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“Loose is good.” I think. Since that’s really just a hunch, I did the easiest most journalistically-thorough thing and Googled the phrase. My results? Well, let’s just say they stuck a collective finger in my gut: nearly every hit involved Weight Watchers. Then I repeated the search with the SafeSearch™ filter off, at which point I’d rather not say where the collective finger was sticking. Regardless, other than loose-fitting jeans (and, uh, loose-fitting other things), nothing I could find supported my contention that my friend’s loosey-goosey AK-variant, the WASR-10, is superior to its less-wobbly alternatives. But I still think it is.

Apparently, I’m not alone.  I’ve always heard that the AK-47 – the poster rifle for relaxed construction tolerances – is the most common firearm in the world. Also, I’ve always heard that it’s “the rifle of the revolution.” No civil unrest awaits this particular gun, though. This one is simply “the rifle of Todd.”

My pal Todd (owner of the example featured here) is certainly no gun nut. He’s a well-educated and well-rounded critical thinker (and an engineer by trade). As such, he carefully assessed his firearms needs and decided his best bet was the ultra-affordable AK variety known as the Century Arms WASR-10.

What makes an AK-47 a WASR-10, you ask?  Check out William Montgomery’s TTAG article for the broader AK story. Now that you’re back, here’s the skinny on this branch of the family tree . . .

In the early Sixties, the Romanian military put a pistol grip on the front hand guard directly beneath the barrel of the then-current AKM version of the Soviet AK-47. They called it the “Pistol Mitralieră model 1963.” Decades later, a U.S. company called Century Arms decided to meet U.S. Kalashnikov demand by importing these ultra-cheap AKs. However, several key pieces of 1990’s legislation got in the way.

First, a federal law known as 18 USC 922R stipulated that at least ten major components of any gun categorized by federal law as a “semi-automatic assault weapon” had to be produced domestically. Then, in 1994, the infamous Federal Assault Weapons Ban mandated that such weapons could only be sold with 10-round (max) magazines. Bummer.

Because of these legislative shenanigans, most of the WASR-10’s internal components (bolt, trigger group, gas mechanism, etc.) had to be produced in the U.S. and installed before the gun could be sold stateside. Also, WASR-10s sold during the Assault Weapons Ban (1994-2004) received a magazine well modification which narrowed the opening, restricting the gun to a ten-round, single stack magazine. Double bummer.

All this nanny-state compliance might make you think that the WASR-10 is not quite representative of the true AK-47 personality. Nothing could be further from the truth. Todd’s gun is actually a “post-ban, pre-ban” model. In other words, it was one of the many WASR-10s produced with the narrowed magazine well. However, since the wretched assault weapons ban has gone back to hell where it came from faded from the books – and since exactly no one wants an AK with a ten-round magazine – Century Arms has un-narrowed the well. With a Dremel. In the dark. While they were drunk.

Okay, maybe the mag well isn’t that maligned by the virginity restoration reversal. But the magazine retention dimples common to most other AK receivers are completely AWOL and the resulting lateral motion of fully-seated 30-rounders is a little . . . disconcerting.

What’s not disconcerting: everything else about the WASR-10. Given the relatively low cost and relatively high degree of post-manufacture modification, I halfway expected a jacked-up looking gun that shot jacked-up looking groups. What I experienced was a very authentic-looking AK that fired consistently decent groups and felt as comfortable as a well-worn pair of (loose) sneakers.

Yes, the gun’s general laxity did take some getting used to. In addition to the magazine well situation, the bolt felt a good bit freer than other rifles I’ve fired lately – more of a “slick-slack” than a “click-clack.” And the trigger seemed a little light, like it traveled a bit too far before the sear broke. However, the quickly-but-progressively building tension just prior to the break is positive enough that the shot won’t ever surprise you. And the 7.62X39’s recoil never feels excessive.

Other than several of the commonly-kvetched-about AK annoyances – like a short sight radius, a loud-ass “alert-the-enemy” safety switch, a bolt that doesn’t stay open once the gun is empty, and an Oompa-Loompa-short stock (common to most original AK variants) – firing the WASR-10 was no problem at all. Honestly, Todd and I had a blast, without a single malfunction all afternoon (and we used only the cheapest factory ammo). Finally, as you’ll see in Todd’s video, field-stripping the AK is a breeze.

For some folks, a gun that feels so unbound that it could possibly be a Transformer hiding in your gun safe just won’t cut the mustard. Others will admire a design so ruggedly brilliant that ultimate precision wasn’t needed to achieve effectiveness. Although I tend to agree with TTAG’s Martin Albright about the SKS being better than the AK in a number of ways, the Century Arms WASR-10 delivers almost-comparable accuracy and absolutely-comparable ergonomics for a similar price – with the added benefit of a detachable, high-capacity magazine. That formula appealed to Todd, just as it’s appealed to several hundred million other users.

Specifications:

Model:  Century Arms WASR-10 (Romanian AK)

Action type: Gas-opearated, rotating-bolt semi-automatic

Caliber: 7.62X39 Russian

Capacity: 30-round detachable magazine

Barrel length: 16.39″

Overall length: 34.25″

Weight: 6.9 lbs. (unloaded)

Stock: Hardwood

Sights: Hooded post front; tangent leaf rear, graduated from 100 to 1000 meters

Finish: Blued receiver, barrel, gas tube and magazine

Current Value: $300-$550 depending on manufacturer/condition

RATINGS
(Out of five stars)

Style * * * *
Menacing (especially with the owner’s 40-round magazine), but I doubt anyone would call it “beautiful.”

Ergonomics (carry)  * * * * *
It’s a carbine with a pistol grip that’s just the right size for non-shoulder fire.  If you might need to get a long gun into action quickly, this classic is the one for you.

Ergonomics (firing)  * * * *
Slightly numb trigger, slightly short stock, and I wish the bolt stayed open after you’ve fired the last round.  Other than that, it’s great (provided you don’t have unrealistic accuracy expectations).

Reliability * * * * *
Uh, it’s a Kalashnikov.  Enough said.

