Calling those rifles the "New Izhmash AKs" is misleading. These are imported as Saiga rifles, which are based on the AK but heavily sporterized, as in ten round mag and unable to take hi-caps, in compliance with import bans. I believe it's Hesse Arms, which has a sketchy reputation and offers no warranty at all, who takes these rifles and:
1.) Moves the trigger group forward into the usual position for an AK
2.) Adapts the receiver to accept pistol grip and buttstock
3.) Modifies the magazine well in the receiver to accept double stack AK mags
4.) Replaces enough parts with US made parts to comply with the necessary laws.
So a great deal of workmanship involved in these rifles is NOT done by the guys who build them. I think they look nice, but would much rather have a less expensive Romanian SAR-1 or WASR-10. WASR-10s have a similar mag well conversion, but it's done by Century, who isn't perfect, but is WAY above Hesse.
Or buy a Saiga with the ten round mag. They're great guns for the price.
1.) Moves the trigger group forward into the usual position for an AK
2.) Adapts the receiver to accept pistol grip and buttstock
3.) Modifies the magazine well in the receiver to accept double stack AK mags
4.) Replaces enough parts with US made parts to comply with the necessary laws.
So a great deal of workmanship involved in these rifles is NOT done by the guys who build them. I think they look nice, but would much rather have a less expensive Romanian SAR-1 or WASR-10. WASR-10s have a similar mag well conversion, but it's done by Century, who isn't perfect, but is WAY above Hesse.
Or buy a Saiga with the ten round mag. They're great guns for the price.
