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I was having an idle look at the FSU connections site and noted that they have started importing straight pull Romanian AKM/AKMS (WS-1.63/WS-1.64), must admit they do look rather nice in comparison to the Izmash AK-103/4 that they also import:

http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/firearms_akm.htm

http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/firearms_akms.htm

Given the choice I rather fancy this little beauty with the wood and authentic flash hider:



Why is it every time you think you have your future variations planned out somebody starts importing something that throws it all up in the air!

That looks familiar, i love mine and they are pretty much as close as you can get to a Soviet AKM over here.They shoot nicely and no feed or extraction problems and more accurate than people think, i went the whole hog with mine and changed out the Romanian rear sight leaf for a Soviet AKM version.I would like the AKMS style underfolder to go with it.

To be fair there is a lot you can do with a Saiga AK-104, mine has got a Soviet AKM pistolgrip and AKM laminate handguards and Izhmash Bakelite mags (Saigas need a feed ramp adding to be able to feed from milsurp mags, you can then slap in a 75r drum )
Soviet-ised Romanian AKM

AK-104, Soviet pistolgrip,Handguards,sling, PK-A red dot sight and very rare Soviet aluminium 30r mag (issued to paratroops in fairly small numbers as AK mags go).

If you get a Saiga AK-103 with the skeleton side folding stock and fit Soviet handguards etc you can create a very nice Khyber Pass AK replica, same the the Saiga AK-101 (5.56mm) can be used to create an AKS-74 replica.Virtually any handguards etc from any stamped receiver AK variant can be used to create any look you like.

An 'AK' variant is definitely my next purchase.

Throw in a Dragunov as well

In my ideal world the straight pull stamped AK variant I would prefer to own would be a Norinco Type 56. It is arguably one of the best built version of the AK out there.

The stamped Norinco Type 56 has:

A 1.5mm stamped reciever rather then 1mm on the AKM
A heavier barrel
A blued finish rather then parkerised or oxide

In the US pre-ban examples are apparently highly sort after due to their quality.

Wish there was a UK importer.

I have fired the Type 56(2) - a brand new one - on semi auto and then on full auto. A very tight solid weapon. As good as if not better than a Russian variant.

Back to this subject, unless somebody knows otherwise FSU are the only AK importer in the UK, on an aesthetic sense these Romanian AKM are the closest I have seen to what one would call a classic AK. The Russian Izmash examples whilst solid have to my eye looked slightly poorly finished.

I suppose I have two reservations about buying one of these AK:

1) The Romanian AKM hasn't got the best reputation amongst AK aficionados for quality and reliability.
2) I have heard varying stories about the quality of service from FSU from terrible through to great.

Maybe now Caledonian are importing sa vz.58 and there are a couple of different AK variants available other importers might start considering bringing in straight pull AK from other countries that still manufacture them. Presumably Valmet still make the RK.62 and Zastava the M70. The M70 has a particularly nice finish and is highly regarded for quality with a 1.5mm receiver like the Type 56, I would happily have that:

Fedaykin wrote:Back to this subject, unless somebody knows otherwise FSU are the only AK importer in the UK, on an aesthetic sense these Romanian AKM are the closest I have seen to what one would call a classic AK. The Russian Izmash examples whilst solid have to my eye looked slightly poorly finished.

I suppose I have two reservations about buying one of these AK:

1) The Romanian AKM hasn't got the best reputation amongst AK aficionados for quality and reliability.
2) I have heard varying stories about the quality of service from FSU from terrible through to great.

Maybe now Caledonian are importing sa vz.58 and there are a couple of different AK variants available other importers might start considering bringing in straight pull AK from other countries that still manufacture them. Presumably Valmet still make the RK.62 and Zastava the M70. The M70 has a particularly nice finish and is highly regarded for quality with a 1.5mm receiver like the Type 56, I would happily have that:

The finish on Izhmash Saigas/Aks is superior to Romanian Cugir AKs by quite a bit, don't forget that Izhmash is the home of the AK.The poor reputation Romanian AKs have comes mainly from half-assed kit built rifles in the States that were thrown together by Century etc as after the "assault rifle" ban I the states they had to be built on domestic US made receivers.Currently some of the best AK variants are Bulgarian made, and don't get hung up on 1.5mm receivers as that is no guarantee of strenght as a lot of Type56 receivers are only heat treated around the rivet/fcg axis pin holes not the whole receiver as Izhmash receivers are.A 1mm receiver will last a lifetime of normal use and then some, there are tens of thousands of 60s AKMs still in combat today with their original receivers. At the moment Oleg at Rusmilitary is the only UK dealer that Izhmash will deal with, and the Romanian Cugir AKMs come in via Germany.The problem for other "AK " producers is that the UK straight pull market is so small compared to semi-full auto customers its hardly worth bothering with, the reason we get Saigas is that they start off as a "sporting rifle" (hence no feed ramp to allow milsurp mags to feed correctly and the majority of 7.62 barrels stamping a ring around the neck of a fired case) and we get the Romanian ones cos they will sell to anyone, apart from the absence of a functioning gas system they are basically mil-spec including the correct feed ramp and the ability to take any misurp mag, whether its a Hungarian 20r tanker mag or a 75r Chinese drum.

Romanian it is then

I had also heard that much of the complaints with Romanian AK was due to poor American kit bashing.

I would want to be able to use military magazines and I am not expecting a super-duper finish in all honesty, I like a military rifle to have a bit of wear. Considering that they are straight pull it is hardly going to be too stressed and as you rightly point out the rifle by its very nature is reliable and long lived.

The price appears to be right for the AKM IMHO, rather then write the man off due to Chinese whispers and the grapevine what are peoples experience dealing with Oleg?

I will happily stump up the deposit and get the variation in if people here feel I will be looked after.

I've bought both my AKs from Oleg and have been very happy, ive also had lots of bits and bobs off him as well and not had a problem, if the item is in stock it usually only takes a few days.I wouldn't hesitate to buy from him again and may well do when he gets the AK-101s in as I have a spare .223 slot and a hankering for an AKS-74 replica with plum polymer furniture.The problem he has is at the other end, if Izhmash receive a military order then the civilian orders take a backseat as they are still a major military arsenal, hence why things get delayed.The US market is much bigger than the UK and the yanks have the same problem, with nothing coming in from Izhmash for months.If you are going Romanian I would recommend the "Soviet" upgrade version and strike while the irons hot so to speak as I have heard the Romanian ones may not be exported for much longer.With regard to the finish....its an AK, they look better the more they wear!
With the Saigas it is relatively easy to fit a feed ramp so you can use milsurp mags, I made and fitted my own from a piece of steel.If you can cut and file a piece of metal and drill and tap a hole its no problem.If you went that route I can give you the measurements for the ramp.Once its fitted you just file the mag catch slightly (milsurp mags have a slightly thicker lock tab) and you're good to go.