What's new

$600 semi auto rifle

Rating - 100%
72   0   0
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,326
Location
rock hill sc
OK guys. I'm looking for a semi auto rifle for $600 or under. I have a good 12ga and a good bolt action. I lean to the commie side of rifles, I've had several ar's but sold them all.

What I'm leaning to is a Draco ak pistol in 7.62x39 with the stabilizer brace. I have shot a few and loved them.

The reasons, its a ak. Can't kill it. Easy cheap ammo. Will hit a person up to 150yds ( I know it won't really push further than that). It's a small compact package. And it's a ak! Lol

What do you guys think? Is my logic sound? Any other recommendations?
 
Rating - 100%
56   0   0
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
Messages
3,974
Location
Buffalo, NY
OK guys. I'm looking for a semi auto rifle for $600 or under. I have a good 12ga and a good bolt action. I lean to the commie side of rifles, I've had several ar's but sold them all.

What I'm leaning to is a Draco ak pistol in 7.62x39 with the stabilizer brace. I have shot a few and loved them.

The reasons, its a ak. Can't kill it. Easy cheap ammo. Will hit a person up to 150yds ( I know it won't really push further than that). It's a small compact package. And it's a ak! Lol

What do you guys think? Is my logic sound? Any other recommendations?
Hey brother -- I don't want to wreck your thread here with the whole "AR vs. AK" thing...so as long as you're not engaging targets beyond 200 yards, you're good to go with that AK IMO. It has the qualities you like (stone-cold reliable, durable, weather-resistant, bigger round = bigger hole, plus ammo everywhere). So rather than get into 5.56 and learn a whole new weapons system, I would buy what you like and are already familiar with! (y)
 
Rating - 100%
112   0   0
Joined
Jul 20, 2011
Messages
2,303
Location
Near Twin Cities MN
I'm actually of the opinion that you can kill AKs, especially a sub $600 one. If you have a true Ak, sure. But most of these are parts kits being put together by companies looking to make a quick profit. I've had/shot more than a dozen AKs and have had problems with more than half.
But if you find one put together well, your golden. They can be a blast.
Just one hungover mans opinion.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jasonsbeer

Never Settle
Rating - 100%
52   0   0
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
1,539
Location
Iowa
I'm actually of the opinion that you can kill AKs, especially a sub $600 one. If you have a true Ak, sure. But most of these are parts kits being put together by companies looking to make a quick profit. I've had/shot more than a dozen AKs and have had problems with more than half.
But if you find one put together well, your golden. They can be a blast.
Just one hungover mans opinion.
From what I have heard, this is worth listening to. I'm an AR guy, but I used to frequent AK and AR discussions. Now, this is just hearsay...but from what I have heard...you are looking at $800-900 minimum for anything worth having. They're called trash can guns for a reason.

Edit: I was trying to think of the "cheap" AK that people would always talk about. I went back and looked it up. WASR is the cheap one that seems to have a good reputation. They are around $600 normally and are under $600 right now for black Friday.

http://www.centerfiresystems.com/AKAGUN20.aspx

Someone that knows AK's should comment. Like I said, I'm just an observer.
 
Last edited:

luckysaturn13

Smoke it if ya got it!
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Messages
2,231
Location
St. Louis MO
Only time ive ever had an issue with ak or ar was with the ar. It kept jamming up when shooting with a friend of mine. It wound up being that the military surplus ball ammo he brought out had some rough edging on the tip that was causing it to hang up. Outside of that a good cleaning after shooting and they have been flawless. And thats normally after plinking with some steel cased wolf or bear ammo. If im going for accuracy I load up hornady red tips. If your not shooting hundreds or thousands of rounds all the time you dont have to spend 1k to have a fun rifle.
 

mwlabel

BoM July '13
Rating - 100%
84   0   0
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
5,699
Location
Midwest!
From what I have heard, this is worth listening to. I'm an AR guy, but I used to frequent AK and AR discussions. Now, this is just hearsay...but from what I have heard...you are looking at $800-900 minimum for anything worth having. They're called trash can guns for a reason.