Customize This * * * * *
If the AR-15 is the Ford Mustang of the gun aftermarket, then the AK is the Chevy Camaro.

OVERALL RATING * * * * *
The WASR-10 proves that Mikhail Kalashnikov came up with such a fantastic design that even a low-cost importer who has to cheaply modify it in order to comply with ridiculous government regulations can’t screw it up.

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106 COMMENTS

  1. The trick to a good WASR-10 is finding a good WASR-10. I got mine though a shipment where I had the pick of the litter. I have very little magazine wobble, and a straight front sight. But my furniture was disgusting. Look for some furniture restoration tips coming soon…

  2. Good point; I've heard (and read) where a lot of these have a canted front sight and/or a canted gas tube. Overall, the conventional wisdom seems to be: "If you get one without any defects, it'll be a great gun for years." Glad you got "the pick of the litter."

  3. I got WASR-10 from Cabelas 2 weeks ago…Shot steel case FMJ & this gun shot 2 inch groups at 50 yards RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. Shoots absolutely GREAT. It's not an AR…and an AR isn't an Ak. Prior to shooting I stripped the gun and cleaned off the grease and oiled (but there wasn't much grease.) This gun will shoot perfect and I'm 100% impressed with this rifle. I read some posts and felt slightly concerned based off the canted from site, mag wobble, bold sticking etc….but "F" all that crap it's minimal. The AR has it's fair share of shit too. Great gun!

      • I find that accuracy amazing. Maybe yours was defective. I own a pre-ban Poly Tech Legend National Match w/forged receiver and Hbar and can do the same with it. As a gunsmith I can tell you that a large part of my business is fixing canted sights, bad riveting, magazine issues, etc. Romania is one of the most backward countries in Europe. When I recently visited their factory one worker told me that the AK’s sold in the US were the same quality as those sold in Africa and other impoverished countries with the only difference being the select fire mode. Even India found their product unsuitable and shopped for East German MPks models several years ago. Try to read the Shotgun News article where their staff gunsmith had to rebuild a new PSL. He implied that this Romanian SVD knock off was a train wreck. I just don’t understand why people don’t just get a Bulgarian or Polish kit, purchase a registered receiver, and build one yourself. I have built over 300 customer provided kits and also still have Bulgarian kits I bought ten years ago with the entire front of the rifle is intact.I recomment this type of kit to novices since all they have to do is rivet the receiver to the trunnion and insert the correct count of parts and rivet a stock of their choice onto the rear end or use the stock that comes with the kit. Or, I have an American made polymer copy of the current issue stock. Paint the metal and you will have an already zeroed AK. Romanian rifles are the worst made in the world. Try putting a micrometer to one and see if any of the parts are the dimensions they are supposed to be. Sometimes the truth hurts.

        • you said something about ak kits. i have made a few parts and repared some rifles. very interested in building an ak. please email more information.

        • I highly doubt the Cugir factory allowed you a visit and double highly doubt a worker told you about their African exports… being same shitty quality as the US WASRs.

      • Gotta throw the BS flag on this one. If you expect anyone with decent firearms knowledge to believe for a minute that you have a factory AK that shoots 1/4 MOA with iron sights, you are a fool.

        • Even a broken clock finds a nut eventually, wait or a blind squirrels right twice a day. Anyways it isnt hard to believe that atleast 1 out of the millions of ak’s produce has to be accurate.

        • You make a good point Jac. I kind of doubt mine is the only one however, I have no proof.

        • A quarter MOA at 100 yards is 0.25″, while the diameter of the bullet is almost 0.3″. That means he was essentially putting the bullets in the same hole with an offset smaller than the diameter of the bullet. impressive, if true…

    • I bought 2 WASR’s in 2010 for 185.00 each at Dunham Sports. They are bad ass guns! After 2000 rounds each I have never had a jam. Keep them clean and lightly oiled is all tha’s needed. Great investment and I highly recommend them!

  4. I have read several AK forum's that a few people used a TINY bit of JB Weld in the magazine well to help take up the slack…….. but like they say….

    EVERY AK HAS MAG WOBBLE EVEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONES

    • I purchased one of the “Romy-G” AK’s from Century and was very surprised that the magazine does not move around at all. The rifle is also very solid, with a very tight fit for many parts. Compared with a friend’s WASR, I was very pleasantly surprised by my AK, especially considering the reputation of many of Century’s firearms.

  6. I was wanting to get a good Ak, but I didn’t know if I should try to get a good Russian surplus or just get one of these for cheap. I think now that I will just get a WASR-10 because its cheap and works great. Thanks for posting guys it really helped.

  7. Don thanks for taking the time to write this. I just recently started looking for an ak variant. My dream weapon is the socom 16. Kids, braces and an ailing Economy pointed me in this direction. I hope to buy one within a few weeks. There are so many options and sellers. Thanks again.

  8. I just picked up a romanian WASR-10 from a friend who just upgraded to a milled Polish varient. I shot both yesterday and to be honest they are the gun, but when I tried the steel mags that came with his Polish in my WASR -it actually failed to load and jammed! The steel mags had a sketchy fit and i could see why people complain when they insert a bad fitting mag. Try the Tapco polymer AK mags, they fit perfect with no wobble. No complaints: a good, reliable, fun, cheep gun (got mine for $200)

  9. just bought my WASR-10 yesterday it’s going to be a long 10 days before i can pick it up,ought to be a fun lead thrower !!! it was a little pricey at $550.00 but so was my mini 14 and so is an AR !! Course i live in california not many gun stores anymore and not every gunstore carries one of these so i had to bite the bullet so to speak and spend the money, but i have always wanted one so whats a couple of extra hundred bucks to be an AK owner !!!! now i am ready for when the zombies come !!!!!!!!!

