Posted on 03/26/2010 9:49:46 AM PDT by Kartographer
Anyone have any experince with Bulgarian AK-74 - 5.45x39 especially this one from Centerfire Systems?
http://www.centerfiresystems.com/akagun-bul-2.aspx
I would like a AN-94
Can you get 5.45 ammo cheap?
I remember the glory days of cheap, plentifyl 7.62x39 ammo.
Ahhhh, good times ...
Buy an AR15 in 5.56 instead. It’s a much better weapon.
But, the AK 47 is usually more popular (ammo has more availability and from what I've seen cheaper).
I am going to guess that it is pretty similar to the AK-47 except for caliber.
Is it made by Arsenal? I’ve heard stories of QC trouble over there. But then, you get what you get. Went to a local shop lately and the guy brought out an AK that someone brought in for repair. Brand new, respectable fit and finish, but after 20 rounds the owner noticed something odd. The front four triggerguard rivets were backing out. No effort had been made to crush them.
Re Bulgarian, recommend looking at Classic Arms.com.
But agree with SUSSA, 5.56 with a scope for head shots.
the Ruskyies wanted to copy us and our M-16 with its 5.56/223 varmint round....because I guess they figured we must know something they dont.
we are replacing the 5.56 currently in the sandbox with the 6.8, which can shoot through stuff other than tee shirts to hit the bad guy.
stay with the AK47 in 7.62X39...or better yer get ye a M1A1 or an M1, or even a FNFAL...
IMHO anyway....and flame away .22 lovers.
There’s nothing wrong with the 74 as used for training at lower cost. Buy a 47, know how to use it, and practice like crazy on the 74. It’s fun and cheap.
Yes, you can buy 1080 rounds of 5.54x39mm for around (a little less than) $100.00 right now. I recently bought the gun, 3 40-rd mags, & over 3300 rounds of ammo for less than $1000. So far the rifle works well without any problems.
I also have an AK-47 and the reason I got the AK-74 is due to cheap ammo and easy availability since these are the two types of guns used in most communist & arab countries.
Better to get something in 7.62x51 NATO or 7.62x39 Russian, IMO.
ak47 ammo...the 7.62X39 is dirt cheap as you can still get surplus ammo and even non corrosive ammo at real low prices.
There’s a problem with 5.56. It has NOWHERE near the stopping power of 7.62. I’ve seen numerous reports from the Sandbox and the Rockpile confirming this.
ALSO. .. our producers are pushing almost all their 5.56 out the door to the DOD. Whereas there’s a TON of 7.62x39 out there, fairly cheap. Someone else mentioned www.ClassicArms.us : I concur, they sell a lot of it, and do it cheaply.
Of course, if you want an even MORE dependable rifle at a price that can’t be beat, buy a Mosin-Nagant. 7.62x51R is even cheaper, and packs a lot more punch. I just bought a spam-can of 440 rounds for 99.95. . .
No doubt most AR’s are much more carefully and more ‘to spec’ built weapons, but most cost 3 to 4 times as much. Yes I know there are less expensive AR’s, but then you get back into the fact that everyone will tell you how badly made the lower cost AR’s are. And before anyone says anything, I have no desire to build my own for the same reason I have no desire to build my own car, I haven’t the skills or the knowledge.
No, but have had experience with 7.62 AK, and variants, some rebuilt/upgraded.
Why do you want an AK in 5.45?
And BTW, if you do go for the Centerfire AK74, watch out for shoddy tack welds on the muzzle brake etc...
5.45x39 is also available as new production wolf, not only as milsurp, although is still Russian. I’d be surprised if the various “bear” ammnunition (golden, silver, brown, etc) didn’t offer the round as well, but I have quality concerns about the dirty burning “bears”.
I’ve had very good results with a Bulgarian AK47, although my 74 is Romanian with lots of US conversion parts.
I’m considering dumping the Romanian to pick up the centerfire Bulgarian AK74, mine has a definite preference for Romanian steel mags, while friends with Bulgarian and Yugoslavian have been able to interchange any mags with better luck.
While it’s true that 5.45X39 is a niche round, it’s hard to predict what ammo may be available in the future, and it never hurts to diversify.
Well for one I figur the wife could handle the 5.45 better than the 7.62 and the price:
http://www.centerfiresystems.com/akagun-bul-2.aspx
Right now I am trying to choose between the one above and this one:
ROMANIAN BPS AK SHOOTERS PACKAGE over at:
I can get a ‘spam can’ of 1080rds. of 5.45 for around $130.00. I understand I am not Mad Max, Eli or Jed from Red Dawn. If 1080 rds. isn’t going to do the job then it another 1000 or even 5000 isn’t going to do it either.
K, I get it.
The Romanian AK package is cheap as dirt, seems to take the double stack clips, with tapco triggers (reduces the harsher trigger slap on some Romanian varients). Most of the basic work seems done. There are loads of cheap mods and accessories for it too.
Experiences seem to vary on that weapon. Check for chromed barrel, batch quality - the stamped markings will be an indicator... will try to get you a link to that, and FReepmail later, if I can.
1300 ft/lb vs 1450 ft/lb is, indeed, NEAR the “stopping power” (which isn’t real, so I used muzzle energy, which is real).
I’ll stick with a semi-automatic rifle over the Nagant any day.
Hell, I’d take an SKS before I’d take the Nagant.
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