Apparently the VSKA has fixed the problems the RAS "American AK"s had with wear and tear on the bolt face and chamber that would make it dangerous to fire after a few hundred rounds.
An AK is absolutely a gun where you get your money's worth out of the quality of the receiver, plus the factory fit and finish, because it's still '40s tech and thus lacks the '70s modularity of a contemporary AR
That especially becomes true if you plan on a high round count going through it, because of how the guns wear. Good steel to com-bloc spec will always prevail over the lowest bidder, in a way the AR can avert by design
tl;dr - now that com-bloc AKs are expensive, or priced what they probably should be depending on how you see it, an AK you want serious accuracy and reliability from has become a $800-1800 proposition instead of a $500 one
also the reason I don't own my own AK or SKS besides money is how few of the ranges near me allow steel ammo. I basically would have to drive to WV. hoping to find a range that tolerates steel ammo soon
[Paragon]I'm a real doctor, for pretend!North DakotaRegistered Userregular
I paid like 575ish or so after taxes for my Century arms RAS47, bit more for the one with magpul parts but I added my own later. Prices vary, I would say check out the new VSKA if you're going century. Seen those going for about 600ish or so online but YMMV as always. I've been happy with my gun, but it's not going to be an excessive round count gun. Or just buy an aresnal and call it a day.
Well I may have spoken too early on the VSKA unfortunately. I'm seeing it going around that they are going out of head space and becoming unsafe to fire after less than 1000 rounds. Which really isn't that much. That's just over 30 magazines worth of firing (for even a recreational shooter that's 3-4 trips to the range) and should absolutely not be happening. One of the two rifles I read about actually had the pin which keeps the barrel in place come loose and the barrel was moving back and forth through the trunnion so it got a false positive pass with a no-go gauge when they first tested it. Apparently it's also having the same heat treating issues as the RAS with the bolt, bolt face, and trunnions.
For some reason Century doesn't seem to have learned their lesson from the RAS if this turns out to be a widespread issue. Which is disappointing, I would really like to see US manufactured AK pattern rifles take off.
Unfortunately that seems the case. There is no "American" AK on the market right now that seems worth the money, even more so if they become a potential hand grenade after less than 1000 rounds fired.
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[Paragon]I'm a real doctor, for pretend!North DakotaRegistered Userregular
Didn't PSA buy DDI to start cranking out AKs? I honestly haven't heard anything bad or good about them, they might be worth checking out.
Didn't PSA buy DDI to start cranking out AKs? I honestly haven't heard anything bad or good about them, they might be worth checking out.
I haven't seen any updates on the "PSAK". If it works out then that will be great. I would love to see the AK platform become manufactured widely enough in the US to be competitive with the AR15. If we didn't have such stringent import restrictions (even more strict than Canada) we would have some more competitors to the AR15. The AR15 is a great gun for pretty much every use you could have for it, but almost anything that is comparable in function is twice or thrice the price of the AR market right now.
AKOU did their standard 5k round test on the PSAK Gen 2 about 2 years ago and it ran just fine. It showed a couple spots of wear but Rob was happy with it. The Gen 1's had a problem because they were using cast trunnions, and they were wearing out. Of course, actually getting one from PSA is the trick, as every single one on their site is out of stock...
How’s Del-Ton as a manufacturer? There’s a store near me offering a nice deal on an AR-15 w/TruGlo dot for $450. I’ve seen quite a few reviews online saying it’s a good barebones weapon but it’d be nice to have some first hand reports.
How’s Del-Ton as a manufacturer? There’s a store near me offering a nice deal on an AR-15 w/TruGlo dot for $450. I’ve seen quite a few reviews online saying it’s a good barebones weapon but it’d be nice to have some first hand reports.
It's hard to make an AR that isn't functional. Del-Ton is an okay brand, I can't think of any significant issues off the top of my head (I've only owned Armalite, Aero, PSA, and a "boutique" made to order brand that is not one of the super high end ones like DD). The TruGlo red dot is very likely garbage. Unless you have a rim fire plinker you want to put it on I'd probably throw it away or give it to a kid to put on an air soft gun. You can't really get quality red dots under ~$150-200 by themselves on the lower priced but still quality end (Primary Arms etc.).
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Wooo! Excited to go shooting next week, it’ll be fun plinking away with something besides my pistol. Next gun I buy has to NOT be something I shot in the military though.
