SAR-1 vs SAR-2

M

Monty

New member
I am planning on ordering a SAR-1 or 2 in the next couple of days and am having trouble deciding between the two. Most likely use will be a fun range rifle with back up duties as a self-defense carbine if I find my self in a situation that can't be handled with a Beretta pistol and Mossberg shotgun. Any differences in the two with regards to functional reliability, accuracy or potential as a self-defense round (signifigant difference between 5.45 and 7.62 in this regard) that any one would care to weigh in on? I know the 5.45 ammo is a bit more expensive and harder to find but I know of about a half dozen sources right now and the difference is only about $20/1000. To kind of make up for it, the mag and SAR-2 are a bit cheaper so I see the break-even point at about the 4,000 round mark, I can live with that. Any other factors I should be considering? Need some advice, I want to make this decision quick and can't afford them both right now :(

Thanks, Monty
 
I've fired both. Less recoil from 5.45 and flatter trajectory. Mags are more expensive.
7.62 has better penetration of cover. I'd go with it for that reason.
 
I'd pick the SAR-1 (in fact, I did - I have two). I think you can find 7.62x39 magazines for under $10 each from several sources (look in Shotgun News, or check sources like Aim Surplus, CDNN, Tapco, J&G Sales, etc.). The cheaper ammo is nice (you'll shoot a lot). It is nice to have a cartridge that is adequate for hunting deer, etc. (you never know), and I don't think these AKs are accurate enough to merit an extremely flat-shooting cartridge. To me, the only real advantage of the small-caliber AKs would be if you had full-auto capability (lower recoil would be easier to control) - but in a semi-auto only rifle, I'd pick the 7.62x39. Also, if you decide to get an SKS or Mini-30 at some point, they use the same ammo.

I think you'll enjoy the SAR-1 - I've had a lot of fun with mine.

Doug
 
If you can get origional spec 5.45 ammo w/ steel bit and hollow cavity for destabilization on live flesh, then go for it ( To my understanding this has been banned???)


If not 7.62X39 is dismal, but still a rifle/carbine round. It's cheap, and www.gunsnammo.com sells the mags cheap too!
 
Wolf 5.45 has the air cavity, but not the steel core. I imagine it still destabilizes readily. As for the price of mags, I have found 30rd AK-74 (fit the SAR-2) mags for as little as $5. Between the SAR-1 and SAR-2, I like the SAR-2 better, but either is a good choice.
 
The SAR II is more fun to shoot and more controllable. Not that the SAR I is difficult, but it does hop quit a bit more. You actually have a chance at hitting things at 300-400yds with them. I tried an SAR I and SAR II at a Pennsylvania TFL shoot a few weeks ago and had a lot of fun. The 7.62x39 round is a good round for CQB but as Oleg stated the SAR II has a flatter trajectory.
 
As the owner of a new SAR-1, I'll weigh in my two cents.

One question I'd ask is: Is this the only SAR (or AK variant) that you'll own? If so, I'd go with the SAR-1 because of the ready availability of mags and ammo--availability that should continue for quite some time. 7.62x39 is all over the place.

Also, as I understand it, all these weapons have an axe hanging over them. (Correct me if I'm wrong here fellas.) They're all banned from further import, but it's the more popular SAR-1s that seem to be drying up the fastest. If you think you might eventually get both a 1 and a 2, I'd get the 1 first.
 
I'm pretty sure it is TRUE that the SAR rifles are going to be banned from import. Guyon is bringing up a good point. If your strapped for money get everything right now. Go with the SAR I !!
I just made up your mind fo you:cool:
Happy Shooting
 
You had to do it...

You had to go and use the B-word (Ban). Well I guess it's a SAR-1 for now and a SAR-2 down the road if I get the chance. Thanks for all the input guys.
 
good choice...i have a romanian and think the 7.62x39 is better for a "combat situation" than the 5.45x39. 7.62x39 is also cheaper and more readilly available than the 5.45x39 round
 
Monty,

Ironic, but now you got me thinking about a AK-74 for july 9...
I already have ( and love) a Romanian 47.

Tell us how it shoots!
 
New SAR-1 Range Report

Ordered a SAR-1 (they said it would be a 2000, was a 2001) from Wholesale Guns and Ammo the Friday before the 4th of July (mailed them a money order). It arrived 10 days later at my FFL, the same time as the mags and ammo I ordered, which I excellent service given this was over the 4th. The rifle arrived of course covered with grease, with better wood than I expected, reasonable straight front sight and gas block (this might be canted just a tad but it's hard to notice). The only apparent problem right out of the box is that the front sight post was set way to the left. I had hoped in firing the rifle that windage would be off and I could drift that front sight back to the middle. Overall I'm pretty happy at this point.

Took me a few days to get some free time and to find a can of brake cleaner but finally got it tore apart, degreased, properly lubed and put back together. Besides the buttstock fitting very tight to the received, the whole process was quite easy and uneventful for an AK-style first timer like myself. Finally the Saturday after I received it, it was ready and I had the time to get it to the range.

