Problems with AK47s?

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whm1974

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Ok a friend at work tells me that he doesn't think the AK clones are a good deal unless you happend to get a good one(read expensive). Last night he told me that he "heard" too many problems with them but since he was just getting off work he didn't explain.

Now I know about the "cant" and trigger slap and that these are minor issues and easy to fix. What other problems do low cost AKs have that I should be aware of before buying one?

-Bill
 
Accuracy is about the only other thing I can think of. As you said, trigger slap is easy to fix. Canted sights are not so easy, but the rifle can still maintain zero - it just won't win any beauty contests. Of course, since it's an AK it wouldn't be in the running for those in the first place.

Some of the new WASR rifles coming out have problems seating double stack mags as well.
 
As long as I can hit a 6' target at 100 to 200 yards with it I'll be happy.

How hard would it be to fix the double stack magazine problem with the WASR? I have heard that the SAR-1 had trouble with chinesse mags.

-Bill
 
Front sight cant and gas block cant are possibilities (that can be straightened if a problem).

I find the pistol grip that seems to be common on the lower cost AKs to be small and not comfortable to hold. Century Arms must have gotten a huge volume discount because they are everywhere. I recently replaced the one on my SAR-1 with a SAW grip made by Tapco. The SAW grip feels much better and was easily worth the $18.

The biggest annoyance I have with AKs in general is the very short buttstock. You can add 2 inches to length of the stock and it will still not be too long for most men. I added a $7 rubber recoil pad designed to add 1 inch to the length of AK stocks. It helped with the length and got the metal buttplate off of my shoulder; another plus.

One thing to remember about the AK-47 type rifles is they were designed, first and foremost, for Soviet peasants and conscripts to fight with in the middle of a heavy Russian winter. The safety location, stock length, mag release, and about any other "fault" you or I can find is probably explainable by that. The fact that it works in other climates and locations was purely a bonus. When the AK-47 was designed, the "Eastern Front" of WW2 was still a very vivid memory for Kalishnikov and all Russians.
 
I've owned about 10 AK varients, including a pre-ban milled receiver Norinco and a Galil, the Norinco was junk that couldn't hit a paper plate at 100 yards. It was my "plinker" for many years. The best "shooter" that i've owned was one of the recently Made In America, Romanian kit guns that I picked up brand new at a gun show for $350. I was amazed that out of the box with open sights I was shooting 6" groups with it. just goes to show you, sometimes it ain't how much you spend, it probably has more to do with luck, LOL :D Clint
 
I've never had a problem with mine. Sent loads of 12 gauge through my saiga and loads of 7.62 through the bulgie arsenal.

Accuracy isnt incredible, but I can hit bowling pins at 100 yards most of the time.
 
Just about the only make of AKs that have what I would call "real problems" are some of the Hesse made guns, and even that may be overblown.

The Romanian SAR and WASR rifles are a great buy IMO. If you're not fixated on fit and finish you'll love them...

Any cosmetic or minor problems they may have (like trigger slap or mags fitting tight in some WASRs) can be fixed easily with some attention with a dremel or file... You'd be extremely unlucky and would have gotten a real lemon if you had any real functioning problems with them.

My pair of SARs and the handful of WASRs I've shot have all been 100% reliable...

And they'll shoot as accurately as any other standard AK...
 
Quote:
"Front sight cant and gas block cant are possibilities (that can be straightened if a problem). "

Is that why my Saiga hits low and to the left at only 25 yds. How do I fix this? Does the AK require a special tool to adjust the sights?
 
My only problem was running out of ammo.


My SAR-1 ate several thousand rounds. No trigger slap and generally got 4" groups at 100 yards.
 
I have different results than "AlaskaCajun" with Norincos. I have a 1993 and 1994 Norinco MAK-90s. One is a milled receiver and the other is a stamped receiver. I can hit an 8-1/2"x11" piece of paper all day long at 100 yards with mine using the iron sights. It is rare that I miss the paper. I've also never had a problem with either Norinco, but, I've only shot about 2000 rounds through the one and 500 through the other.....I've found myself shooting my AR-15s, SAR-8, and M1 carbines more often. The AKs are a bit too short for me.
 
Is that why my Saiga hits low and to the left at only 25 yds. How do I fix this? Does the AK require a special tool to adjust the sights?

Places like CTD, Tapco, and I think CDNN sell the tool to adjust the sights. You have to screw the post up or down for elevation and use the mini vise to push it back and forth for windage.

"Cant" is when something like the gas block or front sight base is not installed straight. Sometimes this can be dealt with in the sight adjustments if it isn't too bad but other times the FSB or gas block has to be realigned.

Yours most likely just needs the sights adjusted.


My experiences with AK's are as follows:

VEPR K 223 - Very accurate, well made, and utterly reliable. It would shoot 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards (prone supported) with UMC 55 grain ammo. It was poorly balanced for my tastes so I sold it.

SAR-1 - handled like an AK should but I couldn't hit crap with it (which does not mean that it wouldn't shoot. Just means I couldn't hit crap with it.) I sold it.

Arsenal SA-M7 Carbine - utterly reliable, good balance but a little more weight than the SAR because of the milled reciever. A good compromise between the VEPR and the SAR-1. Accurate enough to consistently break clay pigeons at 100 yards and put large peices of them in alot of danger.

