1K for an AK worth it?

P

pr3dator

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Hi all,

So I'm looking at this AK which supposedly is 03 SAR 1 with some extras like ammo and pre ban mags. 1K seems a bit steep but theres like 800 rounds and 10 30rd mags, not to mention that i'm located in MA...

I'm still new to firearms and from what I've seen AK are cheap but then again prices have been going up from years back.

Thanks for any advice
 
Depends on how much you like AKs. All things considered, the price *is* steep. As far as I can tell anyway.

Factors like condition of the rifle, quality of the ammo, etc come into play, and in the end you will still have to be the one to make the call.


The way that price is breaking down in my mind, it equals up to:
Rifle: $400-$500
Ammo: $200-300
Mags: $200-300

The mag end (in this breakdown anyway) is where you'd be getting screwed the worst.

Me personally, I'd just grab an SKS (have one, love it) and save a couple hundred at least. Shoots the same ammo, is less expensive, and is more accurate.

Again, it boils down to what YOU want to do. Will you be glad you bought it five years down the road? Will you kick yourself for passing it up? Just food for thought.

Good luck whichever way you go!

BB
 
If it is worth it to YOU, and considering where you live, then buy it. Just because someone else in another part of the country can find it for less there, does not mean you will be able to replicate that where you are
 
Seems fairly pricy. Not sure how the laws are in your state but I would shop around. 1K is a lot of money to spend unwisely at least for a blue collar guy like myself.
 
I would probably verify what it was before I plunked down $1000.00 for an AK-47. For $1000.00 you could buy a nice brand new AK some ammo and a few mags.
 
yea MA is a PITA.. basically I don't think a new AK is possible here, have to jump thru hoops as it is. An AK i saw in my FFL was like $1400 (am going to double check in AM) with no extras, but at the same time I'm not familiar with variations and their price differences. From what i read the WASR were flaky and the SAR was a solid AK. the ammo and pre ban mags also shave the base price down.
 
I think that price for a SAR would be a bit too high. If you're willing to spend some money on a nice AK, I cannot recommend the Arsenal SGL21 highly enough. Built on a Russian SAIGA and converted by Arsenal in Las Vegas to match the specs of a Russian AK. I picked mine up today finally. The fit and finish are the finest I've seen on an AK... including multiple WASR series, SAR series, the Romanian AKM that you will see that I just posted pictures of in a previous thread.

It's a great gun. I got mine from Bud's for under about $770, and after a $20 FFL fee, I've spent less than $800 to get the gun. I also ordered 10 of the euro military AK mags for about $90 shipped. No complaints. AIM Surplus has crates of brass cased, copper jacketed 7.62x39mm military surplus ammo for about $215 for 1,280 rounds. That's hard to beat.

Just my opinions. Cheers. :)
 
I don't know all that much about the SAR series of imports, except that they don't seem to be available anymore. That factor alone could raise the value of the gun somewhat, but I don't think it's worth what they are asking for it.

I do know that for less than $800 you can buy a brand new Arsenal, and have a real Russian made, new in the box, AK 103 clone with a warranty. That leaves around $250 to pick up a few 30 round mags and a case of ammo.
 
It all depends on what you want. Other than fit and finish, looks basically, you probably wont see any real difference shooting them.

The only difference Ive seen shooting wise, has been with US made/built guns. Mine, and those Ive shot, were the least accurate of any of the AK's Ive shot. Then again, its been awhile, and maybe they are starting to catch on.

I have a SAR1, a WASR10, as well as a Krebs Saiga conversion. At the time they were new, I paid $325 for the SAR, $350 for the WASR, and $700 for the Krebs. Both the SAR and WASR shoot just as well as the Krebs, even with the SAR's slightly canted sights. I did have to swap out the SAR's trigger due to slap, but that was a common problem with the SAR's. Most of the US made compliance parts were (and probably still are) junk. That part of the equation might make the higher end guns like Krebs worth a little more. The WASR was a little more refined than the SAR, and had straight sights and no slap. I have yet to see a WASR with canted sights, and I believe it was mainly an issue with the SAR's (Ive seen some that were "really" bad), and corrected within them.

As far as prcies for ammo and accessories (guns too for that matter), youre coming in on the wrong end of things here. Back when everyone hated them, everything was cheap. I stll have cases of Barnaul 125 SP's that I paid $75-85/1000 for, and some old Norinco steel core that was $100/1200 (for awhile there, the steel core were bringing $1 a round on Gun Broker). Brand new Bulgarian mags were going for 10/$75.
 
I own a WASR 10/63 I purchased for $249.00 I had never fired it till recently I havent taken it out to the 100 yard range yet. on my 25 meter zero target it kept all 30 rounds in about a 1 3/4 inch square. So I figure it will do pretty decent at 100/200/300 yards. I know its not a match rifle but then its not designed to be one.You could probably spend $500 bucks more on a AK 47 and have it only do somewhat better. Saying that all WASR 10/63s are not created the same either.

I can get about 1200 rounds of 7.62.39 for around $250.00. I can pick up about 12 tapco magazines for about $100.00 and that would leave me $650 for an AK. There is a nice nice 1960 milled Polish AK built here in the US for about $660.00
 
Back when everyone hated them, everything was cheap.
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That's a very true statement. When I was researching AK's using google, I'd find a ton of older threads from various gun forums about people buying WASR's and various other types of AK's for $300 to $400. Today, those same WASR's go for $440 minimum it seems, with many asking over $500. AK prices have jumped a decent amount in the last couple years, thanks in part to a weak US dollar and a President that scared that crap out of gun buyers nation wide. However, I don't believe that anything Century imports and slaps together here in the US is going yo reach the $1000 mark anytime soon.
 
SAIGA

GET A SAIGA.

Don't waste yout time with an Arsenal unless you have to. They are not hard to reconfigure at all. You get a better rifle than any of the used Romanian ones. I think J&G has them for $299 right now. I almost want to get a couple more at that price.

The only "AK" you should pay $1K for would either be something like a Tigr type rifle or like a preban PolyTech.

Get a Saiga. Get two or three of them.
 
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