Help With Defective AK-74 Decision

Did DDI say if they would repair it for you for a fee? If they're able to do the work at a discount it may be worth it as they're known to turn out a quality rifle.

If not, I'd sell the rifle as is with full disclosure to someone who's looking for a Bulgy parts kit. Someone with the proper tools and knowledge would gobble it up for the right price.

Or, if you still want an AK (and who doesn't?), you could buy a known good one and keep the WaffenDontWerk as a spare parts kit for those long, dark and dismal years after the grid goes down.

Another option would be to destroy the receiver and sell everything else as a parts kit.

If mine, I'd see if they'd repair at a discounted cost.

Glad I lucked out on mine, its been a stellar AK. Was a "B" grade from Classic.

Why not investigate, take measurements and figure out what's actually wrong? Might be a good teaching opportunity.
Try a good mag and eliminate that. My brother had an AK that required a replacement mag latch. Mags didn't fit into the rifle properly.

I'm going to give this a try. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.

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If I remember right, and I may not as it's been a while. (I was thinking more like 2010-11)
I think the holes in the receiver were misaligned. So you might want to check that first.

Hope you get it worked out, I know how it sucks to get a lemon.

I have a WW from about the same era. Has their proprietary receiver. The misalligned holes were an issue on a lot of these from what I understand. Mine actually exhibits some slight misallignment as well, however apparently not enough to affect function. Mine's been 100 percent reliable, and accuracy is acceptable.

If I remember right, and I may not as it's been a while. (I was thinking more like 2010-11)
I think the holes in the receiver were misaligned. So you might want to check that first.

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That could be a real problem. How was that fixed? Weld-up and re-drill the holes?

What's your receiver serial number range? My serial number is 003XX.

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Mine's 0025X

Silver Bear FMJ ammo

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Try different ammo, after a good cleaning.

I should imagine if you are having bullets keyhole after firing you have other problems. The receiver issues may cure the function of the rifle but keyholes would suggest an oversized bore. Also depending on the type of malfunction your problem could be in the gas piston area, send it back to the company with a letter outlining your observations and request an estimate to repair. They may be sympathetic if it is a manufacturing defect.

That could be a real problem. How was that fixed? Weld-up and re-drill the holes?

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I have no idea, I just remember reading up on them when I was in the market for another AK a few years back and I think I remember that specific problem.
I also read a lot of t of people like ricebasher302 that said they 0 issues. I almost risked it but decided not to.


I also agree, I don't think that would make it keyhole. That's a different issue.

Some of the US barrels had a bad reputation for key holing. I used a Arms of America AK74 barrel on my first build. I was lucky to shoot pizza pan sized groups at 100 yards. I finally replaced it with a Steyr Bulgarian barrel and it almost shoots as well as an M4.

One set of issues would seem to relate to 1.) a chamber that is too tight, and/or 2.) an out of spec receiver. For 1.) you might want to experiment with some diffferent brands of ammo.

For 2.) Take a look at the internals and see if they appear canted or offset, even a bit. This may require drilling and refilling. Or a whole new receiver.

A separate issue is the keyholing. If the rifle is keyholing consistently, then the barrel may be out of spec (a rifling or bore issue). And at least one manufacturer even put .223 barrels in instead of 5.45.

On the other hand, I have a Romanian AK with a military 5.45 barrel, and it keyholed consistently with Romy surplus 5.45 ammo, but fared MUCH better with commercial (Silver Bear) ammo.

Either way, start with different brands of ammo. It would stink to have a rifle that just works with one brand of ammo, but arguably better (and certainly cheaper) than having to redrill/replace the receiver, plus possibly replacing the barrel.

This won't make you feel much better, but a LOT of folks had very similar issues with a run of WW rifles.

It's not a warranty issue. It's a manufacture issue thst supercedes a warranty issue. DDI should take it back, particularly if the rifle doesn't show any wear from use. Some states have consumer rights remedies that will strongly favor you in this situation. I'm in California where we have the Consumer Legal Remedies Act. Check you state's laws, call DDI back, and be firm in the fact that their predecessor sold you a defective and dangerous product. Under most jurisdictions Wafen Werk's issue thus becomes DDI's problem. And so you feel a bit secure in my advice, I'm a lawyer who does quite a bit of consumers rights litigation. Hope this helps.

To my limited understanding, DDI is a wholly separate company that acquired some WaffenWerks assets and use of the name, after WaffenWerks went belly up. I don't know the specifics of that sale, but if DDI merely bought assets, then the answer is different, and DDI could assert a successor liability defense which in most circumstances may not protect the consumer. All the same, this situation is murky enough that - if I were the OP - I'd go back to DDI and stress to them that they are the successor company for a defective product, and I'm looking to work something out with them for the repair of a rifle that came in non-functional condition from the factory.

Can't speak to California, but the vast majority of jurisdictions in the U.S. will not impose the liabilities (including warranties and product liability) of a selling predecessor (WW) on an asset purchaser (DDI). In plain speak that means that DDI may have no warranty responsibility or product liability for the other company's rifle, depending on where the OP resides..

Even for a product line exception, 29 states (including Ohio, VA, Mass, MN, Maine, CT, NH, Iowa, TX, GA, KS, Mich, Missouri, Neb, OK, Wisconsin, ND, SD, VT, FL, CO, IL, OR, and Wash DC) expressly reject that product-line exception. So what goes for CA, NJ, Penn, Washington, and NM, does not work in a lot of other states. In these cases, the manufacturer issue does not supercede the warranty issue. Both may be moot.

HOWEVER, DDI may have opened the door and inadvertently assumed the liabilities of WW by trying to be nice and taking on the warranties of some WW rifles. Nice social move. Horrible business move, IMHO.

If DDI expressly or implicitly assumed the WW's liabilities (which is sure looks like they did, selectively), I'd agree that that DDI may be on the hook for the defective rifle, since they have assumed liability for others. So, even if the OP's state does not recognize product line exceptions to successor liability, they may recognize that DDI has assumed WW's warranty liability. Still, the OP's warranty expired years ago.

Also, if DDI merged with WW, or can be argued to be merely continuing WW's business, then they are again on the hook. I don't think these two are the case, but it looks like a pretty strong assumption of liability claim could be made.

If I was DDI, I would never have used the WW name in the first place, nor would I have opened the door to misunderstanding and even more griping by honoring some WW warranties. By doing so, they created a more of a expectation or linkage between the two companies than there should. They should have merely bought some of the defunct WW's assets, built AK's in a new plant with a new brand name, and walked away from the entire WW mess, since it was not of their making or responsibility.

So, if I were the OP, I'd give DDI one more nudge, explain again to them the circumstances, and see what they may be willing to do for you. Maybe you can come to the middle - pay for some labor and they eat the parts, or vice versa. This is a case where everyone gets screwed ... you got screwed by defective goods from WW, and DDI screwed themselves by possibly inadvertently assuming the liabilities of WW.

And keep us posted ...

If DDI will fix it for a fee, it's probably the least expensive option. That's what I'd do. Then test it, if it's not fixed, you could dispute the credit card charge. I see nothing to loose.

id try some of the Russian corrosive 5.45x39 7n6... that's all my ak74s like for some reason...