AKs - cheaper to build than buy?

[BogWalker]

AKs - cheaper to buy than build?

So, as I sit here with a scotchbrite pad turning my plain old WASR into a battlefield pick-up, I really feel like I want another AK. I'm kind of thinking an underfolder, but instead of buying I want to build one.

I've been told it's cheaper to buy than build at this point, but I don't often deal in absolutes. Anyone tried to do a cheap as possible build as of late?

I know several people who have all of the tools needed for a build so I'm sure I could borrow/rent on the cheap, but parts costs are the largest consideration. If I were to do a lot of deal hunting and a fair amount of jerry-rigging (screw build anyone?) could I manage to come out with an underfolder that is less than what I would pay to buy one for?

Would highly consider a pistol build if that would be cheaper. Would it?

Let's do all this pricing on pre-panic though as I'll be waiting for prices to come back down before I start.

I did do some hunting for parts kits and pretty much turned up with little. I did find a Romanian kit for $250 with a barrel, but the barrel had rust pitting. Is this a big safety concern with the 7.62x39 cartridge? With 922r into consideration it really seems like half the kit goes to waste as it is. Almost makes me wonder if it would work just to buy all the pieces separately what with the average kit being $300+ with no barrel now.

Thanks so much for helping with a newb question like this guys. Just really feeling the draw towards the AK fan club. Not sure if I've seen the light or joined the dark side.

 

[Tomfoolery]

Well the rub is that good kits aren't around like they used to be. Bulgy 74s used to be the kits to build because they were always excellent quality and they were dirt cheap. I'm talking $129 kinda cheap. That got you everything but a receiver and rivets. Now....

A "good" AK kit with a barrel is going to cost you $450+ and that's if you got a deal. Now you'll still need (if I remember this right) a gas piston, a receiver, the FCG and whatever furniture you decide to be American made. Don't puss out on the furniture either The wood on an AK is about the only good looking thing there is so it's go big or go home in this department imo, IWD ftw.

Now that you've got 450 in the kit, another 245+ in your parts your're still sitting pretty at $700. Of course there is ancillary costs too. You're going to want to paint it or blue it if you're high brow. Gunkote is another $30 and bluing is.... some cash, (? haven't blued anything in years?)time and alot of elbow grease.

450 is about the minimum for a kit now too. I just watched a no numbers Krink kit without a barrel sell for 650 and it's had "twelths" on it last I looked.

450 puts you in a Romy or Maadi kit. Nothing wrong with either if you dont mind a little polishing and maybe investing in a high quality fine tooth file.

Russian and Bulgarian kits will run you over 600 now so be prepared to grab your ankles if you want to jump in. You might get a good deal here or there, it happens.

I traded my last kit for a complete 1911, I didn't look back.

 

[BogWalker]

Thanks for the help. A $700 build is still slightly ahead of market value, and there is that satisfaction of building your own. I'll look into it some more and hope a deal comes my way.

A shame they can't just switch these things to semi-auto and import them. De-mill is such a waste of everyone's time. Why did these get so expensive? You'd think parts kits for a rifle with production accounting for 1/5th of the world's firearms wouldn't dry up so quickly. Probably bureaucracy buggering up the works.

 

[38special]

The barrels seem to be the hardest to find or make. IMO find a kit with barrel included.

 

[Spudgunr]

Yeah, it used to be cheaper (you could do a pistol build for only a couple bucks more than the cost of the kit, which USED to be under $100 for the right deal). Not so now.

I just sold a somewhat rusty kit with ugly furniture for $425. and a good looking romy kit with barrel for $500. Both sold within hours and I had people asking about it for a week.

I sold a compeletly rusty kit for $230, the guy was lucky he was online to finish the deal because shortly after I got an offer for my full asking price of $300...

Pistols don't need compliance parts, so basically you can do them for the price of a flat, rivet set, and something for the rear trunion (you can jury rig it or even leave the rifle one there if you cut the tang off).

I think the situation will be BETTER in a couple years. A couple US companies are starting to make US made barrels AND trunions. That will help out drastically. If an AR can be made for $600 (before the panic) in the US I couldn't figure out why we couldn't have a US made AK for a little less.

 

[TheWabbit]

AK-Builder has a bunch of barrels in stock right now that are normally hard to find AMDs, RPKs, etc.

Kits are more expensive but items can be found.

 

[BogWalker]

Yeah I've been doing some looking around for kits. Found a good number of Maadi kits for under $400. Thinking I may just put an underfolder on the AK I have. Shouldn't cost any more than $200 for the new trunnion, rivets, and actual stock assembly.