The AK was designed around using steel cases, it one of its most endearing and best features: The fact that it will shoot the cheapest crap you can stuff in it reliably without meticulous cleaning.

I clean after each shoot anyway, maybe I am twisted somehow but I like cleanining my guns.

I have a non-chrome barrel on my yugo, the advantage is better accuracy, or so I am told. My barrel is fine, but I have heard that some people have gotten bad ones where the barrel had issues when they bought them.