M92.
5.56 zips right thru the stuff I like to shoot. Meh
7.62x39 blows holes in stuff and makes it really dance. FUN

I like the simple things.

I have both and prefer the M85. Partly because I own a bunch of AKs in 7.62x39 and my M85 is my only one in 5.56.  





I also like the fact that my M85NP takes AR mags, so it usually goes to the range with my ARs (same mags and ammo makes it too easy).





I shoot my M85 way more than my M92.

 

I shot a coworkers SBR'r m85.  I now need one.  I'm adequately stocked in 5.56 and AR mags, easy choice for me.

My M92 had the welded thread protector on it.  A single small spot weld held it on, a Dremel and cut-off wheel made short work of it.  A dab of cold blue on the FSB where the weld was and you couldn't tell the weld was ever there.
Added the CNC Warrior detent kit and I was in business:  http://www.cncwarrior.com/M92-M85-Muzzle-Detent-Pin-and-Spring-p/25301.htm
The whole procedure was quite painless.






 

I've had the same question recently and I've been leaning toward the M85. The M92 is nice, but I have other 7.62 guns that are great. Having the AR mag compatibility seems like it'd be more useful.

If the thread protector on the M92 is similar to other applications, it's an easy fix. I wouldn't let that hold you up.

Yeah, I did. It took about 2 minutes with a Dremel & a jewelers file to remove & clean up so it was invisible. A little touch up on the has block & it was like it was never there.

I was going to SBR it, but I think I'll just do a folding shockwave brace instead. I bought it for novelty & cause it was cheap, I'm actually not a fan of Aks at all, but it seems well built as far as they go. Refinished the wood, too.

I'm in the process of sbr' the M92 I just got. Removed the thread cap, looking at options for mounting a can on it. Removal took all of 5-10min.

FWIW the "flash hider" is really more of a gas pressure booster. Both the M92 and M85 are intended to run with it, but most people don't seem to have any issue without them. I suppose it's possible that Zastava sized the gas port to properly run without them, but they may also be right on the edge of not functioning if the gun becomes significantly fouled/dirty, where the additional gas pressure from the booster may keep them running.

I would like to have an M85 as well, but I've been really happy with my M92. The stubby, stiff barrel shoots consistently even as it heats up, and I've been really happy with the accuracy of the M92, once I topped it with a Stormwerkz rail and red dot. It wasn't much fun to shoot with the irons, but with an optic I've found it to be a really accurate shooter out to 300yd - have not shot groups at that range, but kills rocks and 12" plates with ease.

The M85NP was not around when I bought it, and the main reason I went with the M92 was the relative loss of energy of 7.62x39 through the short barrel is far less than with 5.56.. But in all reality that doesn't matter a whole bunch, and the better idea should've been to just buy both.

Once our form 1 issues are resolved here in WA I intend to put the CNC Warrior stock on it.

If I could find an original M85 for $400-$450 I'd buy one. I have no interest in the AR  mag version however, I bought plenty of he Yugo M85 mags when they were cheap thinking Id' be buying one.

I removed the thread protector on my M92 with a dremel and added a CNC warrior 5/8" thread adapter to use standard AR308 type flash hiders, used a mod'd  MI Saiga forend I had in the parts bin- it's slightly longer then the correct Yugo forend, and added a Century AK Sig brace thingy and run a vortex red dot and surefire light on the MI forend. Its the nightstand gun

An M85 without the mag adapter FTW.  They are also more rare than the common M92s

Yeah they haven't been imported for a couple years now and the ones that are left are going up in price, I got lucky and found one locally for $550 out the door.people on gunbroker are asking crazy prices for them. Op I have both and F1 pending on both. if you want to suppress one of them eventually, get the m92. The m85 barrel is recessed into the fsb/gas block so it's impossible to get the barrel threaded concentrically unlike the m92.

As others have stated, the flash hider/booster is very easy to install since the spot welding is minimal.  The parts are available including at CNC Warrior.  

