Found this at a site called AK47 World. I don't know anything about this site but the information does sound correct. Well here it is:
Until we complete this Rifles page with pictures of the various AK-47 variants - Here is some information you might find helpful.
VIEWS of the Vermont 'creation' of Century Arms - the WASR-10 - can be found on discussion threads via Google or Bing searches or on videos on YouTube!
Otherwise - STAY TUNED as our reviews of GOOD AK-47 variants to BUY is expanded on www.ak47world.com
In the meantime www.ak47world.com advises what AK-47's to buy & which ones ARE NOT RECOMMENDED!
Guns like the Romanian WASR-10 are modified IN VERMONT to meet current U.S. import restrictions - as SOME have problems accepting military-issue drums & magazines (clips) due to poor workmanship by Century's workers & are BAD DEALS compared to better foreign-built AK-47 variants - LIKE the 'REAL' Bulgarian SA-93, SLR-95, SLR-96, Chinese MAK-90, NHM-90, NHM-91 & Hungarian (F.E.G.) SA-85M!
Foreign-built AK-47 variants with thumbhole stocks - are MUCH EASIER to change the stocks on - than to deal with a poorly-built AK-47's - like WASR-10;s GP-75's, AMD-65's & parts kit Polish AK's out there - as they lack the quality of AK-47's built in foreign arsenals where real military AK-47's are made to military specifications!
The best thumbhole DEALS are AK-47's like the Bulgarian SA-93, SLR-95 or SLR-96 models, or Chinese-built Norinco MAK-90, NHM-90, NHM-91 and MAK-91 AK-47 variants, and Hungarian SA-85M models - that are no longer imported.
Also, these 100% foreign military arsenal-built 'Quality' AK's CANNOT be ordered anymore by dealers from their DISTRIBUTORS - because Bill Clinton's November 1997 Executive Order ('XO') forbid the import of these better foreign-built AK's that accept standard HIGH-CAPACITY AK-47 magazines!
While you can still put folding stocks on thumbhole AK's mentioned above - if you must replace the thumbhole stock - you must then add 5 U.S. made 922(r) compliant parts - like a Tapco mag & U.S. grip & forearms.
The important thing here - is that the build-quality of foreign-built AK's usually far surpasses any AK's put together today in the U.S. - unless you spend a $1,000 for a Kreb's Custom Russian-style AK-47 or spend $900 or more for a Bulgarian SLR-107FR or Legion SGL-20 from the custom shop of Izhmash of Russia!
So, if you'd rather just get a GOOD $500 to $600 ak-47 - you'll have to look around for GOOD VALUE AK-47 variants - as there's a lot of dealers looking out for their PROFITS - but at your expense - as they sell tons of low-quality Romanian WASR-10 or GP-75 AK's - while companies like Lancaster Consulting or Red Jacket Arms will want BIG BUCKS for their better-built AK's - that the OLDER - 'No Longer-Imported' Chinese MAK-90's & Bulgarian SLR-95's will usually surpass - but without the 'Drugstore Commando; BAYONET LUGS - that most people WILL NEVER USE!
But if no good AK's for $500 to $600 AK's can be found, the best AK-47s that www.AK47world.com recommends - are these models which used to sell for $500 or so:
1. Bulgarian SLR-95; SLR-96 & SA-93 (all milled-receivers - EXCELLENT GUNS!)
2. Chinese MAK-90 rifles - both stamped and milled receiver models (if you look hard enough) can be found as well as the stamped military-style NHM-90 rifles.
3. Chinese RPK Sporters NMH-91 (stamped) & milled MAK-91
4. Hungarian SA-85M by F.E.G.
5. Maadi ARM, RPM & RML models from Egypt, but stay away from Maadi MISR-90 & MISR-10 models...)
6. Romanian Intrac MK-1, Romak-1 or "WUM-1" models (only imported in 1997) NOT Romanian WASR-10 and some SAR-1 models - which are at their best - MARGINALLY OK' as quality varies alot with Romanian rifles!
