"Cugir" Rifle
 

Sold my home defense rifle last year. But still need one. Rifle price returned to normal recently, so got one. This is the postwar icon gun.

CAI imported. Looks being a parts gun. More than one number and more than one maker of parts, including US made parts. But it's unfired, the rod in gas tube is silver bright...Will try it over this weekend.

Did they ship this rifle with no cleaning rod? Is the muzzle threaded?

The rifle has no cleaning rod. Initially, I thought the dealer lost it. But I noticed same rifles carried by other dealers in the local area do not have cleaning rod either. So, no rod.

The muzzle has a ring installed. No threading on it. It's illegal here to install a flash hider, so they put a ring at the muzzle.

Rifle is mainly based on Romanian parts. The trigger is marked USA. The magazine is marked China.

I had one some years ago, that belonged to my "needs" to acquire more experience with that sort of firearms. :-)
Mine was brand new, and entirely made in Romania. I did not go overboard for it, in fact after about one year I sold it and never missed it ever after. Apparently among the best ones there are the ones made in the ex DDR .
For home defence I use a Glock 17, but it's just a matter of personal choices.
Anyway congratulations for your AK

Thank God! That muzzle ring instead of a flash hider makes it SO much safer!! :)

Didn't California just declare that AKs were not covered under the 2nd. Amendment?

That's probably a Tapco G2 trigger, many AKs come with these nowadays. I had a heavy and gritty trigger with lots of trigger slap in my SAR-1, but changing to a G2 cured it all. :thumbup:

Yes! the trigger is marked Tapco!

Fired 140 rounds from it in range. The gun performed great. No manufacturing issue. It does have two designer's issues IMO though: (1) the fixed stock is a little bit too short, making aiming uncomfortable; (2) the front laminated wood grip does not block heat well, it became very uncomfortable to hold after firing mere 60 rounds. Other than that, this gun is very good.

Very nice Alvin :cheers:, too bad we can't have these in CA :soapbox:

Sure you can. I built this earlier this year at a build party. For the short stock I slip on a one inch extension when shooting.

https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/...00667593_n.jpg

Please also note the bulge on the holding wood of the barrel on Tony's rifle, this must be modified to resolve the (2) issue mentioned above.

Fired another 220 rounds in range. It worked fine.

I put a rubber stock extension on mine, it's a quick and cheap fix that makes it much more comfortable to shoot. The forearm on mine is made from some lightweight wood that blocks the heat quite well, but the steel rivet that goes through it sure gets hot after shooting a few mags. I have been thinking about replacing it with a shorter, recessed rivet, but it's one of those rainy day projects that probably won't get done... :rolleyes:

You can buy furniture pretty cheap. Mine is original Egyptian Maadi except for the requisite number of American made parts to make it legal.

Ironwood Designs makes extended AK butt stocks and furniture for many other semi-autos.

Experienced a problem on Kalash. Here is the story.

Carried this AK to range. First shot is normal. 2nd time pushing the trigger, it fired 2 rounds out, slam fire. 3rd time pushing the trigger, it fired 4-5 rounds.... and I felt the trigger was moving,,, moving horizontally. Something was seriously wrong.

Then, I checked it -- the trigger pivot pin had dropped to the ground, and the trigger was totally out of place.

I had disassembled this rifle a few days ago. So, I must installed something wrongly when I put it back?? There was a thin stainless steel wire spring on the left side of the receiver, which I did not think its function while putting it back. It went in anyway. Probably that spring was installed wrong!

Returned to home, I disassembled it again, and inspected the function of that wire spring carefully -- it turned out that wire spring does not do anything except holding the hammer pivot pin and trigger pivot pin in place. And the worst part -- even with hammer and trigger out, I could not install this spring to perform its function properly. It must be deformed a little bit when I disassembled the gun a few days ago.

Study on internet messages showed this is a common problem on Kalash type of rifle. A design issue. There is a formal name for this wire spring, called "Shephard's Crook". It's a nightmare.

