AK-74 best med budget options

[regal]

I've got basically 2 requirements: 1 reliability and 2 a true AK74 muzzel brake.

Now I do plan on swapping to a rommy style wrie folder and either a rommy vertical forgrip or a rail type verical foregrip.


Basically the Saiga is tempting but the whole process of installing a FSB so it can accept a true AK-74 muzzel break scares me. Beating off the stock FSB and them somehow lining up the new one and drilling pin guides, I'm afraid I would have can'ted sights.


Then there is the Centry $369 Bulgy special, I'm really leaning toward this, mostly good reports. True AK-74Brake, no guilt throwing a wire folder and rommy vertical foregrip. But reliability is a concern of mine.

Last SAR-2 or CUR-2, these are perfect and would give an authentic rommy AIMS-74 with the wire folder and vertical foregrip. But The damn brake install , I can find now info on how difficult it is to install a rommy FSB on these. The other issue is compliance parts, adding the muzzel and the rommy sidefolder may mean I have to spend more on 922r compliance parts?

Of course the right answer is to get a Arizona response AK-74 kit build or an Arsenal Saiga conversion but they are expensive and would seem blasephemy instally a rommy wire folder and vertical foregrips on these works of art,


I ask here as I know fellow pennsylvanians are impartial and trustworthy (ie not backed by company influences (shills).

So basically three questions:

1. How hard is it to change the FSB on a Saiga 5.45 without getting a canted FSB ?

2. How hard is it to install a rommy FSB on a CUR-2 or SAR-2 without canting and what $ needed to keep it 922r compliant with the wire folder and ak-74 brake ?

3. Is the century Bulgy AK-74 reliability good, bad, or worth the risk/hassel?


Thanks for reading this long complicated thread.

[beefcakeb0]

I would look at http://forum.saiga-12.com/ for saiga advice. It seems like I remember reading about the fsb not being super difficult, depending on skill level obviously.

[mojo]

So basically three questions:

1. How hard is it to change the FSB on a Saiga 5.45 without getting a canted FSB ?

2. How hard is it to install a rommy FSB on a CUR-2 or SAR-2 without canting and what $ needed to keep it 922r compliant with the wire folder and ak-74 brake ?

3. Is the century Bulgy AK-74 reliability good, bad, or worth the risk/hassel?


Thanks for reading this long complicated thread.

1. If the sights are not canted already, it's not a problem. You would use the same holes as the original
2. Same as above.
3. Haven't followed these that much so I really can't comment.

[regal]

1. If the sights are not canted already, it's not a problem. You would use the same holes as the original
2. Same as above.
3. Haven't followed these that much so I really can't comment.

Thankyou, I suspected this but wasn't sure, it really makes a difference pricing all the options.

[Coils]

The Saiga front sight isn't pinned on, they use a dimple type thing on the sides, it's best to cut it off.


Watch with the Romy FSB, I think they use a different thread then the Bulgy ones, 22mm & 24mm? Make sure you get the right break for whatever FSB used.
As for putting them on straight you can get them really close just by eyeballing it, if you have a laser bore sight that makes it even easier.
If you unsure of you skill to put the holes/notches in the barrel for the pins, you could do all the work to mount it then have someone do the pins.


Can't comment on the CIA Bulgy.

[IronButt]

I bought a Century Bulgy 74 for a beater/truck gun. I only have a little over 500 rounds thru it so far, but have had absolutely no problems. Century isn't known for their tight quality control, so look it over before you buy. Canted front sights are the most common problem, but can be fixed easily enough.

[regal]

The Saiga front sight isn't pinned on, they use a dimple type thing on the sides, it's best to cut it off.


Watch with the Romy FSB, I think they use a different thread then the Bulgy ones, 22mm & 24mm? Make sure you get the right break for whatever FSB used.
As for putting them on straight you can get them really close just by eyeballing it, if you have a laser bore sight that makes it even easier.
If you unsure of you skill to put the holes/notches in the barrel for the pins, you could do all the work to mount it then have someone do the pins.


Can't comment on the CIA Bulgy.

I've been told that if I start with a Rommy AK-74 I can remove the FSB and the slots for the pins are already cut, so as long as the original wasn't canted it should be plug and play.

With the saiga there is definately some skill involved. One person recommended drilling thru the dimples before removing the stock FSB which would make the slots in the barrel correctly aligned.

[Steelblitz]

[QUOTE=regal;1205709]3. Is the century Bulgy AK-74 reliability good, bad, or worth the risk/hassel?

[QUOTE]

I picked up two of them on CFS first run of them. The assembly left something to be desired on one of mine, but they both shoot and operate excellent.

Were you at the Dillsburg range last Saturday? Someone with a Saiga was next to me and talking about changing some parts.

[Coils]

With the Romy front sight, it depends on the style that's on it and which style you want, I was guessing you wanted the one that uses the large diameter brake.
In the first link is the common FSB you find on the rifles imported, a basic AK style sight.
The second & third link is what I was thinking you wanted to switch out to, the pin holes might be in different locations. I never compared them side by side, so the pin holes may be in different locations.
http://www.jgsales.com/product_info....ts_id/1080?SID
http://www.avtomats-in-action.com/pro19.html
http://www.dsarms.com/Original-Roman...uctinfo/AK167/


As for the Saiga thing, the dimples I mentioned are centered on the barrel and hold the sight on.
But I understand what you mean about drilling the points for the pins before removing the FSB, as long as those spots are where you need the pins to go, this is one of those things you'd need to have the new FSB on hand to compare them to each other.