  10. I thought these types of firearms were illegal in Ca. I bought mine last week can’t wait for this weekend to fire it, GP WASR-10 from Cabela’s 499$ picked out of 7 on the shelf has very little mag wobble with the steel and zero with the polymer mag however, while examining the other rifles I found a GREAT deal of varience in the size and shape of the apparently hand dremeled mag openings…

  11. Just bought back the WASR GP i sold a few years ago to my buddy, who sold it to the same pawn shop I bought it back from today. I got it originally from another buddy for 250 as a favor. “natasha” is a bit of a family affair and so when i got word that she was back, i had to do it. so glad to have her back. she throws solid 4″ groups at 100 and has never jammed on me even with the worst lacquered steel rounds. sure, shes a little bit loose in the mag well, but easily the best WASR I have ever shot or owned. I love my AR and I would rely on her for most needs, but in my opinion the right WASR can be just as good as any yugo, or hungarian…i wish you all could see my smile right now…

  12. I JUST GOT THE AK WASR ITS SHOOTS LIKE A DREAM BUT ITS MISSING THA CLEANING ROD DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE CAN I BUY THA CLEANING TO MAKE MAY AK COMPELT

  13. Bought a wasr a few days ago, no magazine wobble and it feeds fantastic and no jams ( lube is awesome!!!! ) The down side… the front and rear sights are both misaligned, what the @#^%!! I got 1 year warranty on the weapon… so i should send it in and have century fix it, but!!! if you want something done right you got to do it yourself, so i will fine tune myself. my only advise to a potential buyer is: inspect the merchandise (if possible) before any transaction.

  14. Hey, the Romanians’ SKS rifles worked fine, when they took President Ceausescu and his wife out back, and let them have it. What could be that bad with the WASR-10? If the mag wobble bothers you, get a bunch of various mags, and tweak the mag lips for that particular weapon. LOL. Actually, those may have been East German SKS’s.??? Hmmm?

  15. Just wanted to say that I bought my WASR-10 right out of a pawn shop (new). No magazine wobble at all (can hold the gun by the magazine and shake it without making any noise at all – as if it’s been welded to the gun), sights are aligned, it’s accurate as any AK, has never jammed in the 3 years I’ve owned it, and has great looking furniture.

    I guess I got lucky from all these stories I’ve heard about problems with the WASRs, but I’d definitely recommend one if you can find it in good shape.

  19. Howdy all, I just bought my 5th AK . The first four is original AK’s from Russia and from the late 40’s. they shoot like a dream. The newest one to the collection however is a 1970 GP Wasr 10/63 . it has very slight wobble with steel mags and no wobble with the polymer mags. At 300 yds I can group all shots within a 3″ radius. At 600 yds the group is at 5″ radius. At 1000 yds I hit the target but could not maintain a tight grouping. After shooting 2,000 rounds through this rifle and not jamming or having any problems I shot 500 hundred more then called it a day. I field stripped and cleaned the weapon very easily, oiled and reassembled. I dont know of any other kind of weapon that can shoot more then 2500 rounds and never get to dirty to fire. Keep in mind also that these rounds were reloads from a gun show( nasty powder) and will make your gun very dirty. My wasr is Romanian and has a folding wire stock and tactical polymer hand grip and gas tube cover. ( very cool looking this way) I have all the original furniture , beautifully refinished and varnished( for sale $100 ) .
    I also added a tactical swivel sling mount between receiver and trigger hand grip I made mine but they do sell those! using this type of mount for your sling will always allow you to keep your trigger hand on weapon at all times.
    To conclude, Im extremely happy with my wasr and shall keep it for a very long time. If interested in the furniture , email me at [email protected]
    Shoot safe and have fun and dont be afraid to buy a wasr, Just watch which one you pick. do your homework first and go buy with knowledge. Remember from 71 to 75 they were bad. 66-70 are good guns and some from 75-2001 but choose wisely. I havnt had a chance to fire any that was younger then that. For those hunters out there these rifles work real well for hog hunting. light and dependable. hell you can throw them in a mud puddle pick it up and it will shoot all day long. Happy Hunting.
    ps, all wasr’s start with there birthdate followed by the serial #.

    • I’ve got 10,000 DOLLARS FOR YOU IF YOU CAN SHOOT 5 INCH GROUPS AT 600 YARDS OR A 2 FOOT GROUP AT A 1000 YARDS WITH ANY WASR10!!!!!!! SPEC OP SOLDIERS WITH 5000 DOLLAR DMR AND SNIPER RIFLES BARELY SHOOT 5 INCH GROUPS AT 600 YARDS!!!! I’VE NEVER RESPONDED TO ANY OF THESE LIES ALL YOU IDIOTS POST BUT CANNOT TAKE ANYMORE! HAVE BEEN SHOOTING FOR 30 YEARS AND KNOW FOR A FACT 600 YARD 5 INCH GROUPS TAKE REAL RIFLES, AND LOTS OF PRACTICE! PROUD OWNER OF WASR10 THROW AROUND GUN AND SEVERAL WINCHESTER, REMINGTONS, BROWNINGS, AND MORE IN 270, 280, 30-06, 300, 308, ETC. I WILL HAVE 10000 READY AND WAITING AT 600 YARD RANGE TO SEE YOU SHOOT 5 INCH GROUP WITH YOUR WASR10!!!!!!!!

      • I’ve got to agree with you. I’d make the bet “If you can hit an 18″ target at 600 yds. with one of five rds.” I shoot pretty good, and I don’t think I could do it.

  20. Just bought a WASR 10/63 two days ago. This thing is sweet. Perfect laminated wood, good finish on the metal. Plus the mags fit good and tight, no wobble at all. As a matter of fact one of the steel mags had been painted over the old blueing and it fit a little tight. I had to take the paint around the top portion of the mag down so that it would slide in and out of the magwell easier. Sights are perfectly aligned too. It is an awesome gun for $450. A perfect addition to my AR.

  21. I own two wasr 10’s and they are for the money a good deal.One was made in 82 and she is a mag wobbler,the other is 1965 and has a little wobble with the sttel mag but not as much as 82.I added the tapco intafuse furniture to the 82 and it is nice with the M4 type adjustable stock.The experts beat up the wasr but it is a good cheap assault gun

  22. Great article! A slight correction regarding 922r: there are 16 parts of an AK identified as critical to the weapon. Only six need be U.S. made and ten can be foreign. In my WASR 10/63 underfolder (which I dearly love) the trigger group (trigger, hammer, disconnector), the gas piston, the slant compensator and the pistol grip are the six U.S. parts-all TAPCO. Everything else in Romanian. Most, if not all 922r Kalashnikovs, will have a U.S. made trigger group as this is a simple way to get half of the required U.S. parts. As silly as it may sound, a magazine can count for three of the 16 parts. A U.S. TAPCO magazine would provide the remainder of the required U.S. parts. I also have an SGL31-61 which is built from a neutered SAIGA IZ240. It has seven U.S. made parts: the stock set, the trigger group and the muzzle brake, everything else is Russian Izhmash. And did I say that I love AKs?

