The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Tactical Rifle & Carbine => Topic started by: Rastus on November 26, 2009, 09:20:43 PM
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Now that the black gun fever is dying down...how 'bout AK's? They were way pricey a few months ago...and scarce. Now the prices have dropped on AR's and I am thinking the same about AK's.
Has anyone checked out AK prices lately? Are AK's dropping in price like AR's?
Are AK's showing up on shelves again?
And, once again...what's the lineup of the good 'uns and the ones that aren't so good?
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http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/New_Long_Guns.html
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storecategory90.aspx
http://www.centerfiresystems.com/ak_firearms.aspx
http://www.centerfiresystems.com/DRA-GUN-B.aspx
http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/rifles/ak-47-and-rpk-rifles/cPath/209_214
That will give you an idea Classic arms has them under $400 and ammo buy the pallet
http://www.classicarms.us/
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Rastus my advice is to check out K-var, which is a good company with a solid rep. These are Russian made guns and they were (on sale) at less than $500 last month. Classic Arms is another good company with good CS and their prices, usually starting under $400, are very good. (Plus they are a Christian firm and can offer a prayer with every godless commie rifle they sell). ;D Those Yugo underfolders Billt just bought went for under $600 with 500 rounds at J@G sales. AKs are not back to a $200 truck gun but they are headed in the right direction.
FQ13
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I saw a AMD folder for 399.00 thats pretty good. some are giving away ammo with the purchase
http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/rifles/ak-47-and-rpk-rifles/cPath/209_214?osCsid=7f7178a45e227673c548d7717afcd998
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Having just "returned from the field" with 2, AK-47 purchases this past week, I can happily report availability and prices have returned, for the most part, to pre Hussein levels. Basically plenty of nice AK's available at very good prices. Much the same for ammo. Magazines have also dropped to very acceptable price levels. For anyone fence walking on the AK purchase issue, I would strongly say now is the time! Good prices coupled with good availability equals a decent buyers market.
The thing that is still touchy is the current administration, and what they might, or might not do. Magazine prices could easily shoot through the roof overnight if Hussein signed any Executive Order banning importation of them. Same for all of the Russian or Yugo ammo. If you can possibly afford it, and even to some degree if you can't, I would set out to enhance both my AK-47 collection, along with plenty of magazines and ammo for them. Prices may perhaps go slightly lower, but the flip side with so many bad things to trigger it, they could also go substantially higher. As Boz Scaggs said, "Put your money on the table and drive it off the lot!" Bill T.
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now is the time! Good prices coupled with good availability equals a decent buyers market.
As per the second part of that statement -- NOW IS NOT THE TIME -- wait about 6 more months for supply to completely saturate the demand and you will be able to pick up good AKs (and any gun) for a song. The glut for all guns is over, but supply is still climbing. As you said, right now you can get good prices and it is a decent buyers market. Keep sitting on your cash and very soon they will be practically giving them away.
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The only other thing I would add is if you choose to go the 5.45 MM AK-47 route, be sure to stock up very heavily on ammunition. The reason is as of yet there is no domestic supplier of that caliber in the commercial market. Virtually every round is imported. If there were any import bans put into place, you could possibly find yourself with a gun and no ammo. The 7.62 X 39 MM round, while expensive if purchased commercially, is at least available through Federal, and a few others. Bill T.
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NOW IS NOT THE TIME -- wait about 6 more months for supply to completely saturate the demand and you will be able to pick up good AKs (and any gun) for a song.
It all amounts to where you think the "bottom is". A lot can happen in 6 months. If Israel goes after Iran, all hell can and will break loose in the middle east. The chances of that happening are growing daily. All with a weakling President in charge. Gas most likely will skyrocket, and people start doing irrational things. Or possibly nothing could happen, and you might save a couple of bucks. Basic Romanian AK's are going under the $400.00 level. Dealers aren't going to order guns they can't sell. Is saving $30.00 or $50.00 dollars worth waiting for? Only the potential buyer can answer that for his or herself. For me anyway, peace of mind wins out over a few bucks any day. Below is a scan of a 2 1/2 year old J&G Sales flyer. I forget why I scanned it, but you can see the prices. Standard plywood Romanian WASR 10's going for $330.00. The Yugo underfolders I just purchased last week are the exact same price, $480.00. If you factor in inflation over the past couple of years, we're pretty close to the same, give or take a saw buck or two. Bill T.
