WASR-10 - magazine problems?

[embee]

First of all, let me say hello to everyone. I'm in Orlando, FL. I've just recently (past 6 months) got into shooting, and I've found it to be quite fun. In fact, shooting is my motivation to quit smoking - now I can afford the ammo instead of paying for cigarettes .

I was shooting my friend's wasr-10, and it seemed to be having problems feeding rounds into the chamber from the magazine. They'd be kind of stuck halfway up, almost feeding into the chamber. If you pulled out the magazine, they'd chamber, then you could re-insert the magazine and keep shooting.

We had the same problem with 2 magazines, both are the 30-rd steel variety. Is the problem the magazines? Or is this a problem with the rifle itself? I've read the (East German?) polymer mags seem to work much better.

I should say this was happening with both Wolf hollowpoints and softpoints. Haven't yet had a chance to use FMJ.

I also seem to remember someone saying to polish the chamber? Would this help at all? I could be completely mistaken about that last one though..

 

[Rexrider]

I could be mistaken and I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong but here it goes.....

My understanding is the mag well on a WASR-10 does not have the dimples in the receiver like standard AKs do to hold the mag in correctly. The WASR-10 orginally used a single stack mag. Because of that, the mag well/opening is ground open to accept the standard AK mags.

That being the case, the mags may be moving around alot causing your problem.

Lets see if I got this right.

 

[GigaBuist]

RexRider is probably right. AK mags are pretty sturdy and hold up well. I've never had a dud. Plenty of duds with my AR mags though... such is life.

BTW the "hollow point" Wolf stuff should feed just as well as FMJ. IIRC the "hollow point" is just so it can be imported for sporting/hunting purposes or some such nonsense.

See if the mag wiggles around when it's inserted. A little is okay but too much and you won't feed right. If it wiggles try shimming one to see if it shoots through a mag that way. You could probably put some JB weld or something like that inside the mag well if you needed to to make it a tighter fit.

 

[embee]

Thanks for the replies, my friend is happy that there seems to be a solution, he was very disappointed on Sunday when we were shooting.

Also, my scope bit him

 

[borderguy]

Like rexrider says. There are a lot of WASR-10's that were designed for the 10 round magazine and then converted to be sold as Hi-cap AK's after the ban. If you're going to go AK, try to find an SAR-1 or other AK. Quality on the newer WASR's is spotty at best.

 

[RWMC]

Fixing the WASR-10 magazine feeding trouble

I had the very same trouble with my WASR-10; ammo feeding about half way in the chamber and the bolt carrier staying in an open battery position. The problem with mine was that the bottom of the receiver right in front of the trigger guard (where the magazine release latch is located) was actually bent up INTO the receiver! This is what was causing the feeding troubles I was experiencing. The bend in the receiver bottom was causing the back of the magazine to be inserted up into the receiver TOO FAR; thus causing intermitent ammo feeding failures. I fixed the problem by field stripping the weapon to the point of removing the bolt carrier and bolt. After doing so, I took a brass 3/8" diameter rod (around 6 or so inches long) and placed the end of it (looking down into the receiver) on top of the back of the receiver well, just above where the magazine release latch is attached to the receiver. I then took a hammer and began to hit the brass rod so that the bent-in arch on the bottom of the receiver was bent out to its proper position. I also had to file a bit off of the top of the mag release latch to assure positive lock-up. How the bottom of these receivers are getting bent up is anyones' guess. Also you may want to de-burr the magazine well area,but do it carefully-those burrs are sharp. I have had no further problems with the WASR-10 feeding ammo properly since I completed the above hi-tech AK weapons tuning procedure!

 

[embee]

Wow.. I will pass the info on, thanks.

 

[embee]

Thanks!!

RWMC,

My friend took a look and that is exactly the problem he's having! He is now on the hunt for a brass rod.. Thanks for your help.

 

[RWMC]

You are welcome embee! I glad to be a help. Are you aware that if you replace the Romanian butt stock with a U.S. made butt stock, that you can then legally use ANY hi-capacity magazine ?(including 75 rd. drum)
Safe shooting to you!