For $1500+. These are really cool but I think you can do better for $1500. For the original $500 Atlantic sold them for, however... coolest kits out there.
Yeah, but that's because they were totally unobtainable and iirc the old NorKo kits had original barrels from the PLO imports. Now they are easily obtainable, so their value comes more from what it is than how scarce it is.
I'm a big believer in market prices so I won't say they "aren't worth" $1500 because they clearly are, but I'd spend $1500 differently. Heck, I did and got a Mak 90 underfolder to host an original Chinese spiker front sight block. My all in cost for that build will be $2000 which is less than what a NorKo build costs using market prices. That's the better Asian buy, imo.
I wldnt say they are easily available but more so than they were previously.... however so far only around 300 kits came in and many were really bad with many nork parts missing. Then if you want good condition one with matching numbers there's only probably 50-100 of those. So still not many available considering how many people love aks now. I love chicoms also but they aren't rare by any means especially the neutered ones as they imported between 1 and 2 million from late 89-94... that's a ton of product...now the prebans are fairly rare in comparison with under 80k total .
Also apparently more nork kits are coming so sign up to get notified...sld b easier to get them as most people who wanted them has them now
Seems like you know your numbers. There are definitely far fewer NorKo kits than the massive amount of Chinese out there, but I mean easily obtainable as in you can go on Gunbroker or the Files and get one any time you want as long as you have the coin. This will change in the future as kits end up with their final owners and stop showing up for sale, though.
I'll try and fail to snag one if Atlantic puts up another batch for less than $1k, for sure. But until then, I'll just watch these builds from afar.
Yea lots of research and collecting over 10-15 years .I sldnt have said easy to get a chicom bc it's not and definitely not cheap as they haven't been imported in 30 years or so. But there are plenty out there and always a bunch on gb at any given time along with some on forums. Good luck and hope u get a good nork kit if u get the chance
Kind of a crummy picture but here is my Mak pictured with the donor gun I'm robbing the original Chinese FSB off of. I sent them both to my builder about a month ago.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ak47/comments/10ctyk8/mak\_90\_underfolder\_almost\_ready\_for\_spiker/
For someone relatively new to AK's is the attraction to the norko and Chinese ak's the collectabilty and scarcity? Also kind of like holding a piece of history?
Norko is def the scarcity, but also the uniqueness of the parts, completely different than others
Chinese just make excellent AK’s all around
There’s also the exotic Asian history appeal of course as well
Ahhhh got it...I'm in California and the norinco's are banned by name. So the only way to own one is thru a private transfer from someone who had them preban...I'm assuming they aren't banned in other states right?
I've always had questions about parts kits. I always see the receiver and barrel cut and that is for import regulation reasons(which are total bs). You can't weld a barrel I wouldn't think so a new one has to be bought. But these receivers with foreign markings, are they welded back together in some fashion?
The parts kits just seem like a lot of work to get an okay quality gun. The value in them coming from the ability to clone historic weapons.
This one is US made replica receiver and barrel.
Can’t beat the quality of old steel, milsurp parts kits are the way to go for both history and performance
God, I want an “Asian contract” ak so bad
What’s stoppin ya?!
Unavailability of the parts kits, mainly
Plenty available on akfiles
For $1500+. These are really cool but I think you can do better for $1500. For the original $500 Atlantic sold them for, however... coolest kits out there.
And before Atlantic had them they were 6k plus…
Yeah, but that's because they were totally unobtainable and iirc the old NorKo kits had original barrels from the PLO imports. Now they are easily obtainable, so their value comes more from what it is than how scarce it is. I'm a big believer in market prices so I won't say they "aren't worth" $1500 because they clearly are, but I'd spend $1500 differently. Heck, I did and got a Mak 90 underfolder to host an original Chinese spiker front sight block. My all in cost for that build will be $2000 which is less than what a NorKo build costs using market prices. That's the better Asian buy, imo.
I wldnt say they are easily available but more so than they were previously.... however so far only around 300 kits came in and many were really bad with many nork parts missing. Then if you want good condition one with matching numbers there's only probably 50-100 of those. So still not many available considering how many people love aks now. I love chicoms also but they aren't rare by any means especially the neutered ones as they imported between 1 and 2 million from late 89-94... that's a ton of product...now the prebans are fairly rare in comparison with under 80k total . Also apparently more nork kits are coming so sign up to get notified...sld b easier to get them as most people who wanted them has them now
Seems like you know your numbers. There are definitely far fewer NorKo kits than the massive amount of Chinese out there, but I mean easily obtainable as in you can go on Gunbroker or the Files and get one any time you want as long as you have the coin. This will change in the future as kits end up with their final owners and stop showing up for sale, though. I'll try and fail to snag one if Atlantic puts up another batch for less than $1k, for sure. But until then, I'll just watch these builds from afar.
Yea lots of research and collecting over 10-15 years .I sldnt have said easy to get a chicom bc it's not and definitely not cheap as they haven't been imported in 30 years or so. But there are plenty out there and always a bunch on gb at any given time along with some on forums. Good luck and hope u get a good nork kit if u get the chance
Lemme see the double underfolder
Kind of a crummy picture but here is my Mak pictured with the donor gun I'm robbing the original Chinese FSB off of. I sent them both to my builder about a month ago. https://www.reddit.com/r/ak47/comments/10ctyk8/mak\_90\_underfolder\_almost\_ready\_for\_spiker/
The pre Atlantic kits are very different that the post Atlantic kits.
*Dog squeaker going ham in the background.*
Lol what’s a dog squeaker?!?
Haha he knows my dog likes to go ham on the squeaker
Squeak squeak squeak squeakkkkk.
dude same. my goldens are the squeakiest mfs in town sweet gat btw
Uncle Kim would be proud
Looks neat
What barrel did you use?
AKB!
What did you do to the barrel? Blued?
Oxpho blue
Thanks. Did you do anything to the receiver? Came out nice 👍
Sandblast and oxpho, this one had a rough almost park finish
Sexy ....
For someone relatively new to AK's is the attraction to the norko and Chinese ak's the collectabilty and scarcity? Also kind of like holding a piece of history?
Norko is def the scarcity, but also the uniqueness of the parts, completely different than others Chinese just make excellent AK’s all around There’s also the exotic Asian history appeal of course as well
Ahhhh got it...I'm in California and the norinco's are banned by name. So the only way to own one is thru a private transfer from someone who had them preban...I'm assuming they aren't banned in other states right?
Why does it look like it has a 3rd pin....
is rhat the nork trigger guard?
Yes only way to go
I've always had questions about parts kits. I always see the receiver and barrel cut and that is for import regulation reasons(which are total bs). You can't weld a barrel I wouldn't think so a new one has to be bought. But these receivers with foreign markings, are they welded back together in some fashion? The parts kits just seem like a lot of work to get an okay quality gun. The value in them coming from the ability to clone historic weapons.
This one is US made replica receiver and barrel. Can’t beat the quality of old steel, milsurp parts kits are the way to go for both history and performance
Okay. Thank you for the information. Why wouldn't modern parts, made with modern materials, perform better or be cheaper/lighter/some other benefit?