By way of background, we are extremely lucky to have M92's and M85's in pistol form.  Prior to these pistols, they were only available as parts kits, either
demilled or virgin kits.  I recall circa 2006 when Ohio Rapid Fire had M85 parts kits for $999!  M92's were $300+ to begin with and went up from there.  So to have both
in pistol form has made it a lot easier for those of us who wanted them in SBR form.  It does look like J&G Sales still has the M85 that takes AR mags and Atlantic Firearms still has the M92's.  I'm sure if you search around you can find more places that still sell them.

As far as which one to go with, it really depends on a few factors.  If you don't already own 7.62X39 rifles then you are introducing a new caliber and magazines, whereas you are using the same 5.56 and mags if you go with the M85.  

You will have a difficult time finding original M85 or M92 underfolder stocks except for the secondary market.  There is also quite a bit more involved in installing them.  Also, you have to make sure that the M92 or M85 receiver has the serial number at the front of the receiver so installing the underfolder will not require you to damage the serial number.  Early imports had the serial number in the rear of the receiver and later imports had it at the front.  If you are installing a stock that requires you to drill the back of the receiver then it really doesn't matter.  I have both M92 (a couple of these) and the M85 with underfolder stocks because I wanted an example of each in its original configuration.  

This is one of my M92's:



If you're going to SBR it and don't really care about original configuration, I would recommend CNC Warrior's folding stock specifically designed for the M92 and M85.  I have an M85 with this stock and I'm in the process of getting an M92 with it currently.  It is a solid stock and recommended by others here (see thread below this one).  This one folds to the right, but if you get it to fold to the left then you can have access to the trigger and fire while folded.  I went with the original M85 mags.  I paid $30 each when they initially came in down to $7.99 each when the bottom fell out on them.  I have not read about any problems with the AR mag adapters.  People seem very happy with them.







It's difficult to choose one over the other as they both have their advantages.  BTW, the M92 is NOT chrome-lined (not a big deal) and the M85 does have a chrome-lined chamber and bore.  While the recoil is not bad on the M92, I have found it even milder on the M85.

I just ordered a M92 from Bud's this week, it is my first venture into AK territory. One day, likely soon I intend to SBR it.

Why 7.62? As my first AK I kinda wanted the round that started it all, and if I SBR it with an underfolder, and install a booster, I will have a decent replica of an issue weapon.
It also appears the 7.62x39 loses less velocity/energy going from 16" to 10".
However, had I known about the sale on at Sportsman's Guide I may have gone 5.56. A $60 difference is significant on a $500 gun.

My understanding from the reading I did before ordering is the booster is needed for cyclic reasons in the FA 7.62x39s, but some of the SA 5.56 guns have cycling issues without one.

I own an M85 with the AR magazine conversion and absolutely love it. I don't have an M92, but I do have a Draco in 7.62x39. The M85 beats it hands down. Much more accurate, much smoother shooting and 100% function with every type of AR magazine and every type of 5.56/.223 I've tried in it. The three-dot style flip up sights are a fantastic addition as well.

I have a M85 that takes the original mags and M92. The M85 runs like a champ with very little recoil and muzzle climb. I am not a huge fan of the new ones that take AR mags, I think it ruins the aesthetics of the AK. The muzzle device comes off easily with a grinder or dremel.

Yes 3 seconds with a dremel or 5 minutes with a hand file and it's off.

ETA I went with manticore arms triangle stock on a stormwerkz hinge (folds to the left) and the booster for a muzzle device but I may change the muzzle device not sure yet. Oh I recently added the generation 3 TWS dogleg rail with the peep sight. Absolutely zero play in the rail and the longer sight radius is amazing. In short I guess I'm saying if your gonna get one get the m92. Lol if your going to the darkside you may as well go all the way. It's my first AK variant an I love it. Wish I had an arsenal AK to go with it. Hoping Hilliary loses so I can get one when the next batch of imports comes in.

