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10 Comments

1. Great article, and thanks for not trashing my MAK-90!

2. Ultimak.com makes the best rails for optics
   where are concerned for AK’s, Mini-14, and several others…
   And they’re reasonably priced.

3. the reasons i personally own an AKM are:

   1) Its cool, no question
   2) another caliber. to own a battle rifle.
   3) matches ammo with my ruger ranch rifle

4. The article content is as comprehensive as could be found in an entry in a encyclopedia on the topic of firearms. It is a lot of nut in a small shell. Being the most popular assault rifle in history, the variations and history of each would require a very large book to be as comprehensive as possible. The AR is arguably the most versatile assault rifle, yet the prize for ruggedness and reliability goes to the AK variants.

   The surplus market in the U.S. created a melting pot, and the best of what an American market can now produce is a good addition to the dizzying varieties of AK’s out there. Metallurgy, the combination of hard and softer metals that work together, the art of assembling semi auto rifle based upon 1940’s technology, is still being hammered out by U.S. Manufactures. The most promising U.S. massed produced made rifle appears to be Palmetto State Armory version, yet I would have more confidence in well made, and proven Com Block examples. Arsenal is an example of an American company utilizing Bulgarian artisans/technicians, and their decades of acquired expertise. If one is familiar and sees the clues, it could be said that Palmetto State Armory has taken note of the Bulgarian rifle. This could be a good thing as the Bulgarian rifle as a solid reputation for a massed produced rifle. Krebs and other high end custom AKM shops would of course be more desirable AKM, if one could make the investment.

   The 1990’s market in the U.S., saw many variations of Norinco/Polytech SKS and AKM’s that were ordered by individual importers seeking to adapted to restrictive gun laws. Importers had rifles altered in an attempt to comply, yet keep the rifle competitive in the U.S., thus the MAC-90 and many other custom Norinco brand rifles are found with unusual adaptations of the military rifle. Norinco parts could be assembled by smaller Chinese shops to produce the rifle for a particular U.S. importer. To create and market a ‘sporter’ version, the importer may have added U.S. made stocks to the rifles as well. These are the much disliked thumb hole stocks. The MAC-90 is the most numerous version, yet there are other unusual adaptions to the U.S. market such as the MAC-91 and NHM-91, both introduced in 1991. There are others I’ve owned as well. These are attempts to use RPK barrels and receivers to make a heavier American quasi-RPK like rifle. The extra heavy and long barrels, and heavier stamped and milled receivers do make these rifles much more accurate that the MAC-90, yet with that accuracy comes weight. I am a proud owner of one of these.

   For those who need compact and light weight, these are not for you. Yesterday, using an Tapco plastic stock, we were able to whittle the weight of a MAC-90 down to 7 pounds without a mag. A MAC-90 cannot get much lighter than that. The MAC-91 is several pounds heavier. If I weighed the rifle, it would be too heavy for me, so it is better get the exercise and adapt to the weight, than wimp out and loose the advantages of a superior firearm. A DPMS LR308 weighed 8 pounds last night without a mag. My Norinco is heavier. The MAC-91 has the heaviest barrel measuring 21 inches, and a milled receiver. The NHM, is similar, but does not have a milled receiver. The heavy stiff barrels, and good triggers produce greater accuracy over the MAC-90. With suitable ammunition these quasi-RPK’s can produced at best 3 MOA off hand (not on a bench), while the MAC-90 in my hands is approximately 5 to 6 MOA. I have found other persons to be more accurate with the MAC-90. Comparing the vaunted and unobtainable Polytech to the MAC-90, the Polytech has better furniture and a milled receiver. The rest appears to be the same. The MAC-90 is mechanically speaking a mil-spec rifle made using the same tooling and parts as the issued military arm, that was at one time, the Polytech rifle.
   MAC-90’s have been know to operate reliable with exteme high round counts approach 20,000 rounds without replacing the barrel or any parts. AR’s would likely need a barrel changed before that number, or loose their much appreciated accuracy that is major consideration for the owners, or would-be owners of AR’s.

   The heavier MAC-91, and NMH-91 rifle soaks up more heat, and is a more stable platform, and when attached to a heavy bipod, or better yet, a tripod, the recoil is negligible, nearly non existent. The longer barrel is designed to be used with a heavy bipod attached at the end of the barrel and is held in place with a heavy metal boss. The use of a bipod makes the rifle maneuverable, and accurate rapid aimed possible. The bipod has the advantage of allowing the operator to quick re-positioned to a flank, or to the rear of the fighting position. Use any AK in this way on a bag, or Burris type bipod to picatinny rail attached to the barrel, or suitable hand guard, and feed it with first a drum, and then 30 round magazines. Continuous fire with 75 round drums will quickly heat the rifle up. To sustain a high rate of fire, it is better to use a 20 or 30 round mag that forces the shooter to slow down. ‘Mag dumps’ can not only destroy a barrel, but continuous ‘mag dumps’ during the adrenaline rush of a battle, can cause the rifle to fail, and make the rifle too hot to handle. It is best to have two rifles in the same position and alternate between rifles to reduce the heat load that only one rifle would experience. The result would be a longer period of continuous fire from that position.

   Again, congratulations on a great article the underdog rifle here in the U.S. deserves. It inspired me to add my few cents to the effort.

   1. Thanks for the kind words and the knowledge drop, both in your ammo testing article and here in the comments. I got into AKs just as the various Chinese models were getting rarer and more expensive, so that’s a bit of a gap in my own knowledge.

      I agree, PSA’s AKs look pretty good.

5. Excellent article indeed. In light of the elections it seems it will be very costly to keep one with a $200 dollar tax per gun and than the long game of the left, just confiscate it outright.

   Maybe the future is old fashion bolt action rifles

   1. I would rather use the $200 to buy more ammo. If you live in a commie state, in a commie county, or commie city, I would certainly have an antique rifle. The local cops here know better than to attempt to take the guns.

      1. “I would rather use the $200 to buy more ammo.”
         Yep, that’s Tunnel Rabbit! hahaha, Blessings to you, Krissy

6. Thanks for the article, and the comments about it. I learned more about the AK, and appreciate it.

7. I have a Norinco Typs 56S, Polytech mags, and drum. Then I have a bunch of Yugo’s for the bunker. Wish I had more money to spend on AK’s before 86, but then I was just a kid fresh out of high school! The 56 that I paid $300 for is fetching $2600!

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