Buying an AK-47

[Andy]

Ha. No, not really. I think the weight difference is maybe a pound more than what you state

No, it's about a pound:

...but if the O-PAP was all I could get, I wouldn't be complaining. Just throwing something out there.

I've been around AKs a while, and I'm totally happy with my Yugo AK; I think you'd like them.

 

[Thegomezclan]

Besides the bulge on the front trunion, is one PAP better or stronger than the other?

 

[JimmyB]

Grab an O-Pap, it is a great AK for the money. Here is mine after I showed the wood some love:

 

[Andy]

Besides the bulge on the front trunion, is one PAP better or stronger than the other?

No, they're equally decent, IMO. It's just the bulged front trunion that gives the O- its greater strength - the additional steel up-front helped the receiver to withstand the recoil from launching grenades.

 

[Thegomezclan]

Ok thanks Andy, the price on both seems good.

 

[majormadmax]

Besides the bulge on the front trunion, is one PAP better or stronger than the other?

No, they're equally decent, IMO. It's just the bulged front trunion that gives the O- its greater strength - the additional steel up-front helped the receiver to withstand the recoil from launching grenades.

What Andy said. I think people prefer the O-PAP simply because the original M70s had RPK ("bulged") receivers. Other than that, they're the same. Nothing wrong with the non-bulged N-PAPs, they are pretty much an AKM with a 1.5mm receiver (and longer handguards).

Considering most AKM receivers are 1.0mm thick, even the O-PAP is more sturdier (and slightly heavier) than your average rifle. There are some aspects of the heavier rifles (milled AKs are heavier as well) that I like, and some aspects of the lighter (1.0mm, non-milled) that I like. I wouldn't really say either is "better" than the other...

Cheers! M2

 

[TX0303]

If shopping used, older N-PAPs came with a single stack bolt and tended to jam when using a double stack magazine. Check the bolt before purchase. Current N-PAPs come with a double stack bolt and are GTG but for just a little more, you can get the O-PAP.