I've had that in reverse though, I had my SG550 for sale in GunList and some dealer called me up and tried to BS me into trading it on four MAK-90s which at the time you could get for around $300. I was like, dream on. "Oh but they're worth $1,000". Okay, sell them for $4,000 and get back to me when you have the cash. Surprisingly, I never heard from him again.
Scarcity breeds mythology. People act like colt m16's had perfect finish and sub MOA accuracy. Neither are true. Military guns are military quality for most nations. When I hear "military grade" I think, maybe I will look for something better elsewhere.
I would argue that military grade is actually a selling point with rifles like the FAL or AK, considering how absolute dogshit the civilian market has been at making their own.
Absolutely, all these people who spend all this time and money getting "milspec" - which means made by the lowest bidder. The current best example being the P320 which is massively overrated. Also, what the military uses their guns for is not what we use our guns for.
@@steven-k. You said that right steve. The problem with the cult of the milspec is that companies used that to sell their weapons and optics at rediculious prices thats why milspec ars are so costly. Your paying 2k for that pony because someone put a milspec in front even tho the barrel is 1/9 twist
@@misha5670 sadly so, I seen one at my LGS for 1100 and my soul died a little. I did just trade a scorpion for a NHM-91 earlier today, a little rusty but I don't mind for a $700 trade haha.
These are the only ones that never go out of stock. PSA and WBP rifles go out of stock within the hour, VSKA are always there, $999, buy two get a can opener
Of all the hobbies I've been involved in, the gun hobby has easily been by far the most filled with misinformation and general total idiocy, over any other hobby/interest I'm well aware of. I've found that it's a very lonely hobby because of this, you just learn to dislike fellow gun owners after long enough...that is if you aren't one of the morons who never did any research of their own on their own guns, having just a surface level superficial interest. I think guns are too serious an item for people who aren't fairly serious about them. If it ain't obvious, I could go all day.
I’m so glad that when I went to pick out an Ak in 2013, knowing next to nothing at the time I picked up a Zastava NPAP. I remember looking at an IO and liking the furniture on it, but decided on the Zastava because it looked more robust. It has served me well.
hell yeah my first was also the Npap. I actually had the Piston retainer pen come loose at about 5000 rounds. was an inexpensive fix but definitely startled me
Start by getting a kit on gunbroker someone undersell by bad keyword use (eg misspelling izhmash for example) then build your own. The initial investment is high in tools though. I have several kits bought in the last 6 months for $400-600 mostly wasr10, romy g but also a polish 556 and a 1968 russian in there also ($750). You have to pay private sellers with money order but I have never been conned yet in 10 years of buying guns in USA.
If you recognize the market is small and prices high right now, why get into the AK game at all? At least, why right now? If you lived for years without one earlier, why not just keep on without an AK until the market returns to something like normal, or just be patient and wait for a good deal to come your way?
@@ArieteArmsRAMLITE Have you seen most people's first attempts at AK builds? Back when kits were $100-$200? sure gamble with a build and make it a fun learning experience, but checkout the prices on kits these days. Even 'cheap' ones really aren't worth risking fucking up doing one's first build attempt. For what it costs for the kit, receiver, barrel, and tools....by the time a person spends all that money, they could have just bought a Zastava M70 or Cugir WASR.
If you want to follow misha's advice and buy a new ak come to Kentucky. I just got a new zpap $800 out the door and they had ammo $8 a box of 30 tulammo. No one here even knows what an ak is. They were trying to sell me hunting rifles. I cleaned them out of all their cz's and some glocks, pmr30 and a sub 2000, all at the 'old' prices. I got a new 308 saiga for $999 recently on a gunbroker auction, the seller was very annoyed with me but he completed the deal. There are deals out there. Ammo is crazy but there are still gun deals.
You should do an underrated AKs next. Give us the scoop of what you think about some great AKs that are being undersold, I love watching these videos because you have such a well of knowledge and you explain everything in an easy understandable way. Keep up the good work!
@@AK545Huskers yeah, I thought about that too, but it seems like they're driving up the prices alongside the ammo prices. I bought an AKV from palmetto state for $800 and now I think its $1,100 to get one. It's risen that much in 1 year.
@@scottdixon2697 Wow really? That’s insane I really like the PSA aks I would get one but I’m buying up imports before they’re gone. I got an Arsenal yesterday with two circle 10 mags for 1950 and a M92 with some good accessories for 1000. I think I did okay for covid pricing
@@AK545Huskers yeah I'd say you're coming up on top with that deal. I bought just a regular AK from PSA too, I think I paid $800 and those are maybe $900 now, at least the last time I checked they were. But to be honest I love that PSA AK, they are well built, and they fixed the main problem I have with AKs, canted sights. Its just so nice looking down an AK and seeing those sights straight as can be. I do want an Arsenal SAM7 too, or an M90, or even a type 56 would be nice.
Had a guy tell me $4500 for one and found some b.s post online where he said one sold for $4600 so he said his was worth $4500 lol. I should of asked if it sold with 5000rds of ammo.
@@mattmorrison9379 it was the one with drum and thumbhole stock,at the time he told me exact details and I looked em up and they were selling for $1500 to $2000 right now. Pretty sure he may of said preban so I looked up sold and selling models of his exact one and that's what I seen. I'm noob to ak but have learned a whole lot in the last month. About a 2 month noob but got a Romy g and one of the newer nodak tgi amd65s. Which compared to what's on the market and prices,I'm damn happy I was able to get them both just as prides rose up and literally a week later is when shit went crazy on prices. I love my tgi amd65s,runs super smooth and I started to appreciate it a lot more after holding a few other brands lol
I remember, back in the nineties, when I used to live in Cuba, how the Chinese Aks had a bad reputation. The biggest issue was how easy they rusted out, compared to the European counterparts. They also broke more often than not, I guess the metallurgy was not up to par. I found it interesting that, once in the USA, people would talk highly of them. They definitely upped the quality for US sales, compared to the “military grade”, select fire versions they sold to other countries.
Thank you for your AK expertise. Certainly one of the top knowledgeable AK guys in our country. Bought an Arsenal SLR 107FR triangle side folder from you several years ago and love it.
I remember when the first Maadi AKM's was advertised in Shotgun news. They were asking $1200 for them back then. Some people purchased them, since they were the first AK copy that was introduced.Few purchased them since ammunition was rare and very expensive. The Valmet was too different looking from the soviet AK.The Chinese AK's were great AK's and sold well because they also imported cheap ammunition with their rifles. The cheapest AK's I saw were $250 dealer price. The wood is Teak wood. The Polytech Legend series were much better made than the Norinco rifles and the price reflected it. Try to find Peter G. Kokalis reviews of them in Soldier of Fourtune magazine. The Legend variant had better made triggers and parts. We have come far since then.
I purchased my Maadi out of Shot Gun News back in the early 1990s for less than $200! At the time I almost purchased a pair of them but didn't think they were worth the cost being just a standard pattern AKM style rifle. I put many thousands of rounds through that rifle with never a problem. I will say this, the furniture was miss-matched poorly stained than looked like some form of plywood! As I noted in a previous comment, the original box the rifle arrived in was full of sand/dust along with the documentation.
My hometown Walmart was selling Chinese AKs for $200 in 1991. P.S.- In addition to the expansive knowledge of the subject, the depth of vocabulary used in the presentation is astounding. I always find new words like "shittily" to be fascinating.
Whenever someone tells me how great or how awful a gun is I have two questions for them. 1. Have you ever shot one? 2. Have you ever owned one? Glad to see a video from someone who can answer yes to both questions. Keep up the good work.
I agree with your assessment in the video, it never fails that once something is banned from importation it suddenly becomes the best thing since sliced bread and the people that have them think its worth more than its actually is worth
Ur maadi is and has always been a gem.. This guy is basically disconnected with reality. American Aks are too risky to buy most built poorly . Maadi and other old schoolers even Chinese were and are great . This guy with his, this not lining up or that off or whatever... Get real. Ak wasnt designed for beauty contest with straight & neat lines. Its a weapon of war not hipster tender foots..lol.
The only Arsenal worth buying now is the sam7. I blew a trunion on my Arsenal slr 107cr at 5k rounds. I have owned about 4 of the Bulgarian arsenals including a Sam7k. The milled guns do live up to the hype. They are just too heavy for me. The stamped ones are like an older wasr with moderm features. Shotty qc and shit paint. All but one of my stamped Arsenal's has a canted front or rear sight and my 106cr wouldn't even run out of the box.
I have the SAM7k-34 and it only weighs 5.5 lbs because it only has a 8.3 inch barrel after I add some zenitco furniture and a red dot it will probably go up to 6.5 lbs.
@@slavphil7532 Granted I don't have a ton of rounds through my SLR-104FR, but I have no complaints. I did change out the trigger to single stage for personal preference. No paint bubbling or finish issues.
@DV8 *** there is an American company it’s actually about 5 guys that are ex spec ops ex CIA and all that badassery they taking Childers receivers and building Tactial AKs from the ground up out of the top tier parts and a lot of engineering and R&D & with lifetime warranty on parts and labor they have them listed at 2400.00 and they can’t build them fast enough 9 month back order right now. So some people pay for quality. I did sell my SAM7 to get one ordered a while back and I’m still waiting.
