The All Purpose AK Thread

[AKFTW]

Not to de-rail the thread, but can someone with an Ultimak rail take a infared heat reading of the rail after a few mags fired in rapid succession? I'm curious as to exactly how hot it gets.

Hot as balls, I'd say. Remember, the Ultimak IS the gas tube once you put it on.

[Cpt. MelonBuster]

Hey AKFTW, any chance you can take a picture of your sights in the dark?

[Lucas_061287]

Not to de-rail the thread, but can someone with an Ultimak rail take a infared heat reading of the rail after a few mags fired in rapid succession? I'm curious as to exactly how hot it gets.

Hot as balls, I'd say. Remember, the Ultimak IS the gas tube once you put it on.

Good point. But what kind of balls we talking here? Middle of the summer working in the sun wearing jeans and boxers with little to no ventilation? Or later that night after a cold shower splayed out in front of a box fan with the AC cranking, yet they still won't cool off?

[AKFTW]

Hey AKFTW, any chance you can take a picture of your sights in the dark?

I will at some point, I just went back home for christmas break, so I am unfortunately pretty far away from my stuff. I'll be back up there in a week maybe to pick up some things, I will see if I can do it then. They glow very nicely yellow-green, but are white during the day time.

[Cpt. MelonBuster]

Alright. Does the charge they get during the day last all night?

[AKFTW]

Alright. Does the charge they get during the day last all night?

I'm sure it would, I haven't had the rifle out for 24 hours outside continuously, but I am sure it would. They page says it will glow for 24 hours, and they even recommend using it for gun sights. I'll have to do some tests to confirm exactly how long it will last. It's good stuff though, go for it, you won't be disappointed. And it's too cheap NOT to.
http://glowinc.com/detail.aspx?ID=41

[RonnyRonin]

letting nostalgia determine how you set up a carbine is silly.

I also forget there are people that still don't know about ultimaks:

the only way to go adding optics is either mounting the base on the side of the receiver or a red dot mounted on the rear sight position.

I had a polymer railed forend with a red dot on it for a while (from cheaper then dirt, with a $30 BSA red dot, I was in high-school, go easy.). Once you go ultimak nothing else is good enough.

had the V-tac light mount, only blocks a little of the sight, but yes now I have a vltor and it is MUCH better.

Hogue grip is one of the best rifle grips ever made. get one.

another alternative to the AFG is to get the wood VFG forends and cut them down to hand-stop length:


the further you cut it down the better mag changes are, but I love the stump.

[AKFTW]

Okay, THAT kind of grip looks like a recipe for burnt fingers! Not to be mean or anything, but have you tried firing your AK gripping it like the AFG? Your hand would get burned in 10 rounds or less. Ultimaks get hot as shit too, since they are essentially a railed gas-tube replacement.

[RonnyRonin]

yep, I don't do mag after mag, but after a few el presidetes its not bad. the metal cap that holds the bottom forend on (with sling mount) heats up first. I usually wear gloves and have also wrapped the sling mount and ultimak with mcnetts to insulate. (almost forgot, I now have a VLTOR mount between my thumb and ultimak as well)

like I said I haven't tried after a 4-mag dump, but that's usually not how I shoot (can't afford to right now).

[AKFTW]

yep, I don't do mag after mag, but after a few el presidetes its not bad. the metal cap that holds the bottom forend on (with sling mount) heats up first. I usually wear gloves and have also wrapped the sling mount and ultimak with mcnetts to insulate. (almost forgot, I now have a VLTOR mount between my thumb and ultimak as well)

like I said I haven't tried after a 4-mag dump, but that's usually not how I shoot (can't afford to right now).

Yeah, I'd be careful though, AKs get hot as shit up front. I wear gloves too of course but I stick to heat-shielded handguards and gripping it by the mag. I can even feel the heat through the kevlar gloves after mag two.

[Lucas_061287]

letting nostalgia determine how you set up a carbine is silly.

I also forget there are people that still don't know about ultimaks:

the only way to go adding optics is either mounting the base on the side of the receiver or a red dot mounted on the rear sight position.

I had a polymer railed forend with a red dot on it for a while (from cheaper then dirt, with a $30 BSA red dot, I was in high-school, go easy.). Once you go ultimak nothing else is good enough.

had the V-tac light mount, only blocks a little of the sight, but yes now I have a vltor and it is MUCH better.

Hogue grip is one of the best rifle grips ever made. get one.

another alternative to the AFG is to get the wood VFG forends and cut them down to hand-stop length:


the further you cut it down the better mag changes are, but I love the stump.

Okay, not to derail further, but how long have you had the PA Micro on your Ultimak? How has it held up and how many rounds? I ask because their package deal is a pretty good value and I've been wanting to try out the optic anyways.

