I had a Saiga in the 7.62x39 chambering. I was not very happy with it all. I traded it to a buddy for a .22 marlin and some paint ball stuff. I only paid around 200 bucks for it though. If I had it to do over again I would get a High Point carbine in 9mm. They have that bad ass look and from what I hear work reasonably well.
I got the scope mount with my siaga and put a bushnell 3-9 on it. I don't know why, it couldn't hit the side of barn from inside the barn! Maybe it was just mine though? The triggers are very nasty as well. I took it apart and touched it up a little, still very heavy but it took some of the gritty feeling out of it.
The AK's will almost never missfire though. If it does it is probably an ammo problem. This action was made to be abused. I never had any trouble with my SKS either in that department. And with good ammo it was fiarly accurate.
For what I paid for my Siaga I got a H&R Ultra Slug gun in 12 ga. MUCH better weapon for the same money. It only fires one shot, but it goes right where I want it and does much more damage
. Not to mention I could throw a turkey load in it if I wanted it for home defense. I think once they saw the barrel on that sucker though they would most likely give up
.
I have never owned an AR, but have friends that do and you will be much happier with it then any of the low end assualt rifle offerings. It just cost more up front is all, but then most decent guns do. And they are sort of like a 10/22, the sky is the limit as far as what you can do to them.
Paul