OK, I got an AK to NOT fire.

[Pector55]

LOL, One one hand, I'm embarrassed, on the other, I have to think I should win something. I was going to take my SAR2 to the range so I pulled it out of the safe and automatically reached down to pull the bolt back to just check to make sure it was unloaded. It would not pull back! I looked around, safety is off, no mag so looking into the receiver, nothing seems to be blocking it. I look at where the gas piston goes into the gas block (not sure what it's called on an AK). Anyway, I could see a little rusty looking gunk around that area. It suddenly occured to me that I use Windex after I cleaned it last. I suspect that after I pulled out the gas piston and bolt, I sprayed Windex down the barrel from the receiver side. I believe I may have sprayed some into the gas tube and that caused the powder to mix with the powder and turn to a grungy rust-like stuff which caused the gas piston to become unmovable. I had to squirt PB Blaster down the gas tube area, let it sit over night, and then put a 2x4 on the handle and hit it with a 3lb hammer. It came loose tonight.

Anyway, I realized my mistake and thought I would share so you can all make fun of me for being the first guy in the world to cause an AK to fail. LOL

[cLion]

it didn't fail! you hit it with a hammer and it worked again! LOL Gotta love the simple kalashnikov design.

[Pector55]

it didn't fail! you hit it with a hammer and it worked again! LOL Gotta love the simple kalashnikov design.

haha, yeah, at least knowing limited number of parts, it's not exactly tough to troubleshoot. Also, a whack with a hammer doesn't scare me knowing how solid the parts are. I can't say I would do that with too many other guns.

[scoutjoe]

I got a Romak 99.1 not to fire at Scotia during a group shoot up there (last spring?)

I was messing around inside of it and didn't get the retaining wire back under the pin that goes through the receiver above the trigger

course once i figured that out...i was good to go

[dc dalton]

EH, shit happens but with a good 2 x 4 and PB Blaster (rep to you for the most AMAZING product ever made) it lives to fight another day.

So I guess the next time someone says "you can do anything to them (AKs) and they still fire" you have a retort for them?

I'm sure with a little cleaning, a few squirts of PB, a good 2 x 4 and a GOOD hammer you can now fix ANY AK ... nice to know on a rough field op.

[Brown-Bear]

An old friend of mine was a vietnam vet, and he told me a story one time about an Ak he had. He found it in the way soldiers find things of that nature. After he got severly reprimanded for having it he decided to hide it in an old foot locker that he and his battle buddy burried. Needless to say the rains came, and came, and came, and came, and came (his description had another 78 and came's in it). After the rainy season was over and they had a new CO, they dug it up. It was completey rusted shut. They placed the buttstock on the ground and had to kick the bolt open, but it fired. I think of that story everytime I hear someone ask if the AK is really "indestructible".

Dave

[PA Rifleman]

... It would not pull back! I looked around, safety is off, no mag so looking into the receiver, nothing seems to be blocking it. I look at where the gas piston goes into the gas block (not sure what it's called on an AK). Anyway, I could see a little rusty looking gunk around that area. ...

I did the same exact stunt (and with the same results) decades go. Fortunately a hammer blow to the bolt carrier fixed it.

[brian]

there for a second i thought you bought an ak, with no intention of shooting it.

[Pector55]

I did the same exact stunt (and with the same results) decades go. Fortunately a hammer blow to the bolt carrier fixed it.

Ha! Good to hear! It's funny because I have spoken to folks who laugh at my process of running Hoppes down the barrel, then Windex, then CLP. They shoot the corrosive stuff and don't always clean it afterwards. I clean after every time I shoot. Oddly enough, I'm the first to have a problem due to my "ooops."

I am in the market for another AK now. When I had to fix the short stroking issue on my AR, I had to use tiny punches to adjust the gas block, and be careful not to bend the gas tube. I liked being able to use a 2x4, 3lb hammer, and PB Blaster to fix a more difficult issue on the AK.

[dc dalton]

I liked being able to use a 2x4, 3lb hammer, and PB Blaster to fix a more difficult issue on the AK.

Or in a pinch a branch a rock and some pond scum ... now THAT'S a battle weapon!