New (to me) MAK-90, got some questions

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clange

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I've been thinking about getting an AK for awhile now. Didnt want to spend much on one, so i was thinking mainly about getting a WASR. Went to the gun show today and found about 6 post ban WASRs, one no ban, and two MAK-90s. Both maks were cheaper than the post ban wasrs, which i didnt really get. I chose mine over the other mak. It cost less and the finish was smoother. It has a black synthetic stock. The other one didnt have the norinco symbol either, which is kinda cool. Anyway, i got it for $377 total ($355+tax), with one mag. I hadnt checked on these much, since i thought they'd be a lot more than wasrs, but hopefully thats a good price for it. Sure sounded fair to me. Its used but looks almost new as far as i can tell.

I guess it would be nice to have the optics mount on the wasr, but i decided i'd rather go with a nicer gun overall. The bayo lug doesnt do anything for me but (now for the questions)..

I wouldnt mind having a muzzle brake. How much do they help? What would be involved in adding one?

I didnt really like the stock (well, i like it more than the wood thumbholes) and was planning on replacing it. Its growing on me though. I was reading a few threads on here, and IIRC if i went to a real pistol grip setup, then the parts count thing applies? Does it not apply to my gun as it is right now? I'm not sure if i'd want to put a crappy trigger group in it just to have a real pistol grip.

Oil. What should i use? Will breakfree work alright?

What kind of ammo should i buy. I bought a few boxes of brown bear stuff. Made in russia, looks just like wolf. Any opinions?

I hope the bolt isnt supposed to stay open on an empty mag..cause mine doesnt..

Lastly, the mags wobble a bit. The metal one it came with is the worst. I picked up a polymer one because i read they sometimes fit tighter. It does fit tighter, but still moves slightly. I doubt i'll do anything about it if it functions correctly, but is there any easy fix i can do about it should i want to in the future?

Now all i have to do is wait for better weather to go shooting. :D

Edit: One last thing. For all the horror stories i'd read about wasrs and mag fitting problems, the no ban wasr i looked at worked perfectly as far as i could tell. The mag went in easy, and fit tight. I removed and inserted it about 6 times and never had a problem.
 

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None of the AKs have a bolt hole open device.

A little wobble in the magazine shouldn't cause any problems.

You could add a muzzle device by welding it in place, threading the barrel, or replacing the front sight assembly with one that is threaded.

If you replace the stock set, do so with a US version (Kvar, Ironwood, etc) and also replace the fire control parts with US versions. That should drop your imported parts count down to 9, assuming no or a US muzzle device:
  • 1) receiver
    2) trunion
    3) barrel
    4) bolt
    5) bolt carrier
    6) gas piston
    7) Mag body
    8) mag floorplate
    9) mag follower
Correct me if I'm missing any.

One thing to keep in mind is that MAKs are not quite the same dimensions as Euro AKs. Maks use double hook trigger setups, like milled Euro AKs. Stock sets made for Euro stamped AKs will fit with some modification.
 
Before you buy another stock set remove the buttstock on that one and make sure it is standard straight cut on the rear of the receiver. If it is you can buy most any stamped AK stockset and with just a little fitting you'll be golden. If you have the angle cut rear you're options for stocksets are very limited. As far as I know you'd be stuck with the Drag-style stock you have, the one made by Choate (which is better IMO), and the pistol grip setups from www.ironwooddesigns.com

For the muzzle brake, being a MAK you actually have a few pin on options. FAC sells a pair of brakes (which I think are both a little ugly but hey...) that pin on, you knock one of the pins out of the FSB put the brake on and then install a included longer pin to hold em on. Go to http://www.gunsnstuff.net and do a search for "MAK90" and you'll see them. Someone also makes a AK74 style brake that attaches the same way but I'm not sure who carries it.

Other than that you can rent a barrel threading kit for around $20 from various members on the AK boards (check the classifieds on the AK47.net board on gunsnet.net among others). That allows you to thread it to the standard 14x1 and install most any 7.62 AK brake or FS.
 
Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure its the straight cut reciever. If i take off the top cover i can see to the back corner of the reciever. Looks like it goes straight down but i'll have to take the stock off to check for sure i guess.

I like the pin on brake option, but i think i'd rather have it threaded and put on a slant brake. I might do that and a k-var stock eventually. Any suggestions on where i can get a trigger group for it? I've heard these have pretty good triggers to start with (relatively speaking), so i'd want something decent to replace it with.

