Most reliable ak for the money?

[loose_holster_dan]

I've been thinking about picking up an AK style rifle for awhile. I'm leaning towards synthetic, but could be persuaded otherwise if the price was right. I definitely want a fixed stock. I don't want to spend a lot of money (it's an AK - cheap is the point), but I don't want a piece of junk that is going to jam up or have FTFs. My question is what AK have you guys found to be very reliable at a low price point?

 

[zombieslayer]

Pretty much any ak is going to be reliable. If youbwant something a bit higher in overall quality go for an entry level Arsenal.

 

[loose_holster_dan]

i know the century arms models are popular with the cheap crowd, but i know all their other rifles are junk. are their AKs the exception?

 

[zombieslayer]

I have several friends with Century AK's that arent pretty but they all are reliable.

 

[5.56RifleGuy]

The Finish on my century arms wasr 10 seems to come off if I look at it wrong, but other than that the rifle is great. The wasrs also have chrome lined barrels. I have never had mine jam, fail to feed, or any issue at all.

 

[SR420]

For me, it the Chinese Norinco or Poly Tech AKMs.

 

[Webleymkv]

My Saiga .223 has never, ever malfunctioned regardless of how dirty I let it get, how long I let it sit loaded, or what kind of ammo I shoot through it. This applies to both the original sporter configuration with factory magazines and to the 922r conversion I did with a Tapco G2 FCG and Surefire magazines. Likewise, my dad has never had a single malfuction with either the Century GP-75 he owned or the Mak-90 that he currently owns.

 

[zombieslayer]

My Maadi is my favorite. It was $500 new unfired.

 

[loose_holster_dan]

SR420,

of course those are awesome, but remember when i said cheap? you pay a butt load for those.

 

[SR420]

loose_holster_dan SR420,

of course those are awesome, but remember when i said cheap? you pay a butt load for those.

Maybe, but you only pay it once.

 

[chris in va]

Ditto. My Saiga never jammed on anything...ever. Even bump firing it on occasion didn't upset things.

 

[Mr.Blue]

Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal! You get what you pay for.

 

[beex215]

people say century ones are the lowest end models but all of the ones ive own and used were flawless. anyone will do.

 

[raftman]

Century can and does put out a worthwhile AK, one simply has to know what to look for. Particularly if you get a chance to inspect the rifle before buying, the chances of your Century AK are actually quite high, particularly if you're looking at a 7.62x39. Not that their 5.45's are necessarily crappy, but there's definitely been more problems reported with their Polish Tantal AK-74 than basically any other of its AK rifles (mostly it's the keyholing issue), their other 5.45's seem to be better. It should be noted that Century's quality does seem to have improved.

An Arsenal will almost certainly be better-made, more accurate; they simply use new and better parts and they pay more attention to detail. To many it's worth paying a little extra for those advantages, and to some others it is not.

 

[RC20]

Norinco MAK90