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against tree

When the hardy Century Arms Zastava N-PAP rifle showed up at my FFL, I couldn’t help but imagine some massive Russian dude, disheveled as all hell, inspecting the gun and grunting, “iz good” with a nodding frown of approval. In fact you might become Sergei the Soviet Bear-Slayer if you shoot and carry the N-PAP enough. The teak furniture and LMG-style heavy duty receiver mean that the Serbian lead-slinger weighs a solid 8 1/2 lbs. loaded.While that might not seem like a new deadlift world record, 8.5 lbs. feels like 50 after hiking it through the woods for a few hours. But if you’re used to little black modern sporting rifles, you may find the substantial weight of the N-PAP inspires more confidence than an M4-gery. Is that kind of confidence substantiated? Let’s put the (former) Yugo blaster through the wringer and find out . . .

To start things off I’ll take a peek at the aspects of the gun you can test without firing a round. Yugoslavian, and thus Serbian, AK’s are unique in that they’re designed to hold the bolt open once the last round is fired. While this is no BFD on modern sporting rifles, most AK’s now-a-days (God, what am I, 80?) lack this feature as it’s not part of the original Kalashnikov design.

Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 1.45.06 PM

The Serbian slayer also sports a chromed bolt – allegedly. If true it’s a Godsend if you’re going to utilize commie mil-surp corrosive ammunition or take horrific care of your rifle, as it will combat the erosion of those parts. But to me, it just looks like highly polished stainless steel. To be safe, I’ll clean her as if it’s not chromed to keep it in fine fighting form.

In addition, the N-PAP comes with a G2 trigger group, 2 magazines, a bolt hold-open safety and some bizarre make of side rail that looks like it works with both SVD & AK scope mounts.

receiver again

At first, you’ll praise the little notch thoughtfully added to the oversized selector switch, but you’ll soon grow to hate it. Part of your Russki bear bulk-up program is to retract the bolt and flip the safety up to hold it there. Here comes the tricky part: flip that switch down. In a word? “AARRRGGHHHH!” I’m pretty sure CAI owes me a few bandaids for that damn safety lever. This is why in my upcoming article on crucial upgrades for the AK platform will first and foremost list gloves. I’m fairly certain Mikhail designed the gun to be more dangerous to you under stress unless you’re a callous-covered partisan. It will loosen up with use, but in the meantime, wear protection.

rear sight courtesy James Grant

Next you’ll appreciate the raised comb of the N-PAP’s stock. At least you will if you’re using optics. The higher comb is excellent for scopes or red-dots, but it sucks for iron sights. You have to push your face against the dust cover to get low enough for a proper non-scoped sight picture. That’s fine with an AR, but the recoil of an AK is a little more stout, and for a new shooter it might result in a bloodied nose. A lesson not soon forgotten.

That’s not to say that the N-PAP isn’t user friendly. At least no less than any other AK platform. You still have the semi-awkward reloading procedure of rocking the mags into place – but that’s something that any experienced AK owner will tell you becomes much easier with practice.

For the N-PPAP the Serbs basically took the standard design of the Yugoslavian M70 and reduced some of the rigidness of the trunnion so that it’s still tougher than a standard AK’s but not as tough as the RPK’s (the LMG version of the AK47). Now, thanks to the efforts of a number of politicians, we can’t import these in their standard configuration straight from Serbia. Instead, Zastava has to import the guns with receivers that only accommodate single stack low-cap mags.

Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 1.44.34 PM

The first generation N-PAPs to come stateside not only had the single stack mag well but also a bolt designed for it. Consequently the first N-PAPs earned a well-deserved reputation for spotty reliability. This, combined with the less-than-ideal Monte Carlo style stock, made the Gen 1 N-PAP a tough sell. Thankfully the guys at Century listened to their customers and managed to convince Zastava to send N-PAP’s with a more appropriate bolt and a square-backed receiver.

One of the more peculiar aspects of the N-PAP rifle is its side rail. The rail on the N-PAP is neither SVD nor Kalash yet can accommodate both. Or so I’ve been told. I had no issue mounting a Belarusian POSP or a Midwest Industries “MI-AKSM”. One thing I would note, though: both scope setups sat noticeably higher than when mounted on a Saiga rifle – thankfully the comb is higher, too.

 scopeWhat does this mean to the consumer? Simply put, you now have access to a factory-built Century-slightly-modified Yugo cross-out Serb M70 AK rifle. Complete with reinforced receiver and hold open magazines. But you’ll miss out on a few things that M70’s used to come with.

Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 1.44.50 PM

The N-PAP doesn’t come with a grenade launcher sight, a bayonet lug, or night sights of any type. These are clearly designed solely for import to the US, so they lack some of the military features. If you’re not a collector, the first two “shortcomings” won’t bother you in the slightest. The lack of night sights sucks, but in all fairness the majority of those we saw in the 2000’s were dead by the time they arrived anyway.

 laying in sun

Another item to note about all Yugo/Serbian M70’s is their barrel is not chrome-lined. If you shoot corrosive ammo, you’ll want to clean your rifle as soon as it is cool enough to touch. The bolt and carrier, thankfully, are chromed and if Zastava started shipping these with chromed barrels they’d be ideal for shooting surplus ammo.

 ammo

So how does she perform, you might ask? I put 200 rounds of Wolf 124gr FMJ, 120 rounds of Brown Bear HP ammo , 80 rounds of Silver Bear soft point, and 100 rounds of Klimovsk (sp?) 123 gr FMJ (Despite the package it IS CORROSIVE) and experienced 0 failures of any sort. I tested all ammo in four kinds of magazines just to be sure: Romanian 30-round stell mags, Bulgarian 30-round plastic mags, 20-round Tapco plastic mags and 5-round KVAR magazines. All fit the rifle properly and functioned flawlessly.

 laying in sun

For accuracy I mounted a Belarusian POSP 4x fixed magnification scope to the N-PAP and utilized a 5 round magazine. Here are the results:

WPA Black Label-

target 3

WPA Classic –

target 1

Klimovsk-

 target 2

The N-PAP grouped all ammo types basically the same – I wish had more ammo types to check out, especially some American-made brands. Still, the gun was unstoppably reliable.

As far as disassembly goes the N-PAP, like all AK rifles is very straightforward. First make sure the gun is unloaded, remove the magazine, push the safety lever down and pull the charging handle back to make sure it’s still empty. Then just pop off the dust cover, depress and lift the recoil spring, pull the bolt back and lift free. With a little practice you’ll be able to do it blind-folded in about 10 seconds.

Specifications:

Caliber:              7.62x39mm
Barrel:                16.33”
Rate of Twist:   1:10
Weight:               7.7lbs
Operation:         gas-operated rotating bolt
Finish:                Blued
Capacity:            5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 75, and 100-round varieties
Importer:            Century Arms International
MSRP:                   $800

Ratings (out of five stars):

Accuracy * * * 1/2
The N-PAP grouped basically minute of hand at 100 yards. That translates to 3-4 MOA, which is pretty standard for the AK platform. I did notice that the groups didn’t seem to grow too much as the barrel heated up, making it a solid choice for holding imperialist American invaders at bay or shooting hogs all day long.

Ergonomics * * * *
The N-PAP’s controls come stiff as Hugh Hefner with a mouthful of little blue pills. The inclusion of a rubberized buttpad and a finger-grooved pistol grip make this Kalashnikov derivative especially comfortable, though.

Fit & Finish * * * *
The N-PAP’s outer finish is excellent and mine lacks the dreaded mag-wobble and sight cant of previous Century imports. But there is that questionable chromed bolt….

Accessories * * * 1/2
The N-PAP uses 17mm LH threads, takes standard AK magazines and features an optic rail that fits standard AK scopes. This is where the N-PAP’s compatibility with other AK parts ends, though. Tapco enthusiasts need not apply – you’re stuck with a narrow selection of makers for any aftermarket parts you may be drooling over.

Value * * * 1/2
The N-PAP ain’t cheap – it will run you around $750-800. But the difference in quality between it and a WASR is fairly substantial. However, the N-PAP is getting dangerously close to the cost of a pre-panic Arsenal-converted Saiga. And while it’s a solid performer, value gun buyers may be less interested when they can pay a little more and get something with better resale value.

Overall * * * *
At the end of the day the N-PAP looks, shoots, and feels like an AK. If you’re itching for an Avtomat with all the “assault weapon” fever, you won’t be let down by this Serbian rifle so long as you keep a few things in mind – like parts compatibility and the limits of the platform. I’m nicking half a point each for cost and parts limitations. But based solely on performance, the N-PAP is a 5 star AK…with a matching price.

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105 COMMENTS

  1. I’ll bet most of the people rocking AR platforms in this country have enough added doo dads to make any weight difference between the 2 types, the AR and the AK, to be meaningless. And I’ve never heard of or seen a person having trouble handling the recoil of the 7.62×39 round. I have mild arthritis and it doesn’t bother me.

    • Anyone who is “proaccessory” hasn’t had to carry the d@mn thing, with no sling, for an appreciable distance. I’m a minimalist. The less cr@p I have on my rifle, the more ammo and water I can haul.

