Steelin' Ducks 1 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I have been looking at buying an AK here lately. Romanians are what I am coming across. What do I need to look for? What to stay away from? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheGlobule 1 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) 1. Make sure the front sight bloc and gas tube are in ligne with the barrel. 2. Make sure you get a hard chromed barrel. 3. WASR-10/63 are better than the other WASR. 4. Don't buy the folder versions, you can put a better after market folder on it later. 5. Don't pay too much for them (less than $600) 6. Don't worry about the finish of the wood furniture as long as they are not deeply scratched. It i easy to refinish the wood. Edited February 20, 2009 by The Globule Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thor's Hammer 33 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 It would be hard to go wrong getting a good used SAR1, along with a spam can of 7.62x39 ammo. Careful though, AK's are addictive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twinsen 86 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Steer clear of the WASR-2's. I have one. Man is it bad. Make sure everything is straight, as Globby said. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yakdung 2,926 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I own two. SAR1 & SAR3. I would not purchase a WASR10 as the mag well was snipped to accept high cap mags. Good luck, Yakdung Quote Link to post Share on other sites
t165 30 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 From what I understand the bank robbers in the 1997 North Hollywood California shootout were using Romanian AKs. I'm not real sure of the exact models but they sure seemed to work fine as they shot the s*** out of the neighborhood. The Romanians worked well enough to scare the s*** out of half the police force. Thankfully they seemed to be spraying their shots instead of actually aiming. The Romanian WASR-10/63's Ive owned functioned fine. Maybe not as well finished as other models but in skilled hands I wouldn't want to stand in front of one and take my chances it would malfunction...and I'm betting the know-it-alls would pee their pants if they were forced to put up or shut up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
t165 30 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I forgot to add "The Globule" is correct about the canted sights and gas tube. One of my Romanian WASR-10/63's had this. The firearm functioned fine but it did annoy me. I traded it off for a Saiga. After re-reading my last post the last sentence was meant as humor and is not directed at anyone responding to this thread. Also, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". The gun grabbers are in power and who knows what the future holds...if you really want an ak style firearm I would obtain one soon. I hope I am wrong but these jaspers have done it before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mstranglr 9 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 (edited) Do not make the mistake of comparing those Century chop-shop abortions WASR10s to Real Romanian military rifles. I have many Romanian builds on NODAK recievers and they are finer than any other stamped AK. My most accurate 7.62x39 is a Rommy G build from a matching 72" kit! Sure, the parts originated in Romania, but I would not confuse WASRs with Romanian military AKs, which are of fantastic quality. Even the SARs, built before the WASRs, were of decent quality. WASRs gave the Romanian weapons industry a bad name. But if you get one where mags actually fit right, they still run more reliable than an AR15! Romanaian, but not a WASR; Edited February 21, 2009 by desert dog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
t165 30 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 "chop-shop abortions"...thats a little ambiguous. How do you really feel desert dog? And you know some AR guys on here are going to want to shoot you if they can just get their AR unjammed! Seriously though, I've heard very good things about the NODAK receivers. Is it true they are heat treated to such a hardness special rivets and an expensive rivet gun is needed to properly construct one? If a person can use the NODAK receiver on a romanian parts kit then why couldn't someone scrap their WASR receiver and replace it with a NODAK? Would it have something to do with the parts compliance rules or an interchangeably problem? A lot of questions but I'm relatively new to all of this AK build stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Azrial 1,091 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Do not make the mistake of comparing those Century chop-shop abortions WASR10s to Real Romanian military rifles. I have many Romanian builds on NODAK recievers and they are finer than any other stamped AK. My most accurate 7.62x39 is a Rommy G build from a matching 72" kit! Sure, the parts originated in Romania, but I would not confuse WASRs with Romanian military AKs, which are of fantastic quality. Even the SARs, built before the WASRs, were of decent quality. WASRs gave the Romanian weapons industry a bad name. But if you get one where mags actually fit right, they still run more reliable than an AR15! Romanaian, but not a WASR;... Absolutely! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Rommy G builds are nice I have a WASR-2 not something I plan to sell... Mostly because I don't want to pass the trash to anyone else. That said I'd buy another WASR-2 if the price was right. It is good for bumping though And thats what I bought it for, had to go to steel hand guards to keep them from burning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmQK360y9QI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
