AK 74 scope/ Hakim range report/KABOOM!

[The Grand Inquisitor]

It's taken me a while to post this, but a few weeks ago I took my new Romanian 4x16 PSO scope (attached to my CUR II 5.45 74) and my new Hakim to the range for a few rounds.

First, the scope. I've loved my 74 since I've had it, and getting the scope to attach on just adds to my adoration of the rifle. Southern Ohio Gun sent out the scope with pretty crappy instructions, but after slipping it on, I was ready to go and zero it down. I don't have too much experiance with scopes, so I was expecting the process to take hours, but I was very pleased to find that after 6 5 round mags, I was getting close to the zero. Unfortunely the range closed before I could be positive of the zero, but I was able to shoot two 5 round groups of about 3 inches. I say "about" because with both of the groups, four of the shots were very close together, maybe on and a half inch, but one shot was a full inch and a half to two inches away from the others.

I was very excited to shoot my new Hakim, and when I loaded up 5 rounds of Turkish ammo (I bought a 500 round tin with my Mauser...this stuff has had no problem, unlike other Turkish 8mm from the late 40's and early 50's) I was wondering what kind of shot placement I would be getting. Upon firing the third round I heard an odd noise with the shot and noticed my hand was stinging. Looking down I noticed the guts of the magazine strewn on the concrete and a rather large red welt on my hand. Thankfully I wasn't hurt, but my rifle certainly was; the magazine was blown apart and I am now the proud owner of a very cracked Hakim stock. Even though I haven't gotten to rebuilt the magazine, I am expecting it will fit together fine, and I am hoping the epoxy I bought will be enough to fix the stock t where it will shootable again.

I read after this happened that Egyptian 8mm is the absolute opposite of Turkish 8mm and it is wise to adjust the gas system on the Hakim if you are going to shoot Tuskish ammo. Does anyone have ny experiance doing this, and if so, how do I go about doing it?

I'll try to post pictures of the stock and the offending cartridge when I can (it is blown out at the bottom rim of the case). get a digital camera.

 

[Domino]

My goodness, good thing that you are all right. As far as the damage to your rifle goes, I would have a competent gun smith look at it BEFORE your next test fire.

My understanding is that a lot of Turkish 8mm surplus is not suitable to fire in anything aside from some machine guns due to excessive pressures generated. Although your particular malfunction may not have been caused directly by excessive pressures (perhaps a very weak rimmed case), there is no question very high pressures were generated during the explosion. Check for damage to the chamber as well as bolt parts (extractor, firing pin, ect..) and perhaps cracks in the reciever. Use EXTREME caution before firing the rifle again.

As far as adjusting your gas port, it shouldn't be any problem. First your going to need a gas port tool. You can purchas a tool at TAPCO (which I have and it works very well) or you can make your own by using an a 3/8" socket (i think) and cutting a notch in it.

If you are looking over the rifle with stock facing you, than the gas port OFF postition should be at the 12:00 position. To open, simply rotate in the "clockwise" direction until you feel the first click (around the 4:00 position), and stop. This is the first setting (out of a total of 3 I believe) and the the later settings only "UP" the power recieved through the gas port and to your bolt. Slowly work your way up until the rifle cycles properly. If your gas port is in the 9:00 position than it is wide open, which is NOT a good idea when firing surpulus ammuntion.

One question, How does this Turkish surpluys your using work with your mauser? If the bolt is difficult to operate than you know for a fact the the ammo is entirely too powerful.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Play it again, Sam

Been there and done that, sold the Hakim :banghead:

Found out later is was IN FACT the Turkish ammo. After I had sold the rifle. It went perfect with my Swedish Ljungman Ag42B.

The previous post is correct, the Turkish 8mm ammo is suitable ONLY for machine guns and blew my magazine right into my hand...it was like a bad acid trip as I read your post (and I have never done acid).

Keep the gun, ditch the crap Ammo and buy some current supply S&B 8mm or any other besides the Turkish stuff...

Enjoy the rifle, very funky gun to shoot.

Watch taht bolt carrier when loading the mag with strippers...

Spoon

 

[Ivy Mike]

for the ambitious reloaders, how dificult would it be to open the cartridge up and dump some of the powder out?
Or is it the wrong type of powder (too fast)

 

[Gordon]

I shoot the Turkish stuff ONLY in my 98K the Hakim will never taste it.

 

[Kevlarman]

Indeed, Turk 8mm is quite powerful. While my VZ-24 eats it like popcorn (with a silky smooth action to boot), my friend has a hard time opening the bolt on his Yugo M48 after firing a round. I thought it might be a headspacing problem, but it looks like the ammo is the likely culprit.

 

[cracked butt]

for the ambitious reloaders, how dificult would it be to open the cartridge up and dump some of the powder out?

Not hard at all. Just weigh the powder charges of cartridges, if they are within a grain or two, reduce the charge by 10% and reseat the bullet. You will lose some neck tension from pulling and reseating the bulelt, but if you have a neck sizing die such as a Lee, just pull the decapping pin and resize the brass before recharging the powder.

FWIW, its a lot of monkeying around and the ammo will still be corrosive.


The turk ammo seems to be on the very hot side in bolt actions, and I've only gotten accptable accuracy out of two of the 10 or so rifles I've tried it in. The price is right if you just want to make a lot of noise and beat the hell out of your guns, but there has been much better 8mm surplus ammo on the market in the past.

 

[swingset]

Semi autos + ammo from third world countries = ruined rifles.

 

[Ivy Mike]

Indeed, Turk 8mm is quite powerful. While my VZ-24 eats it like popcorn (with a silky smooth action to boot), my friend has a hard time opening the bolt on his Yugo M48 after firing a round. I thought it might be a headspacing problem, but it looks like the ammo is the likely culprit.

Funny you should mention this. I too have noticed the same thing when shooting various Mausers. Some of them tend to bind up after firing either hot ammo or many rounds in succession. The actions bind up when they get hot. The only ones I've fired that don't do that are the Czech's and the Germans (never fired a Swede though). My "Yugo" Mauser is actually a captured K98 and it doesn't bind.