@@misha5670 They were truck/junk guns that you could beat up and not care about. True SHTF guns that always go bang, but were just sloppy in fit and finish. I had a MAK 90 for about $250 back the late 80s. It was a fun shooter but not accurate for crap past 100 yards. People love these things. I've seen them going for $1200 to $1500 these days which is just insane pricing and totally not worth it.
Sold my first gun i bought at 16 (an arsenal slr107fr) and am now buying it back from the same guy now at Age 22 next week. Cheers Misha, thanks for a great video.
I ran into the fellow that I sold my pre-1968 Ruger 10/22 all those years ago. I was too embarrassed to ask him if he still had the gun. Much as I would like have it back, he (if he still had it) obviously cared more for it than I did.
@@dbmail545 thanks for sharing. It was definitely a humbling experience for me. And yes, a little embarassing. At first he said no, but he just wanted me to accept that as reality and then he offered to sell it back to me. Hes a great man for doing that for me.
Great vid as always! Much love and respect Misha! The one thumbs down dude prolly paid 4k for a saiga/maadi/norinco/polytech LOL Misha out here Crushing dreams XD
Nah, hes probably the only one besides me who look at their aks as a reliable fighting tool instead of an object to look at and make silly youtube videos talking about things that they read about on the interwebs. Spend your money on training and being proficient with your weapon not on what's cool and pretty. If your ak survives a 16hr fighting rifle course, you got a keeper.
@@proceramic7422 Welcome, you're new around here based on your comment. Feel free to poke around and checkout our near-decade of a catalogue looking into the history and mechanics of firearms. One thing that I can promise you for sure, I don't judge firearms based on how they look hehehe.
But godd@mn theyre heavy as a motherf*ck*r lol. My Vepr feels like it's a 100 pounds with a loaded 30rd steel mag and an optic rail/optic mounted on it lol 😂
@@misha5670 I’m in Maryland, we have a banned rifle list. They are listed out by name. As new stuff hits the market our freedom fighting FFLs will submit forms to the state police for transfer and usually denied and added to the wall of shame. I thought I was gonna catch a break when the new 103 Klone dropped but sure enough they just stuck in on the list. If you want anything AK pattern chambered in 7.62x39 in carbine length. That’s a big Hell no from the KGB over at the state police barracks. However, AK 7.62x39 pistols, RPKs, 5.45x39, and 5.56x39 AK carbines are an exception. Makes zero sense at all. All feel good legislation from the people who don’t know what they are talking about.
I had a WASR 10 years ago, loved it, got it for around $500. Sold it due to hard times. Was in the market a couple years ago, picked up a GF3 with Polish Wood, yeeted the front sight post with a 24 inch screwdriver because it was canted to maxed out left and still not zeroed. Now it's a perfect center zero lol. Gun has ran 3000 + with no issues. I did have to sand and fit the wood but over all its beautiful and runs perfectly. More accurate than the WASR to 200 yards, dont have a place here that goes further than 200. I did the AK Operators Union 25 yard Zero and it did the trick. My Romanian Bayonet fits perfectly, my Cleaning Kit and Rod of course go into place fine. The GF3 in my opinion is a better fit n finish and as reliable as the WASR ever was. So for most Underrated ide say the PSA GF3.
Ofc Misha picks some of my favorite variants, the SGLs, the Maadis, the Hungarians, and the Chinese AKs. I’ve always liked the Maadi’s for being a licensed copy of the AKM that is almost identical to the original rifle, the Chinese for having the bayonets and being unique, and the Hungarians just for being a standard AKM, with the fact they were the 3 AK’s available in the ‘80s because I’m a hardcore ‘80s nerd and I don’t count the Valmet because I don’t really care for them for being basically nearly their own platform and not being AKM’s. I get that the Saiga’s kind of cheap out, though just having a Russian AK seems cool and it’s people like me who are the reason why they are so expensive. Though I still like Romanian AK’s a lot and they are cheap and easy to find. Nowadays I think the Serbian M70 ZPAP rifle is the most over rated AK and people freak out about them just because they are affordable and have a bulged trunnion which basically isn’t necessary on a Semi Auto rifle, though it’s nice they make them like that because that’s how the military models are. Though I still prefer an AKM that is compatible with Soviet parts. Great video as always Misha.
I had a MISR (which I suspect was a MISR-10) and it was worse than an IO AK, Pioneer Arms, or Century. The rivets of the front trunion were so off that the barrel was crooked enough that the bolt would not go into battery and would hang up on the top of the chamber of the barrel. I had to lift up the charging handle with force to get it up and over so it could close. And it had the worst trigger slap out of any AK I've ever had the displeasure to use, 10x worse than even the terrible trigger on my SAR-1. Ever since, Egyptian AK's are the only ones I will only buy if I am able to inspect them in person. It was the biggest piece of shit gun I've ever held, and it made I.O.'s look good.
@@lioncelica5170 I know that the MISR-90’s were some junk that Century Arms made where they took a bunch of spare Egyptian and Chinese parts and made quite the abomination of a rifle. A lot of the modern day Romanian stuff is pretty good and replacing the trigger on your SAR-1 soiled probably solve that problem. I just wish the WASR-2 was still being imported because the 5.45x39 rifle market has been hella dry.
I got my SGL 21 for about 850 around 2011. I remember everyone talking shit about it saying that I paid way too much but I didn't care. It was the closest thing I could get to a real Russian AK. And I am so glad I bought it. Im betting many people were wishing they bout them when they were affordable because like you said, I would never pay 4,000 for it.
I sold mine with a 500 round count through it and a few wear scars on the finish in 2015 for $1385. Does yours have the front sight that is misaligned? Windage barrel way too one side?
Hey misha, could you please tell me how can I tell what year my sam7r-61 was produced. P.s., I appreciate you and Jay for all the info and knowledge you share.
I was wondering if the Valmet would be on the list, and I wasn't disappointed! Mine was number 914518, manufactured in 1991. It's a gun with the primary purpose of being easy to manufacture and service, so that buttloads of them could be churned out during a war. I don't know why people think it's a diamond or something. It's just a Kalashnikov with slightly tighter tolerances, thanks to the higher standards of Finnish manufacturing.
Hey Misha, I'm one of the ones who has suffered a broken 7.62x39mm Valmet firing pin. I have tried probably a dozen different types but have not yet found any other type of AK firing pin which is a drop-in fit. I spoke with a M92/S (semi auto Rk95) owner in Finland who also ran into a broken pin after a low round count. He was able to send his bolt back to the SAKO factory where they re-profiled it for a new improved pin. I need to go through the rigamarole of trying to obtain overseas customer support, but I was lucky enough to find one original spare pin in the meantime. Spare pins are totally out of stock everywhere (even in Finland) except when an old-timer lists his "uknown Valmet pin" on GunBroker. Valmets are fun to own, to put it mildly!
The M62S is still my favorite, but I cannot imagine purchasing another one ever again. Far too expensive, even used, and I'd be too worried about something getting broken or damaged these days, and not being able to fix it or get a replacement part. Back in the '80s (or even early 2000s), maybe a different story.
Sam 7s are overrated and over hyped he probably just didn’t want to hurt the fan boy’s feelings considering people are paying 1800 for them right now 😂😂😂😂
@@steel2234 at this moment $1800 for an AK is cheap, especially for a quality AK! You’d be wise to pick one up at that price, because once this batch sells out they’ll be selling for $3000+
@@williammason8673 Funny thing is WASRs, Saigas, VEPRs, etc? Those were on the market for years; sometimes decades. Now for younger shooters just getting into the field, this does not apply but....how often do others continually pass on something for literally year after year, until its hard to find and expensive? Why the concept of buy any import when its still coming is seemingly so difficult for some to grasp? Oh well *shrug*
@@williammason8673 if you want to brag about substandard, that's fine. Although you can't knock on higher quality rifles 🤣😂. Have no probs moving on with a better rifle 👍
Maybe I just got a bad 1, but my Maadi was a really poor example of an AK platform. Bought mine new in or around 1999 for approximately $450.00. It was basically a parts gun sold by an importer like Century or something similar. It had American trigger, hammer, piston, and pistol grip. The inside of the gun was oily and had quite a bit of sand in it. The wood, if you could call it that appeared to be carved out with a dull knife by poor carver. The hammer was cast and the parting line down the middle was so high that I had to file it down so it would actually function. It was relatively accurate at 100 yards. With its favorite ammo it would group 3 shots in 4''. However, most ammo would group into 6'' or so at 100 yards. I'd advise anyone looking for an AK platform to look at something other than a Maadi made in the late 90's or beyond approximately that time frame. I was happy to be rid of mine a couple years later for a decent profit. I've had several AK platform guns and the Maadi and the Norinco milled receiver MAC 90 were the worse of the breed. The Norinco was beautiful in every way except accuracy. Regardless of the ammo chosen it would not keep its shots on a 5 gallon bucket at 50 yards. It must have had an oversized bore. My stamped receiver MAC 90 is very accurate. It will shoot anything and most ammo really well. I've shot many groups well under 3'' at 100 yards with iron sites. Have you noticed that what ever is the cheapest variant at any given time is said to be "Junk" but once that variant is banned it somehow becomes very desirable and the quality improves 100%. People are strange when it comes to this subject
You hit all the high notes. Before I grabbed krink parts, I was thinking about a demilled valmet bullpup parts kit on gun broker. It was too much to take a chance though. I seen a sar 3 go for $3500 with one mag last month. Ban state prices though. The prices I’m seeing preban colt hbars go for makes my overrated meter go off more. Thanks
Thanks; a very enjoyable discussion. I was glad (I think) that the WASR 10 didn't make the list... This video is why I'm completely happy with my WASR. I did not want a 'premium' AK like RD or Krebs (good on those who do!), but a simple, relatively crude rifle such as Pvt Ivanovski would have been issued. THAT, to me, is the spirit of the AK. As for Chinese prices: Back in the early '90s, I worked for a wholesaler and shipped Chinese AKs for $180, Chinese SKS' for $80. The current prices are breathtaking...
