VZ 58

VZ58

The VZ58.

 I am a big fan of the VZ58. It's a great rifle and you can get one at a great price. There are a few different models and I won't go  into that here but you should be able to pick up one for $500 to $800. It's a much better rifle than the SKS but as it fires the same ammo so you can afford lots of it. 

One other thing to point out about the VZ and the SKS is how tough they are. They are old school weapons made from steel and wood. They can take a lot of abuse and keep on going.