My vote goes for the M85.

Yup
M85 owner

One point I'd give to the M92 is that the 7.62x39 doesn't lose much velocity (and therefore, energy) in the 7.62 with a typical loss of around 150fps +/-, whereas 5.56 needs all the velocity it can retain to do more than poke a hole in a target. If downrange energy matters, the M92 wins.

I don't know about the M85, but the M92 makes a pretty impressive momentary flashlight when fired.

here is .223 poking tiny holes in a 2 inch thick concrete slab

& by poking tiny holes, I mean destroying it. the test was done with a 7.5" barrel, m85 would have even greater velocity.

His point, I believe, is that .223 out of a short barrel is going to go through a soft target without tumbling or fragmenting. Your video does nothing to refute that.

Yep, that's the point. The same rounds out of a 16" barrel would have been around or over 2800fps, but it's a given that they lost at least 4-500fps in the M85. The velocity of the 64gr bullets is only a few hundred feet per second above a hot 22LR (CCI stinger with half the bullet weight at  around 75% of the velocity).

do the same thing with a 7.62 Krink and the concrete block will be in chunks, not just holes.

Some rough numbers:5.56 64gr (BC.251) at 1950fps = 540 ft lbs. at the muzzle/407 @ 100 yds, wheras 123gr at 2130fps (.304 BC) = 1238 ft.lbs at the muzzle/987 at 100 yds. Given these numbers (and BC's), the 7.62 has more energy remaining at 450 than 5.56 does at that velocity at 100yds.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuuZKzGZX1M[/youtube]


I'm not arguing that the M85 is useless, but if energy matters, then 7.62 wins

While energy wise it's not going to be quite what the 7.62 is, with a 5.56 sbr ammo selection is key. Mk262 or 75gr Hornady load would fair much better in your comparison, it would also fair better at bullet drop and wind drift. If the velocity drop was so detrimental in a 10" barrel I doubt our SOF would be using the mk18.

I got both!

M92. Anyone know where I can get a new one?

Attached File

JG Sales has both the M92 and M85. I just grabbed one of the 85s and it came with ten steel 30rnd mags.

What kind of mags were they? The ones pictured on their website did not appear to be surplus. If they're shipping with surplus mags then I might jump on that.

They're new made steel Zastava mags.

The correct answer to the OP's question is of course: get both.

I mean seriously, go ahead, try to buy only ONE AK and see how long that lasts.

Thread now rendered moot, M85's are gone. Unless you want to pay through the nose for the only one I see on GB right now, $750 bucks.

This guy gets it.

This.

That weld is tiny and I probably could have broken it by putting the gun in a vise and using pliers to twist the muzzle device.

ETA: I need to SBR this pig, I have a fake can pinned and welded to reach 16".

I traded an M&P40c for this

Awesome trade! U got the better part of that trade!

ETA: loose that heavy bulky " Brace " , and get a Shockwave on it.

It's bulky, but works well. I have a couple shockwaves at home, I just don't want to invest in the side folder adapter, and that's the only reason to go with the Shockwave.

I have two Dracos.  SBR'd one and never shot the other.  Put an ACE side folder on it.  TWS Dogleg dust cover with a Comp M4.  I didn't notice till much later it was a bit canted looking up the barrel. But I could often hit 12 inch steel plates at 200 yards. Then out of the blue the thing just lost all accuracy and I cannot figure it out. Even at 25 yards it's pretty wide grouping with iron sights. Nothing seems loose or bent.  The barrel is clean . And I don't remember running over it with a truck.

Anyway, I was thinking about either SBRing my other Draco or getting an M85 to SBR as I have plenty of other Yugo's in the safe.

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Ain't they handy little things?  I have an ACE side folder on my Draco with an Aimpoint Comp M2.  That and a 6pack of 20 rounders in a pouch make a great grab n'go suburban trunk gun