The reason Wasr10's didn't make the list is they can be bought for $800 brand new, So it's kinda hard to overpay when a rifle is only $800 on the new market today and $650 on used market/In mint condition or unfired
Maadi is the first AK I owned. I bought them for around $800 in 1982. They were not so popular at that time considering the 7.62x39 ammo were a $1 a pop. AKs were made not to be collectible. They were made for one sole purpose...to kill.
Hi Misha. Thank you for sharing your expertise! What do you think of the new Arsenal SLR107R-11E that is assembled in Nevada? How does the quality compare with a SAM-7R made in Bulgaria? I dont think they have been assembling AK's in Nevada for very long, and with most mechanical things it takes a while to work out all quality problems. With ammo so high now, its not like we can shoot 200-500 rounds ourselves to "prove" a new gun's reliability.
You should do a under appreciated ak video, personally I think plain old wasrs are excellent guns for their (non 2020) prices that suffer unduly for panic rushed guns circa 2008
Misha, followed you from way back when of the SA forum days. Owned many quality firearms from your knowledge. Keep up the great work, you are appreciated my friend. :)
My M70AB2T probably incapacitated more human than some expensive modern SLR since I personally seen majority of AKM in current conflicts are mostly made from Balkan Regions? Correct me if I’m mistaken even if they come from same region⚜️🥷
I bought a Chinese Polytech in 1988 for $300.00, in Atlanta. You're are dead on with the price. Also, all the wood was like a "raw' wood, almost white. So I stained it and Polyurethaned it. Had it until 2012. Great gun, never had a jam or malfunction at all.
My first ak was a vepr and man have I been in love ever since all I ever needed, I've paid 2 grand on a meridian defense lust ak and I always go back to my 600 dollar vepr
@@whiskey2117 Back when the VEPR FM-74-21 was on the market, before the sanctions? Retail was $1,200 NIB, with dealer cost about $1,050. Back then, thought that was a heck of a deal. After the ban, it became a hell of a deal.
I just took my pioneer to the range and a guy offered 2k for it . I bought it for 700 . I’ll never sell it despite it being kinda weird , it’s still a Russian AK pattern rifle and works like one.
I’ve had two FEGs, two Maadis (one long barreled), three Mak 90s (one with long heavy barrel and bipod), and have loved them all. A little trigger slap with the Maadis but no big deal. Bought em all when they were relatively cheap.
18:43 OMG AHAHAHAHAHAH! That's the first time I ever heard Misha do a mocking voice! Amazing video as always y'all. I was always curious why in the hell do people, even to this day, say AKs are cheap to buy, yet I never see them actually own own nor answer me when I ask them why they didn't get it when it was that cheap. Always appreciate the never ending knowledge bombs! \m/
Years ago I bought a Polytek in 5.56, a few years ago I tried to sell it because I had an AR and already had a Norinco AK in 7.62. Nobody would buy it because it was polytek and they didn’t want to pay the retail price for an AK and so I still have it
I enjoy many of your videos. I just recently, unfortunately too late, got into the AK platform. Well, my first one was an M92 that I love. And just recently bought a SAM7SF84E . My research brought me to your videos and I must say that I have been enjoying them very much. Learned a lot!
Man, this video is great. Not too many people these days even know what a Valmet is... back in the day I owned two Valmet M76s. One had dark red furniture (total POS, it malfunction on me and dumped the entire mag full auto- talked about puckering up) the other had plastic black furniture. I never was a big fan. Even in the early 90s those mags were hard to find and ran $60-80 each. I sold them off and went to a Magnum Research Galil ARM. I always loved Galil's. I am surprised they didn't make the list. I have probably owned around 20 Galil's previously. I had a Poly Tech Legend and I truly loved it. What a fun gun!!! If i remember correctly it was around $400 in '86. Later, I owned a Hungarian as well as a few Maadis. I just bought an Arsenal SAM7SF and I love it! Other than full auto stuff, it is the first AK i have owned in 25+ years. I just posted a review if you are interested. I have over 100K followers on other platforms. I will give you a shoutout for AK guys. You have great AK knowledge my man. Out.
While I respect your opinions on the Russian guns, I still believe the Veprs are 100% worth the hype. Weight concerns not withstanding, I believe they’re the best AK type rifles ever to grace our shores. Thank you for the content you create. Take care!
Both my Mak 90’s I like a whole lot. Good triggers. Very smooth action. I like em as much as any AK I’ve ever had. I’ve had a lot. I do like my Molot Vepr FM 11 probably more
My first experience with ak variant was when I was 11 with a mak 90. Been obsessed we the AK every sense. However it was quickly overshadowed by a family friends bullet riddled stock AK that was a Vietnam bring home. One can imagine the enjoyment one can get from Charlie s lifted patrol tool.
I had a MAk 90 in the late 80s, it was a shooter. Fit and finish was crap and it was worthless out past 100 yards, but fun to plink around with. A real truck/farm type gun.
I want to get into AK’s, but for how “cheap” they are, what turns me off is that the theres a list of caveats and qualifiers of what is good or not. Maybe i’ll wait and get a cheap one eventually, but only when the ammopocolyse ends.
Get a wasr for 600-750$ (don't buy 2020-21 rape prices) , replace the wood if its the u.s blonde balsa. And 9/10 you will have a ak just as tough and reliable as premium imports
If you want to get into the AK world without spending too much, think about Palmetto State Armory. I have been impressed with mine. Put together well, sights dead on at 25 yds, not visibly canted. Only mod I did was machine a safety so I can eject a cartridge while on safe.
Well, you are a bit too late. But, I would advise only buying eastern block foreign AKs. Honestly if you want to be as sure as you can be, just buy an Arsenal and get it over with! A new Arsenal is as safe as you can get anymore if you are worried about getting junk. You really have to learn a whole lot about AKs before buying one!!!
I love my sgl-21, but I got it for $650...the prices they go for now due to the embargo are way too much and there are better options for less now unless you absolutely need a Russian AK in your collection.
Anyone reading my comment do not buy a Riley defense. I tried putting on a muzzle brake and now it’s fucking stripped really hard and not even on properly it’s halfway screwed on. I had 3 armorers take a look at it and they can’t even take it off. And my Retaining plate lever broke off. Not only that but I tried putting on a Magpul under barrel grip and it won’t attach even though Riley defense says they are compatible. The type I got was the RAK 47 C
Arsenal furniture feels cheap as hell, their finish on the barrel and gun is garbage, and their sights are canted right out of the box for $1,500 to $2,000. What a joke!
@@justinbiggs7729 I can assure you, as someone who had to spend hours cutting through the polymer stock of an SLR to swap it for a triangle folder, they are *not* cheaply made. Even cut through at the thinnest point, standing on it and trying to break it, smacking it onto concrete, hitting with a one handed mallet, it didn't bend or break, I had to saw cut all the way through it. I also have 3 Arsenals without a single canted sight or bubbled finish. That's just been our collective hands on experience though, for whatever that's worth - yours certainly could have varied. I will agree that they're too rich for my blood in general and "feel" like most of their rifles belong in the $1200 range, but unfortunately feeling that way does not make it so. Arsenals have always been on the high side of the AK market.
I bought an Arsenal SAS M7 Classic for more than I should have, but its the rifle I wanted and had the money. Sometimes if there's something you want you just have to pay a little extra for it
You have some very nice guns. I think the market for AKs however doesn't have that much to do with how cosmetically nice they are. People who tend to buy AKs find the major selling points are; being tough, reliable, impervious to poor conditions. As such these guns are more likely to be used and not set on a shelf. Your standards are about collecting. As for price, it might be that price has a hype component in a market; but generally it is simply demand and supply. When supply stops, you often get a limited used gun supply because few want to let go of their gun as they know it will not be readily available in the future.
Any AK at this point that is not “overrated “ is pretty much a piece of crap. The AK market sucks now, very limited selection IMO. A Wasr now is even overrated but that is because it’s not a POS. So to have a decent quality AK now is considered a good thing and people want it because they don’t want some of the POS’s out there. The market speaks for its self
Agreed completely with your points about Saigas. As a friendly reminder to AK enthusiasts in America; in Russia, the average price of most Saiga models is $500, and the average price of a Dragunov SVD Tigr is $1,000. Please remember this before you go and give somebody $4,000 for a 10 year old Saiga SGL, or $8,000+ for a 25 year old SVD Tigr.