t165 30 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Has the ATF visited your house yet today csspecs? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Azrial 1,091 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I hate these stupid Utube bump firring videos! They do us no damn good in our fight! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whitetrashrn 74 Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 My ammo budget is a little short for that kind of nonsense. I gotta wait on an average of 2 months now for my re-supply unless I catch a deal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mstranglr 9 Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 "chop-shop abortions"...thats a little ambiguous. How do you really feel desert dog? And you know some AR guys on here are going to want to shoot you if they can just get their AR unjammed! Seriously though, I've heard very good things about the NODAK receivers. Is it true they are heat treated to such a hardness special rivets and an expensive rivet gun is needed to properly construct one? If a person can use the NODAK receiver on a romanian parts kit then why couldn't someone scrap their WASR receiver and replace it with a NODAK? Would it have something to do with the parts compliance rules or an interchangeably problem? A lot of questions but I'm relatively new to all of this AK build stuff. I will admit, I have a WASR that is a POS that I paid $240 for. Once I cleaned up the chop-shop mag well work by the goons at Century with my dremel, it runs reliably. A WASR is what it is, a cheap crappy AK produced for the undiscriminating buyer. I GET THAT! I apologize for coming off a little strong about WASRs, but my prejudice has built over the years for the following reason; every time you read an article or book comparing "the AK vs the AR", Some pruned-out old fucker with a $2,500 Colt goes out and buys a WASR and compares that to the AR system, concluding of course that AKs suck. I see it over and over again; "the AK is very inaccurate", "the AK is not as reliable as people think", "the AK is very roughly finished", "AK triggers are very bad", "AKs are sloppily built to loose tolerances", "AKs can be picky about magazines", and of course "AKs have the look of a gun built for peasants". These fuckers are accurately describing a WASR, not your average AK! Even though I have to concede that WASRs are AKs, I like to think of the WASR as an unrefined subspecies. If I ever write an article, I am gonna buy a century AR15 and put it against my Bulgarian milled AK - and proclaim "ARs are inaccurate and unreliable shit". AR15.com can put that in their pipe and smoke it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 I have a WASR10 that I did some cosmetic work to... replaced all the furniture with some very luscious russian red wood! ( NOT laminate!!) and steel wooled the gun with some oil I have floating around... it took a lot of the roughness out and gave the whole thing a nice satin finish... IT shoots as good as ANY X39 saiga I have... meaning 10 rounds in under a 2" group with irons at 50 yards... Thats good enough for me for what it is... Is the FSB canted? Maybe a teeny bit... does it throw off accuracy? nope! It works, and looks sweet... I would buy another if I could get them for the price I paid... although its got more into it now... with the new wood, Brake, etc... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Has the ATF visited your house yet today csspecs? Oh of course... They just keep circling my house with that black helicopter all night for the past year... I can see one of their snipers out my window I don't see the big deal, the knob creek videos are there and more popular. Most idiots don't know the deference between a M-16 and AR-15... I had a few people tell me to "just put the selector in the middle instead". So I don't really see the big deal. I might add that of all the bumpfire videos mine are about the most controlled, if you could see the target it was a log about 18 inches wide by 4 feet tall and just about every round hit it from 40 yards. One of the times I went out with the x39 I put a paper plate on the log and had something like 25 of 30 on it from 40 yards or so (that was laying down with a rest). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cellsworth 21 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 The Globule is right about what to watch out for. I have a WASR-10. It is unrefined, but it is very reliable and reasonably accurate for its intended purpose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