I would recommend for a rifle you're unlikely to have been issued if you can find them at good prices:
Ruger Mini (over priced at MSRP I think, but really fun to shoot)
PTR 91 (HK 91)
Any AK clone (avoid IO, and for now it's probably better to avoid any of the Century "American" AKs because of safety concerns)
Kel Tec SU16 or Sub 2000
I would recommend for a rifle you're unlikely to have been issued if you can find them at good prices:
Ruger Mini (over priced at MSRP I think, but really fun to shoot)
PTR 91 (HK 91)
Any AK clone (avoid IO, and for now it's probably better to avoid any of the Century "American" AKs because of safety concerns)
Kel Tec SU16 or Sub 2000
How about a CZ Scorpion? It'd probably be pretty economical to shoot what with it being chambered in 9mm. Also, folks around here who have one seem to like them quite a bit.
| Origin/R*SC: Ein7919 | Battle.net: Erlkonig#1448 | XBL: Lexicanum | Steam: Der Erlkönig (the umlaut is important) |
I would recommend for a rifle you're unlikely to have been issued if you can find them at good prices:
Ruger Mini (over priced at MSRP I think, but really fun to shoot)
PTR 91 (HK 91)
Any AK clone (avoid IO, and for now it's probably better to avoid any of the Century "American" AKs because of safety concerns)
Kel Tec SU16 or Sub 2000
How about a CZ Scorpion? It'd probably be pretty economical to shoot what with it being chambered in 9mm. Also, folks around here who have one seem to like them quite a bit.
How much are they MSRP? I'm only familiar with the ones I listed which are lower priced, used or new, or have lower priced alternatives (PTR has the Century C308).
I would recommend for a rifle you're unlikely to have been issued if you can find them at good prices:
Ruger Mini (over priced at MSRP I think, but really fun to shoot)
PTR 91 (HK 91)
Any AK clone (avoid IO, and for now it's probably better to avoid any of the Century "American" AKs because of safety concerns)
Kel Tec SU16 or Sub 2000
How about a CZ Scorpion? It'd probably be pretty economical to shoot what with it being chambered in 9mm. Also, folks around here who have one seem to like them quite a bit.
How much are they MSRP? I'm only familiar with the ones I listed which are lower priced, used or new, or have lower priced alternatives (PTR has the Century C308).
Oof...it looks like the price on them jumped considerably since last I looked. Straight from a big-box store, you're looking at $900-$1100. Gun Broker has them NIB for $800-$950.
When I was last looking at them, they topped out at $800
| Origin/R*SC: Ein7919 | Battle.net: Erlkonig#1448 | XBL: Lexicanum | Steam: Der Erlkönig (the umlaut is important) |
Since seeing it in a video review I'm interested in getting one. I have a Sub2k which takes Glock magazines so it's not really a new type of magazine I have to stock up on.
Wooo! Excited to go shooting next week, it’ll be fun plinking away with something besides my pistol. Next gun I buy has to NOT be something I shot in the military though.
Edit:Picture now worky.
Nice. I had my first AR (the Armalite) tricked out with Magpul MOE, Magbul BUIS, one point sling, new muzzle brake, but then I ended up putting it all back to mil-spec, putting a carry handle on it, and a service rifle match style two point sling. I have my other ARs to trick out instead and I enjoy having a "service rifle" carbine setup to shoot. It's also my "fighting rifle" and I will end up putting a scout light mount on it that mounts to GI furniture.
I also prefer GI mags and they can be found pretty cheap. I've had no problems with Brownell's 30 and 20 rounders. There are some advantages to PMAGs and other polymer magazines, a big one being that when they fail usually it's catastrophic. So you won't have a magazine with bent feed lips or some other defect that you don't catch fail to feed on you. So I keep a few PMAGs and other brand polymer magazines but make sure to check my GI mags regularly for bent feed lips, dents etc. I also got a few of the Ranger plates for them for a little more real estate to grab onto.
So we get stiff once in a while. So we have a little fun. What’s wrong with that? This is a free country, isn’t it? I can take my panda any place I want to. And if I wanna buy it a drink, that’s my business.
Hey thread, let me know if this is too far off topic but I’m looking for some advice. I’m considering taking a job in Japan, and my understanding is that I would be unable to bring my guns with me. I currently own a Glock 19, a beautiful Kimber Custom II with my former squadron colors, a S&W airweight, and a Mossberg 500. I could sell everything except the Kimber, because it’s an heirloom. I’m planning on living in Japan for a least a few years, so what are my options for storage? I’m currently active duty, so my shit’s all over the place: home of record and family in SoCal, residence in Florida, homeowner in Nevada, and currently in North Carolina. My immediate family isn’t keen on keeping weapons in the house, but could potentially be convinced. I’ve got friends in SoCal that I’d trust with them but if I like the job I could be there for a very long time and I don’t want to impose and potentially lose touch.
