SAR-1 vs. WASR-10

[fish2xs]

My local shop is no longer carrying the SAR-1. They are going to start selling a model of
the WASR-10 (don't know which one yet). Should I be happy? sad? indifferent?

I have been to the http://linx310.nothingbutguns.com/ site and read their brief info on the
two variants. Does anyone out there have any practical experience with them? I know the
SAR-1 scores fairly well with AK afficionados, but I have heard almost nothing about the
WASR-10.

thanks!
Phil

 

[Master Blaster]

I think this one started out as a single column 10 round mag gun and gets converted by grinding the mag well so it can take a normal AK magazine.
They then replace the 5 parts with US made ones.
I say that because I saw one at my local shop, and the mag well had rough grinding marks around the edges.

 

[Master Blaster]

http://linx310.nothingbutguns.com/model.htm#wasr10

This is a link to a WASR-10 page, there are 4 different varriants, 3 dont accept high caps.

 

[azthistletoe]

I believe these ones have a nut welded around the tip of the barrel where they started to put threads on, and remembered they weren't supposed to. Also, as Master said, they are single stacks converted to double. Otherwise they are the same thing. My uncle has one and it functions flawlessly.

 

[RustyHammer]

I have both a WASR-10 and a SAR-1 (Romanian).

They are virtually identical in looks and performance.

Some say there is more "magazine wobble" in the WASR-10 because it was modified for double-stacks -- but I don't notice any with mine.

You may want to check out the guys at www.ak-47.net forum for more info.

/Rusty

 

[AJ Dual]

my 7.62x39 AK is a WASR 10 hi-cap. It does have a tad bit of magazine wobble because two sheetmetal tabs are spot welded into place where the normal AKM magwell dimples would be. They aren't allways "perfect" but unless you spend $900 with one of the U.S. smiths that builds/reworks AK's what AK ever is "perfect" anyway?

Actually mag wobble while noticable, dosen't affect lockup, or feeding one iota. And the wobble is within the range I've seen on other AK's with the proper AKM dimples anyway.

Other than the electric penciling with Century's importer info on the reciever that looked like it was done by an autistic monkey doped on Xanax, the fit and finish of the WASR 10 high-cap metal was actually a bit better than the early SAR 1's so I'm happy with mine. The thumbhole stock was atrocious though. So the only thing I did was spruce it up with a black polymer AK 103 style furniture set to replace the thumbhole, and give me an extra 1" in the LOP.

I need to get one of those $90 PSOP Russian scopes for it sooner or later, and take advantage of the reciever scope side mount. The tack welded muzzle nut is AW ban and import ban legal, and actualy makes the WASR 10 one of the easier AK's to put a legal muzzle brake on. You can just dremel or hacksaw through the tack weld spots, and then hi-temp silver solder on any legal AK brake you like. Or just wait a year for the AW ban to expire, and it's likely the "renewals" will be defeated in congress. Then just do whatever you like with those threads.

 

[Redlg155]

Double stack WSAR-10s will function just fine. As the others have said, they started life as a single stack.

The only real downfall is that they are worth a bit less than original SARs, that's even with Century's monkey work modifications on it. The good thing is that the modification is relatively easy and no welding is required. Welding is something Century cannot do very well at all. At least not on a cosistent basis.

Good Shooting
Red