I was at one of the bigger black rifle dealers in my area today and they had all sorts of new AKs. I asked to see a couple, one being a nice under folder for less than $600. It looked real nice, but when I turned it over the receiver was marked in front of the mag well with Ewbank, Winslow AZ. The clerk said it was a Polish kit build on an American receiver.

So I asked who made it and a lady clerk butts in and said it was American. I asked, "but who built it?" She says it's an American receiver. I ask again, "who made it?" She says it's an American receiver. I got nowhere with the question, so I handed it back to the clerk that had been helping me.

The under folder looked great though. They also had one with great looking dark wood behind the counter. When it was handed to me I noticed the wood did not look so good close up and the 1" thick rubber butt plate I thought I saw was in fact black paint sprayed on the end of the stock.

So does anyone know who built these rifles? And don't say it's American

This shop used to be top notch, but a few weeks ago they started selling Bobcat HK clones which got me worried. Now I see this today.

Ewbanks built them, same mfg. as the receiver.

Are they decent or to be avoided? Or are they still too new to know?

I have to be careful with AKs because I have really bad luck with them. If one of ten thousand is defective, that's the one I'll get. Just ask Templer

Sounds like a Romanian kit build.  Did it have a forward pistol grip?

The Ewbanks are new on the scene.  I believe there was a good review of the receivers, but the builds seem to be an unknown at this point.

Quoted: They also had one with great looking dark wood behind the counter. When it was handed to me I noticed the wood did not look so good close up and the 1" thick rubber butt plate I thought I saw was in fact black paint sprayed on the end of the stock.

Here is where research and internet sleuthing pays off. He had one each of ALL the AKs on this JFKinc page:

207.176.137.9/shop/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=262&cat=AKM+Rifle

With AKs you never know...  If the receiver had OOW would you assume OOW built it?  If it had a Global trades receiver would you assume GT built it...

Not Me!

As long as the rifle looks well built, headspaces properly, and is solid it may wll have been a great gun.  If you picked up the gun and the hole looked egged, the rivets were poorly formed, things are not tight, kit numbers don't match, or the headspacing is off.... well...  that would not be a good sign!

I know I wouldn't go shopping for an AK without bringing my go/No Go gauges at a minimum... but headspacing can be corrected by most of us home builders anyways so depending on the price... and if you show them the gun isn't headspaced right... you might get a really good price!

They are a product of Joeken.  Do they actually build them?  I'm not sure.  I saw one of the Polish underfolders built on a Ewbank at the last gunshow in Charlotte, NC.  Scott with DPH Arms had one.  It was put together and finished very nicely.  Scott said it was was a quality build.

It was $550 if I recall correctly.  I would have bought it but I bought a couple of PKMKS kits from Scott and need to save for the builds.  Based on what I have read/heard/found out about the new Ewbanks receivers, I am considering using at least one for my next build.  Scott said they are good receivers.

For what it's worth, the rifle in question comes with a 5 year warranty.

SM

I went AK shopping with a co-worker yesterday who was dying to buy an underfolder.  We found one in Scottsdale at a shop that always has a good selection of "evil" firearms.

We examined two of the Ewbank rifles.  One had a huge gap between the safety and top cover when the safety was engaged and the safety lever was unusually hard to operate.  The other rifle actually looked pretty good but neither me, my co-worker, or the guy in the gun shop could get a 30-rounder to lock into the rifle.

To make a long story short, my buddy got a Vector AK with standard wood furniture.  It isn't his much desired underfolder but I think he's happy.  At least the mags fit!

Quoted: To make a long story short, my buddy got a Vector AK with standard wood furniture.  It isn't his much desired underfolder but I think he's happy.  At least the mags fit!

I've got a SAR-2 and an Arsenal SLR-105, some mags will fit, some won't.

FWIW, Scott @ DPH arms told me that Ewbanks assembled these rifles on their own receivers, and they were nice builds.