  23. Center fire systems – has a good batch of WASR-10s. going for $429. i think it was, i picked up one the other day , no mag well wobble , no trigger slap , and no canted sight or gas tube . Just use a tac hammer to adjust the left and right sight post slide. It is a dead nuts gun now. I would recoment sanding the stock and using a Minwax poly shade you can find at The Home Depot . The wood cleans up well

  24. I have had my WASR for 8 years, no problems what so ever. Heat, rain, snow and sub zero she thumps away. Great gun. I tried refinishing the furniture but it appears mine had been completely saturated, I ended up using olive oil to even it out and it looks very nice now.

  26. I picked up a 1972 WASR 10/63 that is the least wobbling, minimally rattling, and imperfection bearing underfolder I’ve ever seen; all the while being a noncomplain’ ammo eatin’ lead spittin’ rounds on target everytime I squeeze the trigger amalgamation of metal and wood I’ve ever seen. A mere $500. It did not however arrive with a cleaning rod or a sling but instead, with a bayonet. I also picked up 5 of the 40rd magazines and it came with two 30rd magazines also. I wanna swap out the skinny lil Tapco grip with an authentic wood one. am accepting gifts and/or donations of anything AK, AR, DSA, FN, or….ect, ect, yeah yeah. Them grips feel better in you hand too; I opine.

  27. “Also, WASR-10s sold during the Assault Weapons Ban (1994-2004) received a magazine well modification which narrowed the opening, restricting the gun to a ten-round, single stack magazine. Double bummer.” How do you think they modified and narrowed the mag well? They didn`t just for your information. They were manufactured with the narrow single stack mag well. What do you think they did, weld a little bitty piece of metal to the original mag well to make it narrow enough to fit a sigle stack 10 round magazine?

  28. I owned a WASR ’47 and that is in the past tense. The underfolder had issues common to many WASR’s: raw, uncured laminated furniture; scrap sheet metal spot welded inside the mag well as a cheap excuse for missing dimples; canted gas/sight assembly; acid stains on bluing; receiver cover too long (making reassembly a real bear); and the list continues….The only plus to this rifle was that the rails of the underfolder stock were not stamped steel reinforced channels; they were solid milled steel attractively blued and firmly attached to an equally attractive push button underfolding mechanism more deserving of a Soviet, Bulgarian, or Yugo AK than the monstrosity of a WASR. Never checked the accuracy of this marvel of Romanian technology but I’m sure the only purpose it could ever have in the Romanian military or paramilitary would be was to strafe columns of colorful Gypsy caravans or execute deposed dictators. The Romy’s can keep them and learn from the aforementioned countries how to build them. Save your money, buy a non-Romy kit, and build your own AK with a decent receiver. Enough said!

  29. Waiting anxiously for delivery, all your reviews got me positively excited, would you put a scope on it, is it possible and what kind
    Happy new year, keep shooting!

    • If it has the side rail on the left side go to kalinkaoptics.com. They have just what you need. Expect the rail to maybe be on crooked though. Not usually a big deal the mounts they sell can be shimmed by loosening the screws that hold it all together. The nice thing is you can pull the mount off the rail to clean the rifle, and when you put it back on you’ve retained your zero.

  30. I own both a WASR and AR-15, both are great rifles and GREAT for self defense, the WASR has that classic intimidating AK look and the AR with a modern military look. The only problem I had with the WASR was its short (puny) rear stock, at least the AR was adjustable. But the WASR still performs excelent, but what did you expect its based off a Kalashnikov.

  31. Just got a call that mine is in..Im picking it up Friday. Cant wait to shoot it this weekend. Didnt see any sight cant or other problems listed. Paid 560 with 2 mags. Im planning on shooting the hell out of it like I do my other 30+ guns. It is my first AK. Just wondering if anyone knows about parts. If there is problems, are there parts available? Also… Where is the absolutely-with -out-a doubt cheapest ammo sold for this??

    • Well, you paid too much for a Romanian, which is undoubtedly the worst AK made. For $460, SOG is selling the superb Yugoslavian model but you get what you pay for. I think about resale value thus all my AK’s are either Bulgarian, Russian (Saiga convert), East German, and PolyTech preban. Use the cheapest ammo( Yugo, Russian, etc) as long as it is non-corrosive. They are all basically steel case with a dark green polymer paint or copper washed. So, don’t bother keeping the hulls for reloading. For parts and accessories and ammo I sometimes use AIMsurplus.com and buy a Shotgun News magazine for the cheapest prices. You can get dirty ammo for as little as 8 cents a round. Buy a case for about $100 to 200 depending on the count. I was smart and after the wall fell in Germany I bought 10 cases of 1360 rounds to a case and much to my surprise foung it to be armor piercing with a tungsten core. There are probably a billion AK’s out there and because 7.62X39 is such a effective round there is plenty of it around. As far as power and trauma, the AK round is a real manstopper. If you have the time, read the ballistic reports the botched ATF raid on the Waco compound. You will see an overwhelming KIA and WIA rate from the 7.62X39 round. The preacher guy David Koresh was hit by an ATF fired .223 round to the abdomen and was walking around with that gut shot for a few days before the compound was lit up. The AK’s only weakness is range and accuracy and range is not that big of an issue anyway. I have built an AK-74 in 5.45×39 AND IT IS SWEET! It is like shooting a BB gun. Parts are all over the place but for a Romy its like dressing up for the prom wearing blue denim coveralls.

  32. My WASR10 is absolute junk. It misfeeds more often than it works. The bolt doesn’t always close between rounds and it jams frequently. Save your money and buy a real gun.