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9100/file0157va4.jpg)
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Yes, Bill, I do think we are close to having prices back to "normal" but I dont think we have reached a bottom yet. Supply is growing each day while demand is flat. Soon dealers will be busting at the seams and will become worried about how they will unload all that inventory. I dont think they have started to feel the pain yet... once they do they will drastically cut prices to try to get out from under all that inventory. Its a traditional bubble, and it should behave accordingly.
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I'm not so sure about "all of that inventory"? When I was at J&G Sales this past week, I called the morning of the day before I went to check on inventory of their Yugo Underfolders. At 9:00 AM they told me they showed 15 left. I called again just before they closed and they said they had 4. I was there when they opened at 8:00 AM the next day and bought 2. Just before I left one of the stock people made a comment to my sales guy they just got 20 more in. J&G moves a lot of AK-47's, and they seem to be keeping inventory in check with sales demand.
It's much the same with AR-15's. A good way to check inventory with availability is Davidson's. www.galleryofguns.com You can click on a manufacturer, say Bushmaster, and a page will pop up showing all the models they carry, the amount they have in stock at present, and current price. You can shop the same way by a dealer in your area, and get the price you will pay. Just type in your zip code where it says, "Find a dealer near you". That is how I bought my Bushmaster BA-50 Rifle. You may see the word "Allocated" in the amount in stock column. That means the gun is very hard to get, and demand is outstripping the supply. After Hussein's coronation virtually every Bushmaster model showed up as "Allocated". Now supply is quite good, as are prices on most models.
I watch Classic Arms website because like J&G Sales, they move a lot of AK type rifles. They do grandstand about being "overstocked", much like car dealers, but their prices speak for themselves. It's nice to see prices coming down, and supply going up. And for the record I hope you're right and I'm wrong. I'd rather save money than "be right" any day! Bill T.
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Hey Bill, Did you see this ;D
http://www.centerfiresystems.com/DRA-GUN-B.aspx
Usually $750 -$1,000
on sale for $449
It isn't an AK, it's a 7.62 X54 Draganov, WITH SCOPE
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Just out of curiosity, what have you guys using as to judge prices by? I've been using the price of 7.62X39 ammo myself. It was pretty consistant for several years there before the dumb dumb got elected. At least where I was shopping on-line, and locally I was finding it for $4.25 a box all the time. Once in a while it'd go on sale for a little less, but I don't remember it getting below $4.00 even. I had also bought my Bobcat for $199 just before, and remember P22's were going for $199-$249. The Bobcat's back down to $265 now from the $350's.
I'm thinking that it's been over a year since the start of the glut. And 7.62 X 39's back down to $4.50 a box. Maybe inflation has kept it where it's at for the last two months or so, and we won't see prices fall any further than where they are. :-\
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Hey Bill, Did you see this ;D
http://www.centerfiresystems.com/DRA-GUN-B.aspx
Usually $750 -$1,000
on sale for $449
I think AK's were going for between $350-$450 on average before the start of the glut too. And they are back at that level now. I'm just not sure prices are going any lower than they are right now EVER again. The bubble is burst?
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I remember a WARSA 10 in 7.62 going for $249 out of our shop and making ok money on it.
Still no were near that price.
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$350-$550 seems like a fair price given that the gun is in good shape and the sights aren't canted. I mean, its what we all pay for our pistols and I don't hear anyone bitching about that. The AK is the Glock of rifles, idiot proof, reliable, and good enough at 100 yards. $400-$500 seems like a fair price to me. I would like to see them cheaper (as who wouldn't) but I won't feel I'm being ripped off for a good Yugo, Russian or Norinco at that price either.
FQ
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That's kinda what I'm talkin about. New cars, food, sofa's, most everything was cheaper a year ago. Inflation is never ending, and I don't know we're every going to see prices exactly what they used to be. WASR's and the Saiga's are going for around $320 now. That may be the bottom. :-\
You can bet it isn't gonna take much to send prices flying back up again. :( One mention of gun laws in an Obama speach is about all it'll take. :( :(
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$350-$550 seems like a fair price given that the gun is in good shape and the sights aren't canted. The AK is the Glock of rifles, idiot proof, reliable, and good enough at 100 yards. $400-$500 seems like a fair price to me. I would like to see them cheaper (as who wouldn't) but I won't feel I'm being ripped off for a good Yugo, Russian or Norinco at that price either.
