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WASR 3 owners please chime in
9/9/2011 10:07:23 AM
I would really like your opinion on this rifle. Good, bad or somewhere in between. Please, no third party BS! 
I need info from actual owners, current or past.
Also, if problematic, are there fixes out there.
I want an AK variant in .223 but I’m no longer interested in a Saiga nor will I consider an AK 74 as a compromise. My budget is $450, max.
I need info from actual owners, current or past.
Also, if problematic, are there fixes out there.
I want an AK variant in .223 but I’m no longer interested in a Saiga nor will I consider an AK 74 as a compromise. My budget is $450, max.
9/12/2011 1:03:17 PM
http://www.novarata.net/Linx310/model.shtml#sar3
What is a SAR-3?
A SAR-3 is a P.D.B (Produced During assualt weapons Ban) Romanian semi-automatic clone of an actual Romanian prototype rifle, that utilized the 5.56*45 round to be in compliance with NATO. This rifle has a pistol grip and can accept Hi-capacity SAR-3 magazines. Unfortunately most SAR-3 magazines are utter crap, purchase only the ones made by Wieger. This rifle has no threads at the end of the barrel and has 5 US parts and 10 imported parts. The fit and finish of this rifle is average, but slightly better then the SAR-1 mainly because of the mismatched wood and some odd metal finishing marks. Most Sar-3s have some form of trigger slap or fire control group problem caused by the importer Century's monkey employs, though models produced after 2002 seem to not have an issue with the FCG. Another problem that may be encountered is canted sights. The advantages of this rifle are its low recoil, and the ability to use the domestically manufactured 5.56*45 round. The glaring disadvantage of this rifle is the bad internals, unreliable magazines (unless they are Weiger), and some replacement parts may cannot be obtained and must be fashioned from AK-74 parts. Some of the earlier models of this rifle do not make a good first AK. They are now NO LONGER imported, replaced by a sister gun in the WASR series.
A SAR-3 is a P.D.B (Produced During assualt weapons Ban) Romanian semi-automatic clone of an actual Romanian prototype rifle, that utilized the 5.56*45 round to be in compliance with NATO. This rifle has a pistol grip and can accept Hi-capacity SAR-3 magazines. Unfortunately most SAR-3 magazines are utter crap, purchase only the ones made by Wieger. This rifle has no threads at the end of the barrel and has 5 US parts and 10 imported parts. The fit and finish of this rifle is average, but slightly better then the SAR-1 mainly because of the mismatched wood and some odd metal finishing marks. Most Sar-3s have some form of trigger slap or fire control group problem caused by the importer Century's monkey employs, though models produced after 2002 seem to not have an issue with the FCG. Another problem that may be encountered is canted sights. The advantages of this rifle are its low recoil, and the ability to use the domestically manufactured 5.56*45 round. The glaring disadvantage of this rifle is the bad internals, unreliable magazines (unless they are Weiger), and some replacement parts may cannot be obtained and must be fashioned from AK-74 parts. Some of the earlier models of this rifle do not make a good first AK. They are now NO LONGER imported, replaced by a sister gun in the WASR series.
9/13/2011 11:30:02 PM
go for an AK-74, especially since the ammo is cheaper, safer to do that than a WASR-3
9/26/2011 2:39:53 PM
I have a wasr-3 that I picked up at a gun show several years ago. It came with a tapco trigger group and 2 weiger mags. The only problem I've had is availability of mags. The gun itself has run flawlesslly.
I had to do a bit of minor fitting on the mag catch to more easily insert the mags, but that's it. I purchased 4 more weiger mags and all ran perfectly. Sadly, the supply of weigers dried up, but there are polymer mags available by promag. I bought several to test, but I haven't been out to the range lately. They feed well manually after removing some material that was interfering with the bolt. I guess I'll find out if they're worth anything.
There are probably better offerings out there now for a. 223 AK, but I wouldn't be afraid to buy the wasr if you get a good price for it (especially if he'll throw in a weiger mag or two). Look for the usual Romanian AK warning signs - canted sights, loose mag-well, etc. Like I said, mine runs great and is a pleasure to shoot, but I'm sure there are lemons out there too.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
I had to do a bit of minor fitting on the mag catch to more easily insert the mags, but that's it. I purchased 4 more weiger mags and all ran perfectly. Sadly, the supply of weigers dried up, but there are polymer mags available by promag. I bought several to test, but I haven't been out to the range lately. They feed well manually after removing some material that was interfering with the bolt. I guess I'll find out if they're worth anything.
