Arsenal SAM7SF, A Decade Later (Fact vs Fiction On The 'Gold Standard' AK) 

They are sweet.

$950 is what I paid

Yup, the reason I'll never buy one. Daniel defense would call my name for that price.

@Kilgor No, what I'm saying is that one could buy a better more accurate rifle for 2k. Imo it's not worth 2k.

@@mattmorrison9379 But DD doesn’t do AKs.

@Kilgor beryl and Sam 5 dont shoot 1 and a half moa. In my experience atleast.

Exactly, for me? I'd place it around #5 or #6 in my personal collection. Very good, just not the very best.

What's your favorite AK?

which one is the most accurate for you?

Sam 7s have been around far longer than Sam 5s glad I went with the 7.

Wasrs are awesome but the sam7 aks are good to go they havnt ever had issues. They tryed change the shape of the rear of the reciever on the sam5 I think that's what's causing the most issues and maybe a little over gassed. But Arsenal has already been made aware that it's a issue and has been making it right for anyone who has bought one. But it's going be a process because alot were sold but they eventually will get all the ones sold fixed. But the sam7 has always been good to go and I'm pretty sure any newer sam5s from about 2 months ago until now and going forward will be good to go. But yea u can't beat the ruggedness of Romanian aks. I like the parkerized finish on them that gets all scratched up. And honestly AKs look awesome spray painted I've painted a couple of my aks that I run hard and couple ARs. But most my aks I don't paint. But seeing them in Russia and Ukraine spray painted they look good. If u ever want to try spray painting one check out trex arms or garand thumbs painting rifle videos. I went with the paint job Lucas uses on his trex arms rifles. But if u are having issues with your sam5 contact Arsenal they will make it right just may take a while because they are dealing with alot of them right now. But honestly a quick fix that people like to complain about for 150 buks u can drop a kns adjustable piston in it. To tame the over gassing and will stop the bolt and carrier from hitting the back of the reciever. And will also soften recoil is what I would do but good luck to u

With the right AKM furniture, you can turn the WASR into a good looking AKM. I saw a guy put East German furniture on a WASR to make a pseudo MPi-KM.

@@ichimonjiguy everyone's knows the only proper furniture for wasr is DONG

Wasr is fun cause out at the pond, I can throw it on the ground and mud and it only makes it look better Lol

Why didn't I think of that - working out with a good Misha history video rolling in the background! Great idea!

Thank you for watching, cheers.

Great save. That would have hurt to see the new models come out that much cheaper.

I sold my SA M-7SF when i got the SAM7SF. Back then some online experts were saying the original was better, so i sold mine to one of them....for $2k. Ended up with a gun I like more + pocketing around $800...win.

How do you like the SASM7 I’m going to buy one

@@Chupamiculo I love underfolders, so I think they’re awesome but expensive for what they are. The Sam7uf is a better value in my opinion. I do prefer the felt recoil of a Romanian underfolder because of the stock angle. With that said, I have zero regrets about picking up 2 SAS M7s and still enjoy shooting them.

I had seen the 107 hit over $2000 on gun broker.

@@TKO593 Holy shit - no way... that is nuts!

There are a couple on GB right now for right around 1500, but they're used guns...I picked one up from a buddy of mine that had bought 3 of them back when they were being imported, he gave me the homie hookup 1300 for brand new box

K var has them back in stock 1599

Screw the 107r. Let’s see 107fr’s

ChatGPT is on my informent list.

The UF variant is Fox's favorite.

Kind of my own experience too. My 2013 example has ben great for coming up on a decade now.

Shoot the thing the gun loves it.

The boxes are kind of laughable aren’t they?

RU-vid gives us about $3.50

It can be, yes. But that wasn't the intention when they dimpled the stock there. It was done so that the safety could safely clear no matter what.

I’m not disagreeing with you but what excludes the Galil Ace from being an AK? I want one in 7.62 x 51 but they aren’t available right now.

