Best Custom AK Builder?

[WHEELER]

Who's the best custom AK builder these days to assemble your parts kit on a reciever.
Quality is more important than the budget... within reason

Grade A polish Underfolder & nds premium reciever, with required compliance parts.
Looking for build quality comparable to this 74' build on tantal's site:
http://tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/pro12.html

 

[IfItFliesItDies]

Paging Will.....

 

[SpeedRacer]

There's plenty of great builders. When you say quality, do you just mean fit/function or "correctness"? Alot of what you pay for with high end builders goes to having correct parts, finish, engravings, dimples, yada yada for the rifle. All said and done it won't shoot any better though.

What kind of kit are you building?

 

[SpeedRacer]

Being in Red Jackets backyard, you will get biased answers - but I've shot a lot of their AKs, and I've shot a lot of really nice guns in general... if you want a mechancially and cosmetically excellent AK, Red Jacket is a simple choice.

I don't know about historically correct stuff.

Will is the first to say that once you get to a certain point, particularly with an AK, the "best" isn't relevant - there are several builders in the US who are all considered top shelf and most of them acknowledge that others put together an AK as well as they do.

That's what I was getting at. Functionally, there's only so much you can do to make an AK "better" or "the best". And Red Jacket is definitely in the top tier. Someone else may build them as good, but I doubt anyone builds them better.

The "historically correct" stuff is a whole 'nother ball game. I would consider the handful of guys that build rifles 100% accurate and original the "best" AK builders, as they do everything guys like RJ do and then some. HOWEVER, this is strictly in the realm of collectors, and these are the kind of rifles you drop big bucks having built and then sweat every time you think about actually shooting it.

 

[themcfarland]

If RJF builds a gun, how many employees are there building them? I mean it isnt will all the time? cool aid drinkers unite!

 

[WHEELER]

Regarding "best build"...fit, finish, and quality of rivet work are my pet peeves and it would be nice if it shot well also .

 

[kajuntriton]

Not really a very big AK fan here, but I have got to say, I have seen AK's built from the so called GURU out in Nevada around Vegas if I recall, #1BAM BAM's work, I have seen TCuctoms, work and I have seen RED JACKETS work.

For the rifle that I have personally handled When it comes to ATTENTION to detail fit and finish I personally perfer TCustoms work, second would be the guy from Vegas, #1BAM BAM, and then Red Jacket.

NOW I said this was rated on FIT and FINISH ONLY! When it comes to WORKMANSHIP and REALIBITY the only two I could speak about would be #1BAM BAM and the cat from Vegas. I have not shot, nor went into the builds from the others! I own one of #1BAMBAM's builds and it has been flawless with any and all ammo that I have fed this lil monster!
The one from Vegas was nice and maybe just the rifle, not really sure but it did have a few snags from time to time......maybe ammo related? Not sure!

Well that's just my very limited amount of knowledge but it is a HANDS on report and not from a he said she said rumor mill!

KT

 

[LA_Huntsman]

Derek Huffman in AZ

He's either a really cool dude or a complete ass depending on who you ask. He's blunt and to the point and if you don't try to jerk him around he's a pretty cool dude in my book. If you have time look him up http://www.azexarms.com/Welcome.html