Need info on Romanian AK47's

[Bayou Blaster]

Congrats

I'm down in NYC/Long Island area. VT would be a long drive. Is it even legal for me to buy a rifle in another state?

I actually ended up picking up that AK. He dropped his price to 650 and threw in 2 preban mags... Now I gotta take it out and test it out!

Hoping it provides you with many years of accurate and reliable service. Hopefully by now you have confirmed weather or not the front sight is canted, as all your sighting in adjustments will be made to the front sight.

If your AKS came with a strange looking cleaning kit contained in a tube in the rear of the stock I would not throw it away as most people do. It is quite a versatile and useful kit.

Sighting in the AKS-47 Firearm:

There are many different ways and explanations on how to perform this procedure. To keep it simplified.

Purchase an AK sight tool (Critical for windage adjustments). The better ones also incorporate the evalation tool in their design. Your cleaning kit should also contain the sight elevation tool stored in the firearms butt trap.

One complete revolution of the front sight post will move the POI (Point of Impact) 20 centimeters (APX 8 Inches) at 100 meters (109.4 yards).

Moving the front sight post (Windage) to the right moves your POI to the left. Moving the front sight post to the left moves your POI to the right.
NOTE: Windage adjustments are made aft looking forward.

Set the rear sight to the 100 meter mark
Sight in target at 25 meters (82 feet feet). Sight in rifle so bullets are impacting exactly to point of aim.

With that your firearm should be sighted in for any range within the limitations of the firearm and rear sight range incrementations.

After sighting in, return the rear sight to it's rearmost point where it will lock. This is your Battle Sight Zero. Engagement zone is now between zero and 400 meters without changing the rear sight setting.

NOTE: Many people will also sight in at 25 yards with the rear sight set at 100 meters and fine tune at 100 yds then return the rear sight to it's rearmost position with the same results.

Again congrats and Good Luck with the new firearm.

[Awesome]

I'm down in NYC/Long Island area. VT would be a long drive. Is it even legal for me to buy a rifle in another state?

I actually ended up picking up that AK. He dropped his price to 650 and threw in 2 preban mags... Now I gotta take it out and test it out!

[methusaleh]

Not sure where in NY you are. I have a good friend who is a manager at Century Arms International in Georgia, VT, who has got me some fantastic deals in the past. The company is a major importer of arms of all kinds. He may be willing to work with you. I believe there is a wait right now for any decent AK variant, however their "el cheapo" WASR-10 model is always around (although you generally would want to avoid those, from what I hear).

[Bayou Blaster]

yeah... I've tried trumping the Mil ID doesn;t get you to far (except out of tickets) in NY...

Yeah they told me I needed some kind of permit. Didn't think I needed one just to look at the firearm? We went elsewhere and had no problems. Maybe because it was a handgun?

Anyway if these new laws your saying are in the works, will your perspective AKS purchase be Grand Fathered after the laws change? Additionally if you can't find a better deal, make sure the Romanian AKS's Front sight is not canted (easy fix) and that the mags at least lock easily into place. These websites should help you out as well:

http://surplusrifle.com/ak47/index.asp

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/index.php?

Again Good Luck and let us know how things turn out.

[Awesome]

yeah... I've tried trumping the Mil ID doesn;t get you to far (except out of tickets) in NY...

[Bayou Blaster]

Guys, thanks for all the awesome info! Especially Bayou Blaster! I was hoping someone would drop some knowledge...

NY is very hard to get good weapons and there are a lot of state bills coming down the pipe to make it worse... I'm trying to pick up whatever I think I'll want before they become illegal.

As for the high cap mags you have to pay extra and buy preban stuff.... The same guy is selling a pack of 6, 30 round mags for $150.


I'll check around to see if any of the other stores have AK's in stock but pickins are slim around here... And they charge something like $100-$150 if you buy something from like gunbroker and ship it to them (they're all in it together the bastards).

And now you know why I will never move back there again. I'll be up there in late July/August to visit family and friends. About two years ago I went to a gun/sporting goods store in N.Y. to look at a firearm and even with a military ID they would not show it to me. My brother pulled out his NYPD Detective badge and then they showed us the firearm. We left several hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise we had planned to buy on the counter after that.

[Awesome]

Guys, thanks for all the awesome info! Especially Bayou Blaster! I was hoping someone would drop some knowledge...

