I remember the days of sub $500 AK's all day long. Now the garbage ones have crested $1,000. I don't just get the demand to justify the pricing when you can have a really nice AR for the same money.

Internet scuttlebutt would have it that panic conditions, impeded manufacturing and (substantially more expensive) shipping due to the Kung Flu in Europe, and morons on reddit are to blame.

Then again, it's stunning to me how many people took Biden's attempt to cut off steel-cased Russian ammo as an opportunity to declare the rifles they couldn't sell off at inflated "panic" prices are now "collectors' items" that should be priced accordingly.

Take a peek at everyone's "favorite" online gun auction site. Sky-high prices, and nary a bid except where the seller posted a "bid" to put a floor on a "no reserve" auction.

Several factors. Russian rifles were cut off, parts kits are mostly dried up, and there are several areas of conflict driving up competition for rifle purchases.

I snagged a bubba'ed up "Made in China" bubba'ed AK with quad rail and plastic stock in a dark parking lot from a HS biology teacher for $600 two summers ago. It was his dad's and he was into AR's. I couldn't tell anything about it other than it was Chinese-made and that he had a big bag of spare parts.

I stripped off all the paint, went through the spares and ordered missing stuff. Yeah, RAI Woodland Hills double-folder/spiker. Worth about 4-5 times would I had in it even pre-rona but maybe more now.

With people over-paying for new production stuff last year, the real bargains were with used guns. Example; snagged a TGI 5.45 AK74 with original Bulgarian barrel on it for $899 at a local shop. Had Soviet laminate on it and a bag of spares (which was the original plum furniture and an East German plum magazine).

That's a gorgeous double folder, PGT. Great score, at a great price.

Local shop got a ton of Century WASR's with black furniture and priced them at over $1000. WASR's were around $400 when I started getting into shooting around 2005.

The thing about gun panics is the entrance of new buyers who have never owned a firearm and don't know what things should cost, or have historically cost. They just know "I need an AK" or "I need a Glock" or "I need an AR" and go to some stores and buy what is available. I would never drop $1000 on a WASR or any Century Arms AK, but enough people are willing to pay that price for one they can have today.

Back in 2005 AR's cost a lot more than AK's too, and the situation has somewhat reversed now. The free market and popularity of the AR has resulted in an explosion of parts suppliers, which has driven costs down. Seems like everyone is making AR parts now. Just like everyone was getting into making a 1911 of some sort 10-15 years ago.

There has not been a similar expansion in the suppliers of actual AK parts - most come from the same places as they always have in Europe - Bulgaria, Romania, the former Yugoslavia, Poland, etc. China was cut off from imports long ago, and now Russia, so that lowers the supply. Although there are now some US manufacturers, they do not have the economies of scale that the AR industry does.

I have a stamped and folder receiver Arsenal that I bought for less than $1000 in 2018 or so. At the time I turned down a milled receiver Arsenal that was 1300-1400 and several VEPR's. The VEPR's would have been a good investment if I had them now.

quote:

they do not have the economies of scale that the AR industry does.

That may be coming. One economy of scale that works for ARs is that there are several companies making components in mass quantities cheaply which then get bought by manufacturers to be incorporated into rifles as OEM equipment. One recurring theme when US companies started trying to set up AK production lines is that they were trying to manufacture every component and not necessarily manufacturing all of them well or affordably. Nowadays PSA is getting trunnions and other components from ToolCraft and the results do seem to be promising.

I got a WASR about 10 years ago with two mags and a few hundred mixed loose rounds for $400. Mildly tempted to sell it to some pinhead with more money than sense.

What's the deal with AK pricing?...That's easy...Idiots like me pay too much for 'em.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pace40,

I still want one but I refuse to pay what they go for. I'll settle for the SIG556 for now.

quote:

Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
I still want one but I refuse to pay what they go for. I'll settle for the SIG556 for now.

I hear ya. I thought I paid way too much for every one I own. Now I wish I bought a pallet of each.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:

quote:

Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
I still want one but I refuse to pay what they go for. I'll settle for the SIG556 for now.

I hear ya. I thought I paid way too much for every one I own. Now I wish I bought a pallet of each.

Beautiful rifles though!

AK-74 circa 1976







AK-47 type 3, Bulgarian donor receiver, Soviet parts kit, 1976 Izhevsk PM no import stamps

AKS-74U SBR, Soviet parts kit

AK-74M circa early 1990s, KVar/Legion Russian donor rifle

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
Local shop got a ton of Century WASR's with black furniture and priced them at over $1000. WASR's were around $400 when I started getting into shooting around 2005.

Snip

I kick myself for not keeping & buying more in ‘85 for $350 … if o remember correctly I could buy Norinco double folder for $400

Don’t forget the Valmet, I’ve got a really nice M-62 tube-folder


An Arsenal SLR-95 with MagPul furniture & TWS Dog-leg top cover


SBR’d Zastava PAP M85 (223) & M92 (7.62x39)


Few DIY’s built from kits

quote:

Originally posted by kimberkid:
Don’t forget the Valmet, I’ve got a really nice M-62 tube-folder


An Arsenal SLR-95 with MagPul furniture & TWS Dog-leg top cover


SBR’d Zastava PAP M85 (223) & M92 (7.62x39)


Few DIY’s built from kits

Nice collection

quote:

AK-74 circa 1976

Malysh - That is the most gorgeous AK of any type that I have ever seen.

Thanks, Rev.

It's very kind of you to say so.

This rifle took about 10 years to complete since I started it before any Russian de-milled rifles or parts kits were available in the US. Many parts were extremely hard to find at that time.