Quentin
Member
(I suppose this has been reported many times before but haven't seen a thread on it here.)
I bought my WASR 10/63 about four years ago cheap at a gun show but it was an older one with a welded muzzle nut. Otherwise it looked good and the years have proved it functions properly. I've been quite pleased with this rifle.
The muzzle nut has bugged me since it doesn't do anything to protect the barrel's crown and is no longer required (at the federal level) since the AWB sunsetted in 2004. However once you cut the weld and expose a threaded muzzle, you have increased the federally required 922r parts count for an imported AK from 5 to 6 U.S. made parts. So a muzzle device screwed on must be of US manufacture if you don't already have six or more US made parts to comply with federal law.
Many times I toyed with the idea of replacing the nut with a proper muzzle device but couldn't see any threads and had heard that some AKs don't have a threaded muzzle. I even talked to a gunsmith about doing it but he didn't want to mess with it. And of course there's the old saying, "If it ain't broke..."
Finally, last week I decided to do it myself after inspecting the spot weld closely and determining a hacksaw should do the job. And logic said that Century Arms International would not bother welding on a muzzle nut unless the "evil" threads actually were there. (If it had been more than a spot weld and the threads actually had been bound then this would have turned into a big job.)
So after an overnight soaking of penetrating oil, about 15 minutes of careful hacksaw work cut through the spot weld and I was able to unscrew the nut (left hand threads, turn the opposite way than normal!) Yay, there were threads! And no harm done to the barrel. I cleaned up the threads and that part was done. The penetrating oil really helped with unscrewing the nut and freeing up the spring plunger detent that holds on an unwelded muzzle device.
I already had a AK slant muzzle brake and the RPK style flash hider and decided to go with the flash hider. Both were made by Tapco here in the USA (and are clearly marked as such) so even though by cutting the weld I had increased the legal number of US made parts by one, I was adding a US part so still was complying with federal law. (Fortunately this violates no local laws here either, though it does in a few other states or cities.)
Now came a little snag, both the slant brake and flash hider rattle a bit when screwed on. A very thin washer is needed to correct this or I may just cut another notch on the flash hider for the spring detent. Still thinking about this right now, I expected both of them to be clocked properly to fit snug.
I'm curious how many slant brakes are loose in other AKs, never thought to check that when I've seen them.
One thing that could be disastrous is there are similar muzzle devices for the AK-74 and its smaller bullet. I don't think the thread pattern is the same but I definitely checked to make sure a 7.62 bullet does fit through the RPK flash hider. Snug fit but it does pass through. But that snug diameter does make me want to solve the flash hider's loose fit and rattle which could affect accuracy.
Anyway, thought I'd pass this along in case anyone else is thinking about it. Not a hard thing to do at all if you take your time and ensure that you comply with any laws that apply to you.
I bought my WASR 10/63 about four years ago cheap at a gun show but it was an older one with a welded muzzle nut. Otherwise it looked good and the years have proved it functions properly. I've been quite pleased with this rifle.
The muzzle nut has bugged me since it doesn't do anything to protect the barrel's crown and is no longer required (at the federal level) since the AWB sunsetted in 2004. However once you cut the weld and expose a threaded muzzle, you have increased the federally required 922r parts count for an imported AK from 5 to 6 U.S. made parts. So a muzzle device screwed on must be of US manufacture if you don't already have six or more US made parts to comply with federal law.
Many times I toyed with the idea of replacing the nut with a proper muzzle device but couldn't see any threads and had heard that some AKs don't have a threaded muzzle. I even talked to a gunsmith about doing it but he didn't want to mess with it. And of course there's the old saying, "If it ain't broke..."
Finally, last week I decided to do it myself after inspecting the spot weld closely and determining a hacksaw should do the job. And logic said that Century Arms International would not bother welding on a muzzle nut unless the "evil" threads actually were there. (If it had been more than a spot weld and the threads actually had been bound then this would have turned into a big job.)
So after an overnight soaking of penetrating oil, about 15 minutes of careful hacksaw work cut through the spot weld and I was able to unscrew the nut (left hand threads, turn the opposite way than normal!) Yay, there were threads! And no harm done to the barrel. I cleaned up the threads and that part was done. The penetrating oil really helped with unscrewing the nut and freeing up the spring plunger detent that holds on an unwelded muzzle device.
I already had a AK slant muzzle brake and the RPK style flash hider and decided to go with the flash hider. Both were made by Tapco here in the USA (and are clearly marked as such) so even though by cutting the weld I had increased the legal number of US made parts by one, I was adding a US part so still was complying with federal law. (Fortunately this violates no local laws here either, though it does in a few other states or cities.)
Now came a little snag, both the slant brake and flash hider rattle a bit when screwed on. A very thin washer is needed to correct this or I may just cut another notch on the flash hider for the spring detent. Still thinking about this right now, I expected both of them to be clocked properly to fit snug.
I'm curious how many slant brakes are loose in other AKs, never thought to check that when I've seen them.
One thing that could be disastrous is there are similar muzzle devices for the AK-74 and its smaller bullet. I don't think the thread pattern is the same but I definitely checked to make sure a 7.62 bullet does fit through the RPK flash hider. Snug fit but it does pass through. But that snug diameter does make me want to solve the flash hider's loose fit and rattle which could affect accuracy.
Anyway, thought I'd pass this along in case anyone else is thinking about it. Not a hard thing to do at all if you take your time and ensure that you comply with any laws that apply to you.
Oh, bout forgot...welcome to THR!