I learn something new everyday

[u/CurlyWurly61]

I never knew there was another Semi-Auto other than;

BAR

SKS

Citadel

M1 Garand

I wish I had the $$ to drop on this sexy rifle

[u/Fuck_you_all22]

How much are they worth really? Are theh worth over $10k as they sell in canada? No too long ago, i run guns brought some in from US. US prices are like $3k to $5k plus import fees. So i am wondering are they worth weight in gold?

[u/sakaykay → u/Fuck_you_all22]

M78 price in 308 is about 10-15k. 556 would probably fetch 20k now. 7.62x39? i got no idea but probably 30k+ now. Rumor has it theres less than 50 that were made for commercial export from finland, North America, mainly the USA got about 25 of them. 15 were either machine guns or converted MG's used for movie props. Less than 10 exist in North america in the semi auto configuration.

As for the hunter models, they're relatively cheap minus the 223 version, as its a great host to make galil conversions that would be legal in Canada, but they are extremly rare.

[u/Fuck_you_all22 → u/sakaykay]

Anything different between hunter and m78 other than pistol grip and other cosmetic stuff? 

[u/Ok-Community-3922 → u/Fuck_you_all22]

Parts compatibility is slightly different. Magazines for the M78 will not always work in the hunter and vice versa. Both designs are effectively Galils internally.

Sights also differ between the Hunter and M78. Some hunters have a drum-style rear sight or dust-cover mounted aperture sight while the M78 uses a very odd gas-tube mounted notch sight. Very interesting and dissimilar from typical trunnion-mounted AK ramp/leaf sights.

[u/sakaykay → u/Fuck_you_all22]

Lots of differences actually. The receivers first off. All hunters come in Milled receivers.

M78's are stamped receivers with 1 exception, the M78 chambered in 308, the milled version was made solely for commercial export. The 308 M78 also does come in a stamped receiver too, with some in the US being converted into M78/83S models, which were unofficial models of valmets.

Milled receiver Hunters have a smaller mag well, which are mainly compatible with the Valmet milled magazines. Verses the M78 model, which both types of steel & milled mags worked. Some owners would Dremel/file the magwell to make the milled hunter receiver work with steel mags as well. The rear trunnion section/tang of the hunter model has a indented slice in the receiver to make a stock styled grip work with the receiver.

Barrel profiles are significantly different. The Hunter models has a more pencil like, slimmer profile barrel, Chrome lined. Whereas the M78 LMG models have a heavier profiled barrel, which are also chrome lined.

Cosmetic items are totally different, stocks, pistol grips, handguards, and sights. The Hunter model does not come with a deployable bipod, whereas the M78 does.

The rare unobtanium 7.62x39 model does not come in the Hunter configuration. Only the M78 model. But from the beginning of time, when Valmets were first introduced into the North American market, they were the first AK pattern rifles to ever hit the commercial market in the USA. Models in 223/556 & 308 were among the common models given that the USA adopted NATO cartridges and was relatively available at the time meaning it would cater to the US market, and when I mean common models, I mean between M78's, Hunters, M71's, M76's, m88's, M62's etc chambered in 556/308 etc. Between all SAKO/VALMET models, It is super rare to come across ANY 7.62x39 models, even down south because during the time between the early 1970's, up until the 80's, the 7.62x39 round was not that common at the time, and only a small handful of x39 chambered valmets entered North America. If you keep an eye out on any auctions, they fetch crazy prices. they're the holy grail of AK's and truly unobtanium. Especially the M78 version.