I also have another SAR-1 on layaway. I don't know why because I doubt that I will be able to hit crap with it. Still though, at $280 OTD with everything straight and two 30 round mags, I couldn't walk away. It may get customized or turned into and AK-100 series knock off, but it will be mine. :D
 
I also have another SAR-1 on layaway. I don't know why because I doubt that I will be able to hit crap with it. Still though, at $280 OTD with everything straight and two 30 round mags, I couldn't walk away. It may get customized or turned into and AK-100 series knock off, but it will be mine.
Click to expand...

I just looked at Shotgun News and seen a few AKs for low prices. I'll be most AKs will shoot better then I can.

-Bill
 
I have no problem hitting a 6ft. man-size target with any of my AK's at 200 yards. You don't need an AR for that size target.
 
6 months ago I couldn't stand the AK. I thought they were ugly and had no desire to own one. Then again, I am hot/cold about what I like and don't like...one day I hate something then the next day I can't wait to get it.

I did a lot of research about AKs and just bought one (pick it up on Saturday). This sight is has pretty good explanations of what you can get, common problems and fixes.

http://www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/overview.htm
 
I talked to my buddy last next to explain his "bias". From what he read on some sites, most AKs are made out of poor steel and will fall apart after a few thousand rounds. According to him the only good AK is Krebs...

This is funny, because while always heard that AKs can't hit the broad side of a barn and they have poor fit and finish, they will hold up and go without maintance for a long time. Even the cheap ones.

-Bill
 
Well I don't know if your "buddy" is speaking from his personal experiences or others, but I would think that most of the commercial AK's out there are going to be pretty reliable. Obviously, fit and finish will add to the cost but if its a tool you want than AK's are good choices.
 
Your buddy doesn't know what he's talking about plain and simple... Unless you buy some kitgun built by some bubba in his backyard you'll get a solid gun (and even DIY kitgun builds done correctly can be excellent)....
 
The only AK that could fall apart after a few thousand rounds is a kit build, on a flat/receiver that wasnt heat treated. Anything else, even on partially heat treated receiver like the OOW, will be fine unless the builder REALLY screws it up. Any factory gun will be fine. Even SAR-1s, and WASRs. The SAR-1 receiver is a drill bit and some parts away from being a full auto romanian military AKM. Ask him if he thinks that will fall apart after a few thousand rounds.
 
it just won't win any beauty contests. Of course, since it's an AK it wouldn't be in the running for those in the first place.
Click to expand...
Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm 34, a Gen-X'er), but the AK and AR both are far more aesthetically pleasing to me than the straight-stock, wood/blued steel aesthetic that to me is SO early-1900's. Things like Ruger No. 1's and over/under shotguns to me are just, well, old-fashioned-looking. I do own a Finn M39 built on a 1905 receiver, but aside from fit and finish issues, to me the AK design is just more aesthetically pleasing in a mechanical, functional sort of way. I certainly don't mean to denigrate the opinion of people who find those kinds of guns very attractive, I just personally don't.

As far as AK clone durability, the design seems to be EXTREMELY durable. Although civilian AK lookalikes don't have the same internal parts and such as a real AK, the overall design is similar enough that they should definitely share in the legendary Kalashnikov durability.

BTW, I own a SAR-1. Mine has very mild trigger slap (I only notice it if my finger is positioned a certain way on the trigger) and I have gotten as good as 2.5 MOA from a cold barrel with Wolf ammunition. And zero failures to date. I think I need to polish the edge of my magazine catch a bit (it works flawlessly with eastern European 30-rounders but the 20-round Hungarians are hard to release), but that's VERY minor.

I think your friend is probably misinformed...
 
I have a Romanian SAR-1 I bought in November 2003 that isn't too difficult to get under 3 MOA. The trigger used to slap pretty bad (why is my finger numb?), but I fixed that pretty easily and the trigger can now be set, with a very crisp break @ 4 lbs. The rifle has had a few thousand rounds through it at this point with nary a hiccup. It eats anything, but it likes the Barnaul stuff. So far the only part that shows any real wear is the gas piston (to be expected), and it's not bad. Just blackened and a little powder-peened. Great rifle. I love it.

One thing I would like to do is put a good 74-style muzzle brake on it. I could thread the barrel myself and put a Krebs brake on it, but I was wondering if anyone else had any ideas about that kind of thing. Maybe a Bulgarian threaded front sight block and brake? Is that possible? Not sure how the pinning works...
 
I have no trouble keeping my Dad's Saiga, in the black @ 200 Yards (standing) or 300 Yards (low kneeling), and I am by no means a great shooter. The Saiga might be considered one of the better AKs, but it ain't that expensive. There were some issues with magazines for awhile, (Doesn't like non-Saiga plastic,) but it seems fine now. Running out of ammo is the big problem.
 
I bet 9 out of 10 people that complain about AK accuracy......

NEVER SIGHTED THE RIFLE IN PROPERLY.....The front sight windage is a royal PITA to adjust. Atleast it only has to be done once! I just sighted in my WASR 10 Romanian AK and it was sub MOA at 50 yds(minus afew fliers low but still in line and I am not the best with this type of sight) :p !
 
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