New to me AK

[bortle]

Picked up a WASR 10 last week at a gun show. The main thing it is still in single stack configuration. I know that can be changed/hogged out to take a double stack mag.but I'm not gonna do that. I'm leaving it original in all it's post ban glory. Thumb hole/Draganov stock, no flash hider or bayo mount. My question is, will it ever have any more value as a unmolested original? I only have $450 in it with 2 mags, a B square scope mount and a 4x simmons. I figure it's worth that all day long.

[Hodgie]

When I lived in NJ I had two of them one in the same configuration you describe above only I cut the muzzle nut off and pinned and threaded on a 74 style brake. Will they be worth more then what you paid? In short absolutely not which is why you paid exactly what you did for it at the gun show and while new rifles are coming into the states from various countries in this same standard import configuration and being opened up to double stack AKM's. You can take it to a ban state and probably make $50-$100.00 selling it there locally through.

All WASR's and Polish WPB's still come in like this and some retain this config for ban state sales as seen on Atlantic firearms. If you pulled the furniture off and sold it separately you could probably get about $75.00 for the set since original WASR thumb hole stocks are hard to find, and I wish I still had mine. Remember this WASR is from the times when people felt they were built poorly, not all were but a lot were which is going to make is less desirable then a new production where QC has been much better, regardless if in double or single stack configuration.

Each one of the below rifles including the MAK-90 I purchased for $450.00 or under at PA gun shows because no one else in PA wanted them in ban state configurations. I still have the MAK and it's now partially converted and worth a hell of a lot more.

[esh21167]

It might be worth a little more in several years, but no, it's pretty much a $450 rifle. Why did you buy a single stack? As mentioned, only residents of a few states really have any interest in them.

[bortle]

It might be worth a little more in several years, but no, it's pretty much a $450 rifle. Why did you buy a single stack? As mentioned, only residents of a few states really have any interest in them.

I bought it because I didn't have one, and it was cash and carry.

[Hodgie]

I bought it because I didn't have one, and it was cash and carry.

Nothing wrong with that.

[Emptymag]

I bought it because I didn't have one, and it was cash and carry.

I'm Emptymag, and I approve of this message.

[Emptymag]

One of our veteran members has been trying to trade one of those single stack AKs in the classifieds here for about the last 20 years.

Not sure if he ever got a trade.

[raxar]

You might be lucky and have one with a threaded muzzle. I would suggest that if you take off the weld to check you use a file (not a dremel) and go slow.

[SgtRecon]

Spend some time here :

http://wasr-10.com/

I bought one of the early Century's that was cobbled together by their angry monkeys, canted front sight, the mag well was opened up to wide body but terribly done and so undersized and buggered up mags would would get stuck needing a dead blow mallet to remove. And it constantly jammed. got it for next to nothing since the owner was disgusted with it and just wanted rid of it $150

Followed all the tutorials here and massaged all the terrible burrs in the action and enlarged the mag well, the front sight post was pushed to the sight guard to comp for the canted gas block which jammed up the forward stroke of the piston/op rod, straightened it out also the rifle shoots great, acceptable (AK Accuracy) and has not jammed since fixin' her up. painted the terrible yellow wood with Krylon flekstone textured paint. It is now a rifle I Love to own and shoot

Tons of good info here for any WASR owner, look at the mag well enlargement , not very complicated a dremel and steady hand is all that is needed, or a good quality flat and round file

[bortle]

I'd love to find a deal/mess like that. Fixing a messed up AK is (usually) pretty easy and a fun project.