Question by : How much would a homemade AK-47 be worth?
I have professionally built an AK-47 that is in great shape and am having trouble pricing it on the market today. I was thinking around the 700$ range.
I live in Montana, where it is completely legal to own an AK 47. It is also completely legal to sell to someone under a private sale.
Answers and Views:
Answer by Lightbread
Post pictures, its hard to guesstimate
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
jack of some trades says
if its stamped receiver… $ 400-$ 800
if its milled receiver… only you will know.
Gregg Andrews - Yahoo Crime Squad says
Funny.
If you fabbed up the receiver, you can’t sell it. All you could hope to do is strip it & sell the parts, receiver not included.
Russ in NOVA says
A Russian-based Arsenal SGL21 runs a little more than $ 700 these days and is probably one of the best stamped receiver AKs on the market. Is your AK as good as that one in terms of quality? Is your barrel chrome lined? Do you have the same reputation and warranty?
I am not sure what you mean by “professionally built”. Is it really an AK-47 or is it really an AKMS (semi-automatic modernized AK)? Did you built it from a parts kit? If you built it from a kit, then use the market price of assembled versions of the gun and set the price at least 25% lower. I would recommend extreme caution to anyone buying an AK (or any gun) from someone that built it himself unless they have a lot of experience and good reputation.
Did you buy a serial numbered receiver or build the receiver from scratch? If you built the receiver from scratch you cannot sell the gun unless you have a manufacturers FFL.
Robert H says
Is this a true Full Automatic (FA) capable AK47 ? Or is this a semi automatic “Clone” only? When you say home made do you mean from scratch or was it assembled from already manufactured parts, such as a receiver, barrel, stock set, etc?
If FA, when was it build, and by who? Also is it registered (transferable) with a tax stamp presently?
All this will enter into the value and or whether it is legal or not.
USAFisnumber1 says
be worth 15-20 years in a federal prison.
Fatefinger says
It would be illegal if you did. Homemade guns are personal use and connot be sold. That is unless it has a serial.
LimeGreenMedic says
Sadly, a standard-grade Romanian AK can be had in the 459.95 range all day long. To verify my statement, check with gunbroker.com. Other variations command higher asking prices, but if you look right now, you’ll note that pretty much any auction price above 550 has no bids, except for the .223 version of an AK.
The AK is not an expensive firearm, no matter how well made. It is also not particularly conducive to single-rifle manufacture — too much work has to go into getting it right. It really is “designed for mass production” and only becomes cost effective to produce when tooled up on machinery and churned out by the thousands.
I am sure your build is an excellent one, with the bends correct, the rails installed properly, the rivets placed and countersunk so they hold the trunnion tightly, and your barrel is correctly press-fit into that trunnion. I could also be convinced that your gas port hole is drilled correctly, the gas block installed correctly, and your sight tower not canted more than a degree in either direction.
But the truth is, outside of the novelty of it, it is unlikely that your build will net you the amount of money you would like. Also, if you choose to transfer it, federal law requires some kind of mark or serial number: “Also, for your information, a nonlicensee may manufacture a semiautomatic rifle for his or her own personal use. As long as the firearm remains in the custody of the person who manufactured it, the firearm need not be marked with a serial number or name and location of the manufacturer. However, if the firearm is transferred to another party at some point in the future, the firearm must be marked in accordance with the provisions set forth in 27 CFR § 478.92 (formerly 178.92).” — per ATF letter sent by Sterling Nixon of the ATF.
Your best bet is to go ahead and make sure your legal ducks are in a row at all the different governmental levels regarding your firearm, and then see what it will bring on Gunbroker or Gunsamerica, or other gun auction website.
Good luck.
Winobot says
Id would buy a gun built by the monkeys at century before i considered buying one from some unknown garage builder. I doubt youll get much for it unless you throw in a bunch of extras, and even then i wouldnt expect $ 700.
joe_on_drums says
You made an illegal weapon that is used to kill enemy military forces and want to know how much it is worth.
Why in the world would you make an illegal weapon anyway? Are the Afghans invading your town?
Violent Bung Hole says
There are cheap AK’s everywhere…nobody’s going to buy your home brew gun.
Ryan says
You should post a pic it would help