There are probably better offerings out there now for a. 223 AK, but I wouldn't be afraid to buy the wasr if you get a good price for it (especially if he'll throw in a weiger mag or two). Look for the usual Romanian AK warning signs - canted sights, loose mag-well, etc. Like I said, mine runs great and is a pleasure to shoot, but I'm sure there are lemons out there too.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
10/2/2011 7:49:34 PM
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
10/3/2011 6:09:52 PM
Originally Posted By 22mike:
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
10/3/2011 6:19:36 PM
Originally Posted By Footsimoto:
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
Originally Posted By 22mike:
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
Glad to hear it! It's good to know I'm not the only man in America with a working WASR-3.
Were you able to get some Weigers with it? Any problems zero-ing?
10/3/2011 6:45:17 PM
Originally Posted By BobTheGreat:
Glad to hear it! It's good to know I'm not the only man in America with a working WASR-3.
Were you able to get some Weigers with it? Any problems zero-ing?
Originally Posted By Footsimoto:
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
Originally Posted By 22mike:
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
Glad to hear it! It's good to know I'm not the only man in America with a working WASR-3.
Were you able to get some Weigers with it? Any problems zero-ing?
We’re not alone. There are a few others I ran into on another AK forum.
I was lucky enough to find two nice Weigers on GunBrooker. The guy selling them didn’t know what they were so I got them for a decent price.
I didn’t get a chance to zero it in because it rained cats and dogs all the time I was at the outdoor range. I could hardly see the 50 yard target plus the targets were turning into pulp. I ended up just blasting away to test functionality. I’ll try again this week.
How is yours for accuracy?
10/3/2011 8:35:46 PM
Originally Posted By Footsimoto:
We’re not alone. There are a few others I ran into on another AK forum.
I was lucky enough to find two nice Weigers on GunBrooker. The guy selling them didn’t know what they were so I got them for a decent price.
I didn’t get a chance to zero it in because it rained cats and dogs all the time I was at the outdoor range. I could hardly see the 50 yard target plus the targets were turning into pulp. I ended up just blasting away to test functionality. I’ll try again this week.
How is yours for accuracy?
Originally Posted By BobTheGreat:
Glad to hear it! It's good to know I'm not the only man in America with a working WASR-3.
Were you able to get some Weigers with it? Any problems zero-ing?
Originally Posted By Footsimoto:
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
Originally Posted By 22mike:
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
I once owned 2 Wasr-3s. Sold them both. Worst AK i have ever owned !!!!!
Maybe just luck but I'm happy to say that I don't feel the same way that you do. I recently found one at a local gun show and got it for a pretty decent price, including a trade. Took it to the range, ran 300 plus rounds of various brands (steel and brass) using mags from three different origins and not experiencing one hiccup. I’m a happy camper and so far I’m considering it a keeper.
Glad to hear it! It's good to know I'm not the only man in America with a working WASR-3.
Were you able to get some Weigers with it? Any problems zero-ing?
We’re not alone. There are a few others I ran into on another AK forum.
I was lucky enough to find two nice Weigers on GunBrooker. The guy selling them didn’t know what they were so I got them for a decent price.
I didn’t get a chance to zero it in because it rained cats and dogs all the time I was at the outdoor range. I could hardly see the 50 yard target plus the targets were turning into pulp. I ended up just blasting away to test functionality. I’ll try again this week.
How is yours for accuracy?
Mine's as accurate as I am. It has a slightly canted front sight block, but not enough to prevent zero-ing. Once I got it on the money at 50yds, it almost got boring hitting the 100yd plates. The Tapco trigger is nice - you should get one if yours doesn't have it already.
That's excellant luck with the Weigers. Those don't pop up very often, and when they do they usually get snapped up fast. For my own reference, what other mags did you test?
10/3/2011 8:52:48 PM
10/3/2011 9:29:06 PM
10/3/2011 9:51:10 PM
Bob, I have 2 other mags, a Romanian knockoff of the Weiger and a plain Jane Bulgarian.. I really think the Bulgarian is a 5.45x39 mag but it functions just fine with 25 rounds of .223. I got that one for free so I don’t care if I screw it up. Need to buy more of those Weigers while they are still available.
10/6/2011 2:26:43 PM
The WASR-3 was my very AK! The rifle is generally well built and solid shooting. Magazines availability is somewhat low, but not impossible to find. The rifle pretty much shoot anything I used.
