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I just sent a seemingly nice AK74 back to the manufacturer for the second time in 2 months. It's a almost $900 rifle, so maybe my expectations were high. I don't want to name the manufacturer, because they are being responsive to far. I have a few, so reading my past posts won't reveal which one it is, and I install the same accessories on all of them.
Received gun, noticed a slightly canted front sight right away, but didn't worry too much because I figured that I would just zero it by drifting the front post.
Cleaned rifle.
Bought a brick of Red Army Standard 69gr non-corrosive.
Went to the indoor range to zero the gun at 50 yards. Even after drifting front post all the way left, the POI was still about 2" left of POA. Then, after the rifle was warm, I had 2 casings get stuck, this was after about 25 rounds. The first time the bolt was locked shut on the fired case, and I had to slam the charging handle against the edge of the wood bench to free the action. Then, had to push the cleaning rod into the barrel and hit the inserted rod against the floor a few times to get the case out. Two shots later, another stuck case, this time the action cycled and attempted to load a new round on top of the stuck case. Again, had to use the cleaning rod to POUND the case out.
Sent the rifle back to the manufacturer to have the canted sight addressed, and also mentioned that I had cases getting stuck.
Rifle came back, and the manufacturer clocked the front sight housing about 2-3 degrees left, looked straight to the eye now, and the work was done nicely. They also sent a note that they ran 30 rounds through it "flawlessly."
Went back to the range to zero it again. Now, the front sight still had to be drifted left, "almost" all the way, but it was zeroed. Only fired 19 rounds, and the last case got stuck just like on the last trip there. The action attempted to load a new round on top of the stuck case, and again I had to pound out the stuck one with a few hard smacks.
Cleaned rifle and chamber.
Installed a Damage industries modular front rail/gas tube rail, so that I could use a VG, and maybe mount a micro dot on top of the rail. The rear sight base/front trunion is canted slightly right, so that entire rail assembly mounted with a 2 degree cant to the right. So my VG is slightly off center, and my red dot is leaning slightly right.
Went to the desert to blast away. Mounted my red dot on a Arsenal SM-13 side mount/top rail and started taking shots from the table at about 75 yards to zero it. I zero'ed it, but the tightest group that I could get from that barrel was about 6" at about 75 yards. I thought that sucked. It's a "US" barrel BTW. Then, after about 30 rounds total, when the gun was hot, 3 stuck cases back to back to back. Broke the eyelet end of my cleaning rod pounding the third case out against a rock. After that I put the thing away.
There has NEVER been a broken case neck in the chamber.
Sent the rifle back to the manufacturer again. Waiting to hear back.
So, I would like to hear opinions. It seems like the chamber may not be sized correctly like a true "comblock" chamber. I'm thinking that as the gun gets hot, the steel in the chamber is expanding and gripping the lacquer coated cases??
Received gun, noticed a slightly canted front sight right away, but didn't worry too much because I figured that I would just zero it by drifting the front post.
Cleaned rifle.
Bought a brick of Red Army Standard 69gr non-corrosive.
Went to the indoor range to zero the gun at 50 yards. Even after drifting front post all the way left, the POI was still about 2" left of POA. Then, after the rifle was warm, I had 2 casings get stuck, this was after about 25 rounds. The first time the bolt was locked shut on the fired case, and I had to slam the charging handle against the edge of the wood bench to free the action. Then, had to push the cleaning rod into the barrel and hit the inserted rod against the floor a few times to get the case out. Two shots later, another stuck case, this time the action cycled and attempted to load a new round on top of the stuck case. Again, had to use the cleaning rod to POUND the case out.
Sent the rifle back to the manufacturer to have the canted sight addressed, and also mentioned that I had cases getting stuck.
Rifle came back, and the manufacturer clocked the front sight housing about 2-3 degrees left, looked straight to the eye now, and the work was done nicely. They also sent a note that they ran 30 rounds through it "flawlessly."
Went back to the range to zero it again. Now, the front sight still had to be drifted left, "almost" all the way, but it was zeroed. Only fired 19 rounds, and the last case got stuck just like on the last trip there. The action attempted to load a new round on top of the stuck case, and again I had to pound out the stuck one with a few hard smacks.
Cleaned rifle and chamber.
Installed a Damage industries modular front rail/gas tube rail, so that I could use a VG, and maybe mount a micro dot on top of the rail. The rear sight base/front trunion is canted slightly right, so that entire rail assembly mounted with a 2 degree cant to the right. So my VG is slightly off center, and my red dot is leaning slightly right.
Went to the desert to blast away. Mounted my red dot on a Arsenal SM-13 side mount/top rail and started taking shots from the table at about 75 yards to zero it. I zero'ed it, but the tightest group that I could get from that barrel was about 6" at about 75 yards. I thought that sucked. It's a "US" barrel BTW. Then, after about 30 rounds total, when the gun was hot, 3 stuck cases back to back to back. Broke the eyelet end of my cleaning rod pounding the third case out against a rock. After that I put the thing away.
There has NEVER been a broken case neck in the chamber.
Sent the rifle back to the manufacturer again. Waiting to hear back.
So, I would like to hear opinions. It seems like the chamber may not be sized correctly like a true "comblock" chamber. I'm thinking that as the gun gets hot, the steel in the chamber is expanding and gripping the lacquer coated cases??
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