NY is very hard to get good weapons and there are a lot of state bills coming down the pipe to make it worse... I'm trying to pick up whatever I think I'll want before they become illegal.

As for the high cap mags you have to pay extra and buy preban stuff.... The same guy is selling a pack of 6, 30 round mags for $150.


I'll check around to see if any of the other stores have AK's in stock but pickins are slim around here... And they charge something like $100-$150 if you buy something from like gunbroker and ship it to them (they're all in it together the bastards).

[Bayou Blaster]

LOL:o That's what I get for generalizing:o

I have only limited trigger time on a Norinco 91 that I owned a few years back, and information from a few friends who own other makes.

I'll go sit in the corner now.:D

Too funny slowz1k :)

I submit in this forum as general information only, personal experience as a firearms aficionado/shooter and aspiring journeyman gunsmith. I submit my post only to educate the novice shooter/buyer and help out where I can. :) Hope we are still good?:)

Those Norinco NHM 91s are okay firearms, almost bought one to convert into a Galil lookalike. The triggers are set way back on those. Non conventional for an AKS. Decent shooters.

[slowz1k]

LOL:o That's what I get for generalizing:o

I have only limited trigger time on a Norinco 91 that I owned a few years back, and information from a few friends who own other makes.

I'll go sit in the corner now.:D

[Bayou Blaster]

Hi guys the local gun store just got a pair of Romanian AK47's. I think he is asking about $700... I know less than nothing about AK's.... Do the Romanian's make good stuff? They AK's themselves are pretty bland no bells or whistles. Keep in mind things usually run a little on the expensive side here in NY

Thanks for any input

If my previous post did not put you to sleep; it looks like that gun shop in N.Y. is charging over a 50 percent mark up for that Romanian?

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info....oducts_id/1055

Another thing to consider is N.Y. state firearms laws concerning round capacity of the firearm. If such is the case, you cannot use AK-47 high cap mags. This AKS variant may be Century's WASR-10 variant limited to a 10 round magazine? Good luck with your decision.

[Bayou Blaster]

AKS firearms are not all the same

As far as AK's go, I've never heard of a "bad model". They're all about the same. The Egytian Maadi's are usually considered the best quality wise. This is simply due to the forged receiver instead of the stamped metal. You really can't go wrong with any of the manufactures. The Ak will perform in any and all circumstances regardless of where it was made.

I would recommend a chrome lined barrel if you plan to run it hard.
$700 does sound a little pricey, but if that's the going rate in your area, jump on it. Unless your looking for a tack driver, you won't be disappointed.

This is gonna get long.......

Slowz1k

As far as all AKS-47 being the same? Unfortunately I would have to disagree with you sir. There are indeed superior quality AKS-47 derivatives out there. I own a Bulgarian SLR-95 which has a milled receiver and a Steyr hammer forged barrel. This firearm is astonishingly accurate in 7.62 x 39mm! I also own a Russian Molot VEPR II in .223 that gives long barreled AR-15 variants a run for their money. Arsenal Inc, Russian Saiga’s and Chinese MAC-90s are also known for their above average accuracy. Finally let’s not forget the Israeli Galil, South African R4 and Finish Valmet firearms (all AKS variants) these being the best of the breed.

Romanian AKS-47s are generally classified as your bargain basement AKS. Fit and finish lack way behind the manufacturers listed above. Your mileage may very but I doubt it. Additionally many come straight from the manufacturer with canted front sights and feeding problems. These problems can sometimes be resolved; other times it’s back to the importer. They do have chrome lined barrels, but are not accurate to say the least when compared to the previous firearms mentioned. I personally would not purchase a Romanian AKS-47, especially for $700 dollars. I would however recommend a Russian Saiga. Even before a 922r conversion this firearms is way much better than any Romanian AKS at half that $700 price! As far as Egytian Maadi's, they are a step above the Romanian AKS. As far as Saiga firearms are concerned:

The Saiga (Russian Deer) is an exceptional though sporterized AKS (Semi AK-47) clone of Mikhail Kalashnikov's Avtomat (AK-47). There are very minor deficiencies with this particular variant (configuration wise/no pistol grip) that are easily overcome. I would recommend this firearm over a Romanian WASR-10 or Yugo AKS (AK Clones) any day of the week. Fit, finish and accuracy being way much better. It is more reliable than an SKS rifle without cleaning. The Siaga is manufactured by the Russian firm Izmash, the original manufacturer of the AK-47. This firearm is extremely reliable in harsh and austere environments albeit not as accurate as an AR-15 variant. The firearm also requires much less periodic maintenance than many of it's contemporaries. It does what it was design to do extremely well. Cartridge ballistics for the 7.62 X 39mm are similar to that of the American 30-30 cartridge. Ammo prices are still a lot cheaper than the American alternatives.
Saiga's currently being imported include: .223, 7.62 X 39mm, .308, 410GA, 20GA and 12GA.