    • Totally. A buddy of mine has a tricked out AR with all sorts of junk on it. He brought it over to my place to have me take a look at something for him, and all I could say was WHOA when I shouldered that thing. It was heavier than any AK I own, even felt like it gave my AES-10B RPK a run for its money.

  2. “In Soviet Russia…plastic is for toys!”

    This looks nice, but I still like my WASR10 better…:) I know the WASR has a bad rap, but mine has been flawless. YMMV.

  3. LOL on the safety. Mine was a b1tch for a while too. Very tough on the thumb but it loosened up nicely over time.

    I also had the problem of the stock smacking me in the face a little bit. I fixed that by swapping out the muzzle compensator for a muzzle brake. I guess the compensator caused just enough twist to cause the stock to catch my cheek and sometimes bump off my ear muffs.

    I like the full-size stock which I think is about a 13.5″ length of pull instead of 11″ or 12″ like most AKs. Much more comfortable for me.

  4. I’m just glad I read this review. I don’t have much interest in AKs, but I did purchase some Klimosvk ammo last year. I haven’t shot it yet, but I’m glad I haven’t. If the ammo I bought is corrosive, I’m glad I know now.

    Corrosive ammo isn’t a big deal. And though I generally clean my weapons right away, sometimes it doesn’t get done. I’d be pissed if I took out my rifle a couple days later and had rust all over the inside from this ammo. When it’s supposed to be non-corrosive.

  5. Russian jokes for a Serbian-made rifle….sheesh. We really do need geography back in schools.

    • Russia is where Serbians came from so u do your homework in history…. consider them in modern history cousins. Talk to a Russian in Serbian and he will understand u enuff to get by. Like Spanish with Argentinian, Latin people. Slavic and Russian = the same

        • what, slavs dont share protolanguage so the accepted antropology and linguistics are wrong?
          i found antiimperialistic jokes funny and appreciative because they show he gets its a truly rugged designed gun with true value, russia stereotype is not all negative you know, but for that you should not hate yourself and then others but thats way off topic for simple internet trolling

      • I’ve been to Argentina, they speak Spanish, that’s what their language is. There is no language called Argentinian.

  6. I never understood the purpose of the last round bolt hold open on this design. When you remove the magazine when the bolt locks to the rear after the last shot, it closes. Is this to facilitate better cooling or something?

      • It’s probably because Americans like a bolt hold open on their rifles. This rifle is aimed at the American market.

        • The reason was initialy started by Mauser. The bolt hold open was to tell the battle stressed soldier that he had run out of ammo and it was time to reload. I’m assuming that there had been previous instances where panicked soldiers had continued to cycle empty rifles in combat.
          What EVER, blame the europeans

    • purpose of bolt hold open on all variations of original M-70 rifle after last round is fired is to reduce time it would take to chamber new round once fresh magazine is inserted. instead of pulling the handle all the way back to chamber a round, soldier would slightly pull the handle (which is already in rear position) slightly and once released, fresh round from new magazine would chamber, hence reducing the time to reload.

      • Actually the bolt hold open does not aid in reloading, because as soon as you remove the magazine the bolt will slam shut. The real reason for the bolt hold open is as another commenter already stated, simply to let the shooter know the mag is empty. The last sound in the world a combat trooper in the field wants to hear is “click,” when he’s expecting “bang.”

        • stjepan speaks from his own experience, in yugoslavia the bolt stayed open as stjepan explained and it is to make reload faster and you are also right to some degree

    • It’s to let you know the rifle is empty, pretty much every automatic military weapon ever made (that is not an AK) has a last round bolt hold open. It’s a good thing because it really sucks being faced by an enemy determined to kill you and finding out your rifle is empty by having it go click.

      Kalashnikov was manic about keeping the AK as reliable as possible, he felt a built in BHO was unnecessary and would just be something that could fail. From a reliability standpoint he was likely right.

      The Yugoslavians disagreed on the “unnecessary” part and did what they could without impairing reliability.

    • The point IS to know you are empty and need to change the mag. When you hammer just goes click, technically you have no clue if you’re mag is empty and you have ran dry OR if you have a miss-fire/hang-fire. So you might have a round in the chamber with the primer that’s been struck and your pointing the weapon at the table or your feet or something and all of a sudden BAM. People claim they can hear the click when the hammer hits the firing pin, well when shits going down you wont be able to hear/feel it. so with the bolt held open you know 100% exactly what’s happened.

  7. 5th picture- I love springs made out of twister coat hangers. This is one reason every 3rd world country rebel/terrorist/freedom fighter has an AK.

  8. After a bad experience with a WASR, I’ve recently wanted to get back into the AK game. I’d love an Arsenal, but if the N-PAP’s price goes down a little soon, we may have a winner.

