Any recommendations? Budget is around $500 and id like something chrome lined, im gonna call my local shop in the next few days to order, I currently have a yugo, I've thought about a polish tantal but im not sure if they're chrome lined or not

Your best bet would be to pick up a Romanian 74 because they have original romi made chrome lined barrel's. Avoid U.S. made 74 barrels like the plague.

Arsenal if you want to step it up a notch...Bulgarian or as close as you can get to Russian .mil issue.

I love my Tantal, and yes, its chrome lined.

There are just about no Tantal kits with original barrels left, hence the assembled kits available have US barrels.

Thats unfortunate, I did not know that. I bought mine a few years back and got the original Polish barrel. Its a good shooter.

are bulgarians chrome lined? my local shop just left me a message, and told me he can get me on for $550OTD he's not back in the shop till thursday so i've got a day to think about it

Sounds like a truck gun, but a true bulgy has a CLB...  A CAI "bulgy" is not chromelined.  Did he give ya any more info?

There isn't one single builder of Bulgarian kit guns.  Some builders use CLBs, some don't.

At the price you were quoted, I'd bet that Bulgy your shop is talking about is probably a Century Arms model.  If so, you're being charged about $150 too much.  It's also on the low-end of the quality scale, and will not have a CLB.

Find out who built it, and let us know.

But really, with your budget and requirements, the WASR2 is the only thing out there.  Otherwise, any 74 with a CLB is going to set you back a couple hundred dollars more than you want to spend.

You could get a Saiga 5.45 and restore it yourself, that would come in at about your price range, has a chrome-lined barrel and is all new Russian built. Problem is :effort:

Strictly speaking it is not an AK-74 its patterned after the AK-100 series currently in production for the Russian military.

i just got off the phone with him, he said it's chrome lined, didn't ask about the builder cause i didn't see the new posts yet, i have a century built yugo and it is a great gun, if i have any problems with this one he wont hesitate to send it back the them, it's a pretty good shop

You should still find out who built it before commiting to buying it.  At that price, it could be a Lancaster gun (which you don't want).

While the AK is a famously reliable design, that reliability is predicated on the thing being built correctly.  It is an unfortunate reality that some builders (like the aforementioned Lancaster) are just in it for the money, and have no problem releasing all manner of junk on uninformed buyers.  That's why it's important to know who the builder is, and to solicit opinions on that builder before exchanging any money.

If it is a Century arms gun it is NOT chrome lined.

Not true, the WASR-2s are chrome-lined because they use an original Romanian barrel. It is true that all the barrels made domestically for CAI rifles such as those found in the Bulgarian 74s are not chrome lined.

I just picked up a Bulgarian AKS-74.  Built on an all matching unissued parts kit with the original chrome lined barrel.  It was built by Troy Sellars at InrangeC2 and I purchased it from MarColMar firearms through gunbroker.  Now, having said that, they have their reserve set on these auctions at about $750 with a buy it now price of $825.  It comes with a plum magazine, drop case, bayonet, an oil bottle, sling and some stripper clips.  I knew what I wanted and unfortunately had to pay for it.  I'll be posting pics when I get it in.

he just said it's a century gun and it specifys on the order sheet it has a CLB?

If it's a Century 5.45 rifle with a CLB, that means it's a Romanian WASR2.  As another poster stated, none of the Century Bulgarian 74's have CLBs.

If it is a WASR, you're paying too much for it.  Centerfire Systems has these for $379.  Of course, it could be the Century Bulgarian 74 with a misidentified barrel too.

Keep asking questions and figure out what you're really getting...

hmmmmmm i guess i'll just see when it comes in, if it's junk he'll send it back no questions asked, i'm gonna go check it out tuesday

picked up the rifle today it's stamped M74 and gunshop owener looked it over and stated that it has a mil. barrel hence the CLB

Something still isn't right.  The M74 is a Century rifle, and they do not have a military nor a chrome-lined barrel.

I believe the "M74" designation was applied to the Elk River 74's sold by Century, an example of which can be found here.  These do not have a military barrel, and they do not have a chrome-lined barrel.  In fact, aside from the WASR2's and Saiga 5.45 rifles, you're not going to find a brand new 5.45 rifle with a CLB (and certainly not a military barrel) for $550.

The gun shop owner is either unknowledgable, or is blowing smoke.

how can you tell if it's a mil barrel?

Well, the barrel itself would have markings that vary depending upon country of origin.

But I'm telling you...if it's a Century M74, it does not have a military barrel.  Century does not use military barrels on kit guns.  They just don't.  And if they did, trust me...they would be advertising it as such, since military barrels - which can no longer be imported - command a price premium.

well it's a bulgarian AK74 i know that, guess it dosn't have a CLB going off what you guys said, i know the shop owner wouldnt intentionally miss lead me, me must not have known, i'm gonna shoot it tomorrow, hopefully it shoots as good as it looks, doesn't have a canted FS or any of that other crap,h

Yeah, this is a Bulgarian AK74 too



Close to the same level

lol, sorry i couldn't afford to fly to russia and buy a "real" 74, my centruy yugo has ran perfectly for every 1k rounds i've put thru it, i doubt this will be any worse

Yes, the kit is Bulgarian, matched to a U.S. receiver and U.S. barrel.  And if it shoots fine and you don't mind the idea of grossly overpaying for it, enjoy it.  Just be sure that if you use corrosive (surplus) ammo, you clean it well when done.  This should include the barrel, gas tube, bolt face, etc.  While a non-chromed barrel won't melt away from firing corrosive ammo, it does become more important to clean it promptly and thoroughly after shooting.  

You may also want to tell your dealer, just for his own edification, that this gun has neither chrome lining or a military barrel.  As a seller of guns, he really should know such things.  

Also, I wouldn't be mad at the dealer for making an honest mistake when describing the gun.  But I would be mad at him for charging $550 for a gun that can be easily bought for $350!  For what they are (plinking and recreational shooters), these guns represent a decent value at $350.  But above $400, you're overpaying.  At $550, you should have at least gotten a reach-around when you picked it up.

If you haven't shot it yet, you might entertain the idea of returning it.  You could always tell him it doesn't have a CLB like he said, and you really wanted a CLB.  You don't have to let him know that the real reason you're returning it, is because you paid $200 too much for it.

yeah i just saw that, kinda pisses me off but meh, i'll keep it forever as long as it shoots good so it doesn't bother me that much