Quoted By:
Angsting about age aside, let's talk about guns.
This is the Norinco MAK-90 (semi-auto sporter variant of the Type-56, the Chinese copy of the AK), but this is a different one. Most of the MAK-90 line was made with a stamped sheet steel receiver of varying configurations, mainly differing in the rear of the receiver, featuring either a straight rear trunnion like normal Russian AKs, the slanted one like most Chinese AKs and older Russian AKs, and an outright diagonal one, like on the Norinco Hunter. If you want to put a proper stock and pistol grip onto a MAK-90, the kind of receiver it has makes all the difference.
A small number of early MAK-90s were however made in Factory 386, the Norinco concern facility where the PolyTech Legend line was produced. The PolyTech Legend line was intended as a deluxe product, with Kalashnikov rifles in various configurations and calibers being made to a high standard with lots of effort put into fit and finish. They made PolyTech Legend rifles as both stamped and milled receiver rifles, and these early MAK-90s ended up being milled ones.
These early 386 MAK-90s weren't made to that exact same standard as the Poly-Tech Legend line, but they're definitely a good cut above normal MAK-90s, and notable for having good triggers and a bolt that feels pretty smooth as you manipulate it back and forth. They don't fetch as much as the nicer rifles, but people who know what they are will be willing to pay more for them than a normal Norinco AK.
If one wanted to have an oldschool milled 7.62mm AK of nice quality, but not so nice that you would be afraid to shoot it, these specific rifles would be great for that, and it's not that hard to find a proper pistolgrip and stock, as well as the suitable slant-cut muzzlebrake.