Are the STG-3000's built from WASR-10's any better than the run-of-the-mill WASR's we get, or is just the same rifle with different furniture and a different front sight?

I really want a 5.56mm AK, but can't afford any of the decent ones. Heck, I want a decent AK period. I've got seven 30-rnd mags for my WASR-10. Two won't go into the magwell at all; too wide. Two will go into the magwell, but they won't engage the latch and just fall right back out. Two will fit perfectly every time. One will fit... if I fiddle with it. If I just slap it into the magwell, it goes in at a weird angle; then when I try to chamber a round, it slams the round into the receiver just below the chamber (THAT's an out-of-battery waiting to happen) and the magazine gets jammed in place so I can't remove it without smacking the thing with a mallet.

I just want an AK that doesn't have a shitty magazine well and won't drive me bankrupt (i.e., in the $400 range); it's not too much to ask.

So will the Stg-3000, specifically the 5.56mm version, but I'm interested in the 7.62mm version just so my mags don't go to waste, have a better magazine well than the generic WASR-10?

There is an article at www.ioinc.us/stgarticle.pdf about the STG-2000-C that may answer some of your questions.

Slightly off topic, but did you contact Century about your WASR? Mine isn't the best AK ever, but every mag I have (over 20) goes in fine. It's fairly accurate for an AK, and very reliable. You have a lemon, which Century should fix for you.

The owner's manual for the STG 2003C says the guns are brand new built on German and Austrian equipment, then sent to InterOrdnance in North Carolina for modification. The manual specifically says they are made to work with plastic mags, but mine came with a Wieger metal mag though and it works fine. The guns come with a brand new, chrome lined, hammer forged barrel, century-series gas block/front sight, Tapco FCG, M-16A1 flash suppressor.
I think they're pretty nice, unusually light and rather unique. I would consider getting another one in the future and converting to a folding stock.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v440/CarlosC/Guns/Rifles/STG-2003.jpg

Any issues with foreign magazines, mag wobble, etc.?

The Wieger mag is foreign to begin with, it's German, and I have not had any issues with it. No wobble at all with he mag...in fact, it's in there real tight and I swear they must use some heavy duty spring for the mag release.

Quoted: The owner's manual for the STG 2003C says the guns are brand new built on German and Austrian equipment, then sent to InterOrdnance in North Carolina for modification. The manual specifically says they are made to work with plastic mags, but mine came with a Wieger metal mag though and it works fine. The guns come with a brand new, chrome lined, hammer forged barrel, century-series gas block/front sight, Tapco FCG, M-16A1 flash suppressor. I think they're pretty nice, unusually light and rather unique. I would consider getting another one in the future and converting to a folding stock. img.photobucket.com/albums/v440/CarlosC/Guns/Rifles/STG-2003.jpg

Why not get the folding stock version IO offers? Or is that a Tapco stock conversion?

Actually, as far as I know, they do not offer it with a folding stock from InterOrdnance. The only one I have seen is a conversion done by a guy on a board and a picture of the STG942.

The manual is kind of odd in that it refers to six different models, but I only know of three, the STG-2000 (7.62), the STG2003 (5.56), and the SSG-97 in 7.62x54.

Quoted: Actually, as far as I know, they do not offer it with a folding stock from InterOrdnance. The only one I have seen is a conversion done by a guy on a board and a picture of the STG942. The manual is kind of odd in that it refers to six different models, but I only know of three, the STG-2000 (7.62), the STG2003 (5.56), and the SSG-97 in 7.62x54.

IO has shown the SSG-97 in several ads in SGN, but never seems to have them in stock. I was seriously interested in one of those.

Maybe I'm mistaken about the folder. I have seen them advertised, and thought it was in IO.

Your eyes did not deceive you. They do advertise two other stock variations in Shotgun News, but they don't list them on the IO website. One of those other stocks is a side-folding polymer similar to the Sturmgewehr-90. The other is the over-used M-4 stock. Neither, in my opinion, look right. The sidefolder just looks ugly and the M-4 is like a good song that gets played so much, you start to hate it. Everywhere you look, the M-4 stock is on a different gun...they come with adapters so you can put them on shotguns, AKMs, G-3s, SKSs, Mini-14s & 10/22s, and who knows what else.
Anyway, I have seen one guy on another board install an East German sidefolding wire stock on his STG-2000 and the gun looks really nice and original. After all, the original STG-942 had such a stock.

