ROMANIAN WASR 10 AK-47 Help

[Russ Jackson]

My local shop has these for $449. Can anyone tell me about these and is the quality good? Are there better values out there? They are new and come with two 30 rd mags....Russ

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

They are fine if you know what to look for.

They have an image problem. A few lemons have resulted in lots of internet hate.

 

[Russ Jackson]

What should I look for?...Russ

 

[Deus Machina]

Check for mag wobble--All AK's have it to some degree, just make sure it's not a lot or it could prevent proper feeding.

Make sure the front sight block and--to a much lesser extent, the gas block-- are on straight. A canted front sight is easy enough to fix, but if you have a choice, why deal with it?

 

[Messenger Guard]

The Century guns can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells. Just look to see the sights are straight and the mags dont have too much side to side wobble. Otherwise rugged guns with not the best finish but Aks are beautiful because they work like rocks for killing.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Some side to side play is fine, any forward to back is a no go. Make sure the front sight and gas block are aligned properly. This is in addition to the to the standard fit and finish check, (will be rough on a WASR).


A properly assembled WASR is a perfectly fine firearm.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

The Century guns can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells. Just look to see the sights are straight and the mags dont have too much side to side wobble. Otherwise rugged guns with not the best finish but Aks are beautiful because they work like rocks for killing.

ALL AK's can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells.

 

[kwelz]

ALL AK's can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells.

Not even close to being true.

 

[LKB3rd]

Some cant is ok, as long as you can correct it by moving the front sight post. I guess some of them(WASR) have a cant where you can't get them zeroed for windage.
My Saiga has a slight cant which I was concerned about at first, but I moved the front sight and it shoots more accurately than I was expecting by far.
If the Russians cant them, being a top tier AK maker, that says something.

 

[10-96]

Also, double check to see if those 30 rnd mags will fit in the mag wells at all. Early WASR 10's had single stack 10rnd magazines and narrow trunions that made it quite the chore to convert to 30rnd mags.

 

[Russ Jackson]

Would the Saiga be a better deal than the WASR?...Russ

 

[DeepSouth]

There are WASR 10 (and 10/63) rifles which are being made from demilled military rifles. Look for a triangle with arrow (some only have a triangle) on the front trunnion. Quality is said to be much better with these.

I have one, a 10/63, and it is no beauty queen but it has never missed a lick. Never a jam of any kind, shoots decent, around 4" at 100 yards. I have no complaints with it, except it eats ammo like crazy and therefore costs me a bundle.

 

[1911austin]

ALL AK's can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells.

Try an Aresnal and get back to me on that BS statement.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Oh really?

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=13990

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=309274

http://www.ak47.net/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=82&t=115362


Every company makes lemons, some get an unfair rep for it though. The WASR is a great value as long as you get to check it out first, but that's true of all guns. For the price of an arsenal, you could have a milspec AR, or lots of practice with the WASR

Edit: In addition, this thread comes up a lot.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=551091&highlight=wasr

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=544916&highlight=wasr

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=556937&highlight=ak

 

[LKB3rd]

With a Saiga you either have to use it in its stock form, which isn't the greatest, convert it yourself, or buy a pre-converted one. If you pay someone to do it, It's definitely not a better deal, but its close in price if you are able to convert it yourself. Not sure if you are familiar with how they are stock, but "converting" them puts a pistol grip on them and moves and replaces the trigger so it is like a WASR comes normally. You can do it for $100-150 and a couple hours of time. Add another hour or so reading and watching youtube videos I guess.
If they have a bunch of the WASR's, you could ask them to test mag wells, and hold them up and find a nice straight(ish?) front sight base.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Mag well is easy enough, if the mag is locked in place and doesn't go forward to back, your good. Easiest way to check the FSB is to make sure the gun is unloaded, do that again, put it on safe, place it on the ground by the stock, and look at the front of the gun, checking the alignment.


If you have a transfer dealer, you can also get one from Henderson Defense: http://www.hendersondefense.com/store/pc/Century-Certified-AK47-with-bayonet-and-pouch-50p10.htm

 

[Quentin]

Continuing what DeepSouth said, I have an older WASR-10/63 that doesn't have the triangle trunnion so apparantly it has some military rejected parts (though I can't see anything wrong). Being older it was subject to the AWB as well so had a welded muzzle nut and filed off bayonet lug (Since the ban sunsetted a year before I bought it, I cut off the weld and screwed on an "evil" flash hider.)

It has always shot 100% and works great with a dozen or so surplus steel mags I have. Little mag wobble and little cant. No complaints at all.

One question I would be sure of before buying - is the barrel chrome lined. Older WASRs had Romanian chrome lined barrels but I hear the latest ones are US made barrels that are not.

 

[GigaBuist]

Every company makes lemons, some get an unfair rep for it though.

There's nothing unfair about Century Arms' rep. It's entirely deserved.

That said, I had an early WASR-10 years ago. It worked fine. They've gotten better since then it seems. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another provided I could inspect it first.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

That said, I had an early WASR-10 years ago. It worked fine. They've gotten better since then it seems. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another provided I could inspect it first.

Same thing I have heard about them getting better.

 

[nalioth]

ALL AK's can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells.

Not even close to being true.

ALL AK's can have canted sights and wobbly mag wells.

Try an Aresnal and get back to me on that BS statement.

There have been several angry people who've posted their experiences with their new Arsenals, that came complete with canted parts, "mag wobble" (aesthetic, not show-stopping) and crappy paint.

Some cant is ok, as long as you can correct it by moving the front sight post.

Some cant is okay, as long as you can sight the rifle in.

These are mass-produced commodity guns. They all have their imperfections if you care to look (even the "perfect" Arsenals).


Also, for the umpteenth time: Century does not make the WASR. They only import and 922r-ize it.

To the OP: You could do worse than a WASR (several US "manufacturers" spring to mind). If you have any mechanical skill, the Saiga is a much better choice in both the "cost" and "end result" categories.

 

[Zombiphobia]

I have a WASR10 from century made in romania at Cugir plant. It's one of the best guns I own. Functions great, is accurate enough to destroy a half-gallon jug at 100 yards and so on.

When I got it, it had a canted front sight. Fixed. Now the only problem with it, is some roughness on moving parts like the bolt and bolt carrier. The rails are a little roughed up, but noting to be concerned with.

Make sure you check the inside as well as out. Look for as few/ most minor tooling marks as you can find... or cannot find. Some of them can be rough inside.

Aside from that, they're pretty awesome. And the mag wobble.. ask the clerk to test a few different (empty) mags in the rifle. Don't want it very wobbly or too tight. And be careful not to get a single stack unless regulations say you have to.

 

[animator]

If the Russians cant them, being a top tier AK maker, that says something.

One of my Bulgarian '74s has a canted front sight. And Bulgys are also in one of the top tiers for quality, so just goes to show, it can happen to anyone.

 

[sltintexas]

I am AK ignorant. how do i detect a canted gas block. Can some one provide a pic of a good one and tell how it would be different...or can we be lucky enough that some one has a pic of a canted gas block?

 

[Birdmang]

If it is not straight, it is canted.

 

[nalioth]

I am AK ignorant. how do i detect a canted gas block. Can some one provide a pic of a good one and tell how it would be different...or can we be lucky enough that some one has a pic of a canted gas block?

You pick up the rifle and do a functions check.

Operate the action, and check for binding (99% of new AKs will "hold" at the rear due to the brand-new fire control group. This is not an issue as it will go away as the gun is used).

If your bolt carrier isn't binding on anything other then the FCG, any cant present is aesthetic.

They all have cant and mag wobble to some degree.

If it works, there's nothing wrong with it.