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

[imarangemaster]

Yep. It did get lonely, especially in the winter, when there was NO ONE around! I saw lots of bear and mountain lion, but no Mujahidin. With ho back up within 45 minutes to an hour AT BEST, I am glad I never ran into any. So dam and powerhouse there wasn't even radio reception. Jaybird canyon powerhouse, it was 30 minutes from the rim of the canyon to the bottom. Radio went out as soon as you started to drop in. Single lane road chiseled out of the side of a sheer canyon wall. 3,000 feet straight down.

[browningautorifle]

I just googled that area and "Walked" around it. Pretty bleak. I'm just behind you in age and would probably find myself obliged to carry an M4gery and a cummerbund of mags...no support fire or airstrike coming if you have trouble.

[imarangemaster]

Well, it finally got to my FFL today, to start its 10 day jail sentence... Went by to check it out... WOW! It's really nice!

It is not as worn as some I have seen pictures of. Just nice honest wear, and as expected, every nook and cranny has yellow sand imbedded in it!. The interior, on the other hand shows little wear. It has the usual sweet trigger pull of the Tapco G2 single hook FCG. It looks like it has the same wear as the rest of the weapon, so I am sure it was put into it when it was shipped to SOC. The top cover has a different serial number, but I think the rest is all matching, not that it really matters on an AK!

Overall, the finish is Very Good+, if not a little better. Good, honest looking wear, about like my M1 Carbine. It still has faint rack numbers on the top handguard, too. It came with the cleaning rod and cleaning kit in the butstock. I have a Rommy leather sling and bayonet already, so that is good to go. I picked up some 10 rounders, but will run it "Featureless" with a kydex wrap on the grip and take the mag lock of to use the standard mag release, and my pre-2000 possessed 30 round magazines.

[browningautorifle]

Looks good. You say little use? Like the ARVN weapons? Never been shot and only dropped once?

[WarPig1976]

Is that an extended mag release?

[browningautorifle]

take the mag lock off to use the standard mag release

He said it's a mag lock.

[imarangemaster]

Looks good. You say little use? Like the ARVN weapons? Never been shot and only dropped once?

Hahaha! I like it!

[imarangemaster]

I brightened up the pictures a little better




They are in stock now. They are even off pre-order program. Just in regular inventory. For $489, you can't beat it. It is as close to a "battlefield pick up" AK as you can get. For that matter, as close for any AK. When you consider it is the only post WW2 semi-auto military type firearm that has been deployed and used in a combat zone that you can get, $489 (which is $90 less than a new one) is a great deal. Sure, door-kickers probably didn't use it, but they may have seen use at checkpoints and roadblocks and could have seen some skirmishes there. Think about this: Most M1 Carbines in WW2 were used by REMFs (rear echelon folks). It is a neat piece of Gulf War History, and I am proud to own it. Best thing is that I can shoot the heck out of it, and ding it up, and I don't ruin the value!

[WarPig1976]

I wonder if the sights are canted,,,,the mark of a true WASR. I got lucky with mine just slightly canted..

[imarangemaster]

They appeared to be dead-nuts on true, and I have a very good eye for visual/spacial things. I heard that SOC had a QC inspection on every one Century delivered to them in the US, before they were containerized and shipped to Iraq. All of the contractor ones I have seen or heard of on the web have been straight. They have military chrome lined barrels. Some have even had Russian "Y" in a circle proofed ones. I didn't pull the handguards at the gunshop to check, but will in 10 days when I pick it up.

Note, In my earlier post, I should have said "MANY M1 Carbines were used by REMFs" not most...