    • I’ll second that comment. I mean, even a home build can have dimples to keep the mag from wiggling and wobbling. Don’t be seduced by the price. For a few hundred more you can have something that doesn’t make you look like a newbie!

  33. The WASR sells for $359. Magazines are a dime a dozen, The toughest magazines are the original Warsaw Pact steel mags. Parts are interchangeable but may need fitting. The WASR has a tough time with hollow points and the rifle is not accurate to pour any gadgets into. I would’t spend a dime on any fancy (tactical) looking parts. We have guys come into the shop with these monstrosities that used to be a Chinese SKS with almost every gadget on the market attached. Just like a used car lot; it is customized for the eye of the beholder, or, not every one has the same taste. They come in 3 months later angry that their weapon has not sold. They ask for my advice and I advise them to take all the crap off that you added, sell it individually online and sell the weapon as you bought it, and most impotantly take the gun and your attitude and sell it yourself and next time buy a car and trick it out with rims while your baby and its momma go hungry.

  34. WOW. Picked up the WASR 10/63 paid 560.00 came with (2) 30 round mags.It (I) will outshoot any other AK with this..! I had to allign the front sight pin with a c clamp before sighting it in. What a simple gun!!! cleaned the inside up then fired 250 rounds of cheap tulo ammo and the thing is SWEET!! Accurate, easy to shoot, and cool as hell. ( except for the red hot barrel) It is what an AK is supposed to be..simple/ reliable/ and bad ass. AKs are not designer or collector edition guns. They are war weapons. This thing is my new favorite..the bolt action is loose and awesome too and the sound of the bolt release make me shiver ( only a gun nut knows what I mean). A tiny bit of wobble in the front wood forearm and it didnt come with a cleaning rod in front or a cleaning kit in the stock. If you’re in the market, inspect the gun thuroughly first then dont hesitate to get one. ps. I own 30+ guns not a (newbie). So sorry if you have guns that cost 2xs as much and do the same thing.

  35. Have had my WASR10 for several years. Agree that the original furniture looks like it was made from the pallet it shipped on, but overall the best bang for the dollar. We bought 2 at the same time and had 2 issues; first gun has a rear windage adjustment seized and cannot be moved, second had the reciever pin locking spring mis-installed. I replaced all the furniture with polymer OD green, adjustable butt, weaver rails. Much improved ergonomics and aesthetics.
    Too many people think that if they spend more on a weapon they will be a better shot, more cool, etc. I own many firearms and this is one I would not sell.

    I have TruGlo sights on weapons that matter and tried to find some for my WASR but they are not made. If anyone knows where to find the tritium sights for the AKMP, I would love to put them on.

    • Good move on the polymer furniture. Instead of using a tacky AR/M-16 telescopic stock, which by the way, basically disintegrates under full auto suatained fire literally disintegrates unless you get a very good $$ one you’d be better off with an East German pushbutton bent wire side folding stock. That way you get full retractability instead of just a body armor sliding stock. I just as well would buy a Saiga rifle in 7.62X39 for $299, use simple tools to advance the trigger assembly, put an AK stock of choice on w/ AK pistol grip and AK parts of choice and for about you all seem to be paying for a WASR you will have a forged receiver, chrome lined barrel with all major components coming from Izvestia, the main Russian manufacturers of AK’s. It all comes together like a Russian AK. I put together an R4, A South African Galil, in 7.62 and I got the accuracy of an AR-15 or M-14, a dual safety that can be actuated without moving your hand from the pistol grip, and all the while using AK magazines with a last round hold open device. Unrelated to the subject but in the same overall area you should see the price of .308 and .223 prices coming down due to the war in Iraq’s end and the end in sight of our Afghanistan adventure winding down. Strategically speaking, certain calibers will still be sky high due to the M-4’s eventual replacement and 9mm will be replaced due to its poor performance on the battlefield and a replacement somewhere in the wings (I pray that 10mm will be looked at due to its superior knockdown power.) Enough for now, enjoy your WASRS but beware of, you will have to invest a little money for furniture and new muzzle brakes, along with other upgrades but beware of making the rifle so much a reflection of you that others will not want a painted canvas; they will want a blank canvas to make the rifle that reflects themselves. I have has 800 pound gorilla’s in my shop that have sat for months and months with nary a nibble to the point that I have had to call a consignee to come pick their custom rifle up after a month since it makes the showroom floor look as if items are not moving. For 6 months now I have refused to take in over customized firearms and only pay the sum of the parts which I strip down and sell as parts. Sometimes I will purchase 100 pistols and just strip them down for parts and sell the registered receivers to Numrich. Or, I will have a machine shop manufacture parts that are notorious for failing such as the CZ52 firing pins.

      • “with all major components coming from Izvestia, the main Russian manufacturers of AK’s”

        Um, PMD – that’s Izhmash, not Izvestia. The latter was a newspaper during the communist days. Just wanted to point that out… ))

    • I am completely sorry, but I totally and emphatically disagree with you about the WASR-10 being a bad rifle. Now I will admit I am more of an M4 man, however I recently bought a WASR-10 and I replaced the stock with a skeleton stock and I also bought a rail that fits on the back of the weapon. I added a nice Acog to the weapon and I can not express to you how happy I am with it. Right down to the grouping, it is perfect. I mean it is not as accurate as my M4 but it is very good nonetheless. I do not understand the hate, it is a good weapon and I totally stick by it. Just because it costs less than another gun means nothing. To the two people that are having jamming issues I guarantee that it is 90% your mags. I would have them changed, try a different mag and if that decent work maybe you have some internal issues. I had a Colt AR-15 that jammed on me constantly, so much so that I ended giving the rifle away. I cleaned it used different mags nothing worked so when people talk about the cost of a weapon being the fault is not always true. Sorry for the long post I just hate it when people slam someone else’s gun because they might not be able to buy the more expensive model.

      • If you want to know how bad the WASR is just read this months Shotgun News building a PSL article. I build better AK’s from part kits than Century sells.

