Does any one know of a shop around portland that carries more than one kind of AK that I can look at and compare?    Any one seen any VEPRS around?    Law-a-way???    Any help would be great!!                 Thanks, Fisty

I'm not aware of any one store that has lots of AKs to compare.  The Gun Broker usually has a few, but that's hit or miss.  You could try Keith's Sporting Goods (not really in Portland) if you don't mind being treated like crap.*



* I'm sure someone will come along to defend the store, but my personal experience has been awful with them and I've sworn never to go back.  It's entirely possible it was just me and others have had better experiences. YMMV

Ditto on what zougou said. Keith's is the only shop on the east side that I can think of that has them in stock......but customer service is at your own risk. I've been treated really well there in the past, but also had a bad experience there too..........

When I heard they weren't going to import SAR's anymore I went on a mission to find one, two weeks later, NW Armory happened to get one in. I do believe I bought the LAST SAR-1 sold in the city. It happened to be in between gunshows though.
There is a show coming up next month, it might be better if you can wait till then, as there are quite a few guys selling then there, and it would give you the opportunity to compare variuos makes.
Good luck in your search!

Keith's has about the best selection of AK's in stock...ranging from WASR's to ARSENAL products to VEPR's.  

As for customer service, while it's true that you do run into some different personalities there from time to time, even from the same folks, you can find that just about anywhere.

I've done business with him for a few years now and have purchased most of my firearms, accessories and ammo from him.  As far as customer service, I usually get treated okay there, sometimes smiles all around from the whole staff.  But there are those 'off' days,...and not coming to his rescue or anything.  We all have them.

But if you go in there with your head on straight and any attitudes in check, you usually get treated the same and with respect in return.

As for the AK's, he does have the selection and enough stock to see and feel the difference between the low and high end models.  It is an eye opener to put a WASR (the replacement for the SAR's) next to an ARSENAL or VEPR.  But then again I have seen some SAR's and WASR's cleaned up with refinished stocks, sights, grips, etc...and still come in for quite a few pennies less than those cadillacs of AK's.

So it's all in how much the bank can handle and what you are looking for in an AK.  But in the Portland area (Gresham in Keith's case), that is where I would start looking first.

Slo

Thanks that is exactly what I was looking for- to compair a vepr and arsenal flavors! I might just buy one of the romanian cheepies I keep finding to tide me over until I can play with  one each of the better models to invest in!!

Quoted: Thanks that is exactly what I was looking for- to compair a vepr and arsenal flavors! I might just buy one of the romanian cheepies I keep finding to tide me over until I can play with  one each of the better models to invest in!!

That's what I did. Although I still have yet to buy a nicer one.

My AK is a real beater. 700 rounds through without scraping out the bore (bad fouling). 180 round mag dumps.

Needed to grind a bit on the mag well. It's an amateur job, but still keeps shoving lead out through the right end.

Quoted: I'm not aware of any one store that has lots of AKs to compare.  The Gun Broker usually has a few, but that's hit or miss.  You could try Keith's Sporting Goods (not really in Portland) if you don't mind being treated like crap.* * I'm sure someone will come along to defend the store, but my personal experience has been awful with them and I've sworn never to go back.  It's entirely possible it was just me and others have had better experiences. YMMV

You need to deal with Keith directly.

Robert (I think that's his name, the salt-and-pepper pretty boy wanna-be) is a cockbite.  I've purchased a couple of  high-dollar rifles from them, and Robert pissed me off both times - fortunately, Keith was nearby.

If you're going to go in, ask for Keith, and don't talk to anyone else but him.

As far as AK selection, I'm sure he can get stuff, but at the Eugene Gun Show, he had virtually nothing there, AK-wise.

Dunno if he was hoarding it at the store, or what.

Keiths. Right now they have a polish underfolder,  romanian AIM,  tantal, Mak90, 2 veprs,  at least one AK pistol, and 5 others that I didn't have time to check out. But act quick, while I was in there this evening a Romak was sold, along with an underfolder (those underfolders are going like hotcakes)

If you want good service ask for Dennis. Tell him Matt sent you.