FQ
That's sums up my feelings as well. I'm not one of those guys that will spend 30 minutes and a gallon of gas to find it .03 cents cheaper. FQ's $400.00 to $500.00 is a good operating range for buying a good, solid AK-47 rifle today. You pick the flavor. Bill T.
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Thanks for all of the help guys and Billt I think you are right on the mark with the uncertainty of Israel and Iran. Though I am thinking less and less that Israel will strike just yet. BHO and his boy toys only have to say a cross word and then the price goes up.
OK...another thing. As AK's go, what are the better to lesser quality models? There are Chinese, Russian, Yugo, etc...what's toward the top of the heap and what is towards the bottom.?
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Top, or near the top:
Arsenal
Lancaster
Poly Tech, (Chinese pre ban)
Better than most:
Yugoslavian
Bulgarian
Good, but inspect carefully for quality, straight sights, loose mag wells, etc.:
Romanian
If your a first time buyer try to take someone with you who knows the platform, and can point out things you may overlook. Most places that have favorable reputations will have a 30 day exchange period, or a 3 day examination period if ordered UPS or Fed-Ex. Bill T.
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Just to add to Biilts comment, Classic Arms has a no questions asked return policy(or so I was told by them, I have never tested it). The owner told me that if you don't like the rifle, send it back and they will send you a new one. Seems hard to beat.
FQ
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Has anyone heard a single bad thing about the Saiga's as yet? I don't have one, but everything I've heard has been really good, and you can't beat the prices. :-\
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I HEARD, don't know, didn't bother to check, that ALL com bloc weapons, it was hard to impossible to get mags in other calibers than 7.62 or 5.45, I've seen the Siaga 12 Ga. Drums for $400 but haven't actually seen any box mags.
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Dunhams sporting goods in Parkesburg WV. have warsaw aks for $279 yes $279, 500 off of the price is what they are saying in the sales flyer. It was a black Friday sale.
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Has anyone heard a single bad thing about the Saiga's as yet? I don't have one, but everything I've heard has been really good, and you can't beat the prices. :-\
I would reccomend going to saigaforum.com, that may not be the url so google it. Anyway they are very helpful folks there. Frankly I have been a frogs hair away from buying one. Russian built receivers nice barrel etc. The only down side is you have to fiddle with the magwell a little to get it to take standard AK mags. There are Tapco US made 30 rounders fo about $30 that will fit it standard, but even here you need to swap out a couple of US made parts (also cheap and easy) to be 922r compliant. Their .308 and 7.62x39 both enjoy good reps as being about the most bang for the buck. With AK prices coming down though, I'd buy a standard AK. The .308, however still seems like a deal.
FQ
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I HEARD, don't know, didn't bother to check, that ALL com bloc weapons, it was hard to impossible to get mags in other calibers than 7.62 or 5.45, I've seen the Siaga 12 Ga. Drums for $400 but haven't actually seen any box mags.
BACK IN STOCK NOW
PRO MAG 10 ROUND MAG FOR SAIGA 12 GA.
THESE ARE THE HIGHLY POPULAR 10 ROUND MAGS FOR THE SAIGA SHOTGUN. THEY ARE NOT ORIGINAL BUT ARE MADE HERE IN THE U.S. BY PRO MAG. SALE AND POSSESSION OF THESE MAGS IS PERFECTLY LEGAL BUT STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS ON THE LEGAL USE OF THESE MAGS IN A SAIGA SHOTGUN MAY VARY .
AS SUCH WE WILL NOT SHIP THESE MAGS WITH THE FIREARM .
PURCHASER ASSUMES ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ABIDING BY THE LAW.
ITEM # ..SAIGA12-10MAG......................................$39.95
this was from the Classic Arms Inc. link that Haz provided.
edit: it was you that provided the link Tom
sorry about that
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Just cuz I posted it doesn't mean I READ it ;D
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Just cuz I posted it doesn't mean I READ it ;D
I was not the one whom said it.....just pointing it out. ;D
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http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-MAGAZINES-dsh-DRUMS-cln-SAIGA-12/Categories
another place to find your Siaga mags at competitive prices.