Your point makes no sense. No one is buying them in russia to be imported here as they obviously can't do that. Regardless of what you think the price SHOULD be the market decides the price, not what they cost in another country...
We know. A $500 AK in Russia isn't doing anything for us, in the US, unless we want to try to smuggle it over. It seems extremely unlikely the sanctions will ever be lifted.
@@richardcranium1040 "The market" is nothing more than a load of collectors that are willing to spend their life's savings paying utterly ubsurd price markups on items for no legitimate reason(s). Regardless of it being available or not, a Saiga is simply not worth what some Americans are trying to charge for them now. Zastava M70s for example are still being imported by the container load currently, yet there are people trying to charge 50%+ markup on those too.
@@timewave02012 Then don't buy one. Live without it. Speaking as someone who has owned a Saiga, they are simply not deserving of the mythical reputation and ubsurdly marked-up prices as Misha said. I for one would not pay $4,000 for a $1,000 gun, regardless of how much I love it, but to each their own.
@@user-ij9sh1tf9d They're certainly not deserving of the mythical reputation, but that's also true of AKs in general. You don't get a Saiga because it's a better AK, or even because it's a better rifle. You get it because you want an AK, and can afford the one everyone else wants the most, regardless of whether they're justified. When you first get into gun collecting, you might think you want a safe full of WASRs, but if you actually achieve that, you'll probably regret it and end up wanting fewer, higher value guns, even if the "value" is from sanction-imposed scarcity.
One left off milled Poly Tech, I bought a really nice one about 6 years ago for $1700. It was ok but not really what I expected. Bluing was thin, and the wood was cheap and finish poor. The fit was good but no better than my Sam7. I sold it at auction a week later for $2800 and never looked back.
My AKS at #2 is there to represent pretty much all Chinese, including the Legends and MAK90s too. For me, i got a Legend and then got another SLR100H. I realised shooting both back to back that i much preferred the SLR100H, and just a short time later a fellow dealer was looking for a milled Chinese, so i sold it to him. He was happy and i saw little reason to keep a $2k+ rifle that i wasn't really loving.
Yep, i think one simple fact some in these comments are missing is that these are all ones I own too. If i hated them or thought they were rubbish, I would have sold them already. The point of this video was to give a realistic apprazel of each, warts & all.
I really like my Sam7 had a 107r for a little bit and the Sam7 is one of the best I have used. It’s about a point heavier than most but the quality is higher. How do you tell what year your AK is?
In general it does depress me how many people simply get mad if someone else tells them something they don't want to hear or don't want to believe is true. As if denying something will force it to be the way they want. I definitely want to get back to a calmer and more polite decission type environment.
@@misha5670 I love it when people "alter my perception" on a topic. Helps me develop as a person. It often helps me build better guns, train better, and shoot better.
So $1000 for a new unfired mak90 is an ok deal. Should I leave it as is? I don't plan on shooting it. I don't want to turn it into a "kit" gun if it's going to ruin the value. It's the underfolder style receiver. What's your thoughts?
"They fuckin' saw an SKS." Hilarious.
I bought a chinese polytech ak 47 for 99 from a guy named crackhead jim in the 1980s. You could totally get a chinese ak for 99 dollars.
I did too. He's so professional and even he thinks it. I had a guy told me that he bought one for that today. LOL
@@joesan7910 Only shot once & very, very well cleaned afterwards
I've said this to people at work before and it always ends with hurt feelings on the side of the boaster.
I've had that in reverse though, I had my SG550 for sale in GunList and some dealer called me up and tried to BS me into trading it on four MAK-90s which at the time you could get for around $300. I was like, dream on. "Oh but they're worth $1,000". Okay, sell them for $4,000 and get back to me when you have the cash. Surprisingly, I never heard from him again.
Scarcity breeds mythology. People act like colt m16's had perfect finish and sub MOA accuracy. Neither are true. Military guns are military quality for most nations. When I hear "military grade" I think, maybe I will look for something better elsewhere.
I would argue that military grade is actually a selling point with rifles like the FAL or AK, considering how absolute dogshit the civilian market has been at making their own.
But milspec means 1/4 moa, perfect reliability, it shoots 60% over saami spec e and turns you into captain price from COD modern warfare 😂😂😂
Don't think people realize mil spec meant 2 to 6 MOA. It may be different now but with the A2 that wad good to go.
Absolutely, all these people who spend all this time and money getting "milspec" - which means made by the lowest bidder. The current best example being the P320 which is massively overrated. Also, what the military uses their guns for is not what we use our guns for.
@@steven-k. You said that right steve. The problem with the cult of the milspec is that companies used that to sell their weapons and optics at rediculious prices thats why milspec ars are so costly. Your paying 2k for that pony because someone put a milspec in front even tho the barrel is 1/9 twist
2:40 Hungarian FEG SA85M
6:22 SGL 31
10:38 Egyptian MAADI
17:57 Chinese AKs
26:33 Finnish Valmet
Thx👍🏿
Save me some time. Love his videos but can be very long
the vska, pioneer/i.o ak's are definitely the most over priced ak right now. I see some going for almost 1200. Friends don't let friends buy a vska.
I had no idea Century were still peddling those things.
@@misha5670 sadly so, I seen one at my LGS for 1100 and my soul died a little. I did just trade a scorpion for a NHM-91 earlier today, a little rusty but I don't mind for a $700 trade haha.
These are the only ones that never go out of stock. PSA and WBP rifles go out of stock within the hour, VSKA are always there, $999, buy two get a can opener
IO. Inc AK'S are dangerous junk! Bad metallurgy in the bolt carriers and trunnions cause catastrophic failures. Stay away from them!
@@JohnnyBGoode215 I.O. doesn't make AKs, they make grenades that are shaped like an AK.
Jeez, Misha really got angry about the $99 Chinese AK stories... caught me off guard😂
Dishonesty, lies, ....bullshit pisses me off lol.
@@misha5670 1980s roses department store ads
Me too, I think this is the first time I've heard him swear. Then again, I haven't watched much...
Of all the hobbies I've been involved in, the gun hobby has easily been by far the most filled with misinformation and general total idiocy, over any other hobby/interest I'm well aware of. I've found that it's a very lonely hobby because of this, you just learn to dislike fellow gun owners after long enough...that is if you aren't one of the morons who never did any research of their own on their own guns, having just a surface level superficial interest. I think guns are too serious an item for people who aren't fairly serious about them.
If it ain't obvious, I could go all day.
Feel free, go on. We aren't into 'short form' around here hehe.
I just wish really good aks were still available at a decent price
@@ADUSN oh yeah definately agree, but hell good aks have been pricey now for years
@Shapiro Shekelberg shit bro sounds like one hell of a vacation lol
I can't even find a front/rear biased mount in stock
2300 for a sam7sf in California 🙃
WBP Fox when in stock
I’m so glad that when I went to pick out an Ak in 2013, knowing next to nothing at the time I picked up a Zastava NPAP. I remember looking at an IO and liking the furniture on it, but decided on the Zastava because it looked more robust. It has served me well.
hell yeah my first was also the Npap. I actually had the Piston retainer pen come loose at about 5000 rounds. was an inexpensive fix but definitely startled me
same happened to me.
You dodged a bullet with the IO. Those rifles are cast parts
I just got a zpap M70 with the chromed lined barrel! 1.5mm bulged receiver. Are the bolt and trunnion hammer forged?
Nicely put. Im late to the game like many other dudes and picked a terrible time to get into the ak game
Start by getting a kit on gunbroker someone undersell by bad keyword use (eg misspelling izhmash for example) then build your own. The initial investment is high in tools though. I have several kits bought in the last 6 months for $400-600 mostly wasr10, romy g but also a polish 556 and a 1968 russian in there also ($750). You have to pay private sellers with money order but I have never been conned yet in 10 years of buying guns in USA.
If you recognize the market is small and prices high right now, why get into the AK game at all? At least, why right now? If you lived for years without one earlier, why not just keep on without an AK until the market returns to something like normal, or just be patient and wait for a good deal to come your way?
@@ArieteArmsRAMLITE Have you seen most people's first attempts at AK builds? Back when kits were $100-$200? sure gamble with a build and make it a fun learning experience, but checkout the prices on kits these days. Even 'cheap' ones really aren't worth risking fucking up doing one's first build attempt. For what it costs for the kit, receiver, barrel, and tools....by the time a person spends all that money, they could have just bought a Zastava M70 or Cugir WASR.
@@misha5670 here we go....this will be our second falling out....time for me to leave your channel
If you want to follow misha's advice and buy a new ak come to Kentucky. I just got a new zpap $800 out the door and they had ammo $8 a box of 30 tulammo. No one here even knows what an ak is. They were trying to sell me hunting rifles. I cleaned them out of all their cz's and some glocks, pmr30 and a sub 2000, all at the 'old' prices. I got a new 308 saiga for $999 recently on a gunbroker auction, the seller was very annoyed with me but he completed the deal. There are deals out there. Ammo is crazy but there are still gun deals.
