In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Fire lap AK for better accuracy?

rawhide54rawhide54 Member Posts: 432 ✭✭✭
edited October 2008 in Ask the Experts
I've been trying to get decent accuracy out of my Romanian WASR AK with no success using any of the current Russian ammo and limited success with my handloads. Has anyone had any luck in fire lapping an AK for better accuracy? I've had good luck in fire lapping other rifles but I'm wondering if the AK is so inherently inaccurate that nothing beyond handloads will help.

Thanks!

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't bother wasting your time or money. AK's were designed and manufactured to be loose toleranced military rifles, i.e. to still be functional with virtually zero maintenance. If you can keep it in 4" at a hundred yards, it's a Camp Perry quality AK. If you want a tack driver get a AR.
  • gotstolefromgotstolefrom Member Posts: 1,479 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    rufe gave it straight. My grouping that passes is 'frying pan', just because we have one hanging at 100 yds, but its about 6".

    I suppose you might want to lap the bore to make cleaning easier, but I've never done it to any AK of mine.
    I've never considered lapping a chrome lined bore.
    Actually, I've never fire lapped anything. Won't, just my 0.02

    ENJOY !!
  • TxsTxs Member Posts: 18,801
    edited November -1
    it's not that the round is inaccurate, but as has been said this rifle's design doesn't lend itself to high accuracy. It's an 'acceptably accurate', easily manufactured, reliably functioning bullet launcher.

    This video doesn't show the entire length of the rifle, but what you can see gives an indication of the vibrations and flex going on during it's firing cycle.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpqF4w46zOs
  • WerwolfWerwolf Member Posts: 475 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with rufe-snow, my Bulgarian milled AK47's are moa, but my Colt AR15's are sub moa, they were designed to kill man size targets and are very capable of doing so iron sighted within 500 meters or so, aside from the 300 yard invisible barrier nonsense.
    I would just use them for what they are and not alter them, the AR15 is a bit more accurate then the AK47 which depends on the types of rifles used and the shooters as well. I have seen the AK47 function perfectly fine after being submerged in the mud, but the AR15 would more than likely fail after such an incident.

    quote:Originally posted by Wehrmacht_45
    My WASR is a 3-4inch gun at 100 yards. Good enough for what it was made for.
    Absolutely, I cheated and use peep sites, I actually like the Romanian AK47's and the ones that I have seen were not canted or anything and seemed to be well made along with the Romanian PSL's, and both would be good to have several of considering the lower price in order to arm an insurgent force.
  • Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    My WASR is a 3-4inch gun at 100 yards. Good enough for what it was made for.
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In general AKs are built for low-maintenance and to function under rough circumstances, not for long range accuracy. If you need match grade accuracy, you're really starting with the wrong gun.

    Not that its impossible to tighten these up to get better groups, but its not worth the effort. If you want a Porsche, you don't start by modifying a Buick!

    I don't think you'd see much benefit in lapping the barrel, since it wouldn't eliminate the slop intrinsic to the rest of the gun.

    If you love the platform, there are higher-end AK variants that are built to higher tolerances, improving accuracy (eg Finnish Valmet, Israeli Galil, etc), though these are pretty pricey.

    Also the sights on the standard AK aren't ideal for precision shooting. There are things you can do there that can help you get better groups, like putting in peep or optical sights.

    Personally, for a gun like this, I'd be reasonably pleased with 3-4" 100 yd groups with low-grade ammo.
  • rawhide54rawhide54 Member Posts: 432 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for all the input. It would appear mine is no worse than most so I'll leave well enough alone and stick to my AR or FAL when I need better accuracy.

    For what its worth, I've had good results with fire lapping war-time production Mosin's.
Sign In or Register to comment.