  36. FYI. Who cares bout the damn furniture on an AK. The “furniture” doesnt make a bit of difference, The gun shoots and the shooters ability makes it accurate or ..not. PMD”””An empty canvas???””” I dont collect guns to re sell them..when they are mine, they stay mine. (unless they are saigas?.

    • Touchy, touchy, sounds like you are an unhappy Ford Pinto buyer. You buy a pos and then wonder why your pos isn’t worth gold when you pass on and your kin get that pos and realize that just because King Midas here didn’t turn it ti gold with his Midas touch. My philosophy is, from many years of collecting or just buying anything of value be it watches, antiques, firearms…: if you buy a pos today just for the “value” you’re getting you will not be so happy down the road when that product is worthless. We have many “cheap charlies” down here in Florida so I’m familiar with yall’s philosophy.

  37. I’ve got a WASR 10/63 that runs like a sewing machine. It feeds and fires anything. I have five mags for it, two new TAPCO polymer and three Eastern Block surplus. Four of the mags fit tight and feed with no issues. One of the military mags rattles and wobbles like a cheap car and even it has no functional issues. As to furniture, come on. Who cares? As long as it’s not on fire it’s all good, right? It was cheap, it’s ammo is cheap, it’s furniture does not burst into flame when I shoot it fast and it looks damn scary with the (mostly useless) bayonet mounted. In short, it’s a Kalash’ like any other. As a side bonus mine is dead accurate with a nice crisp trigger. And yes, I know that the accuracy and trigger were luck of the draw, I’ve run across plenty of WASRs with crap triggers and lousy barrels.

  38. We own several WASR10 and WASR 10/63M rifles. Before you say CAI WASR AK are junk I have to tell you you are wrong.

    There is a lot of AK envy out there and people who do not know everything. You hear the sights are off the wood is rough. There is a sight tool made to center the front sight and if you want pretty nice wood then this is not the gun for you! If you want a rifle that will fire every time and you can trust this is the one.

    The AK is made for military use and not a beauty show! We have tested one by NOT cleaning it for a year and it is fired once a month with no jams or problems. Now you will hear they are made from rejected parts. Not true do you think that a comblock country is just going to let parts pile up that were rejected? No; they would remelt them and use the resources again.

    I will take a WASR 10/63M over any other AK on the market. But if you feel you have to spend top dollar for an AK think again. Take the money you save and buy a night scope. Do your research and talk to actual AK owners. Don’t be fooled by I paid more so mine is better!

    IF you own a Saiga 7.69 or some other more expensive AK great!!! Just don’t act snobby and try to justify the cost by posting misleading information about a quality firearm.

    This DOES NOT MAKE THEM BAD GUNS!!!, Just bad in the form they are in…. ANY AK type gun just like an AR can have problems from the factory, and lucky for US most AK’s are extremely simple to work on and fix.

    Century has had some problems sure. If you have a problem send it in, it will be fixed problem solved!!!

    WASR 10/63’s are GREAT AFFORDABLE AK Firearms, and I am more than impressed with their accuracy, flawless reliability, and over all solid feel. Quit being a SNOB if you own anything you feel is fancier, at the end of the day these will go down in history as cheap, reliable, and just as accurate than any $700-1200 AK.

    • Keep this in mind, the majority of the G marked Romanian WASR’s etc, were issued to “factory militia” and were issued as factory “seconds” since “factory militia” were deemed politically unreliable and thus were priced accordingly. I like AK-47 but aside from the weight I prefer the AK-74. As far as quality and overall accuracy go, I like the Israeli Galil or South African R-4 in .223. The safety and longer sight picture make it more accurate and the milled receiver cuts down on receiver flex. As far as AK quality goes my “opinion” and every has one so be a man and don’t whine when I bash the Romy are: #1. Poly Tech Legend; #2. Poly Tech battle rifle; #3. Russian AKM; #5. Bulgarian AKM; #6. Yugoslavian M 70; #7. CZ (VZ) 58 (not technically an AK series of rifles.) #8. Hungarian FEG in all its variants;#9. Polish Beryl and Tantal, calibers 5.45X39 and 5.56X45; #10. DDR MPiK; Chinese Norinco; and, as I’m sure I’ve missed some and just to P/O you WASR owners the absolute worst of the bunch is the Romanian WASR. What qualifies me as a judge? I am a machinist, metallurgist and gunsmith. The AK brought in the most with a host of problem is the Romanian WASR series imported by Century Arms International. I have to say the four worst companies out there in terms of quality control and pure junk is Century, who have gotten a little wiser and have subcontracted most of their part kits with domestic receivers, SARCO, whose specials are anything but (I once ordered a deal on AR-15 parts and 1911A1 .45 parts were all out of spec and the metal was crystallized so as to snap into 2 or three pieces} Double Eagle, who probably have the first dollar they made because they will not accept legitimate returns, and Auto Ordnance or whatever they call themselves now, who jumped on the 10mm bandwagon by adding a 10mm barrel to a cast .45 with 2 recoil springs that make a takedown a near impossible. They made 500 of these junkers and after half of them exploded, cracked their cast frames and rails still refused to take these pos back unless a lawyer had to get involved. Now, their new products: Armalites made with polymer
      receivers and M1 Carbines that no one will buy because they cost as much as a real M1 Carbine costs. These companies are all on the skids now with the exception of Century International. The companies that value their customers take care of them after the sale.

      • I stand by my remarks and will put any of the eleven WASR AKs we own up against the others for shooting. As for the ak47 vs ak74 they are two different rounds 7.62×39 rd vs 5.45×39 rd.

        You have said you work in a gun shop. Sounds like your biased and whining I am sure profit motivates your opinion. As for your comment on CAI sounds like you have a bad taste in your mouth which also colors you view.

        We have date range receivers from 1972 up to 1982 and we have fired 1,000 of rounds through them with no problems. Even have had other LEOs try to jam them by firing drums hard. As for your remark”the majority of the G marked Romanian WASR’s etc, were issued to “factory militia” and were issued as factory “seconds” ” can you cite your information?

