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Posted: 8/19/2025 5:23:23 PM EDT
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I recently scored a cosmetically trashed but mechanically SUPER straight WASR and figured it'd be the perfect candidate for a full-on "Alpha" style build using Midwest Industries line of products, since ZenitCo is currently either unobtanium and/or completely priced out of consideration. After a test fire I was positive the base rifle was a solid foundation for the build. My blank canvas as it were... Attached File All the parts are ordered and on the way. Build list as follows: * Midwest Industries AK Picatinny End Plate Adapter Tang * Midwest Industries AK Alpha Series Folding Stock/FDE * Midwest Industries AK Alpha Series M-LOK Handguard/FDE, 10 inch * Midwest Industries AK Alpha Series Railed Top Cover/FDE * Midwest Industries AK Lower Receiver Block/Black * ALG Defense AK Trigger Ultimate with Lightning Bow, 5.5lb, Curved, Silver * ALG Defense AK Recoil Spring, Chrome Silicon Steel * LBE Unlimited Retaining Plate, AK-Platform * ALG Defense AK Main Spring - High Energy * KNS Precision Adjustable Gas Piston System * US Palm AK Grip/FDE * B5 Systems Vertical M-Lok Grip/FDE * OPMOD EOTech HWS EXPS2-0 Holographic Reflex Red Dot Sight, Green 68 MOA Ring w/ Single 1 MOA Dot, Tan * Blue Force Gear Vickers 221 2-to-1 Unpadded Sling, RED Swivel Version w/Nylon Adjuster and Hardware, Coyote Brown * Tacfire Ak47 Recoil Buffer/Shock Absorbing Polyurethane/Black But wait, that's not all! Since I want to keep it "real" the final piece will be a Dead Air Wolverine PBS-01 suppressor. I entertained an FRT, specifically the MARS-V2, but the ALG, which is an EXCELLENT AK trigger, will get nod in the interim. NOT including the suppressor, but including the purchase price of the rifle, it's totaling around $2500...so figure $3500 with the can, and $4K if the FRT gets the nod. I know, I know, trash can gun and all that but this is the exact project I was looking to do and very much looking forward to it! Looks like the parts are gonna be spaced out (all Optics Planet...) so it'll be a work in progress for a minute, and I'll keep the thread updated if anyone's interested. |
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Are you going to do a front sight gas block? I skimmed the parts list but almost ordered a wasr that came with a front sight gas block and set it up with Midwest alpha stuff but went another direction. I just like the look of the combo blocks on those alpha type builds personally but should be a great setup either way. |
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Originally Posted By Postal0311: I am curious how this will turn out. I've been tempted to tactacool out my AK again. Keep us updated. Thanks for responding. I actually tacticool all of my AKs...to me it's just making them as functional as possible for me, I could give a fuck less if other people are in the nyet, rifle is fine club themselves...i's my rifle! |
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Originally Posted By JamesJones: Are you going to do a front sight gas block? I skimmed the parts list but almost ordered a wasr that came with a front sight gas block and set it up with Midwest alpha stuff but went another direction. I just like the look of the combo blocks on those alpha type builds personally but should be a great setup either way. Good question, but I'm not...I was just so tickled that it was on perfectly straight that I didn't wanna futz with it, and since it's clone-ish I'm not gonna be a slave to any particular detail(s), as long as it functions the way I need it to I'll be happy, and it'll certainly look pretty dang bitchin' too. |
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Originally Posted By mancat: I did see another guy that threw the entire "alfa" parts list at a WASR and it turned out great. I didn't even recognize it as a WASR at first glance. Wish I could remember if it was someone here, or somewhere else. I'll have to find that. Since a straight WASR (that can be the difficult part, but this one checked all the boxes) is one of the best entry level/stamped AKs you can currently get and this one just about literally fell in my lap AND Midwest Industries went all in on their Alpha series...and I like AKs (obviously) it was a no-brainer, to me at least. You could definitely use a higher grade/quality AK as the basis for the build (like an Arsenal SLR-107 or similar, which I also have) but I wanted to save money through discounts, etc. and having a solid/straight base rifle let me do that. At the end of the day with the suppressor it's nearly a $4K AK, AKA trash can gun  , and would have easily been $5K+ at full retail which is hardly pocket change, at least for me!
