Bustah_c

I was looking at buying a kit (less receiver) for around $300.
Then I came across this for around $425 delivered.

http://centuryarms.biz/proddetail.asp?prod=RI1620%2DX

Anyone have experience with the AK74 ? (not a typo)

Machinist

It chambers a small caliber, high velocity cartridge like the .223. One of the attractions of the 7.62x39 cartridge is it's wide availability at very cheap prices. Before deciding on the AK-74 you might want to make sure that ammo is available at a price you are comfortable with.

Cruelshoes

Aww, come on Mac. It comes with a "sexy polymer stock" and a "very cool muzzle brake." I has to be worth it no matter what the ammo cost.

Machinist

I never shot an AK but I handled an AK-74 a long time ago that had a very nice wood stock. I was not really tempted. Shortly after that I handled a FAL and I was VERY tempted by that but the price was too painful. That rifle felt much better and handier than it looked.

I am really just not too interested in a battle rifle at this point. If I still had my Mini-14 I might hang on to it but I would not go out and buy one. My interests now are more toward lever actions, or a Henry pump in .22 LR or .22 RFM. Those look like very handy little carbines.

Cruelshoes

I consider my 357 lever gun to be my battle rifle. It is what I would grab if I had to head to the hills. Within 100 yards it is ballisticaly better than a 223. It matches the two revolvers I would be carrying. It may not be quite as fast for follow up shots as semi-auto, but it is not far behind.

deputy125

my two cents from limited experience...............

the basic standard AK weapons such as vanilla ak47 and ak74's are not really tack drivers to begin with..........

any advantages in trajectory/range with the smaller round would not be realized to its full potential becasuse the weapon platform can not deliver the accuracy to take advantage of it. Americans at the moment do not have a need to lay down innacurate suppressive firepower.

the 7.62x39 round also is available from american ammo makers should for what ever reason foreign import ammo disappears.........

Bountyhunter

I'd get a used Mini before that. You can get a used mini for about $450 give or take. Or if you want something more like that, look for a used AR.

Bustah, check with Lewis Arms in Bow. That's where I got my Mini and it was cheaper than anything Riley's had new. They also had some AK's.

deputy125

www.cdnninvestments.com has mini 14 trade-ins available in std and govt form in blue and stainless at the moment. they are advertised with the multi-position collapseable ar15 style stocks...........with and without bayonet lug.

priced at $399 to $489 depending on flavor...............

these ain't ranch rifles and are old style however..........

just a heads up............

i like mini's for what they are and consider them more accurate than a std AK platform.

Taurus_9mm

A guy I used to work with had a Polish Tantal which he really liked. He said recoil was virtually non-existent and ammo was (and still is) extremely cheap for 5.45x39. From what I've seen recently in advertisements the prices are comparable to steel cased 7.62x39 per pack of 20.