You should do an underrated AKs next. Give us the scoop of what you think about some great AKs that are being undersold, I love watching these videos because you have such a well of knowledge and you explain everything in an easy understandable way. Keep up the good work!
Sounds good but will probably drive the prices up even more haha
@@AK545Huskers yeah, I thought about that too, but it seems like they're driving up the prices alongside the ammo prices. I bought an AKV from palmetto state for $800 and now I think its $1,100 to get one. It's risen that much in 1 year.
@@scottdixon2697 Wow really? That’s insane I really like the PSA aks I would get one but I’m buying up imports before they’re gone. I got an Arsenal yesterday with two circle 10 mags for 1950 and a M92 with some good accessories for 1000. I think I did okay for covid pricing
@@AK545Huskers yeah I'd say you're coming up on top with that deal. I bought just a regular AK from PSA too, I think I paid $800 and those are maybe $900 now, at least the last time I checked they were. But to be honest I love that PSA AK, they are well built, and they fixed the main problem I have with AKs, canted sights. Its just so nice looking down an AK and seeing those sights straight as can be. I do want an Arsenal SAM7 too, or an M90, or even a type 56 would be nice.
Norinco hunter, wasr 10/63, sa 200m
1. Hungarian FEG SA85M
4. SGL 31
3. Egyptian Maadi
2. China
1. Valmet M62
@Joe Mama I put these in order for those who don't want to watch the video :) misha's words and numbers, not mine.
@Joe Mama Far from it
Mishaco is a “walking encyclopedia”. Thank you for all the knowledge you pass to us.
Collectors will ALWAYS pay outrageous prices for these. That will never change.
Agreed 100 % on the maadi's I would never pay 1800 for one no way.
I remember in the late nineties those things were like $300 and they couldn't give them away
yup that guy from kalash concern, nothing good to say about Albanian AK either ;)
Had a guy tell me $4500 for one and found some b.s post online where he said one sold for $4600 so he said his was worth $4500 lol.
I should of asked if it sold with 5000rds of ammo.
@@darknature79 it was probably a preban Steyer import. They do fetch some crazy money but once again I wouldn't pay that lol
@@mattmorrison9379 it was the one with drum and thumbhole stock,at the time he told me exact details and I looked em up and they were selling for $1500 to $2000 right now.
Pretty sure he may of said preban so I looked up sold and selling models of his exact one and that's what I seen.
I'm noob to ak but have learned a whole lot in the last month.
About a 2 month noob but got a Romy g and one of the newer nodak tgi amd65s.
Which compared to what's on the market and prices,I'm damn happy I was able to get them both just as prides rose up and literally a week later is when shit went crazy on prices.
I love my tgi amd65s,runs super smooth and I started to appreciate it a lot more after holding a few other brands lol
I remember, back in the nineties, when I used to live in Cuba, how the Chinese Aks had a bad reputation. The biggest issue was how easy they rusted out, compared to the European counterparts. They also broke more often than not, I guess the metallurgy was not up to par. I found it interesting that, once in the USA, people would talk highly of them. They definitely upped the quality for US sales, compared to the “military grade”, select fire versions they sold to other countries.
Agreed, I've heard similar statements from many others all around the world. Also, happy you came to join us here in the USA, cheers.
@@misha5670 Thank you. I love the USA! I earned my citizenship over fifteen years ago, wile in the Navy. Never looked back, and very happy to be here!
Maadi si, Maadi si, Maadi si, Norinco no.
Everything's overpriced these days...
Not vz58...
Inflation
@▪■immersion::void::paragon■▪ you helmet
@No Name you just traded your investment for devalued currency.
@No Name holy crap!
Thank you for your AK expertise. Certainly one of the top knowledgeable AK guys in our country. Bought an Arsenal SLR 107FR triangle side folder from you several years ago and love it.
@LebaneseChristian I agree 👍
I remember when the first Maadi AKM's was advertised in Shotgun news. They were asking $1200 for them back then. Some people purchased them, since they were the first AK copy that was introduced.Few purchased them since ammunition was rare and very expensive. The Valmet was too different looking from the soviet AK.The Chinese AK's were great AK's and sold well because they also imported cheap ammunition with their rifles. The cheapest AK's I saw were $250 dealer price. The wood is Teak wood. The Polytech Legend series were much better made than the Norinco rifles and the price reflected it. Try to find Peter G. Kokalis reviews of them in Soldier of Fourtune magazine. The Legend variant had better made triggers and parts. We have come far since then.
We used to buy AKs (norinco) back in the early 90s for 130 bucks.
You have a very nice German Shepherd they're pretty 👍
I purchased my Maadi out of Shot Gun News back in the early 1990s for less than $200!
At the time I almost purchased a pair of them but didn't think they were worth the cost being just a standard pattern AKM style rifle.
I put many thousands of rounds through that rifle with never a problem.
I will say this, the furniture was miss-matched poorly stained than looked like some form of plywood!
As I noted in a previous comment, the original box the rifle arrived in was full of sand/dust along with the documentation.
Idc what anyone says I LOVE the Hungarian underfolder lol.
People who hate underfolders are ojectively wrong
My hometown Walmart was selling Chinese AKs for $200 in 1991.
P.S.- In addition to the expansive knowledge of the subject, the depth of vocabulary used in the presentation is astounding. I always find new words like "shittily" to be fascinating.
Whenever someone tells me how great or how awful a gun is I have two questions for them. 1. Have you ever shot one? 2. Have you ever owned one? Glad to see a video from someone who can answer yes to both questions. Keep up the good work.
My favorite is people who have never even held one at the store, much less (1) or (2)
I shit on century, because I had a century. Lol
@@travis2726 same :D
I agree with your assessment in the video, it never fails that once something is banned from importation it suddenly becomes the best thing since sliced bread and the people that have them think its worth more than its actually is worth
Always thought my Maadi was like the ugly girl in high school who really knew her way around a dark Impala back seat.
Strangely, that pretty much sums it up perfectly.
I went to the wrong damn high school
@@jackmcgramm2259 Trust me, sometimes it took more than a shower to wash off the shame afterwards.
Ur maadi is and has always been a gem.. This guy is basically disconnected with reality. American Aks are too risky to buy most built poorly . Maadi and other old schoolers even Chinese were and are great . This guy with his, this not lining up or that off or whatever...
Get real. Ak wasnt designed for beauty contest with straight & neat lines. Its a weapon of war not hipster tender foots..lol.
Yeah idfk what he's on about. Maadi rifles are great
The only Arsenal worth buying now is the sam7. I blew a trunion on my Arsenal slr 107cr at 5k rounds. I have owned about 4 of the Bulgarian arsenals including a Sam7k. The milled guns do live up to the hype. They are just too heavy for me. The stamped ones are like an older wasr with moderm features. Shotty qc and shit paint. All but one of my stamped Arsenal's has a canted front or rear sight and my 106cr wouldn't even run out of the box.
Bulgarian stamped 7.62 guns seem lackluster imo, their stamped 5.45 guns and milled 7.62 guns have been flawless for me
@@slavphil7532 I'm in the same boat as you on the Bulgarian guns. SAM7 & SLR-104, are definitely their best guns.
I have the SAM7k-34 and it only weighs 5.5 lbs because it only has a 8.3 inch barrel after I add some zenitco furniture and a red dot it will probably go up to 6.5 lbs.
@@slavphil7532 Granted I don't have a ton of rounds through my SLR-104FR, but I have no complaints. I did change out the trigger to single stage for personal preference. No paint bubbling or finish issues.
@DV8 *** there is an American company it’s actually about 5 guys that are ex spec ops ex CIA and all that badassery they taking Childers receivers and building Tactial AKs from the ground up out of the top tier parts and a lot of engineering and R&D & with lifetime warranty on parts and labor they have them listed at 2400.00 and they can’t build them fast enough 9 month back order right now. So some people pay for quality. I did sell my SAM7 to get one ordered a while back and I’m still waiting.
I purchased my first 2 ak's back before the Clinton ban. MAK90's for $182.25 each. They came with the Planet of the Apes thumbhole stock.
Yep, they were solid guns for the money back then. A lot of farmers bought them around here for actual serious use in the fields.
When will people learn to stop electing Democrats?
@@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess also Republicans.. Reagan and Trump weren’t exactly pro 2A
@@misha5670 They were truck/junk guns that you could beat up and not care about. True SHTF guns that always go bang, but were just sloppy in fit and finish. I had a MAK 90 for about $250 back the late 80s. It was a fun shooter but not accurate for crap past 100 yards. People love these things. I've seen them going for $1200 to $1500 these days which is just insane pricing and totally not worth it.
@@AK545Huskers Reagan was far more pro 2A than any democrat we've had in the last 75 years. I'd gladly take Ron back right about now.
Sold my first gun i bought at 16 (an arsenal slr107fr) and am now buying it back from the same guy now at Age 22 next week. Cheers Misha, thanks for a great video.
I ran into the fellow that I sold my pre-1968 Ruger 10/22 all those years ago. I was too embarrassed to ask him if he still had the gun. Much as I would like have it back, he (if he still had it) obviously cared more for it than I did.