  9. I’m looking to get an AK but I really don’t know which is good first time buy. I was looking at the centurion 39 but I’m not too sure after reading this.

    Any ideas?

    • Realy, I am so Over the AK!
      There are Mini-30’s and even ARs that dump on the AK, even down to the vaunted reliability! A stainless Mini-30 with the tacticle, forged barrel is FAR more ergonomic/Right Left friendly and accurate than an AK. Plus there are tons of bolt-ons.
      My OLD Mini-30 weighs less than this AK and will still out shoot it with the same ammo

      • But that mini 30 won’t fire all surplus/imported ammo. Foreign x39 often has deep seated primers and the mini 30 pin doesn’t travel far enough to set them off consistently.

    • I would probably avoid the Centurion 39 unless you can get one real cheap.
      I think this or the O-pap currently on sale at JGsales for $599 is probably the best you could do especially for the money. Even if you are an AR fan, everybody needs an AK!

    • I picked up the Centurion mere weeks before the panic and made out ok. It’s milled, and built better than most of their other models. I love it and the recoil is pretty light. It’s a solid unit – the barrel is not chromed so it’s more accurate than the average AK bear. It’s very proprietary so you won’t be adding a tactical stock or even a new handgrip…you’ll hafta’ love her for what she is. I know I love mine 🙂 They give you a ton of rails on the front end but it’s already a front heavy rifle so adding a bunch of hardware would be rough unless you’ve got big muscles. I use them to mount a forward grip which works out just right for me.

      Hugs,

      HM

    • I bought the N-PAP because it is a stamped receiver as opposed to a milled receiver. It has the scope mount already installed on the side where as the milled one has to be added. If you plan on using optics this is something to consider. The dust cover rails are too loose to mount optics on in my opinion. If you like the wood furniture then the N-PAP is the one to get because of quality. If you want tactile the other options are better. Just my opinion, hope it helps. And BTW I was hitting a 24″gong at 200 yard with iron sights right out of the box

  10. AHHh, all ammo grouped basicly the same?
    Are you blind?
    one brand printed in the black @ 50%
    one brand hit the black ONCE
    one brand hit the black NONCE
    This with a 4X scope!
    My old Mini-30 shoots much better!

    • Every brand of ammo shoots to a different POI with the scope set the same. All it would take is a few clicks and either of those groups would be in the black.

  11. AKs are confusing to me. My understanding is that AK-47s had a machined receiver, and have not been produced in a long while, whereas and for a long time after, AKs have been built with a stamped receiver, under the AKM designation. Is this the real story or what?

    • IMO, machined receivers are a gimmick to get you to pay $400 more for the same rifle. And they add weight. And they take special accessories.

      Maybe they help with durability or something like that but I’m not sold.

      • For a company equipped with CNC machines they are easier/cheaper to manufacture in house (or out source) than the sheetmetal receivers. Then they market them as “premium”.

    • Kalashnikov’s original design called for a stamped receiver much like the Sturmgewehr 44. For whatever reason they went to milled receivers during the 1950s. Later they went back to Kalashnikov’s original pattern with the AKM. I think it had to do with heat treating. Early on they had not figured out how to do it so they went milled. Later they perfected the process and could get away with stamped.

  12. Can’t see the iron sights? Why is this a big deal? Everytime I see videos of
    AKs in battle, it doesn’t seem that anyone is using the sights…..

  13. I’m good with all AKs, but the Bulgarians seem to be the most accurate. They used to be $800, but now you can’t touch them for less than a grand.

  14. I used a M16A1 in the Army. The only thing the platform has going for it is the light weight and accuracy. On the other hand I found the AK47 very easy to break down and clean, usually always fires no matter how dirty it is which means it is very dependable. I wouldn’t trust the M16/M15 platform from experience.

    • JR- No offense, but if you’re basing your opinion of AR’s from the Vietnam Era you are WAY behind the eight ball here. AR’s made in the last 20 years or more are very reliable.

      • The m16a1 was not used in Vietnam. The a1 was the m16 rebuilt after learning the problems of the rifle through Vietnam’s trials. The a1 only gave way to the a2 for two reasons. The three round burst and a thicker more heat resistant barrel. The three round burst was because young soldiers would expend an entire magazine and waste ammunition. They wanted to cut down on waste in the middle of battle and allow the soldier to be more effective. The barrel was so there would never be any warping or melt down of the barrel so it would last longer. Other than that there was only a change to the rear sight which had nothing to do with functionality.

  15. FYI: the bolt and carrier aren’t chromed. They’re in the white, or in other words, unfinished. That means that they’re even more susceptible to corrosion than the other areas of the rifle.

