[MaineMountainMan]

Not a dimes worth of diff between the two... I prefer stamped... 11 to 1... in my personal collection that is...

Find a MAK 90, do the 922r compliance parts needed and be done with it...
A Romanian SAR-1 is a good choice for the money...

 

[Abiqua]

i've owned milled in the past and if i was buying another AK i'd get stamped. it's harder to find furniture to fit milled if you ever want to make changes.

 

[test]

I was told the stamped are fine.

 

[Grinnan Barrett]

Don't worry about stamped

I'm within a month or two buying my 1st semi auto. I've decided on the AK47, and I've been told that "If I can afford to spend the money on a milled receiver, I should get one". The reasons explained were that the milled receivers were stronger, and would last longer since they're milled from a block of metal as opposed to being stamped. I can understand the logic but I can't help wondering if the stamped receivers are just as good (from a practical point of view?) Hopefully some of you guys can shed some light on tha issue for me?

Every now and then I hear that the cheaper Yugo AKs are lower in quality? Is there is any truth to that, and if so, which AKs have the better quality reputations? My gut tells me to just pick one but stay away from the cheapest model.

The last question has to do with the newer refurbished AK47s. So many times newer isn't always better in terms of quality? Seems like everyone wants to shave a penny off of the production costs. Are the older models better made or are the newer refirbuished models just as good?

Thx in advance for your answers :thumb:

The original AKMs in Russia were milled receiver. Problem came with heat build up. THey went to stamped receivers. They make both. There isn't a hill of beans difference in stamped and milled today. Stamped gives you a better oportunity to upgrade your furniture on the weapon. Milled requires a special butt stock.

Remember all the new production AKs are built on US made receivers so original quality is out the door. As for the Yugo, they were some of the finest ever made. I have had three and including one in .308 and one in 8MM. The Polish, Yugo, Romanian, Hungarian, and Russian kits are all great. Look for the fit and finish of the gun you are buying. An AK doesn't have to be too tight. SOmetimes tight affects function. THE early guns from Wiselite Arms were not so good. Later they made a great gun. THeir receivers came out of OHio.

Look at the front site of the gun you buy. Be sure your site is pretty much centered and not canted to one side. That would indicate the barrel might be off and the front site has been altered to take care of the difference.

Buy the gun that fits you well. Don't get freaked out by what other people say. I have been shooting Aks since the early 1980s. They are all great guns. Best wishes. Good shooting. GB

 

[apocryphia]

arsenal makes some really nice ak's, norinco mak-90's are ok as well, and sagia(?) apparently can be converted to take hi-cap mags and are good quality. i wouldnt get a steel folding stock for two reasons. 1 if you want a solid standard stock your s.o.l. and they can loosen up with time and abuse.

 

[test]

I would imagine that the milled receiver would make for a substantially heavier weapon.

The AKs which have been mass produced seem to hold up very well and nearly all of those I suspect, have stamped receivers.

 

[Pointblank]

Yugos cost more and are heavier. A better built beast.

Pointblank

 

[Pointblank]

oops... double post..

Pointblank

 

[SHTF]

Thanks again for your responses, I really appreciate it. MaineMountainMan, I checked out that SAR-1 and, it looks good At that price I may end up with 2 guns

I'll be staying away from the milled receivers, that upgrade arguement is pretty convincing.

 

[test]

Thanks again for your responses, I really appreciate it. MaineMountainMan, I checked out that SAR-1 and, it looks good At that price I may end up with 2 guns

I'll be staying away from the milled receivers, that upgrade arguement is pretty convincing.

I'm a little late but will add my two pennies:
From personal experience the stamped receivers are better than milled. they are less prone to cracking than the milled are. Historically there are more stamped AKs in the world and they are in high abuse situations and are holding up just fine... The Yugo SKS is a fine weapon, just watch the valve for the grenade launcher,,, if it gets abused it can leak and cause feed, extraction and ejection problems. So stay away from corosive ammo on them.

 

[MaineMountainMan]

Thanks again for your responses, I really appreciate it. MaineMountainMan, I checked out that SAR-1 and, it looks good At that price I may end up with 2 guns

I'll be staying away from the milled receivers, that upgrade arguement is pretty convincing.

The SAR 1 is twice the gun the WASR's are and for not much more money...
They are selling for ALOT more than I paid for mine though...

They were $179.95 when I got the first...

 

[FredLee]

I'd go milled. Stamped is good,milled,better.Stocks aren't that big an issue.

 

[Ryan316]

I have both. I like the quality on the milled alot better. Also have an M4 stock on it that it took a little while to find but very available.

 

[Brew]

Navy seal team selected Norinco brand AKs after beating them all to death. The 1.6 mm stamped reciever was why they chose it over milled and other stamped. The test I believe was 45,000 rds and some of the milled pullled heat and twisted enough to grind metal shavings and FTF.

Right now you better just get one. For the average joe all of them are fine.

 

[-Sepp]

Get the milled. The best quality AK's all have milled recievers with the Russian and Yugo's being the best constructed in my oppinion.
The stamped romanian stuff is pure junk and flimsy. If you can compare the yugo alongside a romaian, you'll see the difference in quality quickly.
The stamped out crap is a bit cheaper but, trust me, quality is always money well spent especially if this is the weapon you will rely on if the SHTF.
Also, keep in mind that cheap crap on the outside means cheap crap on the inside too!

 

[MaineMountainMan]

I'll have to tell my Stamped Crap post 86 dealer samples that they wont be able to shoot the 80K plus rounds each that they have... lol...

 

[1st MAW]

The milled receiver is probably better made, but either the stamped or the milled are equally reliable.....I have both.......some Aks can have cruddy finishes but they surely work every time you pull trhe trigger.....

 

[WeakenedWarrior]

My understanding is the original Kalashnikovs were milled but after the Soviets started exporting the design to other countries they switched to stamped receivers because they were cheaper and easier to manufacture. I have shot milled AK's like the Bulgarian SLR-95 and they are very accurate but also quite a bit heavier than stamped ones. My Bulgarian SSR-85C has a 1.6mm stamped receiver that feels and shoots a lot like milled but not quite as heavy... a good compromise in my opinion.

 

[yoyokat867]

Stamping is like cold forging. Metal built into shape is generally stronger than metal that is cut down to size. Look at those thin forged wheels on big trucks and a look at the thick billet machined wheels on big trucks.
Machining tools are forged, not milled.