Most accessorizeable AK?

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
I don't know a whole lot about AK, but it seems there are a lot of cross compatibility problems with the different variants. I am wondering which has the best aftermarket "drop-in" parts supply of decent quality upgrades(not Tapco or similar).
 
well I know that all of the aftermarket stuff fits on my romanian WASR 10/63. stuff like the dog leg rails dont work quite right yugos. nothing fits quite right with the VZ58, the saigas unless I'm mistaken require parts made specifically for saigas. I believe that anything that'll fit on a wasr will also fit on a tantal but I'm not sure. I know century is now making a 100% made in USA AK now that will take all of it
 
nothing fits quite right with the VZ58
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Well of course, the Vz.58 is a completely different rifle design. It bears a resemblance to the AK, fires the same cartridge but is pretty much entirely different in design and not a single part interchanges. It's not any different from trying to use AR accessories on a Galil or something.

Generally, with actual AK-types you can run into cross-compatibility issues when the AK you're looking at has a features that's modified or "improved" from the AKM or AK-74 design. For example the Polish Tantal uses a different gas tube that isn't locked/unlocked in the same way as a typical AK-74, so there will likely issues trying to use AK accessories that utilize the gas tube/upper handguard assembly of the rifle. Same thing applies to the Saiga, it's modified from the original design in order to be importable into the country as sporting rifle and so there are compatibility issues as a result of all of the ways in which the rifle is modified from the original, the Saiga however can be modified back into standard configuration and thus be made to accept standard AK accessories. Weapons like the Romanian WASR's or Bulgarian AK-74's are essentially unmodified copies of the AKM or AK-74 design (the WASR only seems to differ in that it's more crudely constructed, for example), should accept just about any standard AK accessory.
 
Most all of the AK variants use essentially the same internal parts. Receivers do have some differences between the various models due to things like buttstock mounting methods (single tang, double tang, through bolt, etc.) however, the front stocks mount the same on nearly all models. Top (bolt) covers seen to be the same on most of them. Of course magazines will all interchange.

If you are talking about what tacticool bolt on junk, I mean accessories will work on a particular model, perhaps you should contact the manufacturer of the particular add-ons you want and ask them.
 
I am in the process of working on the design of an Ak pattern rifle and I want it to interchange with the accessories parts available for other AKs on the market as easily as possible, so I need to find a rifle to copy the dimensions of say the rear stock attachment points. I am working with a machinist who knows his stuff, but I need to tell him what I want. It sounds like a WASR would be a good rifle to use.
 
You can buy most AK accessories and tacticool stuff for both milled and stamped receivers. I don't really understand the original question, but depending what you have, you can accessorize accordingly.
 
Sounds like the WASR pattern is the ticket.
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It sounds like a WASR would be a good rifle to use.
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While a WASR pattern is probably the way to go I'd say the Saiga route is better for quality and price. More for less. Convert is yourself and use a regular gastube. If you don't want to press the gasblock off then get a two piece bolt on one.
 
Hmmm... Let me clarify: I am going to manufacture this item, not purchase it. I want it to be compatible with accessories so I don't then have to manufacture every accessory I desire.
 
John, I had good luck accessorizing my pre-ban Norinco type 56s.
All of the parts were easy to acquire and no alterations were required.
My rifle has a stamped receiver.

H2OsAKM.JPG
 
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