Which of these AK's should I buy?

[majormadmax]

Will you be at the Hicksville meet-up in 3 months or so? Assuming I take it apart, don't see problems, clean, and successfully test fire it first, I'll definitely bring it along and you'd be welcome to play with it all you want. I've got cases of old Chinese el-cheapo ammo that I need an excuse to burn.

I do appreciate the offer, Ben, but my travel schedule for work has me on the road so much that I doubt I'll be making it to Hicksville or many other events for the next six months or so. Heck, some of the time I post on here I'm not even in the country!

But do let us know how she shoots! I have a Chinese AK that is as smooth as silk, it was my first Kalashnikov acquisition and has quite the story behind it!

Cheers! M2

 

[AKM]

I do appreciate the offer, Ben, but my travel schedule for work has me on the road so much that I doubt I'll be making it to Hicksville or many other events for the next six months or so. Heck, some of the time I post on here I'm not even in the country!

But do let us know how she shoots! I have a Chinese AK that is as smooth as silk, it was my first Kalashnikov acquisition and has quite the story behind it!

Cheers! M2

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand a cliff hanger

 

[benenglish]

Typical bullpup trigger?

I haven't had it apart but pictures I've found of the interior show the trigger connects with a cable. Being accustomed to forward triggers that push on bars, that struck me as weird. The results, though, show promise. The limited dry-firing I've done has left me rather impressed, given that this is "machine for throwing balls" and not a fine target rifle. The pull is long but smooth.

My first impression is that the trigger is surprisingly nice.

But do let us know how she shoots! I have a Chinese AK that is as smooth as silk, it was my first Kalashnikov acquisition and has quite the story behind it!

Well, this is my first Kalashnikov, too. The more I handle it, the more I like it. As for how it will shoot, assuming that it checks out and functions well, I'd guess the limit to how it shoots will be the sights. They're very crude and the sight radius is short. I can see no convenient way to mount any kind of optic; that would require drilling holes. At the moment, the front sight is only tenuously holding its place; it wiggles all over the place. I don't have the right tool to tighten it down so I'll just add that to my list of new stuff I now need along with magazines.

Come to think of it, I'm under the impression that there's a front sight tool in the cleaning kit. There's a kit clipped in the rear of the stock that looks very much like what you get out of the butt of an SKS but I'm still trying to figure out how to get it out of there.

Ah. Acquiring new equipment for no good reason and then learning to use it. I haven't done this in a while but it's usually a lot of fun.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[majormadmax]

Funny, I get back to the office this morning and guess what gun was featured on the Gun Digest calendar on Monday?!?

Cheers! M2

 

[cajunautoxer]

Buy parts to convert Saiga and then have a smith do the work if your not wanting to try yourself

No good deed goes unpunished. Since you were so helpful with my previous question, I thought I'd ask another.

This is about the Norinco 86S.

I impulse-bought one of these today at an auction for $950. It's in quite good shape, apparently, though I haven't had it apart yet.

What sort of reputation do they have for quality and usefulness? Is this a desirable model? Or did I just throw away my money?

Damn that thing is FUGLY

 

[benenglish]

Damn that thing is FUGLY

Yep, it is. And, like I said before, the more I handle it, the more I like it. Funny how some rifles just grow on you and some don't. I have a .308 Remington 660 that my brain told me was a perfect rifle for pretty much everything and, back in the 1970s, Oshman's had a steal-deal price on 'em as a loss leader. I bought one and I've never shot it. I just never could connect with it; there was no love there. With this rifle, I'm not at the "love" stage yet but I'm really looking forward to the first date.

Stopping before this gets any weirder...

 

[Southpaw]

I think you got picked a gem there, Ben. Even if you shoot it once, clean, oil and put it away, it isn't something that will lose value both in rarity and to collectors out there.