AK stuff: gas piston is dragging on the gas tube and not bonding with the gas vent

[ucla_jtsuei]

My sense is that something needs to be hit with a hammer somewhere. Either the rails, or the gas port.

Did that last night - took a couple hard whacks at the piston and the bolt carrier body - everything's smoother now. Everything locks up fine from wherever I release the bolt carrier. Case closed, I guess.

[motorhead]

congratulations comrade armorer. i was hoping your gas block or even your whole barrel assembly wasn't canted. barrels are re-installed crooked all the time. it DOES NOT fix itself when you press the pin in. this is why the piston is loose, to allow for a little misalignment.

[triaged]

My sense is that something needs to be hit with a hammer somewhere...

I was thinking the same thing...but it made me to see someone put it into words.