@@markp4401 You could argue that they are technically AK rifles, I just think they're different enough to be referred to as ACEs. If someone told me they had an AK collection and it turned out they had 10 different ACEs, I'd feel a bit mislead. That's all I'm saying. Nothing against them, they're sweet rifles. I wish I got one of the gen 1 versions when they were still around for around 1800 new. If you can find one in 7.62 NATO, I'd grab it while you can.

@@ScurvyMcGruff I’m pretty sure that’s how Mishaco feels too.

Only the side-folding stock SAMs do.

Tshirts are my wife's picks.

Any comment that ends with suggesting getting an AUG I must agree with lol.

I love mine, the internet shitting on the the trigger is basically just a meme, it's not worse than a standard fime ak trigger

@@skinwalkerhiddenvalleyranch I literally don't notice the AUG's trigger. Then again, I actually shoot my guns rather than sitting with them in an armchair all day hehe.

Sure thing buddy

Vepr smokes arsenal.

@@Decimus-Meridius In your dreams

Indeed, he is.

Honestly? Hell if i know? lol

Vepr barrel is 5 times thicker, better finer sights, better fit and finish, smoother action. Russia is the gold standard. I didn’t like the long lop on the sam7’s folding stock either. Sams are solid but no vepr.

SAM7SF is actually closer in configuration to a real military gun than a VEPR FM. Although VEPR is arguably higher quality in terms of fit and finish/attention to detail and is a Russian factory made gun which inherently has value. The VEPR is based off the RPK which was made in the same factory, and would have a club foot style stock permanently affixed bipod and 20”+ barrel. There’s something about a milled receiver though which just feels so clean smooth and substantial. And Arsenal is about the best in the business. Unlike any VEPR I’m aware of it also ships de-cucked with full features, intact bayonet lug, intact threads and removable muzzle device, cleaning rod, mil spec handguard and handguard retainer, double stack magwell, pistol grip, and stock, not to mention the thumb safety. I own both and I’d recommend picking up both if you can.

@Cav Trooper 19D is it a surefire 3 prong with the suppressor mount on it?

@Cav Trooper 19D I no Garand Thumbs videos his surefire 3 prong rings on high end ARs he runs. Because he mentions it in his videos. Because u can hear a ring he said once carbon builds on it from being fired a while it stops ringing. And some of the ARs he runs when it's ringing are very high end ARs

@Cav Trooper 19D and maybe I'm thinking bout the 4 prongs he runs its either the 3 prong or 4 prongs he runs on those high end ARs that rings. He said every rifle he runs them on Rings.

@Cav Trooper 19D yea garand thumbs warcomps usually ring alot more on 10.3s and 10.5s and 11.5s and 12.5s seems more typical on barrel lengths under 14.5 to ring. My training partner has a 3 ring warcomp on his 10.5 and it ringed until he got about 500 rounds thru it and it stopped. But I'm no expert and aren't trying argue with anyone. I was just stating what garand thumb brought up. Because I've only seen it with my own eyes 1 time on my friends 10.5. I was going put one on my 11.5 but when we do night time drills my 11.5 don't put a flash out the barrel like his 10.5 does. But I agree with u I see no need on a 3 prong on 14.5s and longer unless it's only for running a suppressor.

I think the biggest ringer I have is the AKML flash hider. Its orig Polish and on my WBP Jack. Honestly? I like the noise. It reminds me of cold, hard steel. Back in the day, a lot of shitty cast parts were floating around, but if your part had a nice ring to it, that was a quick way to maybe tell if it was good or not good metal.

@@notgoingtousemyname6921 thats great for u i would not

Did you actually reachout to Arsenal though? Don't just assume you're up the creek.

This was a huge known issue with the recent imported SAM5s. They do know about it so it’s worth a phone call and/or email to explain.

@@AlphaOmega333 I was told that they would help anyone out who contacted them on this specific issue because its a own mfg defect. Again, just what Arsenal told me, so its definitel y worth at least trying.

@@misha5670 Not yet, I just assumed I was outta luck. I will try it and let you know. And apparently I paid $1889 Lol

@kilgor5793don’t rain on his pity parade.