@@dbmail545 thanks for sharing. It was definitely a humbling experience for me. And yes, a little embarassing. At first he said no, but he just wanted me to accept that as reality and then he offered to sell it back to me. Hes a great man for doing that for me.
lmfao, the SKS anecdote was hilarious xDD Great vid as always
Always a superb review!!!! I enjoy getting educated by you Misha, stay well. Beautiful collection
Excellent vid Mish, I love the more simplistic direction of your vids, all good information and no bling n bang.
Right? No obnoxious intros, no ego driven "personality", no political conspiracy theories, and trustworthy information.
Great vid as always! Much love and respect Misha! The one thumbs down dude prolly paid 4k for a saiga/maadi/norinco/polytech
LOL Misha out here Crushing dreams XD
Subverting expectations! hehe
Nah, hes probably the only one besides me who look at their aks as a reliable fighting tool instead of an object to look at and make silly youtube videos talking about things that they read about on the interwebs. Spend your money on training and being proficient with your weapon not on what's cool and pretty. If your ak survives a 16hr fighting rifle course, you got a keeper.
@@proceramic7422 Welcome, you're new around here based on your comment. Feel free to poke around and checkout our near-decade of a catalogue looking into the history and mechanics of firearms. One thing that I can promise you for sure, I don't judge firearms based on how they look hehehe.
I like the 1.5mm revivers when it comes to mourning optics through the side rail, since it results in less flexing of the receiver👍
But godd@mn theyre heavy as a motherf*ck*r lol. My Vepr feels like it's a 100 pounds with a loaded 30rd steel mag and an optic rail/optic mounted on it lol 😂
I love the SAM7 but sadly it and most on this list are banned in my state. Unfortunately I live in a state that has sold their soul to the CCP.
Which state do you live in? If its Cali, the SAM7 isn't banned by name. The SLR is but not SAM7 (just saying it here for public viewing in-case).
@@misha5670 I’m in Maryland, we have a banned rifle list. They are listed out by name. As new stuff hits the market our freedom fighting FFLs will submit forms to the state police for transfer and usually denied and added to the wall of shame. I thought I was gonna catch a break when the new 103 Klone dropped but sure enough they just stuck in on the list. If you want anything AK pattern chambered in 7.62x39 in carbine length. That’s a big Hell no from the KGB over at the state police barracks. However, AK 7.62x39 pistols, RPKs, 5.45x39, and 5.56x39 AK carbines are an exception. Makes zero sense at all. All feel good legislation from the people who don’t know what they are talking about.
I know it's not an AK but honestly, the SKS is held to near mythical proportions where in reality it's a simple fighting rifle.
I was going to change out my gas block on my SAR1 but then I just drank a red bull instead.
California: Shark fin grip
Finland: Shark tail stock
JAWS theme plays
Love it when Mishaco says....."in my opinion".... Like he is not one of the worlds foremost authorities on the platform 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I had a WASR 10 years ago, loved it, got it for around $500.
Sold it due to hard times.
Was in the market a couple years ago, picked up a GF3 with Polish Wood, yeeted the front sight post with a 24 inch screwdriver because it was canted to maxed out left and still not zeroed. Now it's a perfect center zero lol. Gun has ran 3000 + with no issues. I did have to sand and fit the wood but over all its beautiful and runs perfectly. More accurate than the WASR to 200 yards, dont have a place here that goes further than 200. I did the AK Operators Union 25 yard Zero and it did the trick. My Romanian Bayonet fits perfectly, my Cleaning Kit and Rod of course go into place fine. The GF3 in my opinion is a better fit n finish and as reliable as the WASR ever was. So for most Underrated ide say the PSA GF3.
Ofc Misha picks some of my favorite variants, the SGLs, the Maadis, the Hungarians, and the Chinese AKs. I’ve always liked the Maadi’s for being a licensed copy of the AKM that is almost identical to the original rifle, the Chinese for having the bayonets and being unique, and the Hungarians just for being a standard AKM, with the fact they were the 3 AK’s available in the ‘80s because I’m a hardcore ‘80s nerd and I don’t count the Valmet because I don’t really care for them for being basically nearly their own platform and not being AKM’s. I get that the Saiga’s kind of cheap out, though just having a Russian AK seems cool and it’s people like me who are the reason why they are so expensive. Though I still like Romanian AK’s a lot and they are cheap and easy to find. Nowadays I think the Serbian M70 ZPAP rifle is the most over rated AK and people freak out about them just because they are affordable and have a bulged trunnion which basically isn’t necessary on a Semi Auto rifle, though it’s nice they make them like that because that’s how the military models are. Though I still prefer an AKM that is compatible with Soviet parts. Great video as always Misha.
I had a MISR (which I suspect was a MISR-10) and it was worse than an IO AK, Pioneer Arms, or Century. The rivets of the front trunion were so off that the barrel was crooked enough that the bolt would not go into battery and would hang up on the top of the chamber of the barrel. I had to lift up the charging handle with force to get it up and over so it could close. And it had the worst trigger slap out of any AK I've ever had the displeasure to use, 10x worse than even the terrible trigger on my SAR-1. Ever since, Egyptian AK's are the only ones I will only buy if I am able to inspect them in person. It was the biggest piece of shit gun I've ever held, and it made I.O.'s look good.
@@lioncelica5170 I know that the MISR-90’s were some junk that Century Arms made where they took a bunch of spare Egyptian and Chinese parts and made quite the abomination of a rifle. A lot of the modern day Romanian stuff is pretty good and replacing the trigger on your SAR-1 soiled probably solve that problem. I just wish the WASR-2 was still being imported because the 5.45x39 rifle market has been hella dry.
I got my SGL 21 for about 850 around 2011. I remember everyone talking shit about it saying that I paid way too much but I didn't care. It was the closest thing I could get to a real Russian AK. And I am so glad I bought it. Im betting many people were wishing they bout them when they were affordable because like you said, I would never pay 4,000 for it.
I sold mine with a 500 round count through it and a few wear scars on the finish in 2015 for $1385. Does yours have the front sight that is misaligned? Windage barrel way too one side?
Another great video, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.
Hey misha, could you please tell me how can I tell what year my sam7r-61 was produced. P.s., I appreciate you and Jay for all the info and knowledge you share.
First 2 numbers of the serial number.
Thats what i had thought but The only numbers I see beside the circle 10, are 53 or 49. So I'm still not sure
My first two numbers on my SA M7 are 01 is that good??
I was wondering if the Valmet would be on the list, and I wasn't disappointed! Mine was number 914518, manufactured in 1991.
It's a gun with the primary purpose of being easy to manufacture and service, so that buttloads of them could be churned out during a war. I don't know why people think it's a diamond or something. It's just a Kalashnikov with slightly tighter tolerances, thanks to the higher standards of Finnish manufacturing.
Hey Misha, I'm one of the ones who has suffered a broken 7.62x39mm Valmet firing pin. I have tried probably a dozen different types but have not yet found any other type of AK firing pin which is a drop-in fit. I spoke with a M92/S (semi auto Rk95) owner in Finland who also ran into a broken pin after a low round count. He was able to send his bolt back to the SAKO factory where they re-profiled it for a new improved pin. I need to go through the rigamarole of trying to obtain overseas customer support, but I was lucky enough to find one original spare pin in the meantime. Spare pins are totally out of stock everywhere (even in Finland) except when an old-timer lists his "uknown Valmet pin" on GunBroker. Valmets are fun to own, to put it mildly!
The M62S is still my favorite, but I cannot imagine purchasing another one ever again. Far too expensive, even used, and I'd be too worried about something getting broken or damaged these days, and not being able to fix it or get a replacement part. Back in the '80s (or even early 2000s), maybe a different story.
Thanks for Shareing your knowledge
I almost had a heart attack with the SAM7 intro
Subverting your expectations...the 'right' way haha.
Sam 7s are overrated and over hyped he probably just didn’t want to hurt the fan boy’s feelings considering people are paying 1800 for them right now 😂😂😂😂
@@steel2234 You aren't too familiar with who I am, are you? lol
@@steel2234 at this moment $1800 for an AK is cheap, especially for a quality AK! You’d be wise to pick one up at that price, because once this batch sells out they’ll be selling for $3000+
@@steel2234 also, take what Nutnfancy has to say with a grain of salt, especially what he has to say about the AK platform
What a strange world we live in. I can get 2 AR's for the price of 1 AK. Really junk AK at that.
The WASR guys need to stop down talking other models.😂🤣
If they snagged when under 650, they own bragging rights. All others... move along.
@@williammason8673 Funny thing is WASRs, Saigas, VEPRs, etc? Those were on the market for years; sometimes decades. Now for younger shooters just getting into the field, this does not apply but....how often do others continually pass on something for literally year after year, until its hard to find and expensive? Why the concept of buy any import when its still coming is seemingly so difficult for some to grasp? Oh well *shrug*
@@williammason8673 if you want to brag about substandard, that's fine. Although you can't knock on higher quality rifles 🤣😂. Have no probs moving on with a better rifle 👍
I bought one right when the ban was first lifted , wouldn't believe what that gun originally came with , and it was a quality gun
WASR is fine but I really doubt any stamped reciever AK should be considered high quality. You should be happy to get any imports at all.