t165 30 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 It's the one you don't see or know how to recognize that getcha csspecs! I have to admit you seem very proficient at "bump firing"...and average person would assume you were firing a fully automatic weapon. Perhaps the ATF is more aggressive in my part of the country. I knew one guy who bought stolen weapons in mississippi a few years ago and he did (2) years in a federal prison. Another was a local felon with a fake drivers license. The ATF suited up in riot gear and tackled him outside the local gun shop and drug him off to prison after they found out he had bought some firearms. Another local FFL dealer across the river in llinois was not allowing trade-ins and would call a non FFL citizen to appraise and buy the weapons from his customers prior to trading firearms. Sometimes he left the firearms in his shop overnight without registering them in his inventory ledger. He was arrested and also did a couple of years in a federal prison. This guy was the largest FFL dealer in a 50 mile area and should have known better. A local automobile repair shop owners son went to school and told some kids his dad had let him shoot a fully automatic weapon. Someone called the ATF and within a few days they visited his house and questioned him. Dave told them it was a semi-automatic rifle. The ATF did not have a search warrant so they grilled him a bit and left. I think he had converted a 10/22 but he would not confess to it. I haven't converted any of my Saiga firearms yet but you can bet I'll bone-up on the 922r laws first if I decide to!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
t165 30 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 What I meant by "I haven't converted any of my Saiga firearms yet" was referring to adding a pistol gip and FCG...ect. I have not intention of trying to convert the firearms to automatic method of fire. I do not wish a visit from "Big Brother". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
.308Caliber 1 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Love my WASR. It groups as well or better than some of the other AK's I've had. With a scope it's even better. Here it is with my Saigas and my AR at the range the other day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheGlobule 1 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Went to the range the other day to sight in a 4x32 scope on my WASR-10/63. I could blow off some 3" rocks at 100 yards without much difficulties (Brown Bear ammo) and was able to hit a 8" steel plate every time with iron sights at the same distance. With the iron sights setting from factory, I had to aim one width of front post to the left to hit center of plate and elevation was just right on the 100 yards leaf setting. Not bad for an AK-47 I would say... Being able to make a head shot at 100 yards with iron sights is good enough for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wolverine 10,360 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 The Globule is right about what to watch out for. I have a WASR-10. It is unrefined, but it is very reliable and reasonably accurate for its intended purpose. Same here. I paid $350 for mine in 2006. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ruffian72 548 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Got 2 at $225 each back in 04. Got 3 to 4,000 rds through each. Under 100 yrds hit what shot at, they always go bang. Finger back slap quit after 200rds. See same models listed now for way over $500. My daughter uses one to teach new female shooters. Yes, these were the cheapo's of the time. So if I had to hand one to a neighbor to back up their bolt action hunting rifle, when sh** hits the fan, I wouldn't hesitate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alcoleholic 0 Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 "chop-shop abortions"...thats a little ambiguous. How do you really feel desert dog? And you know some AR guys on here are going to want to shoot you if they can just get their AR unjammed! Seriously though, I've heard very good things about the NODAK receivers. Is it true they are heat treated to such a hardness special rivets and an expensive rivet gun is needed to properly construct one? If a person can use the NODAK receiver on a romanian parts kit then why couldn't someone scrap their WASR receiver and replace it with a NODAK? Would it have something to do with the parts compliance rules or an interchangeably problem? A lot of questions but I'm relatively new to all of this AK build stuff. Did you ever get an answer on replacing the wasr receiver with the NODAK receiver. I have plans to do this hopefully. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alcoleholic 0 Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Can anybody answer the question about swaping the WASR receiver with a NODAK or any other receiver? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Can anybody answer the question about swaping the WASR receiver with a NODAK or any other receiver? Why would you bother? It'd be an incredible pain in the ass for questionable benefit/s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
frick 3 Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Sold, owned and shot many WASR's. Biggest non problem, was wiggly mag syndrome because of the lack of dimples. And, drums took a dedicated fitting to the gun, so I sold the drum with the gun when I moved on. WASR's may be the poor bastard son of the AK family, but they usually work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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