Spend the money if you want, but if you want a SHTF no nonsense cheap ass AK get a WASR-10/63. Mine's has chewed through round after round of the crappiest ammo I can throw at it and never so much as flinched. Every round goes down range and keeps a respectable group in a man sized silhouette at 100 yards. I don't know what more you'd really need than that.