SAR 1

Jeremy D

July 12, 2004 05:16

My SAR 1 is stamped on the reciver, I dont know if there all made that way. There are higher priced AKs out there. That I hear are better made, but I have put 2000 rounds through mine with no problem at all. And it loves the cheap WOLF ammo from russsia.

Hope it helps a little

Jeremy D[8D]

9/11 WE WILL NEVER FORGET

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competentone

July 12, 2004 06:26

I wouldn't say the SAR1 is the only really good AK, I'd say it is probably the "best value" in the "semi-auto AK-with-pistol-grip" family.

It's Romanian, but has enough American parts to allow for the pistol grip and to (legally) accept high capacity magazines (without having the magazines modified by adding American make parts--usually the floor plate and follower).

Some of the earlier imported SAR1's were "rough," (though they'd still work fine); the later imports started to look better.

Some say to avoid the "WASR" (or is it "WSAR"?)--these are also Romanian, but didn't have enough American parts so they were made and imported with thumbhold style stocks and a narrow magazine well that would only accept a narrow 10-round magazine. My understanding: These were not good sellers, so what the importers did was modify these by putting in American made parts which allowed them to add a pistol grip stock and machine out the magazine well to accept the standard high-cap AK magazine. These are normally marked with the "WASR", but you can tell them from a distance by noticing that there are no "dimples" on each side of the receiver at the magazine well.

I don't have any experience using the WASR, but have heard others say that the "machined out" magazine well without the "dimples" results in a more "sloppy" fit of the magazine (with, I guess, the possibility of less reliable function).

I personally would be reluctant to buy a WASR--that accepts high-capacity magazines--from any where other than new from a dealer; if someone bought the WASR in it's original 10-round only capacity and machined out the magazine well to accept high-cap magazines without also adding the required additional American made parts, the gun is technically in an "illegal configuration"--odds are you'd never have trouble with it, but I don't want the possiblity of any hassles--especially when I can get what I know is a completely legal AK so easily.

"Strength is the outcome of need; security sets a premium on feebleness." -- H.G. Wells (The Time Machine)

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drobs

July 12, 2004 08:57

I own a 2003 Sar1 and will buy a WASR10 soon. I have heard nothing horrible about the WASR10's.

Here's a website that has tons of SAR1/WASR10 info.
http://www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/links.htm
Sometimes the mag well on the Wasr10's do need to be cleaned up a bit.
Check out:
http://www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/wasrwell.htm

PS:
Here's a pic of my SAR1

Buy one or 3!!!

Regards,

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bingeebob

July 12, 2004 10:45

i own WASR-10. i have ran almost 2000 rounds of wolf russian ammo through it and have never had any kind of malfunction. the weapon is suprisingly accurate for an AK, also, the barrel and chamber are chrome lined so it will last a really long time, fit and finish is very good on the metal parts, the wood didnt match so i painted it. has no trouble with the 30, and 40 round magazines. if you are going to buy one, check out the magwell, CAI machined these out to accept hicaps, i would ask if you can try the magwell out with a hi cap magazine before you buy. overall, i would definetly recommend the WASR-10 hicap. i paid 339 for mine.

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bluegoose11

July 12, 2004 15:26

Thanks guys I appreciate all the information

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein

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kenneth and melissa

July 12, 2004 16:13

Check this out http://www.ak47world.com/images/rifles.html

Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms. . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

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drobs

July 13, 2004 05:49

quote:Originally posted by kenneth and melissa
Check this out http://www.ak47world.com/images/rifles.html

Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms. . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

That website is full of crapp!!! Don't even waste your time with it the guy is an idiot.

Regards,

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lrarmsx

July 13, 2004 07:09

I've handled AK's for the last 18 years, I didn't find anything on that website that seemed totally out of line. I personally have experienced some of the problems that he describes about the put together AK's from Maadi and Romania (SAR's) I must admit however, I haven't seen the problem he mentions about the Arsenal Bulgarian US made guns and their finish. Then again I haven't tried to burn one of these up either.

As for the receiver wall thickness and the reliability of the Chinese AK's, I would say that he is right on the money. I started selling the Norinco's back in 1986 and have never had a single problem with one that was caused by the manufacturer. Guys taking the internals out and not getting them back in right...Yes. Guys shooting corrosive ammo, not cleaning them, and then storing them in a wet basement for 5 years, yes. (I had to beat that one apart with a hammer, but it did still work after I cleaned it up). A credit to the Norinco manufacture I felt.

Anyway, the SAR 1 is better than some of these put together out of junk parts on someone else's receiver things that you'll find out there (ie. Hesse, FEG {receiver only}, other no-name receivers with surplus parts, etc.) Don't get me wrong, actual Hungarian FEG factory made guns are good, just that building a gun off of their bare reciever may or may not be even close to the quality of the factory made weapon. However the SAR 1 and the WASR series of rifles are not as smooth as some of the previous offerings. Yes for the most part they work, but they could be better. As for the WASR specifically, I have had several people have difficulty with the mag wells not being cut correctly. I myself have had to work on them to get them to accept all countries AK mags. There are apparently some slight tolerance differences between some of the mags and the drums. Overall I think the SAR 1 and its various Romanian counterparts or okay, but they should NOT be considered to be the BEST available, now or in the past. If they were the BEST, they wouldn't be the CHEAPEST. The same holds true within the Romanian line-up itself. You will sometimes find the WASR's to be less than the SAR 1. There is a reason for that. A gun that was factory made to take a high cap mag is better than one that was modified (in the US) to take a high cap. Guns that were made all original in the factory are better than ones built partially there, partially here, with some of their parts, with some of our parts, by guys who may have never built an AK until last week when they got hired by the US importer.

Anyway the overall deal on the Romanian SAR 1's is that they are a decent AK currently available on the US market at a very reasonable price. There have been better made AK's on the US market over the last 20 years, but any of the better ones are hard to find and notably more expensive. Most people that buy a Romanian AK will find it to be a lot of fun and a great way to entertain themselves (and others) at the range. However if they ever try one of the better AK's, only then will they realize what they are missing with the Romanian. Final note, most people aren't buying an AK for its looks or beautifully smooth trigger, so if it works and hits where it is supposed to, that is really all that matters. Besides the less you spend on the gun, the more money you have left for additional mags and lots of ammo.

LRARMSX

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SAR 1

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