[RonnyRonin]

Okay, not to derail further, but how long have you had the PA Micro on your Ultimak? How has it held up and how many rounds? I ask because their package deal is a pretty good value and I've been wanting to try out the optic anyways.

eh, not too many, probably less then a 1000 so far. good starter optic, holds zero decent. first time I didn't lock-tight the ultimak and it worked loose. I got it cause the ultimak was so much cheaper that way and when I can afford a real optic I'll throw the PA on a 10/22 or something.
battery life is 4 daysish of bright dot on the highest setting, I'd like more but its a cheap optic.

short answer, buy it. you get what you pay for but it's a good deal.

[Lucas_061287]

^Pretty much the exact reasons I was wanting the package from Primary Arms. Thank you.

[RonnyRonin]

Primary Arm is the gateway drug of optics.

they start you with a $100 one and then before you know it you're saving up for a $400 one.

[Lucas_061287]

^This. Plus, they have (as of late) the absolute best price on the Aimpoint H1 I've seen. Something like $470? Not certain, but you can barely get a new M2 for that much at some places.

[bufordtjustice]

posted in error...sorry

didn't mean to thread hijack so I created my own thread as I had originally intended.

[Vicarious_Lee]

1. For now, surplus 5.45 x 39 for the AK-74 is as cheap a rifle round as anything these days. A lot of people buy 5.45 uppers for their ARs for practice. Hell, the price of regular-old AK-74 mags over 5.56 AK mags should just about seal that.

3. AK are heavier than Colt 6920s, as far as I know, though your 6920s are "fully equipped", but then you'd need to "fully equip" the AK with sling, light, optic as well for it to be equal. At which point the AK would then be heavier again, and you just kitted-out an AK to run with in lieu of a Colt 6920, which might be worth a slap in the forehead.

Alternately you could get a lightweight barreled carbine upper with Daniel Lite quad rail for that Colt? Just thinking out loud.

4. AK's a better trunk gun than a nice equipped Colt, for sure.

5. AKs are easy to work on, but they're not modular in any sense like the AR, so there's a LOT of cutting and filing if you want to do a lot of stuff to them.

6. Philosophically, and this is just my feeling on the matter, once you start really spending coin on an AK, why not just get something more modern and sophisticated? Unless you just want a tricked-out AK, which that's all good, too.

7. Yeah. That's why I'm thinking 5.45.

8. Don't know that one.

9. I think you're kind of in a weird logic hole here, because you seem to be wanting to really kit-out an AK (and it'll cost a lot, especially "Krebs-ing it"). Like, you're wanting something modern and sophisticated from an AK, like your Colt, which the AK is not.

10. Okay, here goes. Here's what I think you might be wanting to turn your AKs into:

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/pro ... s_id/60741

They're great, they're an AK style piston gun with mostly AR controls, most of the skills wil transfer right over from your ARs. They take all your AR mags and shoot 556. The initial price will be less than a high-end AK. Hell, you can even bolt all your AR accessories to it for the most part. It's more accurate, modern, and modular than the AK, but still a hell of a lot less modular than the AR is.

Of course, like the AK, it's also heavier than an AR.

Hope that helps.

[bufordtjustice]

So anyway, I am toying with the idea of buying myself and/or the spousal unit some new toys after the first of the year. I was thinking about getting back into AK territory. This particular rifle caught my eye:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?p ... stseller=Y

It is the 5.56 AK with side folder for those too lazy or busy to click. I expect I would put ultimak rails, micros and white lights on both as I am liking what other have to say about the set up. Here are some clarifying points/ comments to help you help me.

1. I would prefer to not add a new caliber to my already bloated supply chain. That is one reason I got rid of my older 7.62x39. I am leaning towards 5.56 because I like the caliber, I have lots of it, I believe that it will do everything I need it to do, blah, blah. A truly sound argument might sway me one way or the other but so far, I haven’t heard one.
2. I already own two M1’s, one M1A, one M1 carbine and two fully equipped Colt 6920’s with KAC RAS, optics, Vltor stocks, etc.
3. The colt 6920’s are a little heavy for the wife so I thought I might shave off a few pounds with the AK (please correct me if I am wrong).
4. These would most probably be turned into trunk guns with a small cleaning kit, 3-4 mags and a discreet(ish) case. That would be the primary purpose but not the only use.
5. I am a fair hand with the AR and also have a fair amount of training with the AK family but have only worked on the AR.
6. I will consider sending the rifle(s) to be “improved” such as to someone like Fuller or Krebs. I have not fully researched either company so suggestions in this area would be helpful. Are upgrades such as the Bolten Gas Block/ Sight generally received favorably?
7. I realize the 5.56 AK mags are pretty pricey.
8. What spare parts would you purchase and why?
9. I don’t mind spending money but I won’t waste it…if you know what I mean.
10. If you can’t think of a reason to buy a new gun, you aren’t trying hard enough.