Robert has his days :)

PS. I have no affiliation with Keith or his business, but I have never had a bad dealing with him in over 2 years of business.

Matt

I think one of the guys that works at Keith's lost a son in Iraq. There is a plaque with his picture on the back wall and the older guy sure resembles him. He's a bit grumpy and probably has other things on his mind than putting a smile on your face.  Another old guy that works there has medical problems and is sometimes in pain, even with meds. He probably won't have a smile on his face everyday either, but he shows up for work.  

They get a lot of traffic on the Saturday's I've visited and sometimes it takes a few minutes to get help. Other times I have 3 or 4 people ask me if they can help. The worst waiting experience I had was on a busy Saturday when I planted myself in front of the pistol I wanted and wouldn't move until I got it.  I timed it. It took 10 minutes before I got assistance. Ten minutes of my life got me a pistol $100 cheaper than anywhere else I checked.

Last time I was in there someone went off on one of the employees over the phone. I think it was about their policy of not giving out prices over the phone. Keith picked it up and said if you need to get mad and yell at someone, get mad at him, it’s his policy, so don’t blame and abuse the employees. He’s a standup guy and even a grouch like WS4lif can tell you he was extremely friendly to us at the last gunshow when we asked about the latest blackrifles. He walked us four rows over, showed us what he had, answered a bunch of questions, and even explained what was going on in the market. You can’t beat that.

Anyone who think Keith or his staff have issues needs to visit The Gun Room on Foster.

a grouch like WS4lif can tell you he was extremely friendly to us

Yea, well.....He still has 10 other experiences to make up for.

Grouch....please.....I don't look like this nor live in a garbage can:

Quoted: Anyone who think Keith or his staff have issues needs to visit The Gun Room on Foster.

Haven't been there, but an asshole is an asshole.

There may be different grades of assholes, but a Grade A Asshole and a Grade D Asshole are both still assholes.

Quoted: Anyone who think Keith or his staff have issues needs to visit The Gun Room on Foster.

For the love of God, don't put yourselves through that........unless you go for a good laugh.....


Ask him what he thinks of AK's  

Quoted: Quoted: Anyone who think Keith or his staff have issues needs to visit The Gun Room on Foster. For the love of God, don't put yourselves through that........unless you go for a good laugh..... Ask him what he thinks of AK's

Better yet, bring a really beat up Romanian AK into the store to see if you can get parts for it.

Quoted: Anyone who think Keith or his staff have issues needs to visit The Gun Room on Foster.

I'll have to agree with you on this one as well.  I didn't even need to visit to find out.  All I did was make a phone call to them to ask about a particular firearm, and the customer service spoke for itself.

I ended up buying that piece from Keith's, at about $80 less than what the Gun Room 'nice guy' so eloquently and graciously quoted over the phone.

Not slamming the biz as a whole, but they do have some training issues to address with their employees if they are hoping to stay in biz.

Other than Keith's, the Northwest Armory on McGloughlin in Milwaukie, or the Gun Broker on old 82nd are some other places to try, and both are customer-friendly.

There will be a gun show at the Portland Expo Center in September.  One of the vendors close to the front had a whole table of AKs and variants two shows ago.  (Didn't go last show.)  I've never bought from the guy, but his prices were about the same as when I bought my SAR-1, about $325.  Except his SARs had flash hiders and a bayo.  I think the guys shop was down the valley, but I'm not sure.

It might be worth your while to wait and try to catch the next show.  It will probably cost you $8 for parking and $10 for admission though.  But, you'll be able to see several AK vendors.

if you want a rommy go talk to pete usally in the front left corner
if you want somethan alittle harder to find talk to carlos

A while ago I saw a web sight for a guy out by estacada that had AK recievers, but I cant rember or find it! Any one know the one I'm talking about? He also had some used guns and even a used BMW for sale? Thanks!!!