The Saiga is a sporterized AKS. It does not employ the pistol grip, stock and foregrip of a conventional AKS. This being done to facilitate importation into the U.S. market. Additionally the FCG (Fire Control Group) is moved towards the rear of the reciever in order for it to be used in conjunction with the sporterized stock. This trigger group works but is not as well liked as the conventional FCG. The firearm is more prone to trigger slap in this configuration. Tolerable but not something I like. Lastly the Saiga will not readily accept conventional AK-47 magazines without some minor gunsmithing that the average person with basic mechanical skills/tools can accomplish. Aftermarket high cap Saiga mags are being manufactured/available.

The basic conversion of a Saiga to an AKS configured firearm is not at all difficult and can be accomplished within a matter of hours or a weekend (If you are as meticulous as me). There will be some minor difference in the conversion process based on caliber and series of manufacture. These are easily accomplished. The major issues involve the feed ramp and whether or not the barrel trunion is concave or flat behind and below of the barrel. Some additional work will be required to the replacement hammer and minor reciever work if the Saiga is in .308 or in the shotgun configuration. Again these are not difficult for those with basic mechanical skills. Note: No feed ramp is required if the Saiga is .308 cal or shotgun configuration.

I have converted quite a few in all calibers and it's really no big deal. It is also not expensive to do the basic conversion. But as with any firearm there are additional bells, whistles and higher priced parts that can be installed. Once converted you can use the AK-47 type magazines, that were originally designed for it (If legal in your area). They are by far the most rugged and reliable mags. Stay away from the Pro Mag polymer high capacity magazine for the Saiga. Trust me you will regret it. The only polymer mags that I would purchase have the forward and rear metal locking lips/tabs.

I would strongly recommend that if you decide to convert a Saiga AKS variant that you do so in accordance with and observe the U.S. Gun Control Act of 1968 and Section 922R BATFE code. Again easy to do.

Some helpful links.

http://saigatechusa.com/
http://dinzagarms.com/
http://cross-conn.com/Saiga_Conversion/
http://www.saiga-12.com/ Check out the picture gallerys at this Forum.
There are also several youtube videos on the subject.

These sites should give you a feel for what is required to convert a Saiga. Keep in mind that there are a number of Saiga Variants and Calibers and what works for one may not work for the rest.

Note: Some people will freak out when they see the spent casings of the Saiga. The spent casing will have a triangular dent (Normal). In the newer model Saigas they will also see a defined bulge in the spent case midspan on the case neck (Normal). The latter being done by the Russians, so Russian Law Enforcement can distinguish between Military and Civilian AK type firearms spent shell casings.

Almost forgot they are fun to shoot!

[coxmw]

Hi guys the local gun store just got a pair of Romanian AK47's. I think he is asking about $700... I know less than nothing about AK's.... Do the Romanian's make good stuff? They AK's themselves are pretty bland no bells or whistles. Keep in mind things usually run a little on the expensive side here in NY

Thanks for any input

I have a Romainian AK-47, It's been a good one so far. But yeah 700 is up there for one. But I just looked on Gun Broker and they have one for 650.

[slowz1k]

As far as AK's go, I've never heard of a "bad model". They're all about the same. The Egytian Maadi's are usually considered the best quality wise. This is simply due to the forged receiver instead of the stamped metal. You really can't go wrong with any of the manufactures. The Ak will perform in any and all circumstances regardless of where it was made.

I would recommend a chrome lined barrel if you plan to run it hard.
$700 does sound a little pricey, but if that's the going rate in your area, jump on it. Unless your looking for a tack driver, you won't be disappointed.

[Awesome]

Thanks for the info...

How are the Romanian in quality? Are they a good weapon?

[Diesel]

sounds a bit expensive, theyhave come down in price quite a bit, seen some for 499/599 etc