I was at the ever famous gun show in Denver a few weeks back and ran across a table with some of the nicest looking AKs I’ve ever seen(and I’ve seen quite a few).
The company is called Arma Rifle Company based in Parker, CO. I’m looking for some info. www.armarifle.com
The prices online are a obscene but the haggle price is much better.
As far as I can tell the base line rifles are, Nodak Spud stamped receivers, finished in Duracoat, built on Romanian parts kits…
Anyone have any experience, advice, or warnings on these rifles?
The owner is Dan Faulk who use to build guns under the Lancaster name until he had a following out with Chet who owns Lancaster. He use to build some pretty nice polish tantal and underfolder kits and has a good reputation with Colorado locals here for those builds.
The romanians are built on NDS-3s and the fit can be pretty poor but they seem to function fine. I had one but sold it years ago for that reason. His builds are way overpriced in today’s market…go with the arsenal SGL-21.
Did you see him at the Tanner show in his digital camo?
Yep, he goes every month in his bad rip off of desert MARPATs… Good guy though. He’s super proud of his product and the more research I do on him and on his rifles gets me thinking it might not be a terrible investment.
On another note I brought a buddy of mine to Tanner (yesterday) who has seen his fair share of AKs(old Army SF armorer)… talked to Dan for a minute and I need to remedy a couple things I sad in my first post…
These are not part kits guns. From what I was told he buys all the parts from a supplier and that each part is hand fit.
I haven’t seen an issue of fit on the nds-3 on any of the rifle’s on his table at Tanner.
He does use TAPCO G-2 triggers in his builds but the surfaces are all hand polished and mated.
He is probably one of the most accessible guys I’ve ever met. Invited me to his “shop” he doesn’t have a store front… I might take him up on it… always good to see.
The Polish Underfolders he had at the show this weekend were quite impressive. The Romanians he had were as always the prettiest AKs I’ve ever seen. In addition while talking to Dan people come over and talk with him about the prior purchases. Guys talking about how awesome the rifles are. Now, normally customer review is the best source of info you can find but being at a gun show in Denver I take it with a little less credibility.
Dan is a good guy, makes a beautiful product that functions smoother and easier than almost any other rifle I’ve held. Holding it next to an Arsenal, there’s no comparison on how they look and feel. Dan’s builds are quality… just a tad overpriced.
He might be a great guy, and he’s certainly proud of his product…
But they are parts kit guns. They’re built from surplus parts from demilled rifles.
Romanian parts kits from surplus rifles were being sold for $100.00 for a long time. These were rifles that were imported, kept in a bonded warehouse, and then cut/demilled. These weren’t new guns, these were military surplus.
He’s reassembling them onto a US made receiver that costs $50.00 if bought in quantity. The NDS-3 has a known issue with some that have the hole for the safety drilled a bit off, or too low, which allows a gap to appear between the top of the safety and the bottom of the dust cover. The NDS-3 is a functional receiver, but it’s the bargain basement receiver that Nodak produces.
He replaces the original FCG with a US one from Tapco, and then refinishes the whole thing.
That’s not worth $1000.00. Not anywhere close.
The Polish underfolder kits were the same thing…surplus, used Polish military rifles that were cut and demilled…but they were about $200~$299 when they hit and most builders bought them up.
Nodak Spud NDS-1 receivers are $80.00 when bought in quantity.
I’m sure he’s a great guy, but the pricing is way out of wack.
The Arsenal Inc. SLR and SGL series are factory Bulgarian or Russian (respectively) rifles, with new parts and cold hammer forged barrels.