Jambooo! I sold my Saiga and bought an Iraqi Contractor WASR from Atlantic

[imarangemaster]

Well, I'm 63 years old, a retired LEO and ex-military, and not expecting to battle Zombie paratroopers any time soon. If I did, I have a couple ARs, a PTR91 with a 3x9, an M1 carbine, and 12 Gauge riot gun as a back up. For an AK platform, I had a Saiga (restored to its intended form with a pistol grip and AKM furniture), but it was too pretty.

For an AK platform, what I really want is a cheapo, beat up "featureless" AK that I could throw behind the seat in the 4x4 F150 in the mountains (without a case) and not feel the slightest bit bad about it. As I already said, my restored Saiga was just too pretty. I also had too much into it to beat it up! With that in mind, I ordered one of the Atlantic Firearms "Iraqi Contractor" WASR 10/63s for $489. I sold the Saiga to fund the purchase, and I used the extra money left over after buying the WASR from to fund another AR15 project. I wish I had done it when they were $449, but oh well, what the heck, better late than never. The payment to Atlantic for the Contractor WASR cleared my bank, and it is supposed to ship in the next week.

Another reason I wanted to switch from the Saiga to an AKM based one was spare parts. Just try to find a spare Saiga (AK103) bolt, carrier, or extractor. If you do, it will cost more than an entire AKM parts kit! Heck, I can get a complete Polish Bolt, carrier and recoil spring set for $69!

Do I think they are super special because a SOC contractor from Uganda guarded the PX on a base outside Baghdad with it? Not really. While it does add a certain neato-keen factor, the price was actually the main selling point. If door kickers had used them, that would raise the value in my mind. And, no, I don't think they took new WASRs, aged them artificially, just to sell them for $80 or $90 LESS than they would get new. That's just a retarded argument from couch commandos, mall ninjas, wannabes, and "Atlantic haters." I have been buying from Atlantic for years, and have had nothing but EXCELLENT customer service.

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[imarangemaster]

I just got notified. It shipped!!!!! Now I feel like Ralphie on "A Christmas Story" waiting for his Daisy Red Ryder BB gun!

All I have for mags, though, are my "legally possessed by me in California prior to 1-1-2000" high caps. I sold my 10s with the Saiga. Even though I have 14 or 15 of the 30s, I don't want to rivet any, so I ordered two Tapco 10s. Hopefully my Monsterman grip will show up before the rifle. Anyone know what metric pitch the thread is on AK pistol grip nuts? I need to get a shorter bolt to attach the MMG/AR grip adapter to it so I can run featureless. I have a couple extra AK grips, too, so I might fabricate my own paddle grip.

[browningautorifle]

Pics or it didn't happen...you know how we roll...

[Bill Hollinger]

Pics or it didn't happen...you know how we roll...

^^^
This

[imarangemaster]

Hahaha! It is still in transit to my FFL, then 10 day jail...

[browningautorifle]

Yup, we'll be waiting...

[Vincent]

While you’re waiting for the pictures have a look at their advertisement video. Iraqi Contractor WASR 10 AK47

I like “contractor.” It doesn’t have a negative connotation.

[browningautorifle]

I'm not really an AK kind of guy but the slightly worn look of those veterans makes me want to at least handle and shoot one...owning one would be great if our laws would allow...

[imarangemaster]

While you’re waiting for the pictures have a look at their advertisement video. Iraqi Contractor WASR 10 AK47

I like “contractor.” It doesn’t have a negative connotation.

Contractor does sound better than Mercenary or Security Guard. I was actually a Domestic Security Contractor for 18 months. It was Homeland Security mandated/funded "Critical Infrastructure Protection" contract, through the local utility. I patrolled the dams, transmission lines, and powerhouses. It was 12 hour nights, 3 days a week. I put 300 to 350 miles a night on the Jeep 4x4, including the drive up and back into the mountains. Add to that the 140 mile round trip to Sacramento to pick up the patrol vehicle and the two and a half hour round trip, it made 15 hours and 450 mile days. The balance of the time was on one lane gravel or sometimes one lane blacktop roads. It was a good job, but tough on a 60+ year old body. I wore a Level IIIA tactical vest, an 1911A1 in a tactical leg rig, and aa long gun. Sometimes I carried my M1 Carbine, and sometimes I carried a n AR15 M4gery.

Considering it was an anti-terrorism patrol, Security Guard did not even come close as a job description.....

[browningautorifle]

Sometimes I carried my M1 Carbine, and sometimes I carried a n AR15 M4gery.

I remember that whole line of discussion too, m1 Carbine v/s M4gery...and you being up on your own...