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Originally Posted By nictra: in for the ride. My tacticool AKs weigh a ton. Ready for the pics! Like I said all of my AKs are pretty much tacticooled out and while they can get a lil on the hefty side I will say my SLR-107R with J-Mac triangle stonk is relatively "light" for an AK...I'll dig that up and weigh it and post a picture here later. |
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Originally Posted By stiglitz_actual: AK purists will hate but a modernized one with rail/light/lam/can is real fun Just start lifting weights now to prepare because she's gonna be a heavy bitch when you get it all setup Yeah the whole, nyet, rifle is fine nonsense is completely played the fuck out; Rob Ski and Larry Vickers got past it...so can I. It will NOT be light by any metric of comparison. That's fine, but I doubt it'll weigh more than some of my other rifles (PTR-91 has entered the chat). 
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Originally Posted By ATravis11b: "Grow Stronger" -13th Warrior  To the OP: Tacticool AK's are the way. Agreed on both counts. Weight-wise it'll be sporty and I'll keep it real with posting actual weight(s) while I'm at it. I understand that this is primarily an AR forum but it's also a gun forum and I NEVER understood the AK hate, and the whole commie gun nonsense is childish at best. I won't go down the whole AR versus AK rabbit hole because they both have distinct advantages and disadvantages sooooo...why not both? It's not boobs or butt, blonde or redhead...the answer is ALWAYS BOTH! |
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Originally Posted By MikeWhiskey: Agreed on both counts. Weight-wise it'll be sporty and I'll keep it real with posting actual weight(s) while I'm at it. I understand that this is primarily an AR forum but it's also a gun forum and I NEVER understood the AK hate, and the whole commie gun nonsense is childish at best. I won't go down the whole AR versus AK rabbit hole because they both have distinct advantages and disadvantages sooooo...why not both? It's not boobs or butt, blonde or redhead...the answer is ALWAYS BOTH! Guns ARE guns for sure. The only thing about them I can’t understand is why some people buy and store them without ever using them under the false assumption of investing. Better them than me.  |
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Originally Posted By Dakota_Don: Guns ARE guns for sure. The only thing about them I can’t understand is why some people buy and store them without ever using them under the false assumption of investing. Better them than me. Rogelio eso! The more you have the less frequently you get to shoot them but I won't keep something if it's just gonna occupy space in my safe...so I can sell it someday...? NOPE. |
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I love AKs but I'm done buying x39. I don't really want to get rid of mine but they will probably sit because I don't see myself buying steel case ammo for $500+ a case. I do have a few set up with optics and lights but I would like a cool alpha build on a 556 one day. I wish my slr107 was a 106 and I'd do it
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Originally Posted By JamesJones: I love AKs but I'm done buying x39. I don't really want to get rid of mine but they will probably sit because I don't see myself buying steel case ammo for $500+ a case. I do have a few set up with optics and lights but I would like a cool alpha build on a 556 one day. I wish my slr107 was a 106 and I'd do it Unfortunately sub or barely a buck and change for steel case 7,62x39 isn't ever coming back, even if the war ends tomorrow along with import restrictions. What made AKs very attractive to some folks years ago is all but completely gone at this point; specifically the guns themselves and the ammo being dirt cheap, although the magazines are still as cheap as ever for the most part. Now ARs and 5.56 ammo are cheap AF. Figures... Depending of what you were into and when you got into it it's enough to drive anyone crazy. The same can be said about other industries, hobbies, etc. but nothing provokes muh feels the way guns do...also unfortunately for we enthusiast types. |