Maybe I just got a bad 1, but my Maadi was a really poor example of an AK platform. Bought mine new in or around 1999 for approximately $450.00. It was basically a parts gun sold by an importer like Century or something similar. It had American trigger, hammer, piston, and pistol grip. The inside of the gun was oily and had quite a bit of sand in it. The wood, if you could call it that appeared to be carved out with a dull knife by poor carver. The hammer was cast and the parting line down the middle was so high that I had to file it down so it would actually function. It was relatively accurate at 100 yards. With its favorite ammo it would group 3 shots in 4''. However, most ammo would group into 6'' or so at 100 yards. I'd advise anyone looking for an AK platform to look at something other than a Maadi made in the late 90's or beyond approximately that time frame. I was happy to be rid of mine a couple years later for a decent profit. I've had several AK platform guns and the Maadi and the Norinco milled receiver MAC 90 were the worse of the breed. The Norinco was beautiful in every way except accuracy. Regardless of the ammo chosen it would not keep its shots on a 5 gallon bucket at 50 yards. It must have had an oversized bore. My stamped receiver MAC 90 is very accurate. It will shoot anything and most ammo really well. I've shot many groups well under 3'' at 100 yards with iron sites. Have you noticed that what ever is the cheapest variant at any given time is said to be "Junk" but once that variant is banned it somehow becomes very desirable and the quality improves 100%. People are strange when it comes to this subject
No I had one sold it as a parts gun. Had feeding problems then it just stopped feeding.
4K for an SGL... someone else has seen that sale on GB!
Edit: the most recent sale I’ve seen is now for around 6k
Sadly, there's been more than 1
@@misha5670 wow. I know they’re Russian made AK’s, but I could buy two Imbel FAL’s + Mags for that price, and they aren’t cheap either.
Right now I seen two ZPAP92's and theyre both listed at 2999. This is getting out of hand
Geez! I have a couple SGLs. Maybe it’s time to send them on down the road!
"AKA AK hype"
32 people just paid a lot for one of those!
Excellent to get your thoughts on this subject, great timing! Thanks.
You hit all the high notes. Before I grabbed krink parts, I was thinking about a demilled valmet bullpup parts kit on gun broker. It was too much to take a chance though. I seen a sar 3 go for $3500 with one mag last month. Ban state prices though. The prices I’m seeing preban colt hbars go for makes my overrated meter go off more. Thanks
I have a Norinco sks paratrooper that I really like. Light in the front end. Easy to move from target to target.
Thanks; a very enjoyable discussion. I was glad (I think) that the WASR 10 didn't make the list... This video is why I'm completely happy with my WASR. I did not want a 'premium' AK like RD or Krebs (good on those who do!), but a simple, relatively crude rifle such as Pvt Ivanovski would have been issued. THAT, to me, is the spirit of the AK.
As for Chinese prices: Back in the early '90s, I worked for a wholesaler and shipped Chinese AKs for $180, Chinese SKS' for $80. The current prices are breathtaking...
The reason Wasr10's didn't make the list is they can be bought for $800 brand new, So it's kinda hard to overpay when a rifle is only $800 on the new market today and $650 on used market/In mint condition or unfired
I was lucky enough to find a Sam7 2020 version yesterday! And of course I didn’t leave without it lol
Maadi is the first AK I owned. I bought them for around $800 in 1982. They were not so popular at that time considering the 7.62x39 ammo were a $1 a pop. AKs were made not to be collectible. They were made for one sole purpose...to kill.
Hi Misha. Thank you for sharing your expertise! What do you think of the new Arsenal SLR107R-11E that is assembled in Nevada? How does the quality compare with a SAM-7R made in Bulgaria? I dont think they have been assembling AK's in Nevada for very long, and with most mechanical things it takes a while to work out all quality problems. With ammo so high now, its not like we can shoot 200-500 rounds ourselves to "prove" a new gun's reliability.
You should do a under appreciated ak video, personally I think plain old wasrs are excellent guns for their (non 2020) prices that suffer unduly for panic rushed guns circa 2008
New WASR’s I feel like are overrated, but the older-Gen ones are really well made, especially the SAR-1’s
Did an Underappreciated prebans last week. We'll see about an AK-focused version sometime here soon.
Misha, followed you from way back when of the SA forum days. Owned many quality firearms from your knowledge. Keep up the great work, you are appreciated my friend. :)
My M70AB2T probably incapacitated more human than some expensive modern SLR since I personally seen majority of AKM in current conflicts are mostly made from Balkan Regions? Correct me if I’m mistaken even if they come from same region⚜️🥷
its still cuttin the grass I hear.
I bought a Chinese Polytech in 1988 for $300.00, in Atlanta. You're are dead on with the price. Also, all the wood was like a "raw' wood, almost white. So I stained it and Polyurethaned it. Had it until 2012. Great gun, never had a jam or malfunction at all.
My first ak was a vepr and man have I been in love ever since all I ever needed, I've paid 2 grand on a meridian defense lust ak and I always go back to my 600 dollar vepr
I hear you, i still return to my SAR-1 even with the AKs that I've picked up over the years.
They are not $600 any more. Vepr AK-74-21 used to be $1600. Now over $3k on gun broker easily.
@@whiskey2117 Back when the VEPR FM-74-21 was on the market, before the sanctions? Retail was $1,200 NIB, with dealer cost about $1,050. Back then, thought that was a heck of a deal. After the ban, it became a hell of a deal.
I have a Vepr 12 from back then. Nobody wanted a VEPR before the ban. It’s strange how much people overvalue them now that they can’t import ‘em.
I just took my pioneer to the range and a guy offered 2k for it . I bought it for 700 . I’ll never sell it despite it being kinda weird , it’s still a Russian AK pattern rifle and works like one.
good video i thought i wasnt gonna like it by the title but u did ur research and had alot of good info good job man good video
The voice you impersonated sounded like cokeman2423 lol
It was spot on😂
@@jtrinidad9625 18:44 😆
OG AK fans on RUclips know that voice well.
I’ve had two FEGs, two Maadis (one long barreled), three Mak 90s (one with long heavy barrel and bipod), and have loved them all. A little trigger slap with the Maadis but no big deal. Bought em all when they were relatively cheap.
18:43 OMG AHAHAHAHAHAH! That's the first time I ever heard Misha do a mocking voice! Amazing video as always y'all. I was always curious why in the hell do people, even to this day, say AKs are cheap to buy, yet I never see them actually own own nor answer me when I ask them why they didn't get it when it was that cheap.
Always appreciate the never ending knowledge bombs! \m/
Years ago I bought a Polytek in 5.56, a few years ago I tried to sell it because I had an AR and already had a Norinco AK in 7.62. Nobody would buy it because it was polytek and they didn’t want to pay the retail price for an AK and so I still have it
You still have it?
What a beauty Arsenal, love the Ambi safety!
Just bought a zavasta M70 , black polymer , it's seriously the dogs bollocks for $999 ( at that price in today's market , march 2021 it was cheap )
Please send me all your overated aks any one reading this!
Hot take, but WASR’s are overrated IMO. They’re great rifles, and I do love them, but I feel like the Zastava’s are better manufactured for the price.
@@sealandgi8724 I have both and love them - Wasr 10 UF “dong”. & Zastava m70 / and z92. Blessed to own both
@@sealandgi8724 They were amazing for the value when they were 500 dollars, ofc they are overated now
@@wesjohn2 that’s what I mean, they were great for the price but they aren’t worth the 1400 they’re going for now lol
I enjoy many of your videos. I just recently, unfortunately too late, got into the AK platform. Well, my first one was an M92 that I love. And just recently bought a SAM7SF84E . My research brought me to your videos and I must say that I have been enjoying them very much. Learned a lot!
You got two of the best current imports so don’t feel badly!
@@TheDiameter Thanks. I'm very happy with them.
“wolverines” !!!! 😂
Indeed, someone gets it.
Man, this video is great. Not too many people these days even know what a Valmet is... back in the day I owned two Valmet M76s. One had dark red furniture (total POS, it malfunction on me and dumped the entire mag full auto- talked about puckering up) the other had plastic black furniture. I never was a big fan. Even in the early 90s those mags were hard to find and ran $60-80 each. I sold them off and went to a Magnum Research Galil ARM. I always loved Galil's. I am surprised they didn't make the list. I have probably owned around 20 Galil's previously. I had a Poly Tech Legend and I truly loved it. What a fun gun!!! If i remember correctly it was around $400 in '86. Later, I owned a Hungarian as well as a few Maadis.
I just bought an Arsenal SAM7SF and I love it! Other than full auto stuff, it is the first AK i have owned in 25+ years. I just posted a review if you are interested. I have over 100K followers on other platforms. I will give you a shoutout for AK guys. You have great AK knowledge my man. Out.
While I respect your opinions on the Russian guns, I still believe the Veprs are 100% worth the hype. Weight concerns not withstanding, I believe they’re the best AK type rifles ever to grace our shores. Thank you for the content you create. Take care!
