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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Bittersweet. NEW Arsenal! (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/22/2008 11:22:42 PM EDT
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I was so excited to pick up my new Arsenal SLR 107F today. Got home opened her up and then I noticed... http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k39/hapyhar0ld/0323080016.jpg Please tell me this isn't normal. I haven't even fired the damn thing yet and the finish is falling off! What do I do? Take it back to the store I bought it from or contact Arsenal? Will they even fix this!? |
I got a SAