WASR ak-47 who's got one, like/dislike?

I'm not an AK expert. There are lots of those at:

http://ak-47.gunsnet.net/vb/index.php

If I'm not mistaken, the WASR is a Romanian AK, right? I've got a SAR-3, which is a real close cousin. I like the pistol grip. It could be a bit thicker for my taste, but if your hands are normal size, it should feel fine. And it can always be thickened up with an after-market grip.

The only thing I don't like is the short stock. The length of pull is really short. But that's an AK for ya. Tapco has a 1" extension/recoil pad which I will get shortly. I'm too cheap to get an aftermarket stock set, which would yield a good length of pull.

Everything else I like. Its a hoot to shoot. Virtues:

-Classic Kalashnikov design
-Easy to clean and maintain. Field-strip in seconds.
-Cheap ammo.
-Adequate accuracy. I can hit pop cans regularly at 50 yds, not quite at 100 yds, with the stock sights. I have shot a coupla 3" groups at 100 yards with decent ammo and stock sights. Most groups are more like 5" with cheap ammo and plinking conditions.
-Low recoil (your 7.62X39 will recoil more than my .223, though.)
-Lots of aftermarket toys to play with, if you're so inclined.
 
I got a WASR-10 a few months ago and I am very, very pleased with it. It came NIB covered in cosmoline with 1-10 rd. and 1-30 rd. magazine, a cleaning kit, and sling and cost me a little less than $300.

Overall it is had excellent fit and finish. Sights and gas block are straight, hammer is solid (unlike some of the jello hammers of previous years), and the finish seems to be very durable. The blonde laminate furniture is finished well also. It also has a scope rail attached to the receiver (a big plus in my opinion).

The only thing I didn't like was the Druganov stock. I found it too short and the grip was too wide to be comfortable. Another possible problem with the origional stock is that the your hand will probably come into contact with the edge of the reciever which could lead to the loss of some flesh over time. However, you can replace it with a standard pistol grip and stock or do like I did and replace it with a polymer stock.

One other note, the barrel had a pressed on muzzle nut attached with a spot weld. A careful bit of work with a rotary tool (Dremel) or light hand with a hacksaw and off comes the nut and on goes a muzzle brake!

I have about 500 rounds thorugh mine and have not experienced any problems. No jams what-so-ever. I haven't really tested what kind of groupings it will achieve, but when I sighted in my Kobra dot sight it would easily put 3 rounds within 1" at approx. 30-40 yards.

All in all it is a good value, ammunition is plentiful, accesorizing it with add-ons is fun, and bump-firing it is cool as hell!
 
WSAR

For what I paid, I like mine as well. The metal and fit/finish is decent. The 1 10 round and 3 30 round magazines mine included were a nice touch. And the siderail scope mount is a definite plus.

My only real complaints are the nasty thumbhole Dragunov stock, the waxy wood finish, and the CIA import mark that looks like it was done by a drunken monkey with an electric pencil.

From what I understand, the WSAR is originally a Romainian 10-round single-stack mag only rifle that's import legal, which was then converted with enough US parts to allow re-milling the magazine well to accept the normal double column AK magazines. That is why the normal AKM "Dimples" on a sheet-metal reciever AK are missing from either side of the reciever. Another bonus is, according to the guys on the AK list, is that Centruy was simply too lazy to pistol grip these rifles, and a US pistol grip or Stock, or both, counts as enough parts to make it pistol grip legal.

I've been looking through the AK board, and the ammount of information is overwhelming, and I've been unable to get a simple answer. Namely: Who, where, and how much? I've been looking at the K-Var and Global Trades websites, and from posts, I know they, or others, have what I want, but the catalogs are not clear, or don't list a US pistol grip, and stock.

Anybody have a reccomendation for a US stock and/or grip kit that will match the font handgaurds of my WSAR?

Thanks.

Andrew
 
WSAR stock kit- never mind

:rolleyes:

I should be more through...

The guys on the AK list above helped me out.

K-Var has SO MANY stocks, from everywhere, I missed the polymer U.S. ones I was looking for. $85 bucks.

They're getting a call on Monday.

Cool beans. Gonna have my quasi AK 101 soon. Now I'm getting tempted to send it to Mac's Shootin Irons restoration and getting it GunKoted some wacky color.

Andrew
 
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