  16. I just picked one up from JG sales for $616 delivered. This is one of the best AK s out there for any price, let alone what I paid for it. I’ve got a lightweight AR for my wife, good girls gun. The AK is for men.

  17. I just noticed this rifle is slightly different than the one I received. Mine is an o-pap and has the 1.5 milled receiver and the bulged front trunnion (RPK I think).
    I think the o-pap is considerably beefier.

    Does anyone know if the scope rail is the same on both rifles? My scope rail seems to be an oddball. I’d like to install a posp.

  18. So much bad information in one post.
    The stocks are not Teak., never were.
    Yugoslavia was never a soviet state
    The bolt is not chrome.
    Investigate before posting.

    • Hahaha, well put… Just picked up a new piece, looking for info, I totally felt like this thread was all over the grid, cheers bro

  19. I bought a Pap M70 AK47 from J&G Sales for $599 plus delivery 16 bucks, I consider it a good rifle. Shot 60 rounds right out of the box with no trouble. I think I have a bayonet lug, but everyone says it won’t fit a Yugo bayonet. I would like a bayonet for my AK, but only if I can find one to fit. My time was the M1 and I consider that rifle one of the best. It never failed me and saved my life more than once. I could field strip the M1 blind folded and put it back the same way.

  20. I’m so tired of hearing about AR’s.In have no desire to own one of any kind, now or ever.I have the new pap m70 and love basically everything about it, especially the wood. Plastics seem to be taking over now days. Oh, by the way, AR stands for (automatic rejects).

  21. If yor looking for an AK then I highly recommend the PAP M70 for about 600$. The only plastic you will find on the gun is the pistol grip. The bolt action and safety was a little stiff at first but after a couple hundred rounds she is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. I have a red dot reflux on mine I bought for 30$. I can completely remove the red bullseye from a target at about 200 yards with 1 clip. That’s about the length of my property in any direction. Once you cross those bounds, your pretty little AR’s will not save you.

  22. Just got a new N-PAP the other day it was manufactured 04/13 and is a bit different than site said.

    Mine didn’t come with rail on dust cover it came with side mount installed, the dust cover is tight unlike what others are saying, it has double stack CHROME bolt, I have no rattle in mags when installed, very heavy and well built unlike the cheap feeling WASR.

    All the negative posts about the PAP seems to be coming from 99% of those that have never even HELD one, they just popping off what they read from the one or two that actually owned one of the first gens that were having issues.

    So until tour actually owned one and SHOT it keep your pie hole shut! It just makes you look more stupid.

    I own and like my ARs as well.

    • I have the second gen as well. I love this rifle..shoots great with any ammo never jams and is just plain fun to shoot. The distinctive AK click is awesome. Ammo is $5 for 20 rounds for the surplus, just make sure you clean the rifle after a day at the range.

  23. Just got my n.pap from J&G sales,and very happy with it. I got the one with black polymer stock. I know that it will not work with all the doohickeys out there but I do not need a lot of things hanging off my gun. Do not need it to look like a AR. The gun fit and finish is very good. There is no rattle in mags at all. With the cost of $569.00 I do believe it to be a good Akm for the money.

  24. You fools obviously never held an arsenal or vepr before,
    the bolt is not chromed on CAI ak’s PERIOD, you can do the bluening test on it and see for yourself, its an unfinished metal.
    I own 2 arsenal rifles and 1 vepr (2 ak 74’s and 1 ak 47), the accuracy, durability and recoil difference between the bulgarian milled 101s (ak 47) and n pap is crazy, if you want to run with cheap pieces of dirt go ahead and get the CAI Ak’s. Btw the milled receiver bulgy rifle weighs less then this piece of crap, after all its CAI we’re talking about, the same people that put a 5.56 barrell on an ak 47..

    • Maxim I have to say that you are right when you say Arsenal or vepr are fine rifles.But were do you get off telling people that buying some other gun. that they are fools. You are a gun snob. Not every one has $1200. to spend on a Ak type of guns. They my not be made as well as a Arsenal but then for $600.more You would hope so. The Pap 70 s works fine for what they are.. Not the best but I can work with it. For the money not bad. My not be as nice as yours but far from crap.

      • Just got my o-pap , right from century. Very well built AK type rifle. You guys always crying about century, come on have you never bought anything new or used and had a problem? Anyway my pap is as nice as any AK come , I will buy from them again, I give century 5 stars.

        • Buying from Century is always a crap shoot, research the first generation of this rifle they put out, lots of people got burned.

          Glad you got a good one.

