SAR-2 finish/furniture question...

[Kor]

Well, since I didn't want to wait until tonight to look up the answer on AK-47.net, I'll ask youse guys:

I was pawing(with intent to horse-trade) a Romanian SAR-2 in 5.45X39 last night, and I saw that it had a 2002 date-stamp, laminated handguards & buttstock, an orange pistol-grip, and what looks like an FA Enterprises AK-74-style muzzle brake. It is also finished in black oxide or black Parkerizing, instead of a blued or painted finish. I field-stripped it, and it looks completely cherry and unfired inside - gas piston is spotless, bolt face is absolutely clean.

My question is, were the SAR-2's ever brought into the country like this, or did this rifle get some lovin' before it got sold to this dealer? And if so, is it really worth an extra $150 for a finish job, new furniture, and the 74-style muzzle brake, installed?

 

[Engineer]

From your description, it doesn't sound like the rifle came from Century that way. If I remember correctly, laminated stocks didn't start making their appearance until this year and they only came on SAR-1's and not -2's or -3's. The orange pistol-grip is also raises a flag as I believe all Century guns have black pistol grips. No muzzle brakes on Century SAR's either. Does it still have the Century FCG in it? I'd say from the sounds of it, your rifle definitely had some changes done to it.

 

[Kor]

Engineer, thanks for the input - I went and looked REAL hard at the rifle again, and the hammer & trigger have a mold line down their middles, so I assume they are US/Century cast parts.

The matte black oxide/Parkerized finish apparently is normal for the Romanian guns, so this rifle was probably not refinished.

The muzzle brake didn't have a big blob/seam of weld/solder material, so I'm pretty sure Hesse didn't ever get their hands on it - it actually appears to have been epoxied on, which may raise a red flag, i.e. was not installed as permanently as ATF usually requires.

Furthermore, the brake appears to be a 7.62 unit, installed on a 5.45 gun - therefore it may not actually reduce recoil, just redirect noise towards the shooter. I'll put up a separate thread about this issue.

 

[Dave R]

Agreed, this one has user modifications. They come from Century with black handles and wood furniture and plain muzzle.

OTOH, if it had been fired much at all, no way could the gas piston face be clean. So it has very low miles.

 

[Kor]

Dave R, it just occurred to me that the gas piston could possibly have been replaced - in addition to being spotlessly clean, it was a slightly yellowish silver in color, almost as if it had been nickel-plated - all the other AK gas pistons I've seen have been either stainless steel, or white-silver chrome plated.

However, looking at the bolt face, the bolt bottom, the bolt carrier and the receiver rails, there is little to zero wear in those areas as well, so it's quite obvious that this rifle has not been fired much at all.

 

[blfuller]

The Century SAR series have the gas piston replaced with a US version for part count compliance. Factory are pinned in place and Century was welding the piston on the carrier.

 

[Kor]

Speaking of parts count compliance - do youse guys know if those laminated stocks are US-made, or original Romanian? This gun is gonna cost about $150 more than a bone-stock SAR-2, and if I've gotta replace the stocks to stay legal, I'll pass...

 

[MiniZ]

The furniture on all SARs is Romanian-with the exception of the pistol grip which is a US made unit for parts compliance.

If the pistol grip on it is not US, then it could be down one part, unless something else was replaced.

As long as the brake is not threaded on, it does not have to be permanantly attached-however if not permanantly attached, then there is a distinct possibility it is going to launch downrange at some point unless they really did a good job on it.