Atlantic firearms is presently selling M70 Yugo rifles built by AK Concepts. The pictures of the rifle look great on the website, but I have never heard of AK Concepts. Does anyone have any experience with this builder or has purchased one of these rifles? Let's hear what you have to say.

Thanks

I bought one of Atlantic's Yugos.  The metal work is all nicely finished and everything fits together as it should.  The wood is a little distressed looking, but still quite nice.  Otherwise, it appears that the parts kit was new or nearly new.  The serial numbers on the Yugo parts all match.  The bore is clean and the rifling looks sharp.  It's tight and rattle-free.  It functions like every other AK I've ever shot, which is to say flawlessly.

The one complaint I have about the way it's made is that there's nothing to stop the safety lever where it's supposed to stop; there's no indentation in the receiver to stop it at the bottom, and the top cover doesn't catch it at the top.  Mine was built on a Greenlight receiver, but they had another receiver option when I got mine.  I think the other option was a Global Trades/Arsenal USA receiver.  I have a Polish underfolder built on an Arsenal USA 1.6mm receiver like the Yugos use, and it has the proper identation to catch the safety lever.  I don't know if it's a problem with Greenlight receivers generally or if it's just mine.  I don't know what the deal is with the lack of a stop on the topcover.  It's a serial numbered part with the correct serial number, and it doesn't appear to have been altered, so maybe that's just the way these Yugos are made.  (I'm pretty sure it's not the way all Yugos are made, though.  I once had a preban Mitchell Yugo underfolder, and it didn't have this problem.)

The finish appears to be Duracote or something similar; is smoother and shinier than than the Polish Vectors.  It's almost a semi-gloss, which is a bit shinier than I think an AK ought to have, but it's very well applied.  The pictures of the two guns on Atlantic's website give you a pretty good idea of the differences in the finishes.   It's a much prettier gun than the Century Yugo that I saw, but I don't know that I'd choose it over the Vector underfolder (mine was made with a new Polish parts kit) that Atlantic has for about the same price.  I got both, and I'd get both again.  But if I could only keep one, I think it would be the Vector.  I want a safety that stops where it's supposed to and I prefer the matte, parkerized finish on the Vector.  

I'm still kicking myself for not getting a few of the Century Yugos when Centerfire had them for $399, but the last time I saw one for sale it was $550 at a local fun shop.  At the old price, I'd say to spend your $600 the Century, a few extra mags, and a thousand rounds of ammo.  But I don't think we're going to see $399 Century Yugos again, so I'd say go ahead and get this or the Vector.

Not to question, but are you sure you got the AK Concepts Yugo from Atlantic? At the costs you mentioned, doesn't seem possible. Atlantic had the AK Concepts listed for $849 (about $150 under the price listed on AK Conepts.com). They looked great, but not that great. I too like the looks of the Vector Polish UF.

Quoted: Not to question, but are you sure you got the AK Concepts Yugo from Atlantic? At the costs you mentioned, doesn't seem possible. Atlantic had the AK Concepts listed for $849 (about $150 under the price listed on AK Conepts.com). They looked great, but not that great. I too like the looks of the Vector Polish UF.

How 'bout that, they have two different Yugo M70s.  Mine was the $599 version in this ad that doesn't list a manufacturer.  And it's obviously not this one, which does list AK Concepts as the manufacturer and sells for $250 more.  Silly me.  

When I ordered it, it was the only Yugo underfolder they sold.  I just assumed it was the same one.  You know what they say about what happens when you assume....

Nevermind.


BTW:  The other AK underfolder that I got from Atlantic that I liked so much in my first post was the Vector underfolder listed at $589, which was built with a Polish parts kit, but which isn't the same as the Polish underfolder that lists for $629.  


And if you buy from Atlantic, don't forget to ask about the AR15.com discount.  

Texican; I talked w/ Blaine at Atlantic when I first saw the ad for AKConcepts in SGN last year. He said that the AKConcept Yugo was probably going to 'collector' grade. (So did the people at AKConcepts). I think for a shooting weapon, you've probably got a better underfolder w/ the Vector build. LOL.
By the way, do you know of any good gun shops in the Paris, Texas area. I'm working up here for the next two months, and there isn't much for entertainment on weekends. I'm going to try and get up to the Tulsa gun show, but that's only one day. Thanks for the help.

I don't get this "collector grade" thing with kit guns.  It seems to me that if you're serious about getting a collectable, you'd track down one of the real Yugos that Mitchell imported imported prior to the Bush I import ban.  No matter how nice a job AK Concepts does in putting together their AKs, they're still not the real thing and they never will be; they're just nicely put together kit guns built with some original Yugo parts on an American receiver.  

IMO.  

Can you imagine trying to sell a Colt collector a "Colt AR-15" that has a Bushmaster lower and DPMS fire control parts?

You,sir, are absolutely correct.

Dredd223, there's a gun show in Dallas next weekend at Market Hall.  Pretty nice sized one too, something you could do instead of being stuck in Paris.  BTW, what are you stuck in Paris doing?

Field engineer on a survey for pipeline from Bennington, Oklahoma to Oklahoma/Arkansas state line. Could be staying in Hugo I guess. Thanks for the reply.
BTW, do I have the correct date on the Tulsa show?

Here is some OK. gun show dates I pulled off of the web.

Mar 18-19  Oklahoma City, Claude Hall's OKGS
Apr 1-2 Tulsa, Fairgrounds Wanenmacher's
Apr 8-9 Lawton, Fairgrounds,Metcalf Gun Shows
Apr 22-23 Muskogee, Civic Center, 1-4 $35, 5+ $30. G&S Promotions 918-659-2201
 
I guess the biggy is the fairground one? HTHS

I appreciate all the discussion, but has anyone actually held, looked at, or shot a Yugo rifle built by AK Concepts?