[T-55A5]

The Romanian WASR is considered the low end AK-47

What SKS is considered the low end

 

[stevan1]

The Romanian WASR is considered the low end AK-47

What SKS is considered the low end

To be honest with you, the milled quality of them all is superb. Some have better looking stocks than another, but that is
about it. I have Russians, Chinese, different style Yugo's, and Romanian. Now if you mean on price alone and nothing else it would be
the Chinese only because of the huge numbers of them in this country. BUT, the Chinese may be the most accurate based on many
different collectors opinion. If one is in good shape, I would not worry about it for shooting. FWIW

 

[T-55A5]

To be honest with you, the milled quality of them all is superb. Some have better looking stocks than another, but that is
about it. I have Russians, Chinese, different style Yugo's, and Romanian. Now if you mean on price alone and nothing else it would be
the Chinese only because of the huge numbers of them in this country. BUT, the Chinese may be the most accurate based on many
different collectors opinion. If one is in good shape, I would not worry about it for shooting. FWIW

I'm going to start looking at buying one in a couple a months and the 3 things I'm looking for are... quality, price & one with a firing pin that does not move back and forth when not shooting

I have been told some don’t have a firing pin spring

 

[stevan1]

I'm going to start looking at buying one in a couple a months and the 3 things I'm looking for are... quality, price & one with a firing pin that does not move back and forth when not shooting

I have been told some don’t have a firing pin spring

As far as I know, they all have a free floating pin except the 49, 50, and early 51 Russians. We put the new spring loaded in from an after market source if we desire one. Here is the most widely known source.
I have these on several shooters. http://www.murraysguns.com/index.htm

 

[BC1]

Thanks for the great information! I have a refurbed 1954 SKS with the free floating firing pin and I will e ordering the kit for the safety upgrade to this rifle. Cheap insurance against what could be a deadly occurance.

 

[stevan1]

Thanks for the great information! I have a refurbed 1954 SKS with the free floating firing pin and I will e ordering the kit for the safety upgrade to this rifle. Cheap insurance against what could be a deadly occurance.

Just remember this, even with the spring loaded firing pin, if you do puncture a primer like is common on the cheaper Russian ammo, the spring will be fried! Most tension gone. I even had one punctured soft primer melt the tip of a spring due to the super heated gasses. Be sure to have an extra spring on hand. I think he sends two springs per pin.

 

[BC1]

I am using the Czech republic 1984 produced ammo.

 

[stevan1]

But, that is not available in the US. It's probably corrosive is it not?

 

[tnxdshooter]

Just remember this, even with the spring loaded firing pin, if you do puncture a primer like is common on the cheaper Russian ammo, the spring will be fried! Most tension gone. I even had one punctured soft primer melt the tip of a spring due to the super heated gasses. Be sure to have an extra spring on hand. I think he sends two springs per pin.

That is true but at least it breaks just the spring instead of the entire firing pin. Also, if you send it to murray to install part of the service that is included in the price of the install is he does a machining on the bolt face that takes kind of the sharp corner off it thus almost eliminating popped primers entirely. Even with surplus berdan primed ammo. Seems to work fine on boxer primed commercial ammo to.