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Originally Posted By MikeWhiskey: Unfortunately sub or barely a buck and change for steel case 7,62x39 isn't ever coming back, even if the war ends tomorrow along with import restrictions. What made AKs very attractive to some folks years ago is all but completely gone at this point; specifically the guns themselves and the ammo being dirt cheap, although the magazines are still as cheap as ever for the most part. Now ARs and 5.56 ammo are cheap AF. Figures... Depending of what you were into and when you got into it it's enough to drive anyone crazy. The same can be said about other industries, hobbies, etc. but nothing provokes muh feels the way guns do...also unfortunately for we enthusiast types. Yeah I have a few AKs in x39 and only a few cases of ammo. Most of them will probably be safe queens unfortunately. I do love shooting AKs and will probably buy a couple more but only in 556. I debate selling or trading most of them but some of the imports I fear I'd regret in 10-20 years. But then again we only live once and besides maybe a good investment or heirloom I feel like it's better to have stuff you'll use. I won a gift certificate for a thousand at a local shop and was hoping they had an m90 or sam5 or something like that on the wall but they didn't. I was thinking I should bring one of my x39s in to trade and add to the certificate but there's nothing in there I'd consider worth doing that. Sorry for getting off topic |
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Originally Posted By JamesJones: Yeah I have a few AKs in x39 and only a few cases of ammo. Most of them will probably be safe queens unfortunately. I do love shooting AKs and will probably buy a couple more but only in 556. I debate selling or trading most of them but some of the imports I fear I'd regret in 10-20 years. But then again we only live once and besides maybe a good investment or heirloom I feel like it's better to have stuff you'll use. I won a gift certificate for a thousand at a local shop and was hoping they had an m90 or sam5 or something like that on the wall but they didn't. I was thinking I should bring one of my x39s in to trade and add to the certificate but there's nothing in there I'd consider worth doing that. Sorry for getting off topic If we're talking AKs you're ON topic, no apology necessary! I had quite a few more AKs previously than I do now. I had two Arsenal SLR-105s (5,45), one ban model one full featured...I can't remember which was which from a model number standpoint. ANYWAY, I had bought the ban model for $700 and not two years later sold it for $1500 within minutes on the AK Files (which is all I'll say about THAT place). So I was sitting on the full featured one along with exactly 5K rounds of ammo (including an unopened tin of 7n6) and 16 different magazines, including some bakelites to include a 45-rounder. I heard from mutual friend that an old co-worker had a hard-on for all things 5,45 and reached out to him to see if we could make a deal. With little to no effort and minimal back and forth I sold EVERYTHING for a literal small fortune, which I promptly used to buy two "grail" guns (to me at least); a SCAR-17 and Benelli M4. The funny thing was I gave him a great deal and left quite a bit on the table, but cut the deal so I could be done with it and not onesie, twosie everything. Even though the 5,45 is a GREAT round, I don't miss having them with the current ammo situation which likely won't improve, or to any great degree at least. 5.56 AKs are neat for sure, but I shitcanned my M85 because the barrel length (8-ish I think...?) is trash for for ballistics and I found a highly motivated buyer for that and the M92 pistol I sold too. Yugo AKs are a whole different kettle of fish for sure; long story short I like them but there's enough about them that are different from standard AK/AKM that if you want to mod or change things up it's not as straightforward. Pretty sure my next AK (besides the PSA Stizon...but that's a whole other story!) will be a SAM 7K (8-inch barrel) that I'll SBR and trick out because nyet to stock AKs! |
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As far as the "rifle is fine" thing goes... AKs are no longer a dime a dozen and a lot of the imports are bona fide collectibles at this point. The WASR 10/63s also have the interesting factor of being basically factory refurbished former military rifles. I sometimes look at my WASR and wonder what poor sap had to serve out his compulsory Romanian military service humping that thing around. It's entirely possible there's a 10/63 out there that pumped a bullet into the Caucescus. So I do get it when you see some guys that are unwilling to customize certain kinds of AKs and are only willing to do that with something like a PSA that basically has no history or collectible value behind it. |