Fortunately, US gunsmith designed a pin retainer plate to replace this wire clip, which solves this issue. Ordered one. Waiting its arrival.

The hammer pin, trigger pin, and sear pin (which your AK should not have) all have a groove cut near the head. The 'full auto' spring fits in these three grooves. When it is assembled semi-auto, you do not have the sear pin so full-auto spring does not work. The spring you have is a band-aid to try to fix this.

I use C-clips on my pins, available at pretty much any hardware store. Pin does not walk out.

For a better fix, some owners drill for a small Cotter pin. Much safer.

I thought about C-clips... with hammer and trigger in, it might be hard to install and deinstall (especially hard to see hammer pin groove due to the wrapping hammer spring).

Waiting pin retaining plate to come. Most reviews say it's good, some reviews complaint plate fitness, too thin etc. I will know very soon :)

But, don't you agree this being a design fault? The "paper clip" is simple in structure, easy to make, low cost, lots of advantages, but obviously easy to install for dummy was not in the original consideration. For this tiny wire's important function, I would think the retaining plate solution is much more appropriate.

Yes, it is hard to get the hammer C-clip in. Like Luger flat mainspring. :) Needs vise to hold action, small screwdrivers to push C-clip in position. I think I pushed in from magazine well.

I did mine several years/decades ago. No flat plate then. if it is spring steel and notched like roller chain master link clip, it should be good. Please post pics & manufacturer/distributor when it comes. ;)

Well, it is not Kalashnikov's design fault...He designed selective fire, not semi-auto... :thumbup:

Blame importer... :D

Visited store and inspected another Cugir WASR-10/63 rifle. A little bit surprised. Originally, I thought I deformed the Shephard's Crook when I took it out so it does not work anymore after I put it back. But inspecting another WASR indicated that was not the case -- on this WASR in store, the position of the crook is too high and it does not even touch the groove on the trigger pin, the pin does not fall out simply because attrition with the receiver !! Then, I am sure this pin will come out one day or another in range, inevitable.

So the quality of CAI assembly still has lots of room for improvement.

Is this the 'shepherd's crook' on the left??? I have to admit I don't know how it goes in anymore...I think it went under one pin and over the other...But I don't remember where/what anchored it... :confused:

Thanks for the pictures. It's interesting to notice different manufacturers having different versions of this pin retaining wire. On WASR-10/63, it looks different. Please note the wire does not positively lock into the trigger pin groove. It marginally touches the trigger pin!! No wonder the trigger pin could drop out during firing. I can blame Century Arms for their low quality, and work around the problem by rearrange the position of the folding a little bit, but I will go the better way -- install a pin retaining plate into this rifle.

Looking at your pics, I would think you could make a better retaining spring out of 3/64" music wire that has the same basic shape but goes over the hammer pin and under the trigger pin (opposite what that spring does). The coil on the safety/selector lever would still anchor the spring. Maybe make the hammer tang point down instead of up (or just eliminate it).

The idea of a 'plate' interests me. :thumbup:

I had a side scope mount for one of my AKs that used screws instead of pins. I don't recall how that worked. :rolleyes: It was drilled & tapped for the third pin/screw.

Not sure who invented this plate. AK fans' comments on it was impressive, "it's a leap forward improvement for AK rifle". I guess it's invented by an American gunsmith trying to solve this issue from the root. But not sure. I heard a high-end Russian made commercial semi-auto AK (V.... something, I forgot the model name) now has this type of plate in place. It's a simple invention solving big problem.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/685...er-plate-ak-47

Wow... :eek: Neither of these is what I expected... :rolleyes:

Edit: Second pic is motorcycle/conveyer/garbage truck master link. Top piece is the clip, which is what I envisioned for a proper AK pin retainer...Two of these could be used to hold AK pins...