All of the above AK-47's USED to RUN anywhere from $450 to around $650, but now you're dealing with those hoping to score on the 'FEAR of Obama'!
Thanks from www.ak47world.com
Phone #'s (720) 940-1458 or (786) 261-9273
FIRST OFF, many distributors STILL continue to FALSELY CLAIM that Romanian FPK/PSL (Romak-3) rifles - which at usually under $800 & REPRESENT A GOOD BUY for a 1000 yd. affordable DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) that's MUCH CHEAPER to SHOOT than any M-14 or AR-10, etc. - as .308 AMMO is like .75 cents a round - compared to .25 cents or lower for the LARGER Soviet 7.62 x 54R round used by PSL's & SVD (real Dragunov)!
The problem in magazine selection - is that many call a Romanian PSL RIFLE as supposedly a Russian SVD Dragunov, to FALSELY DESCRIBE a stamped Romanian PSL (Puska Semi-Automata Luneta, or Scoped Semi-Automatic Rifle), that's basically a stretched RPK (Ruchnoi Pulyemet Kalashnikova = Handheld 'Bullet-Thrower' Kalashnikov) that the Russians call an FPK, or Feyderov Pulyemet Kalashnikova, or Kalashnikov 'Bullet-Thrower' that fires Feyderov cartidges (7.62 x 54R ammo), and which has an AKM style receiver, action & trigger group!
In addition, Steven (S.P.) Fjestad (of the Blue Book of Gun Values) also mistates this FAKE DRAGUNOV FALLACY, as he calls the Romanian FPK "a Dragunov with a new CNC milled Receiver...", where Fjestad also suggests that he doesn't seem to know stamped receivers from milled receivers, in the Century Arms section of his 'Blue Book of Gun Values.
Fjestad's Blue Book of Gun Values, also states that a Norinco Type 86 Bullpup AK-47 somehow has a 'folding stock'???
And, there's yet another AK-47 website with pretty pictures, but some 'questionable', uneducated opinions about AK-47 variants, by a guy appropriately named 'Bubba', who claims that he has the 'The Best AK-47 website' ( OH REALLY Bubba...)!!!
But 'Bubba' GOT CAUGHT 'RED-HANDED' COPYING 'WORD-FOR-WORD' what www.ak47world.com already had posted on our rifles page about MAK-90 rifles!
Also, until the ATF stops trying to keep this information 'TOP SECRET' as selective enforcement - an ATF trademark & posts this information on its website...
We issue THIS WARNING: WHILE MAK-90 RILFES ARE USUALLY THE RIFLE WE RECOMMEND as "The Best ENTRY-LEVEL/low-priced AK-47 variant" for sale in America today...
STAY AWAY from MAK-90 rifles imported by the importer "Le Banu" of upstate New York, (but NOT ALL MAK-90 Rifles, as some will incorrectly infer), that are marked with 3 position fire-control selector markings (sometimes in Chinese characters, other times with the letters L, D, S for the 3 positions on the right side of the receiver), as the ATF classifies these as "ILLEGAL MACHINE GUN RECEIVERS" with, or without the receiver being drilled for a 3rd axis pin!
Also, there are some Maadi ARM rifles out there with what the ATF terms as an 'Illegal Machinegun Receiver", as well as some of the early CLAYCO AK-47 imports, that will be marked with the words, "Modifications to this Rifle are Unsafe & Illegal", again whether or not the 3rd axis pin hole is drilled in the receiver.
Remember, the ATF fully realizes that if they take your rifle, your attorney fees will easily outweigh the cost of the rifle, so BE CAREFUL when buying some of these imports, or send pictures of the rifle to [email protected] until we post some pictures of these rifles!
