This is my first AK of any type.  Here are my initial findings-

Fit and finish is kinda rough, but i knew it would be and bought it as a beater rifle anyhow.

Sights really suprised me as i've always heard they are terrible but I kinda liked them, and I own 3 rifles w/ peep sights.

Accuracy?  Well all of ya'll that say AK's can't hit anything, sorry but you either had a bad rifle, i've got a real nice one, or you don't know what the hell you're talkin about and just repeating what you've heard!  I could only shoot at 50yds at the time, but it was grouping 1".  2MOA is fine with me!  Actually, I have a hell of a time getting that with my M4. Probably in part that the damn front sight is about 16-18 MOA wide.  Plus i was pretty much dickin around w/ this rifle, could proabably do better if i tried hard.  This was with Wolf 122grn HP.

Recoil wasn't anything to be concerned about.

Handling characteristics- The AR still has it over the AK.  Mag changes are a biiiyyooottcchh compared to an AR and the pistol grip isn't as good.

Reliability-  Can't comment yet on the AK, but i always laugh at the guys that say "well something like that won't happen in 'real combat'"  PLEASE!  Yeah some of the tests they do are crazy, but anything can happen.  Just getting out of Infantry OSUT less than 2 months ago, I saw some M16's get jammed up so bad it was pitiful, including mine.  And this was not combat, only a semi stress situation.  Chambers and actions get full of sand, mud, etc. You drop mags and they get clogged with junk.  Flip up your dust cover before every move cuz it sometimes opens when you hit the ground.  Sorry, but in combat i don't want to worry about my dust cover!

Anyway, i think the SAR is a helluva buy for around $300, i got mine just before they sold out, actually had to wait over a month cuz they were on backorder.  Yes, my Colt M4 is awesome to shoot and worth about $1800+, but if it came down to real bullets flyin, i think i'd take a $300 AK.  Well actually i'd take an M1/M14, but the AK over the AR cuz i know it will work.  And this is from an AR fan too.  If you have never shot an AK, DO IT NOW and get one.

i got mine a week ago, great shooter.

Mine is like 3 weeks old now.  The mag change is "wierd" at first, especially after using the AR (push a button, slap a new one in and go) but after a while it's as second nature as breathing. You'll see the same thing when you break it down and try and get the cover back on.  Now it's as easy as pie.

Got a SAR-2 and  buddy has a SAR-1, both very nice. YOu will not regret this rifle. I really want to get a SSR-85c, but thats not going to happen anytime soon:(
Get yourself a Cobra sight (ask campybob on the ak-forum)and like 6 mags, and you will be set. i'm actually suprised that you front sight block isn't slightly askew, my friends is just slightly, but we can still hit man sized targets at 200 yds standing, every time.

i have a sar-1, has a nice finish to it also. it is a 2001 model. worth the small investment. it's a keeper.

Congrats, and the thing with the mags just means you have to practice, practice, practice. The same with any firearm. The only problems with reliability might come from using hollow point ammo. Other then that you should have no trouble.