What is the best AK variant and why?  I'll take a guess at Romanian because it has the largest forum but some of your opinions or facts would help me in my future purchase.

Romys are the cheapest that are worth a shit, and only $300. Bulgy and Yugo are my fave com-block builds, but at least twice as expensive. There are some darned nice AKs built in the US now as well.
What kind of shooting do you have in mind?

close range mess stuff up shooting

Quoted: close range mess stuff up shooting

12 gauge pump! For "close range mess stuff up" shooting there is nothing finer. From birdshot to 3" magnum 000 buckshot they're perfect.

Alright. If I have to make a definite choice, I'd say the 5.45x39 AK-74.

Now, I would strongly suggest a Bulgarian AK-74 kit for you. I have a SAR-2, and I spent a lot of $$$$ making it look pretty. The front sight was canted, the gas block was crooked, and the finish was scratched everywhere. Keep that in mind if you want a Romanian rifle.

If you have the tools and skills to fix it yourself, then go for it. You can put a muzzle brake on a SAR-2 without pinning and welding it on. That's the big advantage. Mine shot just as well as my AR-15 50 yards in. I couldn't site it with a scope at 100 yards because my scope rail was 55/1000 of an inch out of spec. Hint hint: Spend the $$$$ and buy a Bulgarian kit! It's worth every penny. Don't do what I did.

I read that ak's over heat easily and shoot off rounds. How much do you have to shoot for this to happen?

Dunno. I have run mag after mag thru my SAR1 so that it was too hot to hold with leather yard gloves on which is just about the time the wood handguards start to smoke. And still no 'cookoff' firing. Nice chrome bbl still gets 4" groups after being abused like that several times. $289 damn well spent.

Quoted: I read that ak's over heat easily and shoot off rounds. How much do you have to shoot for this to happen?

Where did you read that? I've never heard of that happening to an AK. I've heard of early AR-15s cooking off rounds in Vietnam, but that's only after repetitive full-auto fire, and any gun could do that if you made it hot enough.

I read it at some random ak site.  I know any gun could if it was hot enough but i just heard that the ak gets hot faster.  The site did say after excessive firing and a friend told me he read about this guy shooting five 30 round magazines in a row and it fired off some rounds.

thanks

is that you steven? i think i told you about that video i saw of a guy shooting 40 round after 40 round magazine until his handguards caught on fire, but that was like 200 rounds of sustained automatic fire and he did it on purpose, can't remember where i saw the video but it was linked on ar15.com

check out www.nothingbutguns.com/linx310/ it has alot of good info, and next time your over here look at my new shotgun news catalogue unless you got one out of the dumpster too, it has roma's for like 279$ and lots of parts kits, or we can wait til the next gun show

here is my list, 7.62x39 only


#1 Valmet M62 - outstanding, consistent quality from weapon to weapon, very accurate, highly reliable.

#2 Bulgarian SlR 95, very  good quality from weapon to weapon. Designed to last a long time.

#3 Steyr maddi - consistent quality from weapon to weapon, reliable.

#4 Preban Chicom. quality is usually consistent from rifle to rifle, but one still must inspect to make sure. Accuracy good on some rifles.

#5 Pre 1994 MADDI ARM. Usually good quality, but out standing ones can be found if you look through enough of them. Reliable.


#6 all post 1994 models not mentioned above


#7 Pre 1994 post 89 Chicom guns. Some are very good, but there are enough dogs to drop it to this level.

So what about Hungarians and Yugo's? I have not shot enough to give a valid opinon. My guess is that they fall somewhere in between numbers 3 & 4.

What about a VEPR II? I have heard nothing but good things about them - except that they are heavy.

Quoted: I read that ak's over heat easily and shoot off rounds. How much do you have to shoot for this to happen?

I've read you can use an AK like a tire iron.  You can change your tires with it, and even open stuck jars.

Anyone tried this?

For price/performance, I always go for the Maadi. :) MISR-S/A's, MISR-90's, MISR-10's, ARM's, RML's, RPM's, 16"-20" barrel's, pre-ban Steyrs... I mean man, there's so much stuff out there! :)

yeah bret , i just didnt remember how many rounds you said the guy fired off if you even said any.

...and i did get that same shotgun news out of the dumpster with you.  wp

Quoted: What about a VEPR II? I have heard nothing but good things about them - except that they are heavy.

I have handled one, it was a bit front heavy. But I have never taken one apart or shot one, so I can't say for sure how good they are

When I decided to get an AK I looked at dozens of AK rifles.  I read every thing I could on them, then got the VEPR II 7.62 x 39.  Yes, it costs a lot more than the rest, but it is worth every penny.  Heavy, yes, but that is what you get with the heavier RPK receiver and heavy barrel.  Accuracy even with Wolff ammo runs in the 3" range at 200 yards.  From 5 round hunting mags to 75 round drums, they all fit and function perfectly.  From all the guns that I looked at, the VEPR II was by far the best crafted with absolutely the best trigger of any AK varient I examined.  Drop the $550 for the VEPR II and you will never regret it.  Plus, the VEPR II comes in .223, .308, 7.62 x 39, and 5.45 x 39.  Also available is the carbine version with brake if you want a shorter barrel.  You can also get a set-screw brake for the VEPR II and while you do not need it, it does dress up the muzzle very nicely.  The detachable side mount they sell also works extremely well and has always returned to zero for me, or at least within 1/2 inch at 100 yards.  Lastly, they were the only AK varient I remember haveing W and E adjustments in the rear sight.  

oh right that guy....

For working dogs:

1 Romanian with the forward slanted pistol grip
2 Russian AKM
3 Chi-com military It just keeps going and going
4 Hungarian AMD65 (great for vehicular work) but I change out the model 5's plastic foregrip with a Romanian wood one it makes mag. changes easier.
5 East German
6 North Korean type 58 (if memory serves me correctly on the nomenclature)They are the most accurate AK's I have ever fired.
All in 7.62x39, with a muzzle break Krebs style safety and RPK rear sight.

In the semi auto realm:
Russian
Polytech Chinese
Romanian
Bulgarian