Anyone else ever come across one? I don't remember the exact number it was either 25 or 50 I think. Dark Walnut Kassnar SA 85M from the original importation! Mine was purchased at KCMO gun show in the 1980s. I did not want the blonde wood version as that would glow at  night. I have no picture of it but I got mine NIB and the label noted the Dark Walnut furniture. Some few years later I removed the set for the Red Romanian AIM 74 look. The Walnut reminded me too much of my fine finished office furniture and if one came across a set they would imagine it to be US made today(its pure Hungarian made and match the blonde wood in style exactly). Mine was sold in Bellevue WA 1997 with the Roma furniture on it, but the Walnut set included with the original box. Just wanted this info. out for any of you AK collectors. No pics. Never owned a camera.

Well I guess with so few in number it is unlikely anyone on here has ever come across one. Most of us that purchased these are likely in thier 60s or 70s and are not on this site(or any others of this nature). Those few with them could have also changed out the furniture as I did. Do keep mind that if you come across a Hungarian style set of dark walnut (satin finish) it may be original to the rifle. I especially like the Hungarian guns because they were the only imports from behind the iron curtain. The Bulgars, and Romas were imported from liberated Ex iorn curtain countries, and the Yugos were never really behind the curtain, as they were never occupied and could travel freely between East and West. Have them all, love them all but the Hungarians early imports were special !

I have only seen the blonds.

Not sure- is this the dark walnut you're talking about, or was it blonde wood that was stained?
Bought this last year. Never been fired and is Serial Number 193X

To my untrained eye, it doesn't look like stained beechwood, but I was not aware there were early models that had anything other than blonde.

Yes that is it sorry I had forgotten about this post until now. Looks exactly as mine did with the wood grain running horizontally you have one rare one there! I had office furniture that matched. Very few of those exist I was told 25/50 as I mentioned in my post above. Dark walnut for sure! It was originally priced just about $25 or more higher than the blonde ones. I would think today that premium would be much higher as it is the rarest Hungarian import.

That is really cool.  Never saw one like that that I can think if and I was in PA back in the early 90s and saw alot of the pre-ban Kasners back then.  I love the Kasner imports but honestly hate the furniture so my solution has always been to swap out out Russian furniture (and the gas tube as well -  I could never stand the extra holes in the gas tube) and never look back.  I still have everything for my fixed and underfolder if someone I am related to decides to sell - I never will.

Mine was bought the year they came in. Such rifles were extremely popular in the K.C. area. After all we imported the first Chicoms(Clayco) and first of the Yugos(American Arms) these types of guns went mainstream there while still shunned in rest of the country. The rough unfinished blonde wood reflected the Commies lack of putting any unnecessary labor into the rifle. The few with the much more expensive walnut stock probably all went to the K.C. Area I’m not sure. When I got my first Hungarian(the Walnut one) I already had 3 Chicoms and 3 Yugos , and Galils in both calibers. I was already hooked and still am 40 years later. Reduced the collection over the years since I require side rails and optics in older age, for distance shooting. Still go at least every other week and can easily hit 600 yds and more with my AKs! 1200 yds with 5.45 Vepr and Russian 10x P.O. scope.

Forgot to mention the Valmets that I had but I feel they are worth forgetting. Overrated and overpriced I had every style they brought in until upon firing them decided they suck to use. Only one I felt was somewhat good was the M62 wood stock with full plastic handguard. That one got liberated back to California some years back. My M76 side folds in 7.62x39 looked the coolest but were poor shooters and that flimsy stock latch easily breaks. No wonder the Finnish army rejected the stamped guns and went back to milled. But Valmet did help the future by donating thier milled receiver coupled with a Colt 5.56 barrel to create the best fighting AK of them all (except the AK 74) the Galil! Got my Maddi they were 1k back in 1981, ammo (Norma) was $1.25 per round. Was in the gun business working for Hodgdon in K.C. The Fal and Amt were my favorite then and still are.

I know Clayco!  I have a spiker underfolder that has been my main AK shooter /  beater since back in the mid 90s.  We will agree to disagree on the Valmets.  My M76FW (5.56) is actually a great shooter.  Very comfortable and accurate for what it is and converted (10) mags solve the feeding problem.  I also have a couple of M78 .308s and I recently ran it with some SR25s and people were surprised by how accurate and comfortable it was for a 40 year old AK (yeah the KAC products were better but the Valmet was cleanly ringing metal too)  I admit I never liked the Valmet folder so I stuck with Galil for that.  Cheers.

I talked to Kassnar himself at the TriggerCon show in WA years ago and he said the dark ones was a personal request from one of the distributors so they just stained about 20 or so of them to be darker instead of the nice Blonde type.

I asked him specifically about it being he was running the IWI table with all of the Tavors.

Apparently, his grandfather worked at the FEG plant in Budapest before the war so he had a cordial relationship with the old FEG and that was how those 7500 Kassnar ones came in and got the state department waiver in the 80s.

My dad bought one of them. Attached File

I got my SA-85M in December of 1985 and have been an AK fan ever since. Never seen dark OEM wood on one of these.

My rifles box was specifically marked Dark Walnut. That is why I bought it I did not want the blonde as it would easily be seen. The Dealer had both rifles purchased 1985. In K.C.