While the market is currently flooded with low-price so-called Romanian AK-47's, like the WASR-10 & SAR-1 AKM variants, a SMART AK-47 buyer would be wiser to buy an AK-47 variant made in a foreign arsenal, unless that buyer is prepared to spend more money for one of the better-made U.S. assembled AK-47 variants from Arsenal USA, or Krebs Kustoms, Legion SGL-20 Rifles or Bulgarian variants from either Arsenal of Bulgaria or the U.S. Arsenal Inc. & maybe a Tennessee Guns AK-47 variant!
Note: not all SAR-1 variants are bad, but far too many have problems than we've seen with Norinco type 56 stamped AK-47 variants, like the MAK-90, NHM-90, and Chinese RPK Sporter known as the NHM-91, and why U.S.N. SEAL TEAMS & the Finnish Defence Force (FDF) of FINLAND, as well as Hamas, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, the Northern Alliance, & Bill Clinton's drug-smuggling 'friends' at the Kosovo Liberation Front' also CHOSE NORINCO stamped type 56 AKM rifles!
Through the years of handling & firing AK-47 variants, we've found out quickly what AK's have problems, and what AK's do not. (like the good Maadi ARM & RPM rifles, as compared to the bad Maadi rifles, like the MISR-90 and certain batches of Romanian/U.S. modified S.A.R./WASR-10 series rifles)
The Navy Seals and the Military Defense Council of Finland, both selected Norinco of China to supply Chinese type 56 AK-47 rifles, which are virtually identical (except for select-fire components) to the Norinco MAK-90, & without the MAK-90's thumbhole stock).
THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING, as the GALIL AK's, F.E.G.'s from Hungary, Arsenal of Bulgaria, and Russian AK's were all tested against the Chinese Norinco, and the Norinco came out on top as the most rugged, and best value DUE TO THE USE OF THICKER 1.5MM STAMPED CHINESE RECEIVERS, DOUBLE-HOOK TRIGGERS FOR SMOOTHER TRIGGER-PULL, and thicker Chinese barrels, despite the fact that it would have been easier for Finland and the U. S. Navy Seals to buy AK-47 variants from other Eastern European, or Russian sources.
Finally, Norinco of China, Zastava of Yugoslavia, and Valmet/Sako of Finland all use at least 1.5mm steel for their stamped receivers on their AK variants, thus eliminating the need for "mickey-mouse" anti-trip devices (band-aid that does not solve the problem of too thin receivers) found in the trigger groups of thinner 1mm steel receivers of Warsaw-Pact AKM's.
AKM is the Russian term of: Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizya , which means modernized AK-47, referring to the stamped AKM versus the milled AK-47 of 1947.
Warsaw-Pact AKM's include: Soviet/Russian mfg.,F.E.G. of Hungary (SA-85's, etc.), and Romanian W.U.M.-1's, W.U.M.-2's, S.A.R.1, S.A.R.2, S.A.R. 3's, as well as Maadi AKM's, RML, RPM, and the MISR-90.
What does receiver thickness and the lack of "mickey-mouse" anti-trip device that only complicates your trigger group, mean to AKM performance???
Simple, if you only fire your thinner receiver AKM variants lightly, you usually won't have any problems.
But if you need more out of your AK, like sustained fire/rapid fire, like with 75, or 100 round drums, or with other "extreme situations", the thicker 1.5mm stamped receivers found in Norinco, Valmet/Sako, and Zastava/Serbian rifles are more durable.
This means the thicker 1.5mm receiver AK's are a lot less likely to experience malfunctions like the thinner 1mm receiver AK's do, when the thicker receiver Chinese, Yugoslavian, or Valmet's get hot under rapid fire, sustained-fire situations, because there's less "fatigue", thus "flex" & jams, in the thicker 1.5mm steel receivers, than in the thinner-walled receivers of the Warsaw-Pact AKM-type rifles.
For more info, you can call us at either phone # (786) 261-9273 or (720) 940-1458 and STAY TUNED for more info on this page to come soon!
