Having read A LOT of posts for months I confess that you guys have successfully converted me to "the dark side".  I want to get two AKs.  The first one I'm willing to spend about $700 or so.  I'm looking to experienced board members to recommend a really nice AK in that range.  Good workmanship and finish are fairly important to me.

What would YOU get if you had $700 (+ or -) to burn for a first AK?

Thanks!
CWO

If I was going to spend $700, I'd probably go to $800 and shop for a pre-ban.

Otherwise for $525 from FAC you can get a SA-7M

check out global trades/arsnenal usa.  they make some good stuff!!!!

www.globaltrades.com

Arsenal Inc. in Las Vegas.  Finest production AK's I've dealt with.  www.arsenalinc.com

This is one of their limited edition SA-M7 Classics.  Only 250 of these were to be made.



Or, as previously suggested, save some more money and get a good Chinese pre-ban for around $750-$850.

Its hard to beat the Classic that Templar mentioned.Arsenal takes Great Pride in the manufacture of their AKs.Check out your local gun shows and try to locate a pre ban Poly Tech Legend,it'll probably run in the 900.00 range but in my opinion its one step above the Classic.

Another vote for the Arsenal SAM-7.

I love mine.

The SA M-7S from Arsenal Inc
AK-103 from AK-USA
Preban Chinese

Well how about an AK74 clone built on a Bulgie kit by Inrange?

I appreciate the recommendations - thanks guys.  It appears that the SA M-7 Classic is no longer available (per Arsenal).  It looks like I'm going to have to explore some of the other good ideas.

Thanks!

CWO

Yep, the Classics are pretty much gone, but if you're looking for a serious shooter, the standard model SA-M7S is really the way to go, with a longer length of pull that appeals to many who are used to American rifles.  It's a clone of the current productions Bulgarian AK-47M1.

Templar; is the muzzle brake on the SA-M7S authentic or something the manufacture came up with? The pic on thier website shows the 74 type brake as an option.

yeah I checked out one of those Sam-7 classics at a gun store last weekend and it had an excellent finish and workmanship.  I was quite impressed.  they were asking $750

I've heard nothing but good about the Krebs custom AK's and they weigh about a ton less than the milled receiver AK's put out by Arsenal such as the SA-M7. Check them out.
www.krebscustom.com/index.html

I've been eyeing the Krebs selection as candidates for my second Ak.  I understand the wait for a Krebs gun is about 3 months or so - which is okay for #2.  

I'll probably also go for a third before too long, but I have a lot more reading to do on kit build-ups etc.

Thanks for all the recommendations!

Dredd, the muzzle brake on the SA-M7&M7S is the same one that Arsenal Bulgaria put on the SLR-95.  It isn't pretty, but it really does work.

Arsenal Inc. should be making a SA-M7 this year without the brake.

I have some suggestions for you-I have a SA-M7,a pre-ban Hungarian, a KREBS AK-103 and a few VEPR-K's-if you are going to get a KREBS-you will have to wait a very long time indeed-I waited 15 weeks-but compared to a VEPR-which you may also wait a long time for, there is no comparison.  The cheap-ass, paper-thin looking SAIGA receiver on the KREBS AK-103 just pales in comparison to the VEPR-it is built like a Tank!!!  But there is just no denying the Muzzle Brake on the KREBS-it is awesome-you can also have KREBS install that brake on your VEPR-but once again, it will be a very long wait. But there is nothing like that brake when firing at night-good god!!!  I had an order in for 2 AK-103's with AK-USA, but it just took too damn long, and I am tired of these long-ass waits-it wouldn't have been so bad, but the dude at AK-USA wanted his $$$$ up front-KREBS did not, and either did Robinson Armament-so I didn't mind the wait.  But the most beautiful of all the stamped-receiver AK's is easily the Hungarian line from Global Trades-they are just beautiful.   But the SA-M7 is truly one beautiful gun!!!  There is really nothing to compare it to!!! The good thing is that these guns are infinitely more reliable than any of the AR's.  I also have a Romanian beater truck SAR-1-reliable and ugly as hell!!!

Yet another vote for Global Trades. I have a SSR85B and just love it !! It's by far one of the best made, best looking, best shooting AK's I have ever seen.