Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! - The Firearms Forum

nathanggarcia · 01-13-2013, 06:16 PM

I have just purchased an AK47... Century Arms, Centurion 39... At the range for the first time and trouble started immediately! After charging it for the first time, the charging handle had to be assisted forward for the last half inch of travel... it fired the round. However, it did not cycle enough to advance the next round in the magazine, nor did it eject the spent round. I had broke it down only once before to make sure it was clean and free of any manufacturers grease/debris, and only wiped it with a cleaning (dry)clothe. All components were clean and the milled receiver was tight and solid. Maybe too tight? Well, I manually charged about 20 rounds hoping that it needed to be coined in, but things did not get any better. If any one has encountered this problem, please help! Also, just to complain a bit more, the muzzle break/compensator is loose! It rattles around and I don't like that. Any assistance/feedback on these issues would be appreciated. If there is a home remedy/simple fix that I am missing, that would be great... if not, then its back to the mill!!!! Thanks for any feedback!

ShawnDow · 01-13-2013, 06:45 PM

Well. I would have said get the cosmoline out.. but you cleaned it already...
Quick question.. Ammo.. what are you shooting? Steel cased (I shoot that in my SKS with no problem) or brass? How is the chamber?
Now Im not familiar with the recoil spring on the AK.. but if it is installed backwards on a SKS.. you'll have a bad day at the range (FTF some times)!
You mentioned all the "mill" work is tight.. are there any obvious signs of interference? (I always thought the AK/SKS's were suppose to be a bit "sloppy" on the fit.. hence the "throw a handful of sand in the receiver to make it work" statement).
Any how.. those are the obvious to look for.. give the guys a little bit ... and they will come up with some good "trouble shooting" (get it?) suggestions.
Shawn

Grizz · 01-13-2013, 07:28 PM

Can you post up any pictures with the top cover off. Maybe something is out of place, spring not set back in correctly. It shouldn't feel tight at all. try to post some pics

Helix_FR · 01-13-2013, 07:35 PM

sounds like the receiver rails are bent inwards and need to be repaired. They are preventing free movement of the carrier.
The loose break is normal bc they dont tighten down to the front sight block, they are just prevented from turning by the spring loaded pin. Welcome to the world of AK's.

Grizz · 01-13-2013, 08:56 PM

Try to get one more turn out of the muzzle break. the brakes on all my Maadi's are decently tight and don't jingle around

nathanggarcia · 01-14-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizz

Can you post up any pictures with the top cover off. Maybe something is out of place, spring not set back in correctly. It shouldn't feel tight at all. try to post some pics

nathanggarcia · 01-14-2013, 08:27 AM

Yep, Griz, I will post a picture with the cover off! Also, the ammo was run-of-the-mill winchester FMJ, 123 grain. nothin' fancy. The comment concerning the carrier rail may be a concern... it is a milled receiver, so there may be issues with the manufacturing. It simply may have not been finished to the proper tolerances. The lack of the traditional 'slop' found with the stamped receivers may be nice, but it may have left the weapon susceptible to this sort of issue... very little room for error. It might simply need a little extra smithing.

no extra turn on the compensator... so I may have to live with that little bit of movement.

Thank you all for expending the brain cells and time to my problem!!!

soundguy · 01-14-2013, 08:43 AM

a few moons ago I picked up a cheap new ak.

first pull of the charge handle did provide a failure to go full into battery by about 1/4". I helped it.

it fired, extracted, and did about the same. i helped it again.. after about 3-5 shots it did it's own thing.

ont he FTF.. if it's a new make mag.

load it full and leave it overnight. ie.. if a 30.. load it and leave it.. then unlaod it and laod 20 in the next day and shoot it. I have had to do this with some unissued nos / new/unused hi cap 30 and 40 mags

when you manually cycle the bolt does it feel like it is dragging?

cycloneman · 01-14-2013, 08:54 AM

Centry Arms are 50/50. SOmetimes they work sometimes they dont. I hear they used trained monkeys to put guns together. I dont know. Send it back

ka64 · 01-14-2013, 09:01 AM

Try different Mags............

zant · 01-14-2013, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycloneman

Centry Arms are 50/50. SOmetimes they work sometimes they dont. I hear they used trained monkeys to put guns together. I dont know. Send it back

Sounds like you bought the same FAL from them that I did

3rd one finally worked

cycloneman · 01-14-2013, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zant

Sounds like you bought the same FAL from them that I did

3rd one finally worked

NO just what i have read about them. Been burned by others tho. I now dont buy anything made of parts from here or there or other than new.