I don't follow the AK scene much anymore...But I would like to get a 4-piece laminated wood set...Do any of you AK guys know of a site that sells the laminates??? :confused:

You can try this site, they carry TAPCO AK furniture:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=762793

Plate arrived. It works, but it's a little bit loose. I bent its back end more, so it also performs like a flat spring compressed a little bit by the safety pin, then the loosing issue disappeared :cheers:

I have an old WASR that I have shot quite a bit. I find that one of the issues with these stamped style receivers is the wear on the rails where the bolt rides. Mine still shots great, but the bolt has a little bit of play when sitting on the rails made to hold the bolt. You can see obvious wear along that rail. Ive had it for a while now and shot a butt load of rounds through that AK. Never once had a jamming issue or problem with it shooting. They are fun guns to shot, but you can tell they are cheap made. I still love the gun though. I wouldn't trade it in for just anything. Well... I can think of some things I would trade it for. Something a little bit more collectable.

Thanks for the link! I looked at those, but thought the price was rather high...But they also had -

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=860920

Which looks the same to me but without Tapco's name...Anyway, I ordered a set...I'll post pics when they get here...

BTW: Both sets look varnished...Original AK stocks had no finish on them...Just bare plywood... :)

I am interested in the thick lower handguard.

Cugir WASR was originally made as a 10-shot rifle with narrow opening under the receiver for single-column magazine. If loading 10 rounds, firing them, loading another 10 rounds into the magazine, that takes time, so the barrel cools a little bit.... that thin lower handguard is OK.

Century Arms reworked the rifle to accept 30-round double column magazine, but they did not change the lower handguard. After firing 60-70 rounds, operator would feel the heat penetrating from the thin wood. It's very uncomfortable to hold the damned thing firmly after shooting 100 rounds.

Ordered a cleaning rod from internet. Not useful, but without it, I always feel this rifle misses something :)

Rod isn't useful unless buttstock 'cleaning kit' is ordered as well. :)

The rod is supposed to be delivered today. But I have not seen the little white truck coming yet....

Bought a copy of Chivers' book "THE GUN". He had a colorful description on 1947 AK trial in Russia:

At NIPSMVO, the loaded rifles were submerged for long periods in swamp water, then expected to fire. Then came the "sand bath", with each rifle dragged through ash, broken bricks, and fine sand -- first by the barrel, then by the stock -- until the rifles were filthy and every opening in the weapon was clogged. "After that, without any sort of cleaning.... they were fired," Kalashnikov said. Again uncertainties stalked the designer. "Despite myself, I began to doubt that further shooting would proceed without failures," he wrote. Zaitsev consoled him. The prototype fired almost flawlessly. "Look, look," Zaitsev said, during one course of fire. "The sand is flying in all directions, like a dog shaking off water -- look".....

Tests continued until January 11, 1948. The result were presented to a thirteen-member technical and scientific commission, which decided Kalashnikov's avtomat most closely fulfilled the requirements of the 1945 order. Mikhail Kalashnikov's submission had won. It was not without flaws, and needed much follow-on work, which would be assigned to other engineers. But it was an acceptable descendant of the sturmgewehr.

My Sportsman's AK stock set was delivered today...By Fed-Ex... :mad:

(It appears that instead of leaving it at my door, or my side gate, they just threw it over the fence...) :grr:

Anyway, pics below, shown compared with my other fixed-stock AK...Both with rods, which need the cross-tool from the 'cleaning kit' to poke through the big end of the rod for use as a 'handle'...

The Sportsman's 4-piece set doesn't look too bad; varnished, but Metric plies, so probably Romanian like my two parts kits...3 of the 4 pieces slid/screwed right on, the lower handguard was too long and needed a lot of trimming...

Buttstock only has 12 3/4" length of pull...I like a longer buttstock, as well as one wider/taller...

Definitely not military issue...Wish it was; I like battered furniture... :)

Haven't decided if I'll strip the finish off...The varnish is actually well done, no runs, no sags...

Much better looking than the ugly brownish-purple plastic furniture the Romanian parts kits came with...

Your new stock looks very cool.

My rod did not arrive today. A little bit panic on USPS Tracking -- it indicates "Delivered". Needless to say, they delivered to wrong address :( Have to wait a few days to see any neighbor got it or not....