Stamped vs. Milled AK Receiver

[GregM]

I see that some Bulgarian AK's come with a stamped receiver and some come with a milled receiver. How much difference does the milled receiver make?

I would guess that it stiffens the rifle and improves accuracy, but is it a difference that an ignorant amateur like me would ever notice?

[Old Dude]

I'm guessing not. Accuracy with any AK is iffy. The ergonomics are not very good for me and I seem to have tendencies rather than groups when I shoot. Mine has a stamped receiver and I don't think I would pay any more for a milled receiver. I have an AR15 I can shoot when I'm looking for more accuracy. I have an AK47 I can shoot when I feel like exercising my sick love for evil guns.

[justaguy]

It depends on what you want it for. Do you want it to look pretty and not shoot it to much and is resale an issue? What do you want to spend?

Or do you want a cheaper range gun that you just want to shoot till it dies and don’t care what kind of ammo your putting into it and don’t want to spend much and don’t want to resell it.

Either one you get accuracy wont be that great. That isn’t what they are made for.

[Pinnacle]

I see that some Bulgarian AK's come with a stamped receiver and some come with a milled receiver. How much difference does the milled receiver make?

I would guess that it stiffens the rifle and improves accuracy, but is it a difference that an ignorant amateur like me would ever notice?

An AK is a close in implement - receiver construction makes little difference - it is a perceived durability issue - there are a lot of stampedAK's out there with zillions of rounds through them.

I have a stamped AK and it is fine. It is a blaster and that is about all that it will ever be. It is not a target rifle.

A Milled receiver is nice - but heavy

Ann AK is something that you carry a lot and shoot little.

[GregM]

If durability is the objective, rather than accuracy, a milled receiver on an AK seems downright frivolous.

[Pinnacle]

I built a Romanian kit a couple of years ago with a NODAK-SPUD Receiver

Works just fine I have barely shot it more than a couple of hundred rounds - I think that Brit's kid has shot gun that more than I have...

Nice to have an AK - it barely sees the light of day however. Safe Queen

[Srigs]

Nice to have an AK - it barely sees the light of day however. Safe Queen

I could help you with that! Just got back from Sportsman's Guide with ammo for a gun I don't own yet!

[TabulaRasa]

I'll go with a stamped one personally. Easier to find grips and stocks for.

[Pat]

I'll go with a stamped one personally. Easier to find grips and stocks for.

Yeah, better to just stamp them out...

Passivity is fatal to us. Our goal is to make the enemy passive.
Mao Tse-Tung

[goalie]

Well, a stamped run-of-the-mill AK does everything a milled one will do with less weight.

To put it in perspective, people will spend thousands of dollars to lose the weight difference between a stamped and milled AK on their road bikes this summer.

Carry it around all day and you'll know which one you want. If it's full auto or a range/safe queen, go milled.

(edit: to be clear, I am a stamped fan. I carried my rifle a lot more than I shot it in the Corps)

[DeanC]

As already noted, milled ones are heavier.

There have also been tales of the milled receivers cracking because they have no flex and/or are milled out of crappy commie pot-metal "steel".

[1911fan]

I have a bulgy fixed wood and a polish underfold, I frankly think the accuracy thing is based on sights.

With the stamped and less than sturdy dust cover being between you and the rear sight, there is no way to put improved iron sights on the thing. I did shoot one that had a quality red dot on it, and it was pretty easy to get 2 inch groups at 100 yards braced up really good against a door jamb. With the iron sights on mine, 4 inches is as good as I can get, but the sights are really the impediment at that.


There fore, the only benefit to getting one of the milled guns is the option of adding a better rear sight. BUT thats not so easy, its just possible.

[Ironbear]

Nice to have an AK - it barely sees the light of day however. Safe Queen

You called an AK a queen? Wouldn't it be more of a Safe Peasant, or more properly a Safe Comrade?

[GregM]

As already noted, milled ones are heavier.

There have also been tales of the milled receivers cracking because they have no flex and/or are milled out of crappy commie pot-metal "steel".

Is there something about the AK's mechanics that generates that kind of torque or shear?

[DeanC]

Is there something about the AK's mechanics that generates that kind of torque or shear?

I don't know, I'm just feeding the rumor "mill".