Thanks again. :)
 
I've heard good things about the G2 trigger groups Tapco.com sells if you'd rather something a little more standard/cheaper than the RSA adjustable setup. But I've gotten by just fine with Century's FCGs with just a little cleaning up/polishing...
 
Not to hijack the thread but I find it goes along with the main post:

Do they still have the "US made compared to original parts" law? I thought that went away with the AWB. The local gun store is getting HK91's that are all original, the receivers are not tacked together aluminum anymore.

Also, what gun control law was this under if not the AWB? I thought that this was just something that was included in the AWB and since it's gone now that you could import all original receivers unless they were easily modified to full auto or were full auto and a semi auto receiver was used as a replacement.

Sorry for the ignorance on this one.

Wayne
 
Do they still have the "US made compared to original parts" law? I thought that went away with the AWB.
Click to expand...

Yes it's still law, no it didn't go away.

922(r), if my memory serves.
 
as for the muzzle break....

I personally recommend the AK-74 style flash hider..... they are considered a more superior design.
 
Would the ak-74 style be legal? Does it count as a flash hider or is the prohibition against any muzzle attatchment?

Also, do certain ones work better than others? I searched around a bit here and found various reviews from it helping a lot, to doing nothing but making it louder. Apparently there are differences?
 
Went shooting today. I had to wait a few seconds between shots (range rules) but it was still a blast. I love this thing. :D

Shot 80 rounds, no malfunctions. Need to move the sight slightly, it was left 1 inch at 25, 3 at 50, etc. I tried to use a guys SKS sight adjuster but the pin on mine was too big. All i got for the effort was a circular scratch on my sight pin. :(

It seemed to have some trigger slap too i guess. It was pretty minor, but enough to notice (first time i've felt it). Do all of these pretty much do this? Is there an easy way to check if the FCG has been replaced with US parts already?

Overall very happy though. A lot less recoil than i expected. Pretty good trigger pull. I cant wait to get out to a range without firing restrictions. :D
 
Other than that you can rent a barrel threading kit for around $20 from various members on the AK boards (check the classifieds on the AK47.net board on gunsnet.net among others). That allows you to thread it to the standard 14x1 and install most any 7.62 AK brake or FS.
Click to expand...
I was reading about this, but looking at my front sight block, theres no retainer pin or a hole for one. Dont you need that to have a threaded on brake without having it permanently attatched?
 
I've got two Norinco MAK-90 rifles, one with a stamped reciever and one that is milled. They are some fun guns, but the stocks are too short for me. I do like the cheap ammo, though. The one with the milled receiver has had about 1000 rounds fired through it over the years without a single failure, but anything over 100 yards, and I felt like I was wasting my time and ammo compared to my AR15s.

My stamped receiver rifle still hasn't been shot....yet. I never kept up with the laws and regs for adding or swapping out parts, eventhough I did swap to regular AK stocks on the stamped receiver one. The milled recievers are not designed to use the replacement stocks as the opening is round instead of square. I don't recall any type if trigger slap, but I haven't fired the one gun since about 1996. I'm hoping to take both of them to the outdoor range near here, soon, as I have over 1000 rounds that need to be tended to. :D
 
I never kept up with the laws and regs for adding or swapping out parts, eventhough I did swap to regular AK stocks on the stamped receiver one. The milled recievers are not designed to use the replacement stocks as the opening is round instead of square.
Click to expand...
If you didn't replace some parts with US versions, you're probably in violation of 922r (10 parts rule), assuming you care.

The milled receivers use a particular type of buttstock, with a round peg at the end, rather than the square of the stamped versions. Kvar carries both styles of stock parts.
 
but anything over 100 yards, and I felt like I was wasting my time and ammo compared to my AR15s.
Click to expand...
Yeah i noticed quickly that the sights leave a little to be desired. Not counting a few flyers, i shot a ~1.5 inch group at 25 yards (shot 30 rounds and all but two were within about a 2 inch area) and at 50 yards, most were in a 2 x 3.5 inch area. I'm assuming it was just me, since i was having trouble with the sights. I'd like to get an AR-15 style rear sight for it if krebs ever makes them again (link below, scroll down about half way). Dunno how much it would help though, given that its mounted on the receiver cover.

http://www.krebscustom.com/CustomParts.html
 
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