    • I’ve used a few different types of AKs…I’ve never owned an AR…but shot plenty of those too. Anyway, I really like the Century Arms Centurion 39 – has some similar features to the units Maxim’s talking about. It’s also milled, has a pretty nice brake, low recoil, and it’s not a chromed barrel. It has a great lil’ rail system on it but very proprietary – won’t be able to add a bunch of after market parts…still, it’s perfect for me. Definitely a heavy unit…I do favor a foreword grip and a scope but that’s about it.

    • Obviously, MaximZ, you’re the type who has all the money to blow on an Arsenal, yet don’t know a whole lot about them.. Dogging on CAI for 5.56 AK’s??? Ever heard of Arsenal’s SLR-106 series 5.56 AK’s???? You really should do more homework before you go throwing so much money around, assuming that it is your own money and not your mommy and daddy’s!!

      • “Dogging on CAI for 5.56 AK’s”

        I think he’s referring to a specific incident where CAI accidentally put a 5.56 barrel on a 7.62×39 rifle. Not good.

        • Actually it was a 5.56 on 5.45(ak74) rifle. It was known for keyholing. I own several Century rifles and all of them are good running weapons.

  25. I’ve been looking for an AK to purchase a slide fire bump stock for. It just looks too fun and I’d like to find a unit cheap enough to make it worthwhile and still be a solid piece. Anybody try or know if the slide fire SSAK-47 XRS will fit the Century Pap? Not looking to add a bunch of bells and whistles, just a red dot, bump stock and ammo 🙂

    hugs,

    HM

  26. Hello Guys….i bought an old Ak47 today…its probably chinese made (seller told so) but it hasnt got any manufacturer’s stamp (model+country). how would i know what model and make is it?
    realy need a positive response…
    take care
    regards

  27. I just picked up a 2nd Gen N-PAP from a local dealer. (Got it for $575) Whatever CA did wrong with the early versions of the PAP & N-PAP seem to have been made right on this build, all the way down to the proper double stack bolt and a nice magwell. This is a clean, solid, quality rifle. Next to my WASR the difference is night and day.

    I have not yet tried aftermarket mags but will update if/when I do. The N-PAP is rather heavy so anything to save weight will be nice. The old metal mags I have on hand seat fine with little to no wobble. There is also very little noise when shaking or rolling the rifle. (Try that with a WASR!)

    The only drawbacks for me at this time are: 1) weight- it’s heavy 2) stock- longer than typical AK but it’s of good quality 3) hand guard- not contoured to fit palm 4) Only one sling mount- I’ll have to modify to add a 2nd point 5) upgrades- limited availability, though the straight cut receiver seems to have more options than its slanted predecessor.

    Perhaps I just got lucky, but overall I am happy with my purchase.

  28. I’ve got two of these, one the folding stock M70AB with the parkerized finish that I LOVE, and the other standard with the wood furniture like in this article. Both are dependable, accurate enough, and built like tanks. The M70AB is a little more finicky about it’s magazines, but then so is my AR that hates ProMags.

    I own a fair number of rifles and enjoy shooting all of them, but if the zombie apocalypse ever happens I’m reaching for my trusty Zastava!

  29. I have a Serbian ak imported by eaa. It has the single stack mag which I understand is easily modified. I got it from a coworker who owed me money. Can anyone give me a reasonable value for this? I have seen them listed by dealers on arms list for $1200 and up. I am considering trading it for something just curios what a fair price for something like this would be. Any info is greatly appreciated. Regards.

  30. Somebody needs a clue. This is a Serbian rifle, NOT Russian. Also, it does NOT have the RPK trunnion or thicker receiver. That was the O-PAP, this is the N-PAP. Geesh

    • Yeah and they should also know Russian AKs have had “plastic” furniture and magazines for nearly forty years.

  31. “a few bandaids for that damn safety lever”
    AK THUMB AWAY – this is a helpful little phrase for pulling the bolt handle – save those band-aids !!!!

  32. I bought the Yugo N Pap M70 from J & G Sales for $529. This is my first rifle and first time to buy a weapon online. Im from San Diego, CA.

    To my surprise, buying a weapon specially if you are from CA is a bit reficulous. First J & G Sales asked for my FFLs “Assault Weapons” permit and “High Cap Weapons ” permit. TDS Guns in San Diego didnt have one. Going back and forth w J&G Sales, they ended up cancelling the order because I could provide an FFL w the right permit. They did shipped my 3 Tapco 10 round mags.

    In fact no FFL here dont have one. I found one but its 10 hrs away. In Rocklin CA. So I called J&G to reactivate the order and send the rifle to TDS Gun s in Rocklin. Regretfully, because J&G do not install Magazine Locks, the rifle is considered as an “Assaul Weapon. And TDS Guns Rocklin “Assault Weapons” permit will expire on 21 Mar. Although they renewed they have no idea when will recieve the permit. I called J&G Sales and they will send the rifle. On fact I got the email tracking from USPS that its on its way.

