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Early Chinese Underfolder Prochine mfg

dylan2772
I am looking to find out some information about an AK underfolder that I have had for quite some time. I believe it is early seventies pre-ban underfolder and was distributed by Paragon Industries if you guys remeber them. Prochine Manufacturing.
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4 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    Unless it's NFA, it wasn't imported until the mid 80's at the earliest. A lot of small outfits that didn't stay in business for long tried importing the semi-auto AK's. The Chinese would sell them to anybody who had the money, because of this many flooded in during the mid to late 80's time frame. You could buy them retail NIB with extra mags and accessories for a little over $200. This drove a lot of the small importers/distributors out of business, even before the ban was enacted.
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  • mark christian
    Probably from the mid 1980s, an certainly not from the 1970s. Paragon, which was headed up by a fellow named Dale Thomas and was based in Joliet, IL went out of business many years ago. Thomas had an associate who later relocated to Arizona and is operating an unaffiliated company in that state, but he can't provide any details about guns imported by Paragon. Paragon sold many thousands of firearms and millions of rounds of surplus ammo...With mixed reviews from buyers! As the Snowman already said; importers came and went, sometimes lasting only a few months, back in those days. All you had to do was order a container filled with ChiCom AKs, have your name stamped on them when they hit San Pedro, CA and then run an ad in the Shotgun News and start taking orders...It was about that easy to do and the money flowed like water over a dam! Paragon was around for a much longer period of time, but they are long gone now.
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  • dylan2772
    Hey guys, but what is one worth now a days. Quality every bit as good as any polytech, and actually nicer then many Russian manufactured, mint/unfired in box with all the goodies. Thanks for the info, dylan2772
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  • rufe-snow
    quote:Originally posted by dylan2772
    Hey guys, but what is one worth now a days. Quality every bit as good as any polytech, and actually nicer then many Russian manufactured, mint/unfired in box with all the goodies. Thanks for the info, dylan2772


    The problem nowadays besides the economy being in the toilet, is that you have to find the right knowledgeable person. There are so many homemade and CAI AK's floating around now it's really depressed the market. Most guys looking for a AK wouldn't no or care about a original Chinese preban from the 80's. They'll just look at the price. Check out the on-line auctions to verify this. Your going to have to find the right collector who would be willing to pay more for a original pre ban AK. Other wise don't expect to get any more for it they what the average homebuild or CAI AK is going for on the auctions.
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