Looks like a latch for a folding stock, btw welcome to the forum.
Wasr ID help
Hey all. I'm new to the forum and I have a question regarding some ID. I found an AK at a pawn shop listed as a Romarm WASR, but there is a hook protruding from the left side of the receiver just before the hand guard. I've never seen this before on an AK pattern rifle. The rifle looks like Bubba worked it over pretty good, but I cant figure out what this could be. Pictures are of the part in question. Thanks in advance!
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That is an ignorant shop listing a home build or inferior gunsmith build as a WASR. It is not a WASR.
Screws instead of rivets holding the trigger guard in place. Romanian front trunnion welded to the receiver. These are common traits of a build that may have been done long ago when proper build tools and knowledge were more common. That or bubba just didn't care to do it right. It might shoot OK - but for how long?
The front latch is supposed to retain a Bulgarian or Russian style triangular shaped folding stock when folded. That style stock and latch are not original to that Romanian kit - "custom" added by someone.
The plus side is it might be built on an original barrel kit - one that had the barrel pressed and pinned back in Romania. If so - then it is worth a little less than an original barrel kit. The price tag might be worth it. If purchased demilling it and rebuilding it correctly would be the way to go. Demilling a trunnion welded to a receiver can be tricky and time consuming.
You'd have to remove the top cover, recoil spring, bolt and carrier and gas tube to get a look at the barrel to check for original barrel markings. Might have to remove that lower hand guard as well to see the markings. Lower hand guard is from a Bulgarian milled AK47. It probably fits loose on that AKM trunnion.
Here are Romanian barrel markings from one of my 1972 dated kits for comparison. The "2" symbols are barrel component journal sizes - usually 1 2 3 or 4.
Screws instead of rivets holding the trigger guard in place. Romanian front trunnion welded to the receiver. These are common traits of a build that may have been done long ago when proper build tools and knowledge were more common. That or bubba just didn't care to do it right. It might shoot OK - but for how long?
The front latch is supposed to retain a Bulgarian or Russian style triangular shaped folding stock when folded. That style stock and latch are not original to that Romanian kit - "custom" added by someone.
The plus side is it might be built on an original barrel kit - one that had the barrel pressed and pinned back in Romania. If so - then it is worth a little less than an original barrel kit. The price tag might be worth it. If purchased demilling it and rebuilding it correctly would be the way to go. Demilling a trunnion welded to a receiver can be tricky and time consuming.
You'd have to remove the top cover, recoil spring, bolt and carrier and gas tube to get a look at the barrel to check for original barrel markings. Might have to remove that lower hand guard as well to see the markings. Lower hand guard is from a Bulgarian milled AK47. It probably fits loose on that AKM trunnion.
Here are Romanian barrel markings from one of my 1972 dated kits for comparison. The "2" symbols are barrel component journal sizes - usually 1 2 3 or 4.
The latch is for the side folder to hold to when folded. That's not Bubba, unfortunately everything else in the pictures is.
The trunnion (the part with the s# and triangle with arrow inside) is welded (those flat looking blotches) instead of riveted!
Trunnion
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The trunnion (the part with the s# and triangle with arrow inside) is welded (those flat looking blotches) instead of riveted!
Trunnion
Valid point on it possibly being salvaged for some decent parts, especially if an original barrel that has not been damaged.
That is an ignorant shop listing a home build or inferior gunsmith build as a WASR. It is not a WASR.
Screws instead of rivets holding the trigger guard in place. Romanian front trunnion welded to the receiver. These are common traits of a build that may have been done long ago when proper build tools and knowledge were more common. That or bubba just didn't care to do it right. It might shoot OK - but for how long?
The front latch is supposed to retain a Bulgarian or Russian style triangular shaped folding stock when folded. That style stock and latch are not original to that Romanian kit - "custom" added by someone.
The plus side is it might be built on an original barrel kit - one that had the barrel pressed and pinned back in Romania. If so - then it is worth a little less than an original barrel kit. The price tag might be worth it. If purchased demilling it and rebuilding it correctly would be the way to go. Demilling a trunnion welded to a receiver can be tricky and time consuming.
You'd have to remove the top cover, recoil spring, bolt and carrier and gas tube to get a look at the barrel to check for original barrel markings. Might have to remove that lower hand guard as well to see the markings. Lower hand guard is from a Bulgarian milled AK47. It probably fits loose on that AKM trunnion.
Here are Romanian barrel markings from one of my 1972 dated kits for comparison. The "2" symbols are barrel component journal sizes - usually 1 2 3 or 4.
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