Edit: I was trying to think of the "cheap" AK that people would always talk about. I went back and looked it up. WASR is the cheap one that seems to have a good reputation. They are around $600 normally and are under $600 right now for black Friday.

http://www.centerfiresystems.com/AKAGUN20.aspx

Someone that knows AK's should comment. Like I said, I'm just an observer.
WASR used to make acceptable quality. That is no longer the case.

You can buy a full, quality AR for ~$500 from Palmetto State Armory right now, by the way. Different beast, but an excellent deal. If I had surplus money, I would buy at least one just to have.
 

luckysaturn13

Smoke it if ya got it!
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Messages
2,231
Location
St. Louis MO
The one I play with is a wasr 10 from 67 I believe
5900 s not bad for a nice quality ar. What do you think about the gas piston conversions? Worth the money or just more to break?
 

mwlabel

BoM July '13
Rating - 100%
84   0   0
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
5,699
Location
Midwest!
The one I play with is a wasr 10 from 67 I believe
5900 s not bad for a nice quality ar. What do you think about the gas piston conversions? Worth the money or just more to break?
I would be confident in that WASR then. Their dive in quality is pretty recent. I want to say in the past 10 years off the top of my head.

Piston ARs are stupid, to be blunt. I wouldn't ever buy one - especially not paying MORE for one than a Direct Impingement version.

Unless you're referring to AKs, then I have no idea. I'm not familiar with most of the aftermarket parts available.

ETA: 500.00 is a SMOKING deal for a good AR. Until now, you were always looking at nearly 1k for a good AR before accessories. Now you can have a rifle, optic, and light for that price.
 
Rating - 100%
112   0   0
Joined
Jul 20, 2011
Messages
2,303
Location
Near Twin Cities MN
^ pretty much spot on!

Piston ARs are not my cup of tea. Metal on metal recoil vs gas on metal recoil, what one do you think feels better. And with modern ARs, the "reliability" boost you'd get from the piston is all marketing. DI done right can run forever! I torture tested my AR once, got close to 3,000 rounds without cleaning before I caved. Zero malfunctions in that time, I just couldn't do it anymore, it's soooo weird for me not to clean after I use my firearms.

Also, PSA makes quality stuff. That $500 deal is a KO punch for anyone in the market for a quality rifle, especially on a budget.

ALLLLLL that being said, if you prefer AKs, don't let our experiences try and force another AR down your throat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Rating - 100%
72   0   0
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,326
Location
rock hill sc
Thanks for all the advice guys! I've had a PSA, low end Smith and a full built from parts AR. Just couldn't get into them... PSA makes some awesome stuff and their main building is only about 45 min from me :)

But I think I've found a decent ak for me the I.O. inc m214. They seemed to have a rough start but have straightened up good. Thanks to @mwlabel I read up on current atf bs about the sig brace and have decided against the ak pistol. I should be getting payed my small bonus next Friday and should order the rifle then.
 
Rating - 100%
137   0   0
Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
1,437
Location
New York
I would not buy any parts gun AK. They are plagued with wobble and canted sites.

Save up and buy an Arsenal with milled receivers. I had several WASRs and a couple of milled Arsenals. Night and day come sounded like a tin can closing the bolt and one sounds like a solidly built rifle.

Save your money and buy a high end AK.
 
Last edited:
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
146
Location
East Tawas, MI
I'll second the Arsenal Sam7 if you can swing it. With the milled receiver it's super accurate and runs buttery smooth. Also like how they added a thumb safety in addition to the standard AK safety.
 
Rating - 100%
72   0   0
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,326
Location
rock hill sc
Last edited:
Rating - 100%
72   0   0
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,326
Location
rock hill sc
Well guys looks like I'm buying a new shotgun, not a rifle.

My father has had my 870 for a while now and when I went to get it back to do some modifications ( new stock and barrel to make it a better HD gun, it has a 26" barrel ATM) he told me no he was keeping it to hunt with.....

So looks like I'm buying a Mossberg 590a1 that I've been wanting.
 
Top