[KalashnikovJosh]

So I want to add a new set of furniture to an AK of mine-stamped receiver AKM semiauto variant in 7.62x39.

Tapco is cheaper and looks OK,but I have a freind that thinks I'd like the K-VAR better.

Any suggestions?

[crockett007]

My vote is K-VAR or Ironwood designs

[KalashnikovJosh]

Whats Ironwood designs?

[crockett007]

Originally Posted by KalashnikovJosh

Whats Ironwood designs?

Ironwood designs is an outfit that manufactures replacement furniture for virtually every AK variant. You can choose from laminated or walnut, milled, stamped, slant cut, straight cut, butplate or recoil pad etc.

Matt is a good guy and of course his products are first rate, here is my MAK wearing ironwood furniture:



go to ironwoodesigns.com

[KalashnikovJosh]

That is a very attractive weapon.

I'm actually going 'tacticool' with this one,which is why the choice between the two companies I mentioned-I'm doing the black polymer thing with a rail and a red dot.

I considered a peep aperture but the red dot seems to be the very best at fast acquisition and the most facilitative of accurate fire while on the move.

[Schneiderman]

K-Var is much higher quality, you get what you pay for.

[KalashnikovJosh]

Oh man.

You had to say that -"you get what you pay for"-.

Please tell me what exactly makes the Kvar so much better-not just the assumption that its price alone guarantees its superiority over its competition.

Is it better looking?

Better materials?

Better thickness?

What actually makes it worth spending the extra money on?

I'm not trying to vye for one company or the other-but has anyone ever had an example of one or the other they can recommend or denounce?

I'd gladly pay the extra for a K-Var if the tapco is in fact worthless.But there are also plenty of examples of people paying extra and getting nothing really spectacular in return.

I like to make the smart choice-and I can do that better if someone said "I had the Tapco and it broke after only 100 rounds at the range" or "I had an example of both-they were both decent,if your on a budget get the cheaper one" or something.

[Schneiderman]

It's simply that the K-Var is a real duty stock that you can depend on while the tapco is a cheap alternative for someone who doesn't need or desire the durability of a real duty weapon. That said, even the K-Var is not as beefy as I would like to see on a stock for an AK, but it does the job and I would feel confident in using it to bash something or someone if I had to.

Anyway, probably the biggest/most noticeable difference is in the joint. The K-Var has a strong, rigid joint that fits very firmly into the receiver (I had to hammer mine in). The tapco joint just isn't as good. The K-Var joint fits so snugly that it will hold without screws (but of course you should secure it with screws to be safe).

This is not my picture, but here is a comparison, tapco on top, kvar on bottom.



Next order of business is Warsaw length or NATO length. Nato is longer. Warsaw is tiny. If you plan to shoot the rifle American target shooter style, with the rifle held across your body, get the NATO unless you have tiny arms. If you plan to shoot tactical style with the rifle held straight out in front of you, or if you just want more authenticity, get the Warsaw length. I went with Warsaw. Yes it is tiny but that makes it very handy for tactical style shooting.

It's all up to you, get what fits your budget, needs and desires. Just don't put any M4 crap on your AK!

[Schneiderman]

Here's a better picture (again not mine)



I don't mean to make it sound like the tapco is totally worthless, it's not, I just think the K-Var is better enough to justify the higher cost and is more suitable for an AK due to its greater durability.

Also the K-Var has the trap door for the toolkit while the tapco does not, some people say it works great, others say it doesn't work at all, it must be hit or miss. Mine doesn't work great, I filed out the hole in the buttplate and that helps but it still doesn't work as well as it should. This is all irrelevant if you don't have or don't want the toolkit.

[KalashnikovJosh]

THAT is what I'm talking about Schneiderman!

Thank you for the excellent comparison.

Being able to actually see the two side by side is VERY helpful in making my decision.

Yes....the two look ALMOST identical except for that stepped joint that fits in the receiver.

I've go some thinking to do.

Thanks again for taking the time to make those two posts!