    Upon arrival, TDS in Rocklin will convert the rifle so it will not be an Assault Rifle. Then ship it to TDS here in San Diego.

    Apparently this rifle meets the 922 R. My questions are:
    1. Can I install a collapsible stock? The GLR16 from Macko (imported from Israel)
    2. Does this N Pap have the double stack bolt?
    3. What rail system fits on this Yugo N Pap?

    Thanks

  33. Hey guys, I’ve read the entire review and all comments. I’ve had experience with AR’s along with countless other American military weapons and foreign. I’m newly out of the USMC, I was a Machine gunner using the M-240, .50, and MK-19, also went recon after my first deployment, used many other weapons during that time. I love Using the AK and I believe that it is a reliable weapon through thick n’ thin. Is this Zastava, Serbian made AK worth the buy? I have a fair price along with picatinni rail system, and sling included with 4 steel mags and 2 p mags. Is this a weapon system that will fill my needs as a hunter, zombie slayer, and red dawn preparer?

  34. I finally got the Yugo N Pap M70 out of my FFL. I took it directly to the range. Fired 150 rounds. No missfire or misfeed. The rifle is rock solid. While I was cleaning, the gentlemen next to me whos a collector of AKs gave me a few pointers how to clean the rifle. He also confirmed the my bolt is a “double stack”.

    Since I live in CA, the FFL has to install a magazine lock and I can only use a 10 round mag. I use Tapco mags and had no misfeed issues.

    Firing 150 rounds at the range is brutal. I felt like I was spanked 150 times.

    As a result, I changed the buttstock. As recommended I bought an Ace Yugo Stock Adapter and a pignose. I installed a UTG mil spec buffer tube, Magpul CTR stock w a .75 inch cheek riser. Amazingly enough I did not get spanked at all when I returned to the range and fired 180 rounds.

    So far I fired 330 rounds on my Yugo N Pap M70. I love it.

  35. Maybe is a typo but the muzzle thread is really 14mm left hand turn instead of 17mm. BTW a great review. Working on upgrading the hand guards and stock and installing a side mounted POSP style scope.

  36. All Yugos historically were made in Zastava, Serbia which was a region in Yugoslavia….so you can call them Yugos…there is no difference. They don’t have hold-open after last shot they have a selector lever that has a cut-out which will hold the bolt open if you need to have it open for some reason. It does not have a chrome bolt or bolt-carrier… they are stainless steel…the bore is not chromed but it is forged….if you shoot corrosive ammo, once a week cleaning will be fine. The scope mount is great for either AK or SVD type scope mounts…it’s the new design that accepts both. They are all double stack if they are made in Zastava. The fixed stock has no riser but the weapon was never meant to be a sniper rifle…it’s an assault weapon made for bursts. I’ve never seen any N-pap with tritium sights from the factory. The O-pap had a buldged trunion instead of the straight trunion…They are still available but their costs are usually prohibitive ($800+) The single stacks are rebuilds by Century. I don’t know who wrote this article but they need to be better informed before they commit their articles to print. Go to the Zastava website and read up on specifics.

  37. From what I have read on this particular rifle. It’ seems to be a reliable platform. However, consulting the reading and what my uncle, keep in mind was a gunsmith that was extremely well known country wide in the USA. This particular brnd of rifle is a pile for accuracy. Hell, look at it’s targets the guy has pics posted of. It’s worthless unless your going for the mass number of rounds pumped into a large grouping of anything- then don’t pay what it’s listed as. I wouldn’t give more than 200 on any weapon of this stature that is as inaccurate as it is. I bought a .223 Browning for about 450 used from a guy and even at 300 yards I am dead ringing a center bullseye with it repeatedly. And the Chinese made AK my buddy has that he got new for 550$ was ringing in a bulleye 7 of 10 shots at 150 yards. This Zastava couldn’t do that if you were to be able to pay it to. It’s nothing more than overpriced wanna be AK that’s good for nothing more than lobbing hot lead into a crowd by the looks of it. And trust me when I say this. My uncle had over 250 different guns in his ownership, and I fired all of them more than once. Flint lock rifle included and smooth bore muzzle loaders as well. Those are the two closest in accuracy I fired in comparison to what is shown here. Buy it for dirt cheap and then some, and use it as something for extreme close range home defense. It’s the only purpose for this particular rifle. Otherwise, your best off with a shot gun or a .45ACP Hi-Point Carbine. The Hi-Point beings that is the only reliable firing weapon they produce and it’s got the perks of a rifle and none of the disadvantages of a rifle since it’s firing a side arm round instead of true rifle round.

