Maybe an AK? Advice sought (w/ pics)

[Boondock Saint]

I might be purchasing an AK and a friend of a friend has one for sale. I know next to nothing about AKs (yet), so I thought I'd throw it out to everyone here. Price is $725. This is the email from the seller:

For the skinny on the gun, it was purchased as a regular ol' WASR10 about 3 years ago when Wolf ammo was still $94 per 1000 rounds. It's probably had about 1500 rounds through it, the only failures were ammo related. It is a reliable gun.

To describe the additions to the rifle, I'll just say that WASRs typically have an awful feel to them. The pistol grip it had would move around, the wood was grainy and kind of shook around a little bit, and the triggers suck. This one has identified all of those issues. Instead of the poor trigger from before, I added a Tapco G2 double hook trigger group, improving the US parts count to make it okay to add a US made folding stock. The folding stock is a $200 stock from ACE Riflestocks. Completely solid stock, very comfortable, good cheek weld, customizable to fold left or right and raise or lower just by swapping out a couple screws. It's also mounted to an internal receiver block to prevent it from shifting at all, which it certainly doesn't. This stock is awesome, and Ace has pretty much won me over for aftermarket folders. The pistol grip was also swapped out, it's certainly more comfortable than the stock one. I also upgraded the front wood to the blonde wood complete with the "donkey dong" foregrip. Not too long ago I also added the rail that made this a great gun for home defense. The rifle will come with a leather AK sling, not the poor quality sling in the pictures.

This was upgraded with the intention to keep it, the only addition I was looking to make would be to purchase a Kobra red dot for it.

Pros: reliable, solid gun, relatively cheap ammo, easy to find accessories for, fun as hell to shoot in a potent caliber.

Cons: AK sights are pretty poor compared to what else is out there but the gun is capable of 3-4" accuracy at 100 yards, the rail I added was a rail I chopped in half to make it fit. It works well for lights, but don't think that you can put a laser on it and have it retain its zero.

[LowRecoil]

$725 is a lot of money for a modified WASR. Classic has WASR's for $499. Just be aware of what problems there could be on the WASR's (trigger slap, front sight misaligned and mag wobble), all of which can be fixed.

If you are still going to buy it, I'd inspect the barrel and field strip it to see what kind of condition it is in (and also check for the WASR problems listed above- although he says he replaced the trigger).

[coinboy]

I would pass for that much. Just my opinion. There are better AK's for that amount of money.

[simplegreen]

agree.. i would pass. thats a lot of cash for a wasr

[fivepointstar]

Too much $$$. You cna still find some reasonably priced on Gunbroker

[smores]

Too much for a gun with a crappy grip and ugly folding stock. IMO your AK should stay as it was made, except maybe if you want to make better furniture.

Honestly, you can get a brand new Arsenal for not much more than that, and Arsenals are NICE and don't have slanted sights, trigger slap (mine has a 2-stage trigger actually) and original military hardware/stocks, etc. The finish on them looks good too.

IMO, the AK is sacred, and frankly UTG and TAPCO have made just a few too many parts to make them look lame. But then again, to each his own ;)

[FIREHAWK]

way too much, you get could one brand new at the gunshow this weekend for that much. much cheaper thru dan or online. atleast fondle a few before making a decision. lancaster makes great ak's and i have an IO ak, i'd rather buy american than some used WASR and for cheaper too.

[rummy]

aye, too much dinero...but i'm sure theyre including full price for the stock (which is the best folding stock going).

now if you can get it +1000 rounds of ammo he's not gonna use, jump on it!

[Boondock Saint]

Thanks for all the fantastic input, I really appreciate it. Initially I thought that this was a decent price, but that I could probably do better. I'll see if there is any flexibility on the price and/or other items that he might include in the deal, but I'm probably going to pass on it.

Thanks again!

[kevoxlfx]

Speaking of the ol AK ... anybody have ak stock and upper and lower hand guards in wood ..... i wanna refinish them ... any condition

[simplegreen]

get a lancaster if you want to pay that much, those rifles are beautiful DD has a few im sure he can show you at the frostbite shoot.

[SonoraRebel]

Norinco... NIB $240. 1/89 This is it's final form.

[HardHatMan]

Blast from the past.

[smores]

For $725 you can pretty much get a nice Arsenal AK! Agreed, wayyy too much for a WASR (What A Shitty Rifle).

[Scott7891]

For $725 you can pretty much get a nice Arsenal AK!

+1, especially if you are in to the modern AK look.

If you want the classic look they are all pretty much going to be parts guns. Nothing wrong with that since the majority of my AK's are. Glade Valley Sporting Goods in Frederick make awesome AK's in the classic style that are well-made and reliable that are under $700. I bought one from them 2 years ago and I still have it today. It is my go-to AK and would never dream of selling it, that is how good they are.

[Boondock Saint]

I ended up not buying the AK, and looking back on this post, damn I didn't know much about firearms when I started this thread.

For those of you recently posting here, this thread is over 18 months old. :innocent0

[armed ferret]

get a lancaster if you want to pay that much, those rifles are beautiful DD has a few im sure he can show you at the frostbite shoot.

uhh....you might wanna spend a few minutes on theakforum.net or arfcom in the ak-47 section searching "lancaster" before you say too much about how awesome they are.

Here's a sneak peak of some of their current offerings:

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/stackscustominc/lancaster%20reciever/HPIM0359.jpg

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/stackscustominc/lancaster%20reciever/HPIM0361.jpg

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/stackscustominc/lancaster%20reciever/HPIM0363.jpg

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/stackscustominc/lancaster%20reciever/HPIM0366.jpg

Here's a link to the original thread on theakforum.net (http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=134053) about this, but you have to be a registered member to view the site.

It's absolutely PATHETIC what Lancaster has allowed their products to become.

[Patrick]

Looks like it was milled with a Dremel and then riveted (riveted!) with crap I would buy at Home Depot. I fixed my garage door using better joinery, and I did it half drunk.

[armed ferret]

A few years ago, Lancaster was really good. Then they apparently fell into the shitter.

Theres a guy on YouTube who ordered 20 barrels from them. Almost a year later, no barrels, and no refund. Yes, they took his money immediately and have yet to deliver.

[armed ferret]

Another Lancaster thread of fail, this time on arfcom:

Link (http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=130971)

Sneak peek:

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_004413.jpg

[Markp]

That's not a failure, that's a quick disconnect kit. ;)

[11Bravo]

Wow, 710 really? That guy is a complete fudd, You can get brand spanking new WASRs for $400. Pass on that garbage and get your own rifle NIB and have fun customizing to your taste. $700 for a WASR LMFAo.... Don't get me wrong I own more than a few 10/63G WASRs With the Romanian Military Marked trunion and not a single one came from the factory with mag wobble, or canted sights so I personally love them. But at that price, Give him my number and Ill laugh at him for you!

[Boondock Saint]

Thread's over two years old. :rolleyes:

I was younger and dumber back then in addition to being particularly uneducated about firearms. Ended up not buying it for reasons that are obvious now. :)

[jaredm1]

This is like your very own "revolver for sale" thread...it's not going to die.

Boondock, if you are still considering this rifle, I think that $700 is too much to pay. You can get a much better quality rifle at that price. :)

[sandbanger]

wait! the revolver's for sale again?

[armed ferret]

Dibs on the revolver!

15 bucks shipped! I have a C&R.