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Originally Posted By mancat: As far as the "rifle is fine" thing goes... AKs are no longer a dime a dozen and a lot of the imports are bona fide collectibles at this point. The WASR 10/63s also have the interesting factor of being basically factory refurbished former military rifles. I sometimes look at my WASR and wonder what poor sap had to serve out his compulsory Romanian military service humping that thing around. It's entirely possible there's a 10/63 out there that pumped a bullet into the Caucescus. So I do get it when you see some guys that are unwilling to customize certain kinds of AKs and are only willing to do that with something like a PSA that basically has no history or collectible value behind it. I think the wasr is the perfect gun for an alpha or any serious build. It's standard, not really expensive, and rock solid. I have a PSA Romy kit build and a couple other cheap PSAs I bought for beating up but I should of just gotten wasr's. I probably put 10 maybe even 20k of mostly mag dumps through mine back in the day and nothing broke or wore out. I can't remember any malfunctions besides a few light strikes. It did have trigger slap but back then I didn't understand what that was. It was nothing to shoot a case of ammo over a weekend camping. Atlantic had front sight combo WASR's with the paratrooper stock for around $6-$700 not too far back and I almost did exactly what OP is gonna do. |
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Originally Posted By JamesJones: I think the wasr is the perfect gun for an alpha or any serious build. It's standard, not really expensive, and rock solid. I have a PSA Romy kit build and a couple other cheap PSAs I bought for beating up but I should of just gotten wasr's. I probably put 10 maybe even 20k of mostly mag dumps through mine back in the day and nothing broke or wore out. I can't remember any malfunctions besides a few light strikes. It did have trigger slap but back then I didn't understand what that was. It was nothing to shoot a case of ammo over a weekend camping. Atlantic had front sight combo WASR's with the paratrooper stock for around $6-$700 not too far back and I almost did exactly what OP is gonna do. Originally Posted By JamesJones: Originally Posted By mancat: As far as the "rifle is fine" thing goes... AKs are no longer a dime a dozen and a lot of the imports are bona fide collectibles at this point. The WASR 10/63s also have the interesting factor of being basically factory refurbished former military rifles. I sometimes look at my WASR and wonder what poor sap had to serve out his compulsory Romanian military service humping that thing around. It's entirely possible there's a 10/63 out there that pumped a bullet into the Caucescus. So I do get it when you see some guys that are unwilling to customize certain kinds of AKs and are only willing to do that with something like a PSA that basically has no history or collectible value behind it. I think the wasr is the perfect gun for an alpha or any serious build. It's standard, not really expensive, and rock solid. I have a PSA Romy kit build and a couple other cheap PSAs I bought for beating up but I should of just gotten wasr's. I probably put 10 maybe even 20k of mostly mag dumps through mine back in the day and nothing broke or wore out. I can't remember any malfunctions besides a few light strikes. It did have trigger slap but back then I didn't understand what that was. It was nothing to shoot a case of ammo over a weekend camping. Atlantic had front sight combo WASR's with the paratrooper stock for around $6-$700 not too far back and I almost did exactly what OP is gonna do. Yep funny to think of how I used to order a 1k case of 7.62x39, delivered to the door, and go and shoot all of it over the weekend |
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Originally Posted By JamesJones: I think the wasr is the perfect gun for an alpha or any serious build. It's standard, not really expensive, and rock solid. I have a PSA Romy kit build and a couple other cheap PSAs I bought for beating up but I should of just gotten wasr's. I probably put 10 maybe even 20k of mostly mag dumps through mine back in the day and nothing broke or wore out. I can't remember any malfunctions besides a few light strikes. It did have trigger slap but back then I didn't understand what that was. It was nothing to shoot a case of ammo over a weekend camping. Atlantic had front sight combo WASR's with the paratrooper stock for around $6-$700 not too far back and I almost did exactly what OP is gonna do. That was exactly my mindset, and after scoring it in the mechanical condition that it's in, I really should have the necessary ingredients for a proper build. With that being said I got most of my parts in the other day, the few I didn't get should be here over the next few weeks (Optics Planet...) and as much as I'd like to get it started I'm going to have some downtime with an upcoming surgery so it'll give me something to do...when I don't/can't do much else while I'm recovering! Originally Posted By mancat:Yep funny to think of how I used to order a 1k case of 7.62x39, delivered to the door, and go and shoot all of it over the weekend. I have quite a bit of 7,62x39 ammo from the good ole days...but it's hardly stuff I'd want to burn up right now with current ammo pricing! 8M3, Golden Tiger, Silver Bear, Yugo M76, etc. which would be WAY more pricey to replace these days versus what I bought it for, although I also have plenty of plain ole Wolf lying around... |
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