Some question on the 7.62 x 39 AKM Comrades

[bnz41]

[/quote]
It's a doddle to mod standard AK47 mags for the Saiga though - bit of weld on the front top of a standard mag to act as a bullet guide and a little filing on the rear catch lug. I've done loads.[/quote]

I bought a couple from a trader at the last Trafalgar arms fair.

[snayperskaya]

I will try and be brief.......the Romanian AKM (fixed stock) and AKMS (underfolding stock) are about as close as you will get to a Soviet-era AKM pattern rifle, they are built by RomArm at the Cugir Arsenal on ex-Soviet machines.The bolt and bolt carrier are built to AKM-pattern dimensions, have a 45 degree gas block (obviously not functional on ours) and they will accept anything from a 10 round mag to a 75 round ChiCom drum as they have a standard military AKM-pattern feed ramp.The standard Romanian hardwood furniture ain't the best but the good news is that standard Soviet laminate furniture will fit straight on, as will the classic AKM slant muzzle brake.You can even fit AR type tat if you so desire but it is just wrong on so many levels!



The Saigas have the fact they are built at JSC Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash) going for them.They are closer to an AK-74/AK-100 series rifle in that the bolt and bolt carrier are AK-74 pattern (smaller dimensionally than their AKM counterparts and not interchangeable), they have a 90 degree gas block and like their AK-100 series counterparts they use a "third rivet" on the LHS of the front trunnion to start turning the bolt into battery.

AK-103 spec Saiga that I had with side folding stock and milspec 103 muzzle brake.......sadly no mag well "dimples",



Saigas are sold as a "sporting" rifle and as such they do not have a feed ramp on the front trunnion, they have a ramp incorporated into the Saiga specific magazines....the rear locking lug on a Saiga mag is also smaller than that of a milspec mag.Pic below show difference between a Saiga mag and a milspec mag, Saiga mag is on the left......



Some Saigas have "military" receivers that feature the classic mag well "dimples" and have milspec muzzle brakes fitted and some don't.....some have a brake and no dimples or no dimples and no brake.The most original would be one with both dimples and a muzzle brake but it is luck of the draw with what is fitted sometimes.

Feed ramps are available...... http://www.dinzagarms.com/saiga_762x39/x39guides.html

If you can drill and tap a hole they are a doddle to fit, and with a bit of filing on the mag catch you will be good to go with the plethora of military AK mags that are available.As others have said you can modify a standard AK mag to fit a Saiga but try welding an iconic Soviet Bakelite mag!

Optics.....POSP sidemount scopes, sidemount red-dot sights like the Kobra, PK-A or PK-01v etc or a 1pn58 NV scope......or use the ironsights the Tovarisch Kalashnikov designed it with!!!

Have a look here for Soviet/Russian/Belarusian optics......

http://russianoptics.net/

Alternatively stick a Capitalist Weaver/picatinny thingabob on and fit any old Imperialist tat on it

Ammo should be good old Soviet-era milsurp, preferably in spam cans so you get that hiss of Soviet-ness as you open it......and only every 7.62x39 as a 5.56/.223 AK is wrong and every time someone buys one in 5.56/.223
they make little Vassily cry!!!.

Haven't mentioned the Bulgarian offerings that Oleg sells as I haven't played with one (unlike the Romanian and Saiga variants that I have had a "few" of), but if they are as good as the Bulgarian military versions then they are very good.Built on milled receivers as well.....shame he doesn't sell a full length fixed stocked 7.62x39 version as it would make a good base for a Type 2 AK-47 replica.

Forgot to say that between a Romy and a Saiga the Saiga is a little bit ahead with regard to finish, the Romy variants are a bit more "agricultural" but accuracy-wise nothing in it and after owning a few of each I would take the Romanian.......my AKM has had thousands of rounds of dirty Soviet milsurp through it, it has got rained on all day at Sennybridge loads of times but is still as good as the day I bought it and never had a problem with it.

[Zilberbak]

Just to add my threepeneth my Arsenal from Oleg is one of my pride and joys and whilst I have "tatted" it up with a Mid West hand guard and am about to put a Primary Arms 1-6 scope (with 7.62 x 39 recticle) on it it still functions really well. I have a side rail which stops the underfold from being fully operational and stops most side mounts from getting on but the Mid West quick release goes on no problem. I have tried using a Kobra after butchering the mount but just can't get it to scope in.

The only thing to watch with it is that the flash hider is welded on and proofed to maintain barrel/OA length and needs the innards taking out and washing after using surplus (found out the hard way).

Just about to one for one a spare 9mm slot for another 7.62 x 39 and am debating between a shorty 300mm barrel VZ58 SP or Romanian AK? The only thing I worry about is future availability of 7.62 x 39.

[snayperskaya]

Thanks The only thing I worry about is future availability of 7.62 x 39.

7.62x39 will be around for a good while yet!, although supplies of it from the Motherland may stop there are millions of rounds of it sat in former ComBloc countries in Europe. Once Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria etc start flogging off their surplus there will be tons of it available.There are probably millions of rounds sat in former East German and Polish warehouses alone.

[safetyfirst]

You're worried about scarcity of ammunition for the single most mass produced firearm in the history of the universe?

Now that's planning ahead. :)

[Zilberbak]

Not scarcity of it in the world the scarcity of it in the UK. Talking to an RFD he said it is not as easy to find as you think and whether that was just a sales ploy who knows. The increasing popularity of a caliber in the US usually ends up with a drought everywhere else. If the concensus is that it is not a problem then happy days and it won't stop me hopefully getting another VZ or AK. It would be nice to to see some American made 7.62 x 39 over here though.

[froggy]

Sellier & B produces "soviet" calibers such as the 7,62x54, 7,62x25 Tokarev, 9x18 Makarov and of course the 7,62x39 . Due to their "home mkt"'s demand, I doubt they'll stop .

[snayperskaya]

UK importers will find other sources for it as the demand for it is there.

Both ammozone and simplyammo are showing it as in stock, same for 54r.

[safetyfirst]

Privi and S&B make it plus the folk that import milsurp stuff so I wouldn't worry.

[pbrazendale]

Thanks guys for all the info, think I'll go with the Romanian AKM and as said previously get some original wood furniture for it, another question though does anyone have or have used one of the PBS moderators? They look really good from online reviews.


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