fac sells the arsenal line of rifles.

Quoted: Looking at Fac's website I can't come to a conclusion as to which I should buy.The SLR 101 SB & SG are about what I am looking to spend.However,all the talk I see on here in about the SA M-7. No offence,they look the same and I don't see any specs.What are the differences?

Ok, the SLR-101 starts out as a complete Bulgarian rifle with a milled receiver that will only take single stack magazines, a thumbhole stock set, and the rifle does not have a gas block that allows for a cleaning rod.

Arsenal Inc. imports the SLR-101 and then opens up the magwell and does some other things to make them accept a standard AK military magazine.  They then replace the fire control group and stock set with US made (by Bulgarians brought over here) stocks and fire control group.  They also ad the lower tang for the standard buttstock.  

The finish on the SLR-101 is the standard Bulgarian black enamel....read not real durable.

The SA-M7 (and M5) are rifles that are built here in the US with newly forged and milled receivers (based on Bulgarian prints and built by the Bulgarian smiths brought over here) and new Bulgarian parts like bolt carrier assemblies, hammer forged barrels, etc.

The SA-M7 is then built up using a US stock set and FCG from K-VAR and then finished in a beautiful black enamel over phosphate.  The gas block has the lug for the cleaning rod.

The SLR-101 is a good rifle for the money, the SA-M series is a better one.  Better fit and finishes, better attention to detail.  

We stopped carrying the SLR-101 after we ran into several that had a hard time accepting a couple different types of military magazines.  Again, fine rifles for the money, but.......you gets what you paid for.

If it were me (and this is what I did), save your money and get the SA-M series...

If you can't see laying out that much money, the SLR-101 is still a fine rifle and you should be pretty damn happy with it as well.

*edited for dyslexia*

Quoted: The above posts are correct with the following exception. Arsenal USA/Global Trades make the SLRs, which have been converted to accept hicap mags, and don't accept all makes of hicaps. Arsenal Inc. were made to accept hicaps - simply one of the best AK variants made today. Here's a SAM7S by Arsenal Inc.: sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/sam7s.jpg

Arsenal Inc. started offering the SLR-101 milled receiver rifles about 2 years ago as a way to sell rifles for less money than the SA-M7.  They are brought in by Arsenal Inc., modified there and they (fortunately) don't have anything to do with Arsenal USA.

www.arsenalinc.com/products.html

Asenal USA did offer a rifle called the SLR-101 about 5 or 6 years ago...it was built on a Bulgarian milled receiver and it was in 5.56mm.  Basically what Arsenal Inc. is now offering with their SA-M5, but they use a US forged and milled receiver instead of the Bulgarian.

I know....kinda confusing!  

Quoted: Okay, so the OLD SLRs were made by Arsenal USA/Global Trades. The new SLRs are made by Arsenal Inc. In any case, the basic difference is that the SAM series were made to accept hicaps and the SLR series have been modified to accept hicaps.  Right? So all things being equal, you're better of with a SAM than an SLR.   Just like you are better off with a SAR than a WASR.  Right?

Yup!

I'll let Temp keep handling the SAM tech answers, but chime in to point out the "S" after the model means it has the side rail for optics mounting. Well worth the $50 extra, and some people miss it.

Definitely buy the one with the scope rail if you can, it's always better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Quoted: Asenal USA did offer a rifle called the SLR-101 about 5 or 6 years ago...it was built on a Bulgarian milled receiver and it was in 5.56mm.  Basically what Arsenal Inc. is now offering with their SA-M5, but they use a US forged and milled receiver instead of the Bulgarian. I know....kinda confusing!

I'm no history expert, but I think you are referring to the K-101, not the SLR-101.

Quoted: Quoted: Asenal USA did offer a rifle called the SLR-101 about 5 or 6 years ago...it was built on a Bulgarian milled receiver and it was in 5.56mm.  Basically what Arsenal Inc. is now offering with their SA-M5, but they use a US forged and milled receiver instead of the Bulgarian. I know....kinda confusing!   I'm no history expert, but I think you are referring to the K-101, not the SLR-101.

Doh!  Yup, you got it right Mbsk01!

Yep....pretty confusing....