        So you know my back ground I server under an MOS of 97B during the 1980’s , I also worked for EG&G. I have been in law enforcement for 20years. These will take a bear down and I have done it. We could have full autos but these work fine and saved the department a hell of a lot of tax payer money.

        I am not attacking you I just want to know where you got your facts on the “seconds”?

    • Ok, enough, those of who want a WAST and swear by them, read the excellent gunsmith who is building the Romy SVD version of the quality of Romy products read about it a couple of a few issues back in Shotgun News. The gentleman who wants to know my sources, drop Peter Kokalis c/o ShotGun News back and ask his opinion. My shop carries AK’s cheaper than the WASR but better weapons. My opinion. I quit carrying tem because of the hassle of returns and Centuries slow turn around time. At this moment Century calls me with ten pack and 30 packs between $375 and $345. Please, no more posts about this firearm; buy what you can afford and if you are really up to it; quit whining and build your own. Just a small investment in tools and 9th grade shop class education. I build my own Russian AKM, and sold to people that know the difference between the flex between a milled receiver and a sardine can as far as accuracy goes.Don’t have the time to answer some of you cheap charlies that won, take the time to buy a kit and receiver and take a Romy down. Take one down and see your quality buy made by Gypsies or Roms.

  39. PMD…??? touchy touchy?? What does that mean? Cheap charlie?? OK. I have guns worth more than your vehicle..down in florida? Well, that says it all now doesnt it?

  40. I love my AK under folder. Un real, fired 200 rounds in 10 minutes with poly mags no jams, wobbles, mis feeds etc… Iron sights were perfect I put a Midwest industries tac rail system on an am awaiting my EOtech to mount er’ up. Only down…which isn’t a down because my M-4 at work gets f’ing hot as well firing like that! The selector is REALLY loud haha. My “furniture” was off with in 5 minutes of that gun being on my property. Other then that awesome. Cannot wait to do CQB, transition drills, and shoot move communicate drills!

  41. I purchased my WSSR 10 recently. It shoots well and the gas tube and front sight were properly aligned. It only took a little work to finsh the stock and it looks great. I think it is a good firearm for the money. It shoots great and to me, that is most important.

  42. I got a 1978 wasr and it shoots like a dream, replaced all the wood with tapco parts and put a red dot sight on it. My only problem with it is that it did not come with the cleanning rod, but heck as long as it keeps giving me 2 inch groups at 200 yards, I’m happy

  43. I got a 1978 wasr and it shoots like a dream, replaced all the wood with tapco parts and put a red dot sight on it. My only problem with it is that it did not come with the cleanning rod, but heck as long as it keeps giving me 2 inch groups at 200 yards, I’m happy.

  44. I just bought a GP WASR 10 this weekend, $600.00. Right here as word of a ban coming can’t find anything, (lucked out). The gun was new in the box with papers. Cleaned it up and oiled it ,shot it this past weekend. Awesome gun. Groups well no jams. Sent 80 rds down it. Time to buy some furniture and scope/mount. A rating

  45. Bought a 1967 wasr 2 years ago and sent thousands of cheap Russian ammo through it with no problems, aside from the super hot barral. I know its cheap and some people have had issues but its reliable and accurate for me. Served in Marines and Border Patrol and qualified with many firearms, this is a good multi purpose rifle that you can trust.

  46. Got my WASR 6 months ago. Finished the wood to give it that nice red glow, and used good old duct tape to “fix” the mag wobble. LOL. Put about 600 rounds through it, and thus far I’ve had one round stovepipe. That’s the only issue. Pretty reliable so far. Sights are good too. Those that say this rifle sucks need to put the barrel up their gun snob butt and pull the trigger.

  47. You got that sec. 922(r) business exactly wrong; AKs can have no more than ten imported parts on them- they need 6 USA made parts for compliance (read your own link).

  48. I bought my 1978 WASR 10/63 about a little over a year ago, in Indiana. Stock AK varients were going for about $1,000-$1,200 in all of the gun stores at the time. I got mine for $820.00 with the FFL transfer fee, and got it from Gunbroker.com. At the time, I got a steal. Mine has all ATI parts added, and there is no wobble or problems with the sights or anything. I have put a lot of rounds (I’m a Marine, a lot means a lot more than to most people) through it, and I have not had even a single round jam or had any weapon malfunctions at all. The first 200 rounds I fired through it were literally the day after I recieved it, and I didn’t clean it at all. There was already carbon in it, and I wanted to test it out without cleaning it to see how it functioned. I would never ever ever attempt this with an AR-15. So long story short, the WASR 10/63 is a great gun that works great, I guess as long as you don’t get an unlucky bad one if there is such a thing. It may be a cheap gun, but it fires true every time. Greatest money spent on a rifle yet!!

  49. I just bought a WASR10 and it came with a bayonet and eight (8) free magazines. The first thing I did was to put the bayonet on the AK and it fit just fine with no wobble. I had no trouble inserting a magazine until I loaded one with Hornady 7.62×39 ammo. The magazine did not want to fit into the AK. I loaded a Red Army round into the top of the magazine and it worked just fine. I thought the stock could use a little work to make it look nice but on the bright side I could actually use the safety without a hammer. I thought it was a fairly nice AK for the money and I’m glad I bought it. It also digested the rounds without any problems.

  50. I bought 2 WASRs 6 yrs ago. One of them had a problem with the bolt not always closing completely. It fired once in that position, which wasn’t pleasant or confidence inspiring. I took it to a local gunsmith. He told me to completely clean all the oil out of it and run 1000 rds of the cheapest 7.62×39 I could find though it. He said that’s what a conscript would be told to do. I did it and never had another problem. The other one I never had a problem with. I wouldn’t call it a tack driver by any means, but it has decent accuracy and always goes bang. I did put a Techsight on it as I just shoot better with an aperture sight. The techsight does make field stripping it trickier, but it works well for me. I found a slip on butt pad at Cheaper than gold that adds to the ergonomics for me. The furniture is just like it came, looks like one person said “the pallet it shipped on.” I don’t intend to change it. It’s an AK after all. It was never intended to be pretty. I bought a pile of grade 2 or 3 eastern European 30 rd steel mags from JG Sales. I washed them out in my parts washer and put them to work. They and the 20 rounders I got from Centerfire all work in the WASR. One of the guys at our private range asked me when I was gonna get those ugly magazines reblued. I told him when they start to rust I’ll just spray some flat black on them. This gun is just the Popeye of guns. “I yam what I yam.” It makes no excuses for itself. It just puts it shoulder down and goes to work. I like that about it.