    • Seriously everyones an expert why lower priced guns are junk. I own this gun never had any issues with and its perfectly accurate. Not everyone is a dead ringer at the range I haven’t shot 250 guns but have shot my fair share and seen many a kimber, Remington, smiths, rugers, h&ks, and sigs that were not all that accurate. Thou in my experiance its the shooter I don’t knock a gun I don’t own or never shot.

  38. I have had my N-PAP Zastava M70 Gen 2 for now like 5 months got like over 500 round through it and it has been a great rifle, I paid $686.00 for it and that’s with the FFL fee and extended lifetime warranty through Budsgunshop.
    I have had some mushrooming on my BCG and contacted Century Arms about it and they did me good, this is the first time that I called a firearms manufacture for a issue and got to talk to a person right off the bat. They to me have the best customer service I have ever received, sent me a new BCG, and new safety lever since mine was bent and wasn’t functioning correctly, they didn’t see any reason for the rifle to be shipped back since it was still shooting fine.
    I have used several different kinds of ammo, M62 Yugo, Tulammo, Wolf poly, Brown Bear, Silver Bear, Red Norico Chinese ammo. I haven’t had a issue with it shooting at all. I did replace the hand guard cause I wanted to keep the wood nice, I replaced it with a Hogue for Yugo kit and put on a Tapco Slot brake and the Tapco shorty vertical grip. Hogue pistol grip and I think the Hogue AK grips are top notch I tried the Magpul grip and hated it compared to the Hogue.
    I have used Magpul, Thermold, Tapco, Yugo metal, Chinese Metal and a few mags that I have no idea where they are from that are metal, I have read that it was to come with a bolt hold open mag and mine didn’t an it was made in 2013.
    In closing I have so far enjoyed my N-PAP and got another bolt for it been wanting to use it, but need to headspace it and don’t have any headspace gauges. It’s a Hungarian bolt and it functions fine with the new BCG that I got, I also put in a Wolf extra power spring and that helped a lot, the original spring was old and was weak and was like 4 inches shorter than the new spring. I really want to get that bolt headspaced and use it.

  39. Met a guy that was selling one brand new (ordered it, then ended up having to buy a new vehicle and decided he’d be better served selling it) for $500 with 13 single stack 10 round mags. I have been in the market for an AK for a little bit, but admittedly not done much research on the N-PAP M70. I read a few places that retailers would throw in several single stacks if it was one that didn’t take a double stack 30 rounder. I didn’t get to inspect it long enough to know if it was a single stack only or modified for double. Without having a double stack mag, what do I need to look at to determine if this will accept the double stacks? This isn’t exactly what I was wanting in an AK, but for the price I’m wondering if I shouldn’t pass this one up. Thoughts?

  40. RFT usa, makes a adjustable rear stock (M4 style ) for N-PAP that fits great and ends the high comb problem when using the open sights. Also has single point swivel for sling built-in if thats what your looking for.

  41. I have had a NPAP since August of 2015. Its quality is great. American shooters cry and cry over the high comb on the stock – I get a great sight picture on the iron sights and I get no cheek slap. Man up people! The heavy stock really helps with recoil. The nice thick wood on mine is very nice. The parts are high quality. The cost of mine was $649 at Sportsman Warehouse in Roanoke, VA. I could have purchased it for $599 online but did not. The same cost of a low cost AR but with an AR you have to purchased so much crap that you do not need. The rail system for the sights works good. Add a red dot sight and still this a good buy. Just rinse the barrel out with water as soon as you shoot then clean when you get home. You should be cleaning your rifle no matter if its a AR or AK. I shoot about 500 rounds the first time – never a problem. Now at the same time my son had a mil-spec rifle exactly like his Army issue without the select fire switch. The AR locked up after about 100 rounds and needed to be oiled. The AK really at that point proved its worth with reliability to me. Now I have about 4,000 rounds – still looks new. Functions like a dream – never the problems like with the AK 47-74 Union testing. My MOA at 100 yards is about 2-3 inch groups with iron sights – 4 inch or so at 300 yards.

  42. What’s the durability for these rifles? Id read reviews saying CAI ak can wear out after 5k rounds? Which CAI AK is that?

  43. Also, Im trying to decide between this rifle or Molit ZEPR they are cutreynly similarly priced. Or perhaps the Polish Petroniv arms model. Any advise would be appreciated.

  44. Hello,
    I have a problem getting the rifle barrel for the Zastava AK M70AB2 rifle.
    In the meantime, the shanks of the lock are available from other models.
    I have a question whether the lock stem AK47 will fit the Zastava M70AB2.

    Thank you for your answer.
    Artur

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