Plans for a video about what you think the most underrated AKs are? Or the top 5 best
We've done those in the past and right now? The real answer is there are none.
@@misha5670 :O must have already watched them and forgotten.
Both my Mak 90’s I like a whole lot. Good triggers. Very smooth action. I like em as much as any AK I’ve ever had. I’ve had a lot. I do like my Molot Vepr FM 11 probably more
My first experience with ak variant was when I was 11 with a mak 90. Been obsessed we the AK every sense. However it was quickly overshadowed by a family friends bullet riddled stock AK that was a Vietnam bring home. One can imagine the enjoyment one can get from Charlie s lifted patrol tool.
I had a MAk 90 in the late 80s, it was a shooter. Fit and finish was crap and it was worthless out past 100 yards, but fun to plink around with. A real truck/farm type gun.
I remember these Maadis in the 80s. They were rated lower than the Chinese AKs… mostly because of finish😉
I want to get into AK’s, but for how “cheap” they are, what turns me off is that the theres a list of caveats and qualifiers of what is good or not. Maybe i’ll wait and get a cheap one eventually, but only when the ammopocolyse ends.
I get where you're coming from but also dont forget you really shouldn't cheap out on a "just as good" trunnion or something
Get a wasr for 600-750$ (don't buy 2020-21 rape prices) , replace the wood if its the u.s blonde balsa. And 9/10 you will have a ak just as tough and reliable as premium imports
If you want to get into the AK world without spending too much, think about Palmetto State Armory. I have been impressed with mine. Put together well, sights dead on at 25 yds, not visibly canted. Only mod I did was machine a safety so I can eject a cartridge while on safe.
Well, you are a bit too late. But, I would advise only buying eastern block foreign AKs. Honestly if you want to be as sure as you can be, just buy an Arsenal and get it over with! A new Arsenal is as safe as you can get anymore if you are worried about getting junk. You really have to learn a whole lot about AKs before buying one!!!
@@CharlieJulietSierra Or you can just buy a lot of them and sort out the details later. 🤷♂️
There is no magic sauce AK. If the metallurgy and manufacture is done right you have a good AK. Everything else is aesthetics or hype.
18:43 is that Hank Hill?
I love my sgl-21, but I got it for $650...the prices they go for now due to the embargo are way too much and there are better options for less now unless you absolutely need a Russian AK in your collection.
Watch on 1.25 or 1.5 0 speed. Your welcome.
Anyone reading my comment do not buy a Riley defense. I tried putting on a muzzle brake and now it’s fucking stripped really hard and not even on properly it’s halfway screwed on. I had 3 armorers take a look at it and they can’t even take it off. And my Retaining plate lever broke off. Not only that but I tried putting on a Magpul under barrel grip and it won’t attach even though Riley defense says they are compatible. The type I got was the RAK 47 C
That was a rollercoaster lol When I saw my sam7sf I almost had a heart attack
Arsenal furniture feels cheap as hell, their finish on the barrel and gun is garbage, and their sights are canted right out of the box for $1,500 to $2,000. What a joke!
Fake-out accomplished lol
@@nohandle74 Funny, most of them are perfectly acceptable.
@@justinbiggs7729 I can assure you, as someone who had to spend hours cutting through the polymer stock of an SLR to swap it for a triangle folder, they are *not* cheaply made. Even cut through at the thinnest point, standing on it and trying to break it, smacking it onto concrete, hitting with a one handed mallet, it didn't bend or break, I had to saw cut all the way through it. I also have 3 Arsenals without a single canted sight or bubbled finish. That's just been our collective hands on experience though, for whatever that's worth - yours certainly could have varied. I will agree that they're too rich for my blood in general and "feel" like most of their rifles belong in the $1200 range, but unfortunately feeling that way does not make it so. Arsenals have always been on the high side of the AK market.
I had one that would not go into battery when riding the bolt. I got another brand new one, and was not impressed. So I moved on again..
I dunno what's more impressive, your attention to detail or dry sense of humor.
I bought an Arsenal SAS M7 Classic for more than I should have, but its the rifle I wanted and had the money. Sometimes if there's something you want you just have to pay a little extra for it
You have some very nice guns. I think the market for AKs however doesn't have that much to do with how cosmetically nice they are. People who tend to buy AKs find the major selling points are; being tough, reliable, impervious to poor conditions. As such these guns are more likely to be used and not set on a shelf. Your standards are about collecting. As for price, it might be that price has a hype component in a market; but generally it is simply demand and supply. When supply stops, you often get a limited used gun supply because few want to let go of their gun as they know it will not be readily available in the future.
Only you could pull this off, the real AK Jesus.
If so, then i turned money into vodka, and then vodka into water when dreaming up this video topic ;p
@@misha5670 lol
Brandon Hererra > this guy
I purchased my first AK in the mid eighties, Chinese, Norinco, Bakelite furniture. This was the cheapest that the store had. It was 325+ tax.
There really aren't any guns worth 3k. Just sadly demand makes them like that and we pay those prices.
Some handcrafted, handfitted guns might be. Ones where its clear someone put hours....even days of labor into an individual firearm.
Well, TR3 (AK-12) costs ~2800 USD.
Worth it or not - you decide (If you could get it)
@@BloPsy__ ak 12 is worth it considering a lot of older style of ak are like 1k usd ish
Hmm what about a 1991 Russian AKS-74n with the original barrel.
The market for these is certainly volatile. As a collector value starts to take on strange definitions.
Any AK at this point that is not “overrated “ is pretty much a piece of crap. The AK market sucks now, very limited selection IMO. A Wasr now is even overrated but that is because it’s not a POS. So to have a decent quality AK now is considered a good thing and people want it because they don’t want some of the POS’s out there. The market speaks for its self
Agreed completely with your points about Saigas. As a friendly reminder to AK enthusiasts in America; in Russia, the average price of most Saiga models is $500, and the average price of a Dragunov SVD Tigr is $1,000. Please remember this before you go and give somebody $4,000 for a 10 year old Saiga SGL, or $8,000+ for a 25 year old SVD Tigr.
Your point makes no sense. No one is buying them in russia to be imported here as they obviously can't do that. Regardless of what you think the price SHOULD be the market decides the price, not what they cost in another country...
We know. A $500 AK in Russia isn't doing anything for us, in the US, unless we want to try to smuggle it over. It seems extremely unlikely the sanctions will ever be lifted.
@@richardcranium1040 "The market" is nothing more than a load of collectors that are willing to spend their life's savings paying utterly ubsurd price markups on items for no legitimate reason(s). Regardless of it being available or not, a Saiga is simply not worth what some Americans are trying to charge for them now. Zastava M70s for example are still being imported by the container load currently, yet there are people trying to charge 50%+ markup on those too.
@@timewave02012 Then don't buy one. Live without it. Speaking as someone who has owned a Saiga, they are simply not deserving of the mythical reputation and ubsurdly marked-up prices as Misha said. I for one would not pay $4,000 for a $1,000 gun, regardless of how much I love it, but to each their own.
@@user-ij9sh1tf9d They're certainly not deserving of the mythical reputation, but that's also true of AKs in general. You don't get a Saiga because it's a better AK, or even because it's a better rifle. You get it because you want an AK, and can afford the one everyone else wants the most, regardless of whether they're justified. When you first get into gun collecting, you might think you want a safe full of WASRs, but if you actually achieve that, you'll probably regret it and end up wanting fewer, higher value guns, even if the "value" is from sanction-imposed scarcity.
One left off milled Poly Tech, I bought a really nice one about 6 years ago for $1700. It was ok but not really what I expected. Bluing was thin, and the wood was cheap and finish poor. The fit was good but no better than my Sam7. I sold it at auction a week later for $2800 and never looked back.
My AKS at #2 is there to represent pretty much all Chinese, including the Legends and MAK90s too. For me, i got a Legend and then got another SLR100H. I realised shooting both back to back that i much preferred the SLR100H, and just a short time later a fellow dealer was looking for a milled Chinese, so i sold it to him. He was happy and i saw little reason to keep a $2k+ rifle that i wasn't really loving.
I’m still kind of proud that I have every single rifle in this video.
Yep, i think one simple fact some in these comments are missing is that these are all ones I own too. If i hated them or thought they were rubbish, I would have sold them already. The point of this video was to give a realistic apprazel of each, warts & all.
I really like my Sam7 had a 107r for a little bit and the Sam7 is one of the best I have used. It’s about a point heavier than most but the quality is higher.
How do you tell what year your AK is?
Most people rejected his message. They hated Mishaco because he told them the truth.
In general it does depress me how many people simply get mad if someone else tells them something they don't want to hear or don't want to believe is true. As if denying something will force it to be the way they want. I definitely want to get back to a calmer and more polite decission type environment.
@@misha5670 I love it when people "alter my perception" on a topic. Helps me develop as a person. It often helps me build better guns, train better, and shoot better.
So $1000 for a new unfired mak90 is an ok deal. Should I leave it as is? I don't plan on shooting it. I don't want to turn it into a "kit" gun if it's going to ruin the value. It's the underfolder style receiver. What's your thoughts?
I thank you for exposing these scalpers everywhere. 'Preciate it
The AK community doesn’t deserve Misha