Quoted: Any issues with foreign magazines, mag wobble, etc.?

My STG-2000C likes the plastic Promag mags (and I've had no problem with them).  The Romanian steel mags that I just got with my Century WASR-10 wobble a little bit (but not bad).  The Promags are VERY tight in the WASR, leading me to believe that my STG-2000C was cut to fit the slightly fatter Promags, and the WASR was cut to fit the surplus metal mags.  The Promags fit the WASR - I just have to whack them in with my palm.  They click right in to the STG.

Short story longer, they both fit both fine, but the metals fit the WASR better (no wobble) and the plastics fit the STG better (no wobble).  Any wobble is minimal when you use the metals in the STG, though - think less than a 30-rd SKS mag in an SKS, not little wobble like an AR.  

Does anyone know what the twist rate is on the Stg 2003 in 5.56?

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Quoted: My STG-2000C likes the plastic Promag mags (and I've had no problem with them).  The Romanian steel mags that I just got with my Century WASR-10 wobble a little bit (but not bad).  The Promags are VERY tight in the WASR, leading me to believe that my STG-2000C was cut to fit the slightly fatter Promags, and the WASR was cut to fit the surplus metal mags.  The Promags fit the WASR - I just have to whack them in with my palm.  They click right in to the STG. Short story longer, they both fit both fine, but the metals fit the WASR better (no wobble) and the plastics fit the STG better (no wobble).  Any wobble is minimal when you use the metals in the STG, though - think less than a 30-rd SKS mag in an SKS, not little wobble like an AR.

I picked up some ProMags this past weekend at a gunshow just to see....and you're right, they are a tighter fit. I have not had good experiences with ProMags in pistols, but I'll give these a try and see how they do. Have you had any problems at all with your ProMags?

Quoted: Are the STG-3000's built from WASR-10's any better than the run-of-the-mill WASR's we get, or is just the same rifle with different furniture and a different front sight? I really want a 5.56mm AK, but can't afford any of the decent ones. Heck, I want a decent AK period. I've got seven 30-rnd mags for my WASR-10. Two won't go into the magwell at all; too wide. Two will go into the magwell, but they won't engage the latch and just fall right back out. Two will fit perfectly every time. One will fit... if I fiddle with it. If I just slap it into the magwell, it goes in at a weird angle; then when I try to chamber a round, it slams the round into the receiver just below the chamber (THAT's an out-of-battery waiting to happen) and the magazine gets jammed in place so I can't remove it without smacking the thing with a mallet. I just want an AK that doesn't have a shitty magazine well and won't drive me bankrupt (i.e., in the $400 range); it's not too much to ask. So will the Stg-3000, specifically the 5.56mm version, but I'm interested in the 7.62mm version just so my mags don't go to waste, have a better magazine well than the generic WASR-10?

www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/wasrwell.htm

If you are tight on cash, I don't know why you would want an AK in .223.
Have you looked at how expensive .223 is right now? Shit's going $400 for 1000rds.

Quoted: Have you had any problems at all with your ProMags?

None at all.

Does anyone know if the Arsenal 30 round 223 mags will fit the Stg 2003?

I am considering getting one of these from Atlantic and I'm curious if anyone that has one can comment on this article:

http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/wieger.html

It states these are welded together and can fail?

I'm a newbie to AKs so sorry if this is a goofy questions =)

Quoted: I am considering getting one of these from Atlantic and I'm curious if anyone that has one can comment on this article: http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/wieger.html It states these are welded together and can fail? I'm a newbie to AKs so sorry if this is a goofy questions =)

That's the poorly-made (by reports - I never owned one) Hesse/Vulcan copy from a few years ago.  This new one IO is selling is totally different.  It is NOT made by Hesse.

cool - thanks for the info - I am trying to decide on a cheap, but well-made plinker... I think I am down to either a saiga or this one... might try this one, though its not a traditional AK, I can always buy another hehe. Otherwise I'll get a saiga and convert it... decisions decisions....

Wasr! It will have a better Magwell mod job. The cheap plastic may be a probem down the road too. If I was to buy a WASR lookalike  it would be a Hammerstone. I returned my stg.