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Codger | 03-17-2008 02:47 PM
Cheap AK maintenance I recently was given a Romanian AK (imported by Century) for a debt payment of about $100. It's in rough shape, particularly the receiver which looks like it was stamped and put together by a 5th grade shop class drop-out. I've got a few problems with it. First, It will not stop rusting. I have scrubbed the heck out of it and even with a coat of Rusty Duck I still get surface rust on the receiver only. It sits nect to two other long guns that have no corosion issues and are stored in a basic "wiped" state. I've re-scrubbed that receiver three times and it after about a month the rust is back. If this were not such a cheap gun I'd toss it out the window. Also, It's in a humidity controlled environment. Aside from the advice I am looking for on how to keep this junker from rusting out, I am having trouble getting any of my ProMags to fit. They will go in but it's a workout. Also, would you think it was worthwhile to just replace the receiver? I've got a friend who would let me use his shop to finish a flat or should I just purchase a milled version?

Prometheus | 03-17-2008 02:56 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Some of them do have rust issues, but normally a good through cleaning of it removing 100% of the rust stops it. Since that isn't working, clean it and have it reparked or clean it and paint it. If it's just the outside, krylon that mother! Inside as well, get some of the 'bake ons' like brownells. As to the promags... promags tend to suck almost as bad as the USA mags, it's just as likely an issue with the mags as it is the rifle. If you are using russian, romainian, bulgarian or chinese mags you won't have that problem. The Romainian AK's are awesome guns.. if you are willing to put in a hour or twos work (easy work, not diffcult just time consuming) and invest another 10-50 dollars depending on what you picked up since they can be a bit of a shoot. I love mine... I also did some polishing with a dremel to clean up the crappy trigger parts. Now they are crisp and clean. Rust is a beast of thing... if you don't get it all, it just keeps coming back and back. Try another 100% cleaning with some of the "ed's red" Dave posted earlier and then coat it in heavy oil for awhile. Either a drenching of gun oil or WD40 or preferably a nice coat of 5w30 motor oil.

wallew | 03-17-2008 03:22 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Codger, You are not using the right stuff. Try using Birchwood/Casey products. No, I don't work for them, but their stuff is great for touch up. IF you reciever is darker blue or near black, I've ALWAYS liked the Birchwood Casey ALUMINUM Black. Once you are SURE you have removed ALL the rust, then just apply one of their bluing or black products and this WILL STOP this issue. I've used them for more than ten years. Let us know how it comes out.

Codger | 03-17-2008 03:51 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Since complaining about the Romanian AK and mentioning Promags don't fit well most people are blaming the mag. I've had great luck with their AK mags on every other AK I fired and a few other firearms. It seems to me that there is a receiver issue. I should also mention that the standard steel mags are a monster too. I should post some photos of this thing. It's really crappy. Wallew, Rusty Duck is just a lube that I've always used to wipe down my firearms. It's pretty common in the trap-shooting world. Don't know why I use it, just habit I guess. I'm going to check out your idea. I'm going to sit down with it again this weekend and see what I can accomplish with another cleaning. Then I'll check into parkerizing or maybe duracoating the thing. At least I only "paid" a small amopunt for it so putting money into it is not a big deal.

mtnman | 03-17-2008 06:20 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Rust-o-leum paint inside and out that will stop the rust problem. Beat-up surplus mags, that�s what the AK lives on, buy some. Other than that they need no up-keep.

Fullpower | 03-17-2008 06:49 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance how about a toothbrush and a bottle of sae 10 light machine oil? that ought to do it.

Abouthadit | 03-17-2008 06:56 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance If it is one of the WASR-10s which were originally designed for single stack mags , the magazine well was probably reamed out to accept the hi-cap mags. If that is the case, then they will wobble but still function.

wallew | 03-17-2008 09:58 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Romanian Kalashnikov Rifles Information http://www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/model.htm

Prometheus | 03-17-2008 10:47 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Quote:
Originally Posted by Abouthadit (Post 1016554) If it is one of the WASR-10s which were originally designed for single stack mags , the magazine well was probably reamed out to accept the hi-cap mags. If that is the case, then they will wobble but still function.
Thats what I was thinking when I saw his last post, only in this case, they may not have removed enough and thus the tight fits. WASR10's run the gambit from spot on to tolerance differences you measure in millimeters! Gopod news it's an AK and it's an easy fix by removing more metal or if too lose adding J-B-Weld and then smoothing it down. :wink:

nub | 03-17-2008 11:05 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Quote:
Originally Posted by wallew (Post 1016191) Codger, You are not using the right stuff. Try using Birchwood/Casey products. No, I don't work for them, but their stuff is great for touch up. IF you reciever is darker blue or near black, I've ALWAYS liked the Birchwood Casey ALUMINUM Black. Once you are SURE you have removed ALL the rust, then just apply one of their bluing or black products and this WILL STOP this issue. I've used them for more than ten years. Let us know how it comes out.
Thank you Wallew, I purhased some of their product line, I have an old 3 bolt Rueger 44 mag and an older winchester model 55 30/30....and a few others that need some TLC . Thanks again.

Codger | 03-18-2008 04:26 PM
Re: Cheap AK maintenance Good advice all around guys. Thanks much. It was a single stack before Century got a hold of it. It looks like the mag opening was not completed to specs. I can fix this now. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

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