zant · 01-14-2013, 07:53 PM

Wish I had kept it now(traded for 2 Mausers)..probably could sell for 3k

01-13-2013, 06:16 PM	#1
nathanggarcia Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 3	Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! I have just purchased an AK47... Century Arms, Centurion 39... At the range for the first time and trouble started immediately! After charging it for the first time, the charging handle had to be assisted forward for the last half inch of travel... it fired the round. However, it did not cycle enough to advance the next round in the magazine, nor did it eject the spent round. I had broke it down only once before to make sure it was clean and free of any manufacturers grease/debris, and only wiped it with a cleaning (dry)clothe. All components were clean and the milled receiver was tight and solid. Maybe too tight? Well, I manually charged about 20 rounds hoping that it needed to be coined in, but things did not get any better. If any one has encountered this problem, please help! Also, just to complain a bit more, the muzzle break/compensator is loose! It rattles around and I don't like that. Any assistance/feedback on these issues would be appreciated. If there is a home remedy/simple fix that I am missing, that would be great... if not, then its back to the mill!!!! Thanks for any feedback! -->

01-13-2013, 06:45 PM	#2
ShawnDow V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Tawas City, Michigan Posts: 395	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Well. I would have said get the cosmoline out.. but you cleaned it already... Quick question.. Ammo.. what are you shooting? Steel cased (I shoot that in my SKS with no problem) or brass? How is the chamber? Now Im not familiar with the recoil spring on the AK.. but if it is installed backwards on a SKS.. you'll have a bad day at the range (FTF some times)! You mentioned all the "mill" work is tight.. are there any obvious signs of interference? (I always thought the AK/SKS's were suppose to be a bit "sloppy" on the fit.. hence the "throw a handful of sand in the receiver to make it work" statement). Any how.. those are the obvious to look for.. give the guys a little bit ... and they will come up with some good "trouble shooting" (get it?) suggestions. Shawn __________________ You can't prevent the inevitable.. only alter its time span!

01-13-2013, 07:28 PM	#3
Grizz Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 651	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Can you post up any pictures with the top cover off. Maybe something is out of place, spring not set back in correctly. It shouldn't feel tight at all. try to post some pics __________________ Grizz's Youtube shooting videos Grizz's gun's website

01-13-2013, 07:35 PM	#4
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,625	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! sounds like the receiver rails are bent inwards and need to be repaired. They are preventing free movement of the carrier. The loose break is normal bc they dont tighten down to the front sight block, they are just prevented from turning by the spring loaded pin. Welcome to the world of AK's. __________________ Only cowards shoot with their eyes closed.... helixgunsmith.com

01-13-2013, 08:56 PM	#5
Grizz Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 651	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Try to get one more turn out of the muzzle break. the brakes on all my Maadi's are decently tight and don't jingle around __________________ Grizz's Youtube shooting videos Grizz's gun's website

01-14-2013, 08:27 AM	#7
nathanggarcia Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 3	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Yep, Griz, I will post a picture with the cover off! Also, the ammo was run-of-the-mill winchester FMJ, 123 grain. nothin' fancy. The comment concerning the carrier rail may be a concern... it is a milled receiver, so there may be issues with the manufacturing. It simply may have not been finished to the proper tolerances. The lack of the traditional 'slop' found with the stamped receivers may be nice, but it may have left the weapon susceptible to this sort of issue... very little room for error. It might simply need a little extra smithing. no extra turn on the compensator... so I may have to live with that little bit of movement. Thank you all for expending the brain cells and time to my problem!!!

01-14-2013, 08:43 AM	#8
soundguy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: florida Contributor Posts: 4,441	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! a few moons ago I picked up a cheap new ak. first pull of the charge handle did provide a failure to go full into battery by about 1/4". I helped it. it fired, extracted, and did about the same. i helped it again.. after about 3-5 shots it did it's own thing. ont he FTF.. if it's a new make mag. load it full and leave it overnight. ie.. if a 30.. load it and leave it.. then unlaod it and laod 20 in the next day and shoot it. I have had to do this with some unissued nos / new/unused hi cap 30 and 40 mags when you manually cycle the bolt does it feel like it is dragging?

01-14-2013, 08:54 AM	#9
cycloneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,402	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Centry Arms are 50/50. SOmetimes they work sometimes they dont. I hear they used trained monkeys to put guns together. I dont know. Send it back __________________ Who are you going to serve today?

01-14-2013, 09:01 AM	#10
ka64 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Michigan Contributor Posts: 1,412	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Try different Mags............

01-14-2013, 07:53 PM	#13
zant V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: S.Al Posts: 248	Re: Troubles with New Ak, Century arms, Help! Wish I had kept it now(traded for 2 Mausers)..probably could sell for 3k