Wise Lite RPD

[Trent]

I'm having enough problems with this Wise Lite RPD, I figured I'd post them up. For a $2000+ rifle they should really spend some time making them run smooth before shipping.

First problem;

Sear wouldn't disengage from the striker block. Would have to pull the trigger 3-5 times to get it to disengage. Disconcerting to have to go CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK wondering when it's ACTUALLY going to fire.

Solution;

Trim the top of the sear off .005". Trigger works as intended now.

Second problem;

Firing pin wedges in to firing pin hole when struck. When each round is chambered, primer is significantly dented WITHOUT pulling the trigger. Runs the risk of slam fires, and results in about 5% of the rounds to not go off when the striker hits the transfer pin. Requires full disassembly of firearm to correct when it gets stuck.

Solution;

No solution yet.

Third problem;

WiseLite mounted the gas block on the barrel too far back. Whenever the bolt carrier group is released, the gas piston LOCKS in to the gas block (there is a rough unmachined portion at the extreme depth of the gas block). It requires disassembly, a hammer, and punch against the front ledge of the BCG to re-open the chamber. PARTICULARLY unnerving to do this with a live round in the chamber when problem #2 occurs.

Solution;

No solution yet.

Prognosis:

Unsafe to shoot due to the combination of problems #2 and #3.

Informed vendor (Centerfire), assume they'll contact manufacturer. Will be waiting for response.

Pic of piston dyed after insertion / removal - bolt carrier group was sent home, took hammer to remove.

 

[NG VI]

Sorry to hear about the troubles, I hope they get it worked out fully!

 

[Trent]

NG;

It happens... all too often in my life. I have incredible luck with business but EVERYTHING else always breaks around me.

I'm not joking.

Move in to our new house, 10 year old Geothermal furnace breaks one month after the warranty is up. Get a new furnace installed, two months later the control system burns up.

Ever get a leaky water pipe? When it happened to me, it happened right at the junction of the subflooring. Didn't SEE water, couldn't FEEL water. But water seeped in to our subflooring in the kitchen for two months, until I noticed a "ripple" in the linoleum. End result? $12,000 in repairs the insurance company wouldn't cover.

New dishwasher? Breaks within 2 weeks.

Got a used 4x4? Torque converter breaks two months later, $1200 repair.

Bought a TV? 3 months after the warranty is ended, mainboard dies. Replace the mainboard ($89 off e-bay), high voltage transformer cuts loose and dies.

New laptop? Solid state drive dies 4 months in to it. Two months later, DDR3 RAM chip dies.

Buy a brand new Motorcycle? Kawasaki does a recall. Mine is one of a handful that requires a new frame. (!)

I could go on.. and on.. and on.. and on.. but suffice it to say, whenever I finally get something I've always wanted, it breaks in spectacular fashion.

It's become a running joke in the family. I have a "Trent" version of the "midas touch".

 

[NG VI]

It's lucky you're doing well in your field, otherwise you'd never be able to cover all of these mishaps!

 

[Trent]

You aren't joking!

OK problem #3 has been solved with liberal use of 220 grit. Polished inside bore of gas port and very VERY imperceptably took a bit off the exterior surface of the front 1/8" of piston.

Bolt moves effortlessly now.

So, on to problem #2. Think the same solution will work there, but I need to be particularly careful. Take too much off and I'll be piercing primers until I buy a new pin.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Well hey, at least you're REALLY getting to know the gun!

Think of it as retribution for not having had to clean any cosmoline off of an Eastern Bloc weapon.

 

[Trent]

Haha yeah no kidding. Last time I cleaned cosmoline off a gun was about 10 years ago. I still have an Enfield Mk IV in the cosmo that I've never cleaned and shot. Why? Because.. that stuff.. is nasty...

I'm getting pretty intimate with the RPD. If I can solve this "stuck firing pin" problem I'll be in good shape. As it sits.. about 5% of the rounds still don't fire.

Got the trigger fixed, it fired. Get the piston seizing thing done, Ok. Now I'm 250 rounds in, and the rate of failure to fire is increasing. That firing pin problem is growing worse, and quickly, and I'm not that far in to the life of the gun. Going to pick up some spare firing pins next time I do some online shopping.

(Tulammo 7.62x39 has some DAMN HARD PRIMERS by the way)

 

[AethelstanAegen]

You weren't kidding Trent. Between the MG42 (or was it a 34) and this RPD, you're having a rough go of it. At least you can find solace in the PKM! I hope it works out for you...you certainly deserve to catch a break.

 

[Sam Cade]

It happens... all too often in my life. I have incredible luck with business but EVERYTHING else always breaks around me.

Much better than the reverse!

