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Alright you AK guys.....

Just to note... Saiga and Vper are Russian.

While Bulgiarian rifles are in fact basically as close as one can get to Russia besides the two mentioned above and the unmentioned polish AK. It's a known fact that K-var/Arsenal have put out some horrible/shameful builds. I'm not saying all of them but they have plenty. QC is not their top priority. If one actually ventures outside the four walls of theoutdoorstrader and digs a little they will find such info.
 
Some great info here... what do you AK guys think of Saigas?

I am not an AK guy...but have done a lot of research... No I haven't shot all of these guns.

It appears to me that the collective conventional opinion of AK's prefers Russian guns.

It seems to me the conventional wisdom rates these generally as the top three? I don't know...I am asking here. Are these genrally considered among the top of the generally available AK's.

1) VEPR
2) Arsenal
3) Saiga's

And do folks generally prefer Russian guns because they are really better or because they are becoming rarer?
Veprs and converted Saigas, then Arsenal. Arsenal can have finish issues and trigger is not the best. Trigger on my original 2004 Robinson Arms Vepr is as good as it gets, same as Chicom.
Vepr is the most accurate and durable of all AKs.
Saiga is built by the same people who supply Russian military.
Arsenal is built by folks who had Russians set up the production and teach them.
Edit 2: all of my Veprs were converted already, so it was an easy decision.

Edit: Krebs AKs used to be based on Saiga. I do not know about now. I refuse to pay Krebs or Rifle Dynamics prices. I shot my first AK (actually Soviet Army issue RPK-74) when I was 5, and I still have a limit as to what AK is worth.
 
Personally i'd buy the slr107ur in the market place and put a wood grips and a triangle folder on it. It will turn heads at the range
A fully converted siaga or slr107fr are my top two choices. I'm not a fan of 5.45 because of expensive magazines you have to buy from private sellers.

Really dont care for MAK90's beacuse 95% of them have neutered barrel parts and have needlessly heavy recievers. If you get a chinese ak, get one with the underfolding spike bayonet
Vepr's are very nice and INCREDIBLY over hyped hunting rifles. Nothing about them screams Kalashnikov to me.
ETA on veprs: After you buy them you need to spend even more money for furniture that makes it look like a military rifle

DDI
- Extractors were made wrong on US made rifle, extractor would die after 500 rounds
-Magazine wells were made wrong on kit build rifles and would only fit Pmags
-Their failed line of shotguns
they made good parts and rifles for the most part. Their owner was an Asshole to people on the AK files and that really nailed their coffin shut after all the stupid problems they were having. I would pick a DDI up for under 800 if i wanted an AK, but i know how to fix the problems they come with
 
Personally i'd buy the slr107ur in the market place and put a wood grips and a triangle folder on it. It will turn heads at the range
A fully converted siaga or slr107fr are my top two choices. I'm not a fan of 5.45 because of expensive magazines you have to buy from private sellers.

Really dont care for MAK90's beacuse 95% of them have neutered barrel parts and have needlessly heavy recievers. If you get a chinese ak, get one with the underfolding spike bayonet
Vepr's are very nice and INCREDIBLY over hyped hunting rifles. Nothing about them screams Kalashnikov to me.
ETA on veprs: After you buy them you need to spend even more money for furniture that makes it look like a military rifle

DDI
- Extractors were made wrong on US made rifle, extractor would die after 500 rounds
-Magazine wells were made wrong on kit build rifles and would only fit Pmags
-Their failed line of shotguns
they made good parts and rifles for the most part. Their owner was an Asshole to people on the AK files and that really nailed their coffin shut after all the stupid problems they were having. I would pick a DDI up for under 800 if i wanted an AK, but i know how to fix the problems they come with

The Magpul 5.45 mags are finally available.
 
So far,
WASR at 13 positives
Arsenal SLR (5,45mm or 7,62x39) 11
SGL is 4 and Saiga is 4 but these should be combined as one, so 8
Vepr is 7
ChiCom is 7
Hungarian is 2
JD Tactical is 2
Zastava is 2
Blackheart is 2
The rest are just 1 positive each:
Opap
LEGION (which model ?)
SAR-1 (predecessor of Wasr)
DRACO pistol
PAP pistol (Zastava)
POLISH
SAM7 ----- I'm surprised
VZ58
VALMET
RIFLE DYNAMICS
KREBS CUSTOMS

You know... we could populate this entire page with options. Thanks @GoNoGo for getting a talley. It's interesting to see what is thought of here.

The OP said '' What's the best, highest quality AK you can get for the money". I guess he just asked half the question. Well, how much money?

We can get into PLO kits, Type 1,2,3's and so on, even to rare birds like Chicom 74's (88's)

I think he was primarily asking about pre-built cookie cutter AK's that's readily available to the average buyer? Nothing wrong with that but "Best money can buy" is something totally different for some of us.
 
Im more AR than AK too but I got 1 in a trade a few years ago thats a solid shooter. Its a Yugo M70 AB2 underfolder and even though it came from CIA its straight. All but 1 of the numbers match and Ive since put a quadrail handguard on it, not too much choice in customizing because of the grenade gas block sights on it. Not sure but I think Yugo/Zastava/Serbian are from the same factory, and I think they were sourced out by CIA hence it being a straight build.
 
Im more AR than AK too but I got 1 in a trade a few years ago thats a solid shooter. Its a Yugo M70 AB2 underfolder and even though it came from CIA its straight. All but 1 of the numbers match and Ive since put a quadrail handguard on it, not too much choice in customizing because of the grenade gas block sights on it. Not sure but I think Yugo/Zastava/Serbian are from the same factory, and I think they were sourced out by CIA hence it being a straight build.
Loved mine and it didn't even have the RPK trunion. Got another one that did but the AB2T stamped worked great for me
 

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