This is all currently just planning and weighing options, I wouldn’t be making the decision until the spring and wouldn’t actually move until summer at the earliest.
I would say ask your family to keep it because Japan has probably the most draconian firearms restrictions of any non-autocratic state in the world and private ownership for active duty is IIRC limited by local and state law, even overseas.
I will be home in the next week and able to finish out an LAR308 build and an AR pistol build. Right now the plan is to cerakote the LAR in burnt bronze, except for the barrel which is stainless. I may also end up doing something with the pistol, either cerakote, duracoat, or hydrodip. I'd actually like to do a kryptek pattern.
First of Christmas to me...8” steel reflex kit that I threw on a 2x4 in a target holder.
Gonna take it down to the hunting property, which I’m excited to shoot it, but gotta wait til deer season is through.
I look at it this way, it’s 2 hours away, closest gun ranges are 30 minutes up to an hour away, shooting fees are between $15-20 per person without targets, so that’s my gas costs at current gas for a one way trip. Get to stay more on top of the things happening down at the property and hopefully keep less shit from going to the bad. Less concern about dipshits shooting me at the gun range (guy at my preferred range ND’d into his arm according to the Austin guns subreddit).
I can clear out some brush, use the old tank as backstop, establish some shooting lines so I don’t take out any cattle, should be alright. Hardest issue is going to be establish a reliable rifle target area, but handguns will be no problem.
diablo III - beardsnbeer#1508 Mechwarrior Online - Rusty Bock
I just learned that you can get the CZ P-09 for filthy cheap right now because of how much overstock is around relative to it's little brother the P-07
As someone who really only wants a pistol for range/target usage, $400ish shipped plus FFL fee seems reasonable for a sturdy service pistol than can do repeatable shots at 50-100m with a steady hand
I've been seeing them on gundeals. Right now I have the first Gen PPQ with the ambi controls and I planned my next pistol purchase to be some model of 1911. Of course I would get a .45acp model first but looking at the lower to mid tier prices I've thought about getting a 9x19 as well. And there's 10mm.
9mm is cheap and good, in a way little else can match
1911s are cool in the same ways as Harley Davidsons - vintage-y Americana, great feel but sorta heavy, big displacement at the cost of mediocre to ok capacity, maintenance-intensive but will last forever if you treat it right, and performance will cost you but there are a ton of aftermarket options
Those crazy custom 9mm double-stack "2011"s are neat too, but a $500ish CZ SP-01 Phantom does 95% of the same stuff out of the box
[Paragon]I'm a real doctor, for pretend!North DakotaRegistered Userregular
edited December 2018
The P09 is a great gun. Even my dad an old school dyed in the wool 1911 guy really enjoyed my P09 and is now considering buying one after shooting mine. Feels good, shoots good. Mags aren't cheap though, but give it time.
So got a new job at work, came with a big ass pay raise (shop floor to the supply chain side of things) as a reward for being awesome I bought myself a new gun. Managed to snag one of the blem Galil Ace in 7.62x39 from classic firearms for 1k (about 1.1k out the door to my FFL). I will pick it up tomorrow, run a few mags through it and post some pictures! I am excite.
Posts
That especially becomes true if you plan on a high round count going through it, because of how the guns wear. Good steel to com-bloc spec will always prevail over the lowest bidder, in a way the AR can avert by design
tl;dr - now that com-bloc AKs are expensive, or priced what they probably should be depending on how you see it, an AK you want serious accuracy and reliability from has become a $800-1800 proposition instead of a $500 one
also the reason I don't own my own AK or SKS besides money is how few of the ranges near me allow steel ammo. I basically would have to drive to WV. hoping to find a range that tolerates steel ammo soon
For some reason Century doesn't seem to have learned their lesson from the RAS if this turns out to be a widespread issue. Which is disappointing, I would really like to see US manufactured AK pattern rifles take off.
I haven't seen any updates on the "PSAK". If it works out then that will be great. I would love to see the AK platform become manufactured widely enough in the US to be competitive with the AR15. If we didn't have such stringent import restrictions (even more strict than Canada) we would have some more competitors to the AR15. The AR15 is a great gun for pretty much every use you could have for it, but almost anything that is comparable in function is twice or thrice the price of the AR market right now.