  51. Just got a WARs and it shoots 2 inch groups at 5 miles. Also if you rub its belly and sing the Russian anthem it will make shot of vodka. My new favorite rifle

  53. I own two of these WASR 10’s. I bought the first one because it was inexpensive. I bought the second one because the first one shot so damn well I just had to have another. These are definitely two of the ugliest firearms I own, and definitely two of the most reliable firearms I own (I own a lot of quality firearms by the way). After shooting a few thousand rounds through them, I’ve yet to have a misfeed or jam on either one.

  54. Great article! – informative, well written and tastfully humourous. : )

    PMD Thank you too for your imput. I have written down the quality order you mentioned and thank you for the helpful tips. Could you possibly email me info on locating good kit for a build as you had mentioned? I’m new to this area of shooting and very much appreciate to the time you’ve taken to share your knowledge and experience. Lee

    • Good point Lee. People are so used to shopping Walmart they’ve lost their ability to think. You also have to consider the internet “trolls” who get their kicks out of spreading misinformation.

      I have some rifles. Some are fine precision weapons with distinguished histories. Some just good useful firearms that function well despite their low price. My WASR is one of those. Mine is not picky about mags, thankfully, as I have been able to take advantage of the Eastern European surplus market. It seems to eat anything, including hollow points, and soft points. I don’t worry about the slight mag wobble in mine. It disappears when the mags are loaded.

  56. I bought my WASR this past fall. Took it to the range the next day. Front site leaned left. Left it right there and still had a dead center 4in. group within 10 rounds. The small adjustments were quite simple. And, yes everything on this gun is as loose as a goose including the bolt. Oh yes, at 50 yards, holding free hand, iron sites, and 75 years old. Have only fired 250 rounds but no problem so far.

  57. I bought my Romanian WASR in May with my tax return (partial theft reimbursement) check. $899 with two magazines, pre ban barrel and the front pistol grip. It came with the cleaning kit, oil can, bayonet and accessory pouch. It’s my first rifle, I’ve shot my friends’ AK before but ifs so much cooler to have my OWN!

  58. The new WASR-10’s are good to go, Cugir in Romania is no longer using surplus parts, they are all new manufactured parts, Century appears to be milling out the mag wells now so now the mag wells are nice clean cut with straight lines. They come with new blond furniture instead of the surplus wood. These are highly recommended by AKOU, he has over 8K through his, ran over it with an SUV (twice), did the drop test on concrete several times, threw it a creek, and poured sand in it, its made it through the stress test where supposedly more expensive and “better” built rifles failed. They may not be the prom queen but its ALWAYS better to take the dirty girl home at the end of the dance because she keeps putting out reliably. BTW, the paint bubbled off of a $1,200 Arsenal when it got hot and rust was underneath the paint, but the WASR-10 still has its paint…hmm

    However, WASR’s are a bit overpriced currently with the average price being $750. I paid $570 for mine about 3 months ago…I’ve only taken it to the range once since I’ve had it and ran a couple of hundred rounds threw it without any problems…

  59. I bought a romanian ak 47 which was through international arms company and it is the biggest piece of shit gun I’ve ever paid money for.constantly jams up even after doing work on it!! called them up n all they could tell me that I needed to buy new replacements for it !, Wtf when it’s new outta the box.I’ve had bb guns that functions better that this piece of shit gun!! DON’T BUY ONE FROM INTERNATIONAL ARMS

  61. These americanised replicas really jacked the price up here in the hinterland. I remember stacking new and used ones in the back of a pickup when the price was $210 all over. Guns obtained through Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the PLO.

  62. What’s wrong with a 10-round magazine? Do you WANT to make the rifle heavy? I like my 10-round SKS. I don’t plan on shooting a tribe of terrorists here in the U.S.

    • An SKS is heavier than an AK with a full 30-round mag. If you want light, go buy an AR. The whole point of an AK is big 30 round bannana clips.

  63. Romanian AK 47 Kit DIY love it just for anyone knocking it I guess they have not being doing not a DAM thing right. I have not had no problems Just like my first Chinese Type 56 DIY kit no problems

  64. I bought 2 WASR’s in 2010 for 185.00 each at Dunham Sports. They are bad ass guns! After 2000 rounds each I have never had a jam. Keep them clean and lightly oiled is all tha’s needed. Great investment and I highly recommend them!

  66. I have read that there is WASR-10s and WASR-10/23s, and that the quality and function of the 10/23 is far better. All I know is that I got a Century Arms 10/23 for under $500 years ago, and I have never had a single problem with it. The mag well was probably cut out, it seems visually rough, and I remember the reciever was full of metal shavings when I bought it. I took it straight out and shot it without cleaning or anything, it functioned flawlessly. Has never jammed once. Probably a small amount of mag wobble, but I thought that was normal, and it doesnt effect function at all. Definitely a ‘loose’ gun, but I assumed that was the way it was supposed to be. Accuracy is perfect for me, I went shooting the other day, and was pleased when I was hitting clay pigeons at 40 yards with the AK more consistently than we had been with .22s before. Finish is on the rough side, but acceptable for an AK. It is all about function after all. I have never handled a Russian example to compare, but I doubt this is much worse. The interior bits are much better, all chromed and shiny.

  67. Stumbled on a deal a few years back….. this WSAR-10 is amazing beyond my expectations! Added a Midwest Industries railed forend and a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot to keep it cheap as I really didn’t expect much. I was pleasantly surprised while out on the ranch with friends, gun in hand and I said “watch this” as I proceeded to ring the 8″x16″ plate at 265 yds. Standing, offhand! Of course everybody said “lucky shot” so I did it 5 more times just to prove I could. BTW, the 50/200 zero works well for this caliber and the TRS-25 was a 3moa dot.

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