Picked up a second AK/WASR compliance answers

[imarangemaster]

Even though I have my Saiga converted to full blown AK103 form with 24mm FSB and brake and Bulgarian Circle 10 bayonet, etc., I couldn't pass up a deal I got horse-trading excess non-AK ammo and stuff from the gunsafe (no cash) on a NIB GP WASR 10/63. What the heck, two AKs are better than one.

I got to choose from several and came up with a great one. It has the Romanian wood front pistol grip that I like, bayonet lug, bayonet and sheath (Good to VG), new sling, brand new Three cell pouch, slant brake, and all numbers match except the top cover (60 numbers off). It is a 1964 made with arrow in triangle on trunnion. The FSB and trunnion an are dead on straight (checked with a carpenter square). The bore is chrome and bright, and a Yugo ball 7.62x39 round leaves just about 1/8 inch of the projectile showing when inserted in the muzzle, even with no wobble. It comes with two US made polymer mags. There is alomst no perceptable mag wobble and the job of hogging out the mag well was very well domne and well finished.

Now for the question of 922 compliance: It has been asked before if Century is using the Tapco mags for compliance parts. I would have to say NO. This Rommy has the C stamped (US made) slant brake and black polymer pistol grip also with a C. (+2). It also has the slap free Tapco G2 fire control group (+3) istead of the horrid modified full auto ones they used to use, so iot is in compliance without the mags. I think they get a better deal on the Tapco mags, so they just use them and sell the metal Mil-Surp mags for $15 to $20 each.

Anyway, I pick it up tomorrow and will try to shoot it this week end. If it shoots well, I will use it as my beater plinking weapon, and keep the saiga in the Safe.

[Sprout47]

Thats a demiled one then right?

[imarangemaster]

Yes,

All of the GP WASR 10/63 are demilled 1964-67 kits on a semi auto, single stack receiver. Century, adds 922 parts and opens it up for 30 round mags. Some WASR are showing up with G kits, vintage 1975, too. The Tapco stainless steel gas piston is the 6th 922 part added.

[imarangemaster]

So of the early WASR 10s (not GP WASR 10/63) were made from mixed parts and seconds. If the trunnion has a date and an arrow in a triangle, and the bolt, carrier, top cover, trunnion, and barrel have numbers (usually matching) it is from a demilled military rifle.

[imarangemaster]

I checked, it is a stainless Century piston. I ordered a red/brown eastern european bakelite grip though, so I ordered a dozen K=Var followers to offset the 922 loss. Until I get the followers, I will put the Tapco mag followers in a couple of steel Milsurp Mags, just because I prefer steel mags!

I will try to shoot it today or tomorrow, and when I get home next week, I am refinishing the wood. The stock and top handguard have a light coat of linseed, but the Rommie fore-grip needs stripped with Jasco stripper. I have some Minxaw English Chestnut stain that looks pretty cool, and I will top in with semi gloss clear minwax verathane.

[imarangemaster]

Here's my AK kids. The bottom of course is my converted Saiga. (Yah, I know that's a Tapco polymer mag, I don't have any Bulgarian circle 10 waffles to go with it yet, and the polymer goes better with the faux AK103 look.) With it is the Bulgarian third gen bayonet.

The top is the new in box GP WASR 10/63 I picked up on a trade. Very straight and matching numbers. It came with the bayonet and Romanian "donkey dick" fore grip handuard from century. I added a red/brown bakelite Eastern Euro pistol grip (looks better than the black Century one), and offset that with K-Var US followers in all my mil-surp mags. I stripped all the wood with Jasco stripper, stained it with some Minwax "English Chestnut stain," then put a semi-gloss Minwax clear over it. I did not want the smooth finish, but more af a rough duty sealed finish.

I haven't shot the Rommie yet, as it has been either too damn hot, or pouring rain and thunder/lightning. Ugh!

[PSLMAN]

That's one of the nicest WASRs I've seen, I like the stain you used on the wood.

[imarangemaster]

Thanks!

First get a nice straight one. GP WASR 10/63s tend to be better than the standard WASR10. GPs have Bayonet lug, slant brakes, and are generally made of matching number Romanian issue weapon parts kits (not seconds or blems).

The next secret is in stripping and refinishing the wood. The laminate the use is tough to get a glass finish on, so I went for the semi-gloss tough service finish. The Rommie "donkey dick" grip handguard has a certain evil panache!

The final touch is the Com Block red/rown bakelite grip. The black sucks. The down side of that is that it leaves one 922 parts short. I decided to replace all my milsurp mag followers with Kvar US followers at less than $2 each to make up that part. If you use Tapcos, Surefirem Promag, thermold, or some other US mag instead, they count as 3 compliance parts, so changing the grip is a non-issue.

The only other thing that would make it better is a Romanian side folder, but that's on the wish list.

[imarangemaster]

I couldn't stand it any more! I finally braved the 95 degree, 90+% humidity weather and walked down by my creek to test fire the GP WASR 10/63. Only took one magazine of Brown Bear 123 HPs. As expected, it fed flawlessly. From a kneeling position with only my elbow on my knee for a support, I shot about a 1" to 1 1/4" group at 25 yards. Surprisingly, it was dead on POA at 25 on the 100 meter setting right out of the box. I put the rear sight on the 200 and gave the front a few half turns. Now it is about POA at 25 on the 200 setting (Max 3" high at 125 yard, zero at 200, and 3 low at 250. I'll go down with the yard tractor for a rest tomorrow in the morning before it is sweltering. It was so bad my shooting glass were getting totally fogged. As it was getting dusk, I noticed it had more muzzle flash than my Saiga with the AK103 brake.

[Sprout47]

Ya those 74 brakes take out most of the muzzle flash. The slant brakes not so much, but they do make it nice and loud