"The G11 is not a gun, it is a clock they taught to shoot bullets."
It's hard to make an AR that isn't functional. Del-Ton is an okay brand, I can't think of any significant issues off the top of my head (I've only owned Armalite, Aero, PSA, and a "boutique" made to order brand that is not one of the super high end ones like DD). The TruGlo red dot is very likely garbage. Unless you have a rim fire plinker you want to put it on I'd probably throw it away or give it to a kid to put on an air soft gun. You can't really get quality red dots under ~$150-200 by themselves on the lower priced but still quality end (Primary Arms etc.).
That is a sewing machine, not a light machine gun.
Wooo! Excited to go shooting next week, it’ll be fun plinking away with something besides my pistol. Next gun I buy has to NOT be something I shot in the military though.
Edit:Picture now worky.
Ruger Mini (over priced at MSRP I think, but really fun to shoot)
PTR 91 (HK 91)
Any AK clone (avoid IO, and for now it's probably better to avoid any of the Century "American" AKs because of safety concerns)
Kel Tec SU16 or Sub 2000
How about a CZ Scorpion? It'd probably be pretty economical to shoot what with it being chambered in 9mm. Also, folks around here who have one seem to like them quite a bit.
How much are they MSRP? I'm only familiar with the ones I listed which are lower priced, used or new, or have lower priced alternatives (PTR has the Century C308).
Oof...it looks like the price on them jumped considerably since last I looked. Straight from a big-box store, you're looking at $900-$1100. Gun Broker has them NIB for $800-$950.
When I was last looking at them, they topped out at $800
Nice. I had my first AR (the Armalite) tricked out with Magpul MOE, Magbul BUIS, one point sling, new muzzle brake, but then I ended up putting it all back to mil-spec, putting a carry handle on it, and a service rifle match style two point sling. I have my other ARs to trick out instead and I enjoy having a "service rifle" carbine setup to shoot. It's also my "fighting rifle" and I will end up putting a scout light mount on it that mounts to GI furniture.
I also prefer GI mags and they can be found pretty cheap. I've had no problems with Brownell's 30 and 20 rounders. There are some advantages to PMAGs and other polymer magazines, a big one being that when they fail usually it's catastrophic. So you won't have a magazine with bent feed lips or some other defect that you don't catch fail to feed on you. So I keep a few PMAGs and other brand polymer magazines but make sure to check my GI mags regularly for bent feed lips, dents etc. I also got a few of the Ranger plates for them for a little more real estate to grab onto.
This is all currently just planning and weighing options, I wouldn’t be making the decision until the spring and wouldn’t actually move until summer at the earliest.
I’ll take it!
Also helps you operate
Anybody done one?
Gonna take it down to the hunting property, which I’m excited to shoot it, but gotta wait til deer season is through.
I look at it this way, it’s 2 hours away, closest gun ranges are 30 minutes up to an hour away, shooting fees are between $15-20 per person without targets, so that’s my gas costs at current gas for a one way trip. Get to stay more on top of the things happening down at the property and hopefully keep less shit from going to the bad. Less concern about dipshits shooting me at the gun range (guy at my preferred range ND’d into his arm according to the Austin guns subreddit).
I can clear out some brush, use the old tank as backstop, establish some shooting lines so I don’t take out any cattle, should be alright. Hardest issue is going to be establish a reliable rifle target area, but handguns will be no problem.
As someone who really only wants a pistol for range/target usage, $400ish shipped plus FFL fee seems reasonable for a sturdy service pistol than can do repeatable shots at 50-100m with a steady hand
I don’t have one because I’ve got others to fill that role.
1911s are cool in the same ways as Harley Davidsons - vintage-y Americana, great feel but sorta heavy, big displacement at the cost of mediocre to ok capacity, maintenance-intensive but will last forever if you treat it right, and performance will cost you but there are a ton of aftermarket options
Those crazy custom 9mm double-stack "2011"s are neat too, but a $500ish CZ SP-01 Phantom does 95% of the same stuff out of the box
So got a new job at work, came with a big ass pay raise (shop floor to the supply chain side of things) as a reward for being awesome I bought myself a new gun. Managed to snag one of the blem Galil Ace in 7.62x39 from classic firearms for 1k (about 1.1k out the door to my FFL). I will pick it up tomorrow, run a few mags through it and post some pictures! I am excite.