They was only $1250 in 2013

@@calebclark6739 all my norincos where only 300 bucks in the 90s lol.

Man on man Arsenals have gone up in price the last 10 years out of proportion to inflation or anything else.

They were $1350 in 2014, $1700 in 2020, and now $2000 in 2023 and can be found for less. What the heck are you waiting on? The price to go up again? Just buy one and enjoy. Certainly won’t regret it. If I had an extra $1800-$2000, and didn’t have an Arsenal, I’d find a NOS 107FR. I love my 107fr and sam7sf. I have a new stamped 107ur waiting to be cut down one of these days. They’re really well built.

@@markp4401 I would say this could be extended to all AKs. Zastavas have doubled, WASRs have more than doubled, and custom builder gunsmiths charge about 3x more than they used to.

The cleaning rod comes in two sections. You can insert the longer section into the front like normal. And the shorter section goes into the dimple in the stock, and can be strapped in to retain there. The full cleaning rod cannot be inserted under the barrel because it would displace the latch that holds the stock when in its folded position

@@staplehead3 Thank you, That was very helpful. I was just curious because alot of people I see don't have the cleaning rod on so I thought maybe you couldn't put the rod there. But thanks again.

No way, that's clearly more a role meant for a Tavor.

Dude I’ve been looking but I can’t find anything. I’m thinking about buying a 3D printer and have a dream of making one lol.

@@justaguypassingthrough4188 if you do it I'll buy one, I'm sure many others would too

Sam7k is same. shoots amazingly but jiggly gas tube just like yours

@brad overton takes away from the feeling of quality forsure.

@@Kurn8888 But is within Arsenal/Bulgarian milspec I'm sure. These guns aren't built tob e quality; they are built to requirements.

@@wowufailatlife Unfortunately, the way the gas tube on an AKSU is retained simply lends itself to being loose. Originally, it was designed so the forearm could be quickly removed in the field for cleaning or attaching an underbarrel launcher (or other device).

Russia sued Arsenal of Bulgaria for cloning their AK/AKM's so you will no longer see any stamped receiver come in from Bulgaria anymore

@@bidenstoletheelection9116 Sorry but no. I remember that online rumour too, but no actual evidence was ever provided to back that up. Arsenal making stamped guns is no different than say Cugir Romania or Zastava in Serbia.

No it’s not

Not a wise move.

I have loads of respect for all VEPRs, but the only ones that interested me personally were the FM-RPK74 and VEPR12. You know me, military replica collector &^ shooter. Just what trips my trigger *shrug*

@@Decimus-Meridius To each their own. I too sold my FM-47-22; no regrets. While it was a fantastic gun, it simply wasn't what I wanted from Molot. Now the VEPR12 shotgun? oh yeah, that was always a keeper.

Which Old Bulgarian rifles? Not overhyped at all. Semi Auto version of the real thing. How can you overhype it?

No

Iraq

@@bradborgelt60 is that here-say? Who told you that? Where was that info found?

The ARM1/9s have been issued to quite a few militaries. I believe India still uses them.

@@equinsuocha8905 there are plenty of pictures of Bulgarian AKs that were issued to the Iraqi military.

Middle East and India is their big customers, they also sold some to Indonesia

@p.cameron1588 thanks, is there a serial number range or date run? Recall?

Why?

Talking overpriced, I am guessing you haven't priced MAK90s recently? Yeah, i was amazed myself.

1200 used wasr or a brand new arsenal for 1800. Easy choice.

@@bonnevillebagger9147 idk where you get your firearms but i see used wasr-10 variants ranging from 699-799. good luck wherever you live.

Darwin very much wants someone to look at his Linkedin profile.

@@misha5670 I'm afraid im not clever enough, or Informed enough to understand this reply

@@Aztal Oh boy, just google Darwin + Arsenal...you'll find a rabbithole to dive down.

Come to think of it, onl y stamped Arsenals I've kept for myself are the 5.45x39 ones.

