So christmas is comming up. I have been naughty so I am just going to have to buy my self my own presents.  This year I want a AK.  Trouble is, I really don't know what to get.  A lot of the rifles look alomst identical and I don't know what is what.  Cosmeticly I do want synthetic furniture.  Additionaly I have no clue as to the differences of caliber and what would be easier and cheaper to aquire.  Last and worst I live in Hawaii.  So no online ammo can be shipped to me.  The things I am really looking for is readily available parts and cheap amo and mags.  If you know any one willing to ship ammo to Hawaii that would be a big pluss too.

Well..except for the ammo thing, I would say get one of the Special Edition AK's bein offered (see the pinned thread).  Sportsman's Guide has GREAT deals on 5.45mm ammo, but have you checked to see if they ship to HI?  Anyway I guess stay away from an AK-74 if ammo is a concern, otherwise get one of the Special Editions!  IM krinkfreak to sign up.

What's the deal with shipping ammo to HI?

Don't buy a SAR 1,2 or 3. Get a Bulgarian 74 built for you. Why waste your time and money when down the road you'll end up wanting the 74 anyway.

Ammo is treated as hazardus material and has to be special shipped across the pacific.  My asumption is that the cost and paper work is to great so dealers don't want to deal with it.  I could be wrong though.  

AKs are also made in old-school 7.62x39, newer 5.45x39 (fave of many) and NATO'd 5.56x45. But for cheap, reliable and found most anywhere, a 7.62x39 is your best bet. If you wish for a smallbore AK, 5.56 may be a better option out there.
Tell us more about what is in your local shops (esp ammo choices) and we can help you pick a gun from there.

all ammunition shipped ANYWHERE is "ord-d" catagory and shipped accordingly

Yeah but it's kinda hard to ship 'UPS ground' to hawaii.

Russian amo in any calibur is scarce.  At the high power range all there are is ARs and bolt actions.  Not really any thing else.  I have never seen an AK at the kokohead complex.  I have a thread in the general forums asking if there is any one that would ship bulk ammo to Hawaii but I got some Hawaii people voiceing the same fustrations.  
The weird high cap law here is that you can have rifle high caps as long as they can not be used in a pistol.  So the only 10+ mags being sold in the stores are AK mags, but no AKs on the shelves.  That is why I know so little, they simply are not available for some strange reason.  After shopping around I may just get one shipped to my FFL or have him order the model of my choice.
Unlike ARs that basicly all come in 5.56 Nato and are basicly the same,  AKs are different.  Different caliburs, builds, makes, more options.  I simply don't know jack.  Some of the 7.62 vs 5.45 discussions in the special eddition AK thread are enlightening me.  I am lurking around the AK forum trying to learn more.

Never been to Hawaii, but 7.62x39 can be had a walmart here in MO.  If you can get it shipped there at all, the 7.62x39 is probably going to be cheaper, at around $.08 per round here on the continent.  5.45x39 is a very flat shooting round, and very effective (unlike M855 5.56).  Usually around $.10 per round.  Magazines for either an AKM/AK-47 (.30cal) are either steel or polymer, and cheap, with 30rd steels usually around $8, and 30rd polymer $10-$15.  The AK-74 (5.45) mags are all polymer or bakelite, you will want any bulgarian polymer model.  They are usually about $11.  As far as different variations are concerned, if you decide on a .30cal AK, go with the romanian sar-1.  Check auctionarms.com, a fellow named Gerry Sweet usually has a few.  If you want the smallbore, I would also recommend the SEAK, it is going to be a sweet rifle, and the cost, while being double of the sar-1, will be worth it.  I have an sar-1 now, and I love the thing.  It is accurate and reliable and it scares bolt gun guys at the range.  It is not finished well, but thats ok.  I put kvar black stocks on it, and plan to add a RSA trigger group.  I am on the list for the SEAK as well, it will be a full custom built rifle, using a lot of Bulgarian parts.  These are probably the best out there, short of russian parts.  Once you get an AK, there is no going back, but I laugh at the die hard AR types.  I will have two AK type rifles, both will be reliable as hell, and I will have them both for the cost of one high end AR.  Ammo is much cheaper, mags are much cheaper, and they never ever jam.  Bwahahaha!!  Pro ak rant over.  

Thank you.  My next day off I am going around to see if any of the local stores cary the 7.62 or 5.45 and see what it costs.  Many don't believe this but Walmart here has absolutly no fire arms related items what so ever.  I die every time people say how Walmart has these great deals on amo and stuff.  Maybe I should just move.

Check out the supply of cheap 5.56 also, in case 5.45 is not found. The general taper of the Russian calibers, instead of the straight sides on 5.56, contribute to reliability and why 5.56 has some modest mag issues (still much less than ARs) even in an AK.
7.62 has 125gr punch with non-paper targets, rapid drop after 150yds, most likely 4-5" groups. Smallbore AKs have generally 60gr punch moving about 25% faster, much flatter over long shots, most likely 2-3" groups.
10 cent ammo is Good :)