New WASR 10/63 Questions

[Wolfpackin]

I just got my GP WASR 10/63 from Atlantic Firearms and everything looks good but I have a few questions as this is my first AKM.

The Tapco slant break is loose on the threaded barrel, I can easily wiggle it with my fingers or by shaking the rifle. It's threaded on and the pin is in the indent keeping it from coming off, it's just not screwed down tight.
But is it OK, normal, for it to be so loose and wiggly?

The rear sight has yardage numbers from 1-10 but also has a "P" notch below the 1 and another notch below the "P".
What's the "P" ?
Where do I set the sight for shooting inside 100 yards?
Inside 50 yards?

During cleaning I'm getting a lot of brown rust (I assume) off the metal parts.
I can't really see any rust it just keeps coming off the parkerized finish.
Is this normal?
Should I keep rubbing and cleaning, or just do a once or twice over and call it good?

Thanks.

 

[Quentin]

Slant brakes often rattle a little. You can take it off and file it some so that it will turn almost another 360 degrees. File real slow when you get close and you can get it to snug down tight just as it clicks into the detent.

I noticed some brown color when rubbing the finish, never was a problem and mine is now four years old.

 

[SpentCasing]

"P" is your battle zero. Select that and you will be at "minute of man" within 300m.

 

[Clockwerk]

That wiggle is VERY common nothing to sweat, and +1 to what SpentCasing said. As far as the "rust" thats a very common issue with AK's but it isn't really harmful but make sure you clean the inside of the mags too if you run those steel mags.

 

[Gordon_Freeman]

I saw a video on youtube where a guy put a small ring from a key-chain between the muzzle brake and the barrel and it tightened it up.

 

[nalioth]

The slant brake is not the only loose fitting part you're gonna find on an AK.

If "loose" bothers you, well, get ready for some bother. The AK is designed with loose tolerances, which is the primary reason for its resilience and reliability.

 

[fatcat4620]

Mine has the rust thing too but I rub it down with gun lube often and it helps alot.

 

[winchester '97]

Other than the caliber its a good gun, i prefer the 5.45 for price of ammo, but 7.62x39 is a great little round.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

Clean it, then clean it again. I acutally dipped mine in hot soapy water (Dawn) and scrubbed it with a soft nylon brush & A dollar store tooth brush for small areas. The brown is not rust in my experience it is cosmoline rubbed into the parkerized finish. Rinse and dry (Dry really well) then re-oil well. Remove the wood first. Then go to youtube and figure out how to refinish the wood.

The slant muzzle break is supposed to be off-set. All are lose a little If you tighten it and file it, make sure it ends up in the same position.

Shooting an AK at shorter than 50 yards will find you aiming low, there is no sight setting for that close in. Verify with the range if you are at one, that it is built for rifle rounds....fmj at that. One way to figure this out is to field strip the rifle. Prop it up and aim it at something. Shift your view to look through the barrel (From the receiver side) and see where it is pointing.

P is the battle sight setting, as mentioned above. "Minute of Man" at 300 meters.

My AKs are minute of paper plate, off hand, 100yds, rapid fire.

 

[Wolfpackin]

Thanks very much for the responses.

If "loose" bothers you, well, get ready for some bother. The AK is designed with loose tolerances, which is the primary reason for its resilience and reliability

It doesn't really bother me just wanted to make sure that having that thing wobble around on the end the bullets come out was OK.

Shooting an AK at shorter than 50 yards will find you aiming low, there is no sight setting for that close in. Verify with the range if you are at one, that it is built for rifle rounds....fmj at that. One way to figure this out is to field strip the rifle. Prop it up and aim it at something. Shift your view to look through the barrel (From the receiver side) and see where it is pointing.

Thanks.
No range around here just open space and hills as backstops.
But OK, I think I understand...
I doubt I can clearly see farther than 100m anymore, so should I stick with the "1" setting, sight it in for 100m, and learn to aim lower for close in?

Thanks again, I appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

If you have enough adjustment in your front sight (a threaded screw). You can turn it up high. If you have enough threads, you could sight it in at 50 yards.
OR
If you have the side scope mount (most/all 10/63s have them), you could mount a red dot or a low power scope and sight it in for whatever range you want....

 

[nathan]

Those slant brake are all like that. What i do is apply some of the PVC pipe white tape on the threads found in Home Depot and screw back the brake. It tightens up alright.

 

[nathan]

I set all my rear sights at the 100 meter line. Then adjust for windage at 25 yds. Then zero at 100 yds. Or let it hit an inch above POA at 100 yds. Easy.

 

[Clockwerk]

Oh another thing you may want to check is the front sight unscrew the front sight out completely and check the tabs on the bottom of the front sight. I've seen a few of them completely snapped off.

 

[Wolfpackin]

Thanks for the continued input.

I put 100 rounds through it, the 6th round failed to feed...the bolt carrier got hung up, but the next 94 were problem free.

It seems to shoot low at 50yrds with the rear sights set to "1", moving it to "P" and it aims spot on. I think I need to move back to position "1" and lower my front sight.

I need to get some more rounds through it and get some kind of bench rest to really be able to sight it in.

I'm very happy with my purchase so far, lots of fun.