 

[bannockburn]

Trent

Sorry to hear about all the problems you've been having, and not just with the RPD. I thought about getting one awhile back but was concerned about their build quality. Thanks for being my firearms beta tester.

 

[Trent]

Fortunately the PKM has been hassle-free.

The MG34 with the cracked bolt head and failure to eject, is a pain. I can't solve that one. There's not enough metal there to attempt a weld repair (welding buddy was at the range with me when I found it.. said "no way jose"). And that ejection pin is a nasty sonofagun, would need a precision bench grinder to make it, has very specific angles and ZERO tolerance for bad cuts. (That's the second time I've needed a precision bench grinder and been caught short.. might be time to get one...)

The RPD, so far, has been fixable. Although it's taken a lot of time, patience, and research to get there.

It did not even come with an operating manual. NOTHING.

The best the vendor could do was send me a link to a manual ... but it was in Russian. I found a couple of resources for it since then (including another operation manual.. but this time.. in French..), but nothing substantial. Just anecdotal troubleshooting stuff which didn't apply to my situation. So it's been rough going.

I've never bought a firearm without basic operation and safety instructions before. I mean, I had no idea how to load it, unload it, etc. There was just a box, a rifle, and a drum with a belt. Nothing else.

The MG42 is as of yet unfired (by me), but it was bought private party and the man who owned it ran it, said it functions fine - it also came with TONS of spare parts, including a complete bolt assembly, several spare firing pins, etc, which adds to the comfort level. I'll take it out next weekend and give it a run.

Things are about to get even more complex.

Tomorrow the DsHK and ZB37 arrive.

The DsHK is a mammoth beast, about 90 lbs, and is basically an "upsized RPD" that fires 50 BMG. The operating mechanism is very similar to the RPD, so lessons learned will transfer.

The ZB37? Man to be honest, I'd never even heard of those before I found this one. This is what they look like (lots more pictures on this site: http://www.primeportal.net/armory/yuri_pasholok/zb37/)

Probably very few people will be able to help much with that one... not many of them in circulation here in the US.

 

[Trent]

Mine won't be torch cut obviously ;-)

 

[TurtlePhish]

Trent, you've earned my jealousy.

 

[Trent]

TurtlePhish,

Sorry man.

Well, not really.

You ever make it over to the Peoples Republik of Central Illinois, look me up, I'll be the dude in the woods making all the noise.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

You're only a state away, man! I'll have to come visit ya sometime. Or hell, care to adopt? I'll clean everything! lol

 

[Cal-gun Fan]

Wait...you're seriously getting a DsHK? One that shoots 50 bmg or 12.7x108mm?

 

[Trent]

Yes, I'm getting an honest to god DsHK delivered tomorrow. (ZB37 is also arriving at the same time)

It's chambered in 50BMG with a brand new US barrel (not a chamber insert).

I have about 1,200 loaded 50 BMG rounds and enough components (casings, primers, powder, and projectiles) to make another 11,000... it will get fired.

A lot.

A whole lot.

 

[TurtlePhish]

My jaw actually just dropped.

 

[Trent]

There's not many of them in the country.

Got lucky, stumbled on to a couple of old retired collectors who are selling their stuff off.

They have more - a LOT more - but I've got to pace myself a little. I've dropped about $35K on belt guns in the last month. Still looking for a high quality M2HB.

But I need to sell some stuff off to get there; I'm busting at the seams, especially with the DsHK. That thing is MASSIVE. I mean, the gun itself is a two person lift...

 

[AethelstanAegen]

Trent you have us all very, very jealous. I can't wait to see pics of the DShK tomorrow. You're going to have to do something in depth on the ZB37. Are those also semi-auto builds or the real deal?

 

[Trent]

DShK is here! But I tore a muscle in my back carrying the tripod and I'm laid up for a bit to rest. I knew the moment I felt the pop in my back that I was in for a bad evening/night. (No joke, that thing is HEAVY.)

DShK came with tripod, some 50 cal ammo, books, tons of links, charging assembly and collar to mate the gun/charging assembly to the tripod. Some empty 50 cal. Lots of M2 links (he bought linked ammo, just threw those in for the heck of it). A few DShK belts. A few more boxes of stuff I haven't gone through yet.

ZB37 isn't exactly light either. Got the antiaircraft tripod with it. The original linker (crank operated deal; the links are VERY sturdy.. linker required, I can't see loading those by hand). A couple thousand rounds of ammo. Five 250 round belts, couple of 100 rounders. Spare barrel. Spare barrel jacket. Spare parts. Instructional DVD video.

I'll hit the ibuprofen tonight and see if I can get some pics set up. (Will be a new thread, I'm hijacking my own RPD thread here... and this one needs to continue when I test-fire the RPD this weekend to see if I have it running good - and I need to post up some pics of what I did to fix it, for posterity)