The provenance of these is unknown, but the builds and demilled kits have the appearance of BFPUs. Childers appears to use their North Korean underfolder-cut receiver for the builds. The builds do seem overpriced, though Childers does decent builds. Atlantic sells the weldment for the underfolder for additional cost and recommends the same Childers receiver used for the builds, which makes sense.

Build:
https://atlanticfirearms.com/asian-cont ... lders-guns

Kit:
https://atlanticfirearms.com/ak47-asian ... o-weldment

Kit and pre-built video from Mishaco:


Shooting video of the pre-built rifle:
https://youtu.be/FKT6G4xmUx8?t=372

$1700 for an unknown provenance, franken AK? I’m not sure what they’ve got there.


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INVICTVS138 wrote:$1700 for an unknown provenance, franken AK? I’m not sure what they’ve got there.


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I can clarify. The "68-1" parts are from a northern Asian totalitarian communist country that is not China. They probably have been in a warehouse in a 3rd country for decades. Kits/bulds are mostly 4-matching.

I really dig the Type 3 barrel profile and factory double-hook trigger.

The factory-new UF hinge reinforcement likely makes the stock-to-receiver fitment less junky than the rifle was prior to demilling.

I can’t believe the prices these guns are asking these days. The fact that the receiver is not original makes this far, far less desirable than a Chicom AK. Yet they are asking more than a MAK-90. I’m mean really, wth?

Love to have one but I'm not into stocking a new line of ammo which I would need 1 k rounds minimum.
I almost got an AK when little GW Jr was in office. Oh well.

Bisbee wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:03 pm I can’t believe the prices these guns are asking these days. The fact that the receiver is not original makes this far, far less desirable than a Chicom AK. Yet they are asking more than a MAK-90. I’m mean really, wth?

Prices are absurd.

The real difference is Chicom AKs actually exist in the US, even if they are rare and were brought in under a few different importers. Though a few DPRK AK-pattern rifles, like 58s, have been imported into the US in the past, they never will be imported into the US again. A kit or build is a close as one can get.

Type 68 fixed stock images borrowed from Rob Stott's book The AK47 Catalog: Volume 13: Childers used export markings on the receivers for their builds for Atlantic, but they can replicate authentic Korean .mil markings on receivers purchased directly from them.

I have been impressed with the Cyrillic and Romanian engraving on previous receivers.

So basically the idea is that these are like Airsoft replicas, models of real guns unavailable here in the US… but they actually shoot.

Bisbee wrote:So basically the idea is that these are like Airsoft replicas, models of real guns unavailable here in the US… but they actually shoot.

The builds are real firearms built from actual demilled DPRK parts kits. Due to bans, the receivers and barrels cannot be imported.

The kits are the same DPRK demills but in bags and without receivers and barrels.

ETA:
Due to the fact .mil rifle receivers and original .mil barrels cannot be imported into the US, pretty much every prebuilt AK variant not built by a foreign manufacturer's US subsidiary is a kit build. So even if you get a very high-quality historical build like one from Two River Arms, The AK Guy, or anyone involved with Jim Fuller, it is based on a kit due to import restrictions.

One could argue some of the manufactured rifle "imports" we get aren't much different since they have to be finished here by US subsidiaries or importers who act as contract manufacturers. So one cannot actually buy a new true import in the US.

I guess for the niche AK collector that must have as many countries of manufacture variants as possible. I mean we are talking about guns that are so shot out that North Korea didn’t want anymore or surplused. Yikes. I would imagine these are rough compared to even the Norinco MAK 90s; which were never reputed to be top of the line AKMs.

If you want to get into the AK game with a reasonably high quality, current manufacturer at around $1000 - Zastava (Serbia) is the way to go.


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INVICTVS138 wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 6:01 pm I guess for the niche AK collector that must have as many countries of manufacture variants as possible. I mean we are talking about guns that are so shot out that North Korea didn’t want anymore or surplused. Yikes. I would imagine these are rough compared to even the Norinco MAK 90s; which were never reputed to be top of the line AKMs.

The DPRK replaced the 68-1 decades ago. Replacing small arms with more modern ones is typical of militaries. I've purchased a couple of parts kits and been through the parts kits bags of a few others. The parts have all been fine. They have finish wear but are not damaged in a manner that would impede their function. Sight blocks, gas blocks, and trunnions, pretty much will work forever. In a kit I've never even seen a trigger, hammer, disconnector, sear, or spring that showed excessive wear. These Asian Contract kits look about as worn and grimy as the typical Romanian kits.

INVICTVS138 wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 6:01 pm If you want to get into the AK game with a reasonably high quality, current manufacturer at around $1000 - Zastava (Serbia) is the way to go.


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Serbia's Zastava rifles also are finished in the US, with the ZPAPs coming from Zastava USA. Century brought in the OPAPs and NPAPs prior to that. ZPAP build quality has been good under Zastava USA. I have no complaints, but I would ditch the ZPAP M70 in a hot second for a genuine Yugoslavian M70AB2 kit containing the correct FSB and grenade site. The problem for a collector looking for an AKM would be the M70 is far more dissimilar to an AKM than any of the Asian AK variants.

Very interesting, but not interested. Variation of the "Avtomat Kalashnikova", the rifle of the Soviet Union and communist and non-communist revolutionaries. The designer Mikhail Kalashnikov died abut 10 years ago, he saw how popular his rifle became around the world.

Better, methinks, for those who like AK's to just pick up a new AK from Palmetto State Armory and call it a day. I don't see the benefit of this build, either. Palmetto actually makes a pretty good AK-pattern rifle these days.

CowboyT wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 11:12 am Better, methinks, for those who like AK's to just pick up a new AK from Palmetto State Armory and call it a day. I don't see the benefit of this build, either. Palmetto actually makes a pretty good AK-pattern rifle these days.

That would be the case if one just wanted one AK variant to shoot and not also to have as a historical piece, though the jury is still out on PSA. With a correctly configured receiver, a collector in this case could have what amounts to more-than-a-clone of a NK Type 68-1, given all the parts were from a demilled 68-1--and probably the same one. It's just been reassembled on a new receiver and with a new barrel.

The modern PSA AK variants are hybrid AKM/AK74/100s. Even the PSAK-104s have AKM-type bolts, carriers, and trunnions. So they are far from period-correct but fine for people who want rifles roughly approximating the AK-100 series variants. I am keeping my eye on PSA, though, because I want my goto AK for competition to be based on an AK-102, and it looks like KUSA might drop the ball on theirs.

If I just wanted one general AKM knock-off that would have no value other than to shoot, I'd probably get a WBP Jack and configure it with a long rail similar to what Rifle Dynamics does.

So this is really like the difference between trying to build/buy a period-correct M14/M1A out of historical interest and just buying a Mini-14 instead.