anyone else heard this?

[magnumize]

I got it from Classic Arms...

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH AK RIFLES?.
THE AK RIFLE MARKET HAS BEEN CRAZY OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND FOR GOOD REASON. I HAVE KNOWN WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE THAT HAS CREATED THIS SITUATION BUT WAS NOT AT LIBERTY TO POST AN EXPLIANATION UNTIL NOW. I HAVE CORRECTED THE STORY BELOW FROM MY FIRST DRAFT AS NEW INFORMATION HAS COME TO LIGHT. BUT THE END RESULT FOR US IS THE SAME. THE IMPORTATION OF INEXPENSIVE AK TYPE RIFLES FROM ROMAINIA APPEARS TO BE OVER. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AS I NOW UNDERSTAND IT.
THE MAIN SOURCE OF AK RIFLES INTO THE U.S. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS BEEN THE COUNTRY OF ROMAINIA AND PARTICULLARLY THE CUGIR FACTORY WHICH WAS A STATE RAN MANUFACTURING PLANT. THEY HAD CONTRACTS WITH THE IMPORTERS HERE AND WERE BUILDING AK RILES FOR EXPORT TO THE CIVILIAN U.S. MARKET. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THEY HAVE SHIPPED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF AK RIFLES INTO THE U.S.
FOR SOME TIME ROMAINIA HAD DESIRED AND BEEN PETITIONING TO BECOME A NATO MEMBER NATION. ONE OF THIER ROADBLOCKS HAD BEEN THE FACT THAT THEY HAD BEEN PRODUCING LOW PRICED AK RIFLES FOR EXPORT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY TO THE U.S. CIVILIAN MARKET. I AM TOLD THAT THE POWERS THAT BE IN WASHINGTON HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUED THIS FOR PROFIT "PROLIFERATION" OF AK RIFLES INTO THE U.S. THAT THE U.S. WOULD CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THEIR ENTRY INTO NATO. FINALLY IN 2004 THEY WERE GRANTED PROBATIONARY MEMBER NATION STATUS TO NATO BUT WITH THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT THAT THEY WOULD CEASE FLOODING THE MARKET WITH INEXPENSIVE AK RIFLES. AS SOON AS THEY ACHIEVED NATO MEMBERSHIP THE GOVERNMENT "PRIVATIZED" THE FACTORY AND WITHDREW SUBSIDIZED SUPPORT. APPARENTLY THE ROMAINIAN GOV'T ALLOWED PRIVATE MANAGEMENT TO TAKE OVER THE FACTORY AND CONTINUE PRODUCTION FOR SOME TIME WHILE CLAIMING THAT SINCE THE FACTORY WAS NOW PRIVATELY OWNED THEY HAD NO CONTROL OVER SHUTTING THEM DOWN. STILL THE SALES OF THESE RIFLES HAUNTED THEM ON THE POLITICAL FRONT AND THE PRIVATIZATION AND MISMANAGEMENT THAT FOLLOWED MADE THE BUSINESS LESS AND LESS PROFITABLE .
STILL, THEY CONTINUED TO BUILD FOR A LONG TIME SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THE CASH FLOW THAT THE SALES OF THE RIFLES PROVIDED. THAT IS UNTIL RECENTLY. LATE LAST YEAR A MAJOR AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER SET UP A NEW FACTORY IN ROMAINIA. THEY COULD NOT DO ALL OF THE WORK IN HOUSE AND DECIDED TO JOBBER OUT BUILDS ON SOME OF THEIR STEEL PARTS TO A NEARBY FACTORY. WHEN CUGIR WAS APPROACHED WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RE-TOOL AND MAKE AUTO PARTS INSTEAD OF RIFLES THEY JUMPED AT IT. IT SOLVED THEIR POLITICAL DELIMMA WHILE ALLOWING THEM TO MAINTAIN A REVENUE FLOW, AND ATTACH THEMSELVES TO A NEW UNDERTAKING THAT HAD ESTABLISHED MANAGEMENT SKILLS. AS OF NOW THE CUGIR FACTORY IS DONE WITH FIREARMS MANUFACTURING AND ALL OF THE ROMAINIAN AK PRODUCTS ARE DRYING UP FAST.

ON ANOTHER FRONT. CENTURY ARMS HAS HAD AN ONGOING AND VERY SUCCESSFUL PROJECT WITH THEIR YUGO B-1 AND AB-2 AK BUILD RIFLES. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WERE ONLY A FINITE NUMBER OF KITS TO BUILD THESE RIFLES WITH AND THOSE KITS ARE NOW EXHAUSTED. CENTURY'S YUGO RIFLE PROJECT IS NOW DONE.
SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?. MY EDUCATED GUESS IS THAT WE WILL SOON SEE SOME U.S. MADE AK RIFLES COMING TO THE MARKET. BY THAT I DON'T MEAN ENOUGH PARTS TO BE U.S. COMPLIANT, BUT COMPLETELY MADE IN THE UNITEDS STATES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT SINCE NO MORE PART SETS CAN BE IMPORTED INTO THE COUNTRY WITH BARRELS INTACT, AND SINCE THERE AREN'T THAT MANY PARTS SETS LEFT HERE WITH BARRELS, THEN ANY NEW BUILDS WILL ALSO HAVE TO HAVE U.S. BARRELS. COMBINE THAT WITH ADDITIONAL U.S. PARTS, FURNITURE AND U.S. LABOR. AND YOU HAVE A VERY EXPENSIVE U.S. MADE AK RIFLE. I WOULD ALSO GUESS THAT MOST IF NOT ALL OF THESE RIFLES WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF POLY STOCK SINCE WOOD STOCKS MADE IN THE U.S. WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE. UNFORTUATELY WHEN THESE LAST IMPORTS SELL OUT I REALLY THINK THE DAYS OF THE INEXPENSIVE AK RIFLE ARE GONE.
NONE OF THIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE AND THE FACT THAT WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE A STRONG PRO-GUN CANDIDATE LEFT IN THE RACE. THIS TOO DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR THE FUTURE OF THESE TYPES OF RIFLES.

[rickdavis]

I just started buying kits last year and it seemed like they we're already harder to find.

[blefferd]

that story is pure BS, Romania IS part of NATO, they are holding a NATO summit there this year!!! they actually stopped all arms shippments out of romania till after the summit. then the flood of ak variants will flow again.

[bigjimcalhoun]

I think that anyone who might ever want an AK should get one this year. A change in the power structure of the country, along with the U.N.s anti-private gun ownership ideas will make it harder in the future.

[seattleducati]

I'm surprised at that end of that "story" he didn't say ........"so buy all of my ak's and ak parts kits now."

[bigjimcalhoun]

ClassicArms is a reputable dealer. I have bought from him on a few occasions. If he is incorrect on is analysis, it is most likely because that is information passed on to him.

The AK kits are going away. You used to be able to get them for $79 a couple years ago.

[shyi3t]

well .. i think i have enough ak's but wouldn't hurt to buy couple of kits.

[einheit 13]

That story is BS, Bulgaria is a NATO member, they send AKs here....Zastava sends AKs here...the government doesn't want us to have them and have placed serious restrictions on importing weapons kits. There are still arsenals full of AKs, SKSs, Mosins, Makarovs, just about every Combloc weapon you can think of all over Eastern Europe, but your leaders won't let us have them. Romania made a bunch of SKSs, where are they, not here. Where are all the Romanian Mosins?? Were are all the FEG PJK 9mms?? CZ50s, CZ70s, Romanian M74 and M95 PPK style pistols?? How come Russia can send us the Saiga, but not the Rook or Viking pistols??