "warranty" goes. Yes, you can get more than that out of'em. They have a milled that has over 58k rnds through it and still functions w/o a problem. On the Global receiver, the axis pins will work because the extra thickness is on the inside. If someone decides to get a Hesse/Vulcan because of price....well then...you get what you pay for. My bets on the Global receiver, there is no problem w/them making a receiver that's in spec. These will be the best receivers made in these Unitied States to date. Global's receiver was designed by Ivan Kolev. This man looked at a Hesse receiver and told me what was wrong w/the Hesse and why it wasn't a good design. I personally prefer the Hesse right now. |
Anybody can turn out a bad receiver. So one Hesse receiver shit out, so what? Campy stands by them, and as much as I think Campy is a crotchity old fart, he knows his AKs and I defer to his judgement. |
| Hesse has alot more than "one" receiver "shit out". I remember the days before JoeKen bought respectability on GUNNUTS. It was one post after another about Hesses giving up the ghost. Obviously, you don't see those posts anymore becuase they delete them. Buying a Hesse is like gambling in Vegas. You may win, but chances are your going home a loser. |
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dinkydow, again, this is "Arsenal of Bulgaria's factory warranty" that was told to me, face to face, by Ivan Kolev himself and he should know since he was their top designer/engineer for years on end. If you ever get to meet and talk with this man, you will be totally amazed at what you will learn that goes into these rifles, ie 26 diferent kinds of steel go into the AK. I'm NOT try'n to act like I am some kinda know-it-all, I'm shar'n info that IS from the horses mouth. |
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