I arrived at the usually crowded State Forest range around 8:30AM expecting to find the usual Saturday morning crowd, imagine my delight that I had the whole range to myself. I suppose the cross country marathon that ran right down the right side of the range chased some shooters away but as you have to worry about runners and mountainbikers there weekly anyway, it didn't strike me as a big deal (the runners didn't see it that way, they yelled at me, I'll yelled back and informed them they weren't downrange, they decided not to argue with the guy with the rifle). Set my target stand(big car seat box) downrange (~30yrds) and stapled 4 typing paper targets to it creating a sighting in area of about 17" by 22". I loaded up a 10 round mag and over a carpeted wire spool rest, attempted to place 4 round between the 4 target, giving myself the largest margin of error possible. I was quite delighted to find all 4 holes nicely centered between the 4 targets, right were I was trying to put them. I'm a little disappointed as I had hoped to be able to drift that front sight, but not too disappointed. I fired a few more groups to satisify that this rifle was pointing where it looked and then did a little off hand shooting at my 30 yrd and a 25 yrd target someone has graciously left for me. As I didn't want to upset the runners too badly and wasn't certain I hadn't missed seeing a range closed sign, I only put 80 rounds total through the SAR today, the last 10 off the bench trying to get the best group possible, 10 rounds easily covered by a 3" x 5" index card with Wolf HP ammo and my less then stellar ability with open sights left me impressed. Functioning was uneventfully reliable with 2 different 30 round mags and the 10 rounder, except for the cloud of blue smoke that went away after the first 10 rounds of so, did I maybe lube somewhere I shouldn't have? I lubed everywhere.

I would have to put my satisfaction level at very high, the only negative being the front sight post set to the left which might cause me to get one of those adjustable rear sights so I can center that front sight up, not a big deal. Based on this, I thoroughly recommend a SAR-1 from Wholesale Guns and Ammo in NY. I only regret that I didn't order a SAR-2 or SAR-3 to go along with it. Soon I hope.

Monty
 
With the SAR-2 you will have a little less recoil and muzzle jump. As far as cost of mags and ammo go, they are both in the same ballpark. One rifle isnt that much cheaper to own and operate than the other.

To me the only really benefit one has over the other is lighter ammo and lighter mags. If it were me, I would buy which ever had the best price. You will love either of them.
 
Monty Amigo...

Glad you enjoy the SAR-1. As for the front sight you can get a tool to adjust the windage as well as the Up/down front post relativley cheaply...cheaper than an RPK sight, though they are cool, if you ever get another SKS/AK system you would be all set up to hadle it.
 
Yep. You'll be getting an SAR-2 later on... :D

I have both, and the -2 is my favorite. More fun to shoot and cooler lookin', if that means anything to you.

5.45 ammo is more expensive. Mags are cheaper. This cancels out any negatives as far as I'm concerned. Both are less common, and you won't be likely to find either in you local gun store, but I get my 5.45 from http://www.ammoman.com and my mags from http://www.cdnninvestments.com . Great service from both outfits.
 
If you have a chance to try a SAR2 give it a go. I own both rifles and both are incredible buys and easy to feed. The light weight of the 2 is nice, I find myself having to pop the mag out to check that it is really loaded. The lack of recoil is nice not that I am recoil shy ( all my handguns are big bores). You just expect a bump at your shoulder that does not come. Its weird, my 16 in AR15 kicks more. I have all this 7.62x39 sitting around getting dusty while my stash of 5.45 keeps getting smaller. I gotta sell something so I can order a spare SAR2 and loooooots of ammo.

Alex
 
so to add another variable to the mix... how's the .223 SAR 3 compare to the other two?

-K

(just remembered a side question)
A friend of mine said the Navy folks he trained with told him 5.45 AK-74s would chamber .223, but not vice versa, to make it possible for the Russians to use captured ammo stocks. Any truth to this at all, or is it just a BS story that can get a body's face blowed off if they believed it?
 
Kaylee, I just got a SAR-3. It was my July 9 gun. Its the only AK I have personal experience with. I made a long post about my first few shoots recently.

Mags are a little scarcer than the other 2 calibers, but priced similar. Inexpensive .223 is widely available.

Summary: it appears to be about the same quality as others. It had a problem with the trigger assembly out of the box, but was easy to correct with a file.

Very fun to shoot. Little recoil. About 300 rounds through it with no failures of any kind. Sights were reasonably well regulated. Once I fine-tuned, I have been getting sub-1" groups at 25 yds, (at the range) and 2" groups at 50 yards. This is a little better than I had been expecting from an AK, and probably the best I can expect with my bifocals, and the guns' short sight radius and crude sights. These groups are smaller than the front sight at these distances.

At 50 yards, the two boys and I are hitting tin cans almost routinely. That's probably why we have so much fun with it.

At some point, I will put better iron sights and/or a scope on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top