@@misha5670 Man you’re sitting pretty with those now!:)

@@markp4401 Only reason I have a 104FR is back when, no one wanted them so i just had several setting in the store.

The original SA M-7SF was never $400. I bought one back in 2005, it was $1,300 back then.

@@misha5670 Im talking about the first milled models with the thumb hole butt, same basis no bells and whistles, the slr series

@@mywifehatesguns Kind of comparing apples to oranges then. Unconverted imports are always cheaper. When introduced in 2013, the imported SAM7SF was around $1,300 (though the promo price for a minute was slightly less). Today, the SAM7SF is $2,000; that's enough of a crazy price increase on its own. No need to bring the SLR101 into it to try and make it seem even wilder as that's not really a fair comparison.

Folks recommending that paint are more into looking at their guns over actually using them.

Unlikely that we'll see more of those get imported. That said, I'd love to be prooven wrong; 104 was a great gun.

@@misha5670 willing to part ways with yours?🙉🙉

The top paint finish, yep. The lower phosphate finish does fine though.

@P. Cameron They couldn't, there isn't room for everything to clear inside if you were to do that. If you look at the select fire AR-M9F, you'll see the same block extension.

@P. Cameron Do you own a SAM7SF? Asking because I'm curious if you've oppped the top on one or are just going off of pictures online?

@P. Cameron 2 reasons I can think off the top of my head. One is the left side safety selector and the additional room it needs. Another is that they wanted a NATO LOP. Another advantage from a manufacturing POV is that they can use the same receiver base, just modifying the rear. A milled receiver is just profiled differently from a stamped. A big part of it is with a stamped, the buttstock sticks into the receiver a good ways, but with a milled it only inserts about 1/2" as all 3 screws are on the outside. Like I said, its easier to visualize if you have one and hold it while thinking about the engineering. Regardless, its how they do ful autos too.

@P. Cameron Thing is, internally a milled receiver is very different from a stamped. I think you just gave me a video topic idea. I am finding it harder to explain via typing than it would be just showing on camera. So maybe I'll just do that here in a couple weeks. Also yes, it is ease of mfg too of course. Arsenal is a business first and foremost.

Hmmm lets see if I can do.......that, nope seems not.

I like this idea. I may steal it from you in the future lol

The ak was designed to be milled first, then converted to stamped.

@@bonnevillebagger9147 Incorrect. AK-47 was designed for stamped receiver, but there were problems in manufacturing them so they went with milled receivers for a little while until they could get the stamped receiver manufacture worked out.

@@crazy8sdrums everything I’ve ever read and seen, says the contrary. The rifle was designed for the superior milling manufacturing. But the rifle was deemed too expensive and transitioned to the cost effective stamped production.

“Over the course of his long life, Kalashnikov continued to tweak his classic design. In 1959, production began on his AKM, which replaced the AK-47’s milled receiver with one made of stamped metal, making it both lighter and less expensive to produce. He also developed the cartridge-fed PK machine gun. Modified AK-47s are still in production in countries around the world.”

“The AK-47 is made out of metal with the handguard and fixed stock made out of wood. The original AK-47 has a milled receiver while the product improved AKM has a lighter weight stamped receiver.”

They are special to me.

Not too many options if you want a factory AK with a milled receiver.

@@foxf6 right? These 16:40 get on here and spill junk

@@markp4401 You could always get a preban Polytech Legend or Valmet M62 or IMI Galil..i'm sure those are cheaper right? lol j/k

@@misha5670 Valmet M62s are ridiculous. I got to have one though,

2005-2015; decade to buy AKs. 2017-- time to buy AR15s.

Do push ups

Invest in some weights comrade.

Not limited to the range...just mount it on a truck and make a baby tactical.

I mean even a light AK, like the WASR is 8.5lbs when loaded. So are all AK too heavy to be "serious"? AR guys will talk about weight all the time, then strap on every accessory known to man and have a 10lb MK18.

Don't you miss the days when ak's were affordable

Darwin certainly would agree with you on that lol