I want to the Grand Rapids, Michigan gunshow yesterday.  They had a ton of SA-85M Sporters, and MAADI's all laid out side by side for 40' of table on each side, two boxes deep.  They must have had a couple hundred of them.  The SA-85M's had a 97 after the SN #, so I guess that's when they where imported. Real nice finish, way better than my SAR-1. I have not seen that many AK's in years.  The SA-85M where $369 and the Maadi's where $329.  All had butthole stocks.  The dealer that had them is Steve's Guns from Grand Rapids, MI.  Be sure to tell'em Echap sent you if you call.  I am not in business with them other than am buying a SA-85M from them.  Thought you guys might like to hear about them.

Echap

The question is, are these SA 85Ms the all-FEG guns or the ones with U.S.-made parts for compliance? If they had the thumbhole stocks of European Elm (very blonde), they were probably all original FEG, or at least that's what I think based on what I have learned on this site. It's my understanding that the U.S. parts were used to make rifles with pistol grips and military buttstocks compliant with the AWB. So, if I had a thumbhole stock SA 85M and wanted a pistol grip and buttstock on it, I'd need the required number and type of U.S.-made parts - is this correct?

They had the light elm stock.  Looked very nice and smotth.  I am thinking about getting one to accompany my SAR-1.  Is $369 a decent price?

Thanks,
Eric
Echap

Those are good prices in my opinion, sure there is the issue of adding US parts but the FEG's are very nice rifles with a superb finish. Of course the Maadi's have their own flavor of charm.

Sounds like somebody thought they could sit on the rifles and make some major bucks only to be screwed by the huge imports of Romanian AK's.

Notice any 20" bbl. Maadi's??

I'm thinking I paid $399 for my all-FEG SA85M back in '95. I think maybe it came from J&G. I'll have to dig out some old records to be sure on either count. $369 sounds pretty good to me IF it's all original on the inside. You should be able to tell by looking at the fire control parts after pulling the bolt carrier. The finish on the internal parts should match the rest of the gun - all blued, no grey or 'in the white' hammer or other parts (the sight leaf is gray Parkerized, and the bolt carrier is partially blued). U.S. parts are clearly marked, so they should be easy to spot. It should be all original since there's no need to put U.S. parts in unless you're getting rid of the thumbhole stock. My SA85M was sighted in from the factory and function was flawless. You will find that it will quickly become your favorite carbine. The Bulgarian 'waffle' mags fit really well, but all steel mags, including original Hungarian military, are a little sloppy in the mag well. The Chinese mags actually fit best of the steel ones. It should come with a sling, stock cleaning kit and five-round magazine. Mine gobbles up any surplus military or military-style commercial ammo, like Wolf, and is just a great shooter. A guy I do some shooting with once in a while is not a natural shot; he fired the SA85M and was amazed at how easy it was to hit what he was aiming at. I guess any good AKM would be the same, but I think the Hungarian AKMs are worth the extra money. Just by chance, I seem to have picked up a Hungarian collection - I have the FEG SA85M, an FEG PJK-9HP (hi-power) and a 1953 Hungarian M-44 that I made into a 'scout' rifle. FEG probably made it, too.