I have done a few searches on these subjects and will continue to try and find older posts to pull info from. Since most of our threads revolve around the same topics anyway, let’s just do it one more time for fun. Lol. Any constructive advice would be appreciated. Also, I am going to post this on another forum to get a variety of different opinions. Let the snarky comments and eye poking commence!

[Dave_M]

Merged with existing thread.

[Czechnology]

So anyway, I am toying with the idea of buying myself and/or the spousal unit some new toys after the first of the year. I was thinking about getting back into AK territory. This particular rifle caught my eye:

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?p ... stseller=Y

It is the 5.56 AK with side folder for those too lazy or busy to click. I expect I would put ultimak rails, micros and white lights on both as I am liking what other have to say about the set up. Here are some clarifying points/ comments to help you help me.

1. I would prefer to not add a new caliber to my already bloated supply chain. That is one reason I got rid of my older 7.62x39. I am leaning towards 5.56 because I like the caliber, I have lots of it, I believe that it will do everything I need it to do, blah, blah. A truly sound argument might sway me one way or the other but so far, I haven’t heard one.
2. I already own two M1’s, one M1A, one M1 carbine and two fully equipped Colt 6920’s with KAC RAS, optics, Vltor stocks, etc.
3. The colt 6920’s are a little heavy for the wife so I thought I might shave off a few pounds with the AK (please correct me if I am wrong).
4. These would most probably be turned into trunk guns with a small cleaning kit, 3-4 mags and a discreet(ish) case. That would be the primary purpose but not the only use.
5. I am a fair hand with the AR and also have a fair amount of training with the AK family but have only worked on the AR.
6. I will consider sending the rifle(s) to be “improved” such as to someone like Fuller or Krebs. I have not fully researched either company so suggestions in this area would be helpful. Are upgrades such as the Bolten Gas Block/ Sight generally received favorably?
7. I realize the 5.56 AK mags are pretty pricey.
8. What spare parts would you purchase and why?
9. I don’t mind spending money but I won’t waste it…if you know what I mean.
10. If you can’t think of a reason to buy a new gun, you aren’t trying hard enough.


I have done a few searches on these subjects and will continue to try and find older posts to pull info from. Since most of our threads revolve around the same topics anyway, let’s just do it one more time for fun. Lol. Any constructive advice would be appreciated. Also, I am going to post this on another forum to get a variety of different opinions. Let the snarky comments and eye poking commence!

As the owner of a Type84S, I feel qualified to address some of these concerns with my own experience/opinion.

1. A sound reason to buy a 5.56 AK. Consolidation FTW.
2. Same
3. If you only add what you said you want to add to the Arsenal, and your 6290s are covered in tacti-gear, then yes. The recoil will be similar to the AR, but with a much different feel. My 5'8" 125lb wife loves my 84S, and greatly prefers it to my AR.
4. They're a bit pricey for that IMO, but I wouldn't suggest a WASR3 over them unless it'll help you eat a few more meals this month. You own 2 6920's however so that probably isn't an issue.
5. It's a completely different manual of arms, sights, magazines, takedown, everything. Fortunately, it's all relatively simple. You will spend some time getting comfortable with it, and it will seem primitive compared to your Colts, but it's not a difficult weapon to get used to by any means. It was designed for conscripts after all.
6. Arsenals are perfectly fine bone stock IMO. Ultimak/Micro is about the only thing I'd really do, but someone who's tried those products will probably chime in. I'd ask DavePAL84.
7. They are. I have a bunch of Circle 10's (I got a good deal on them for $24/ea) loaded and in a 25mm can full of o2 absorbers for "Oh shit" use, and twice as many cheap-ass promags for range use. I'm actually surprised the promags have lasted the 3 years they have, but I hold no illusions about their terrible quality.
8. Recoil spring, and a bolt group. They're cheap, and are both drop-in replacement parts that do most of the moving. Trigger groups are similarly cheap, though require a bit more effort to replace.
9. Good.
10. Damn straight.

[Vicarious_Lee]

My reply that is now somehow above buford's question looks weird.

[bufordtjustice]

Merged with existing thread.

My bad, I thought I accidentally posted in someone else's thread so I deleted it and did another new thread...which got merged with a similar thread. Hopefully nobody gets too confused.

[Czechnology]

My reply that is now somehow above buford's question looks weird.

So does your avatar.

[Cpt. MelonBuster]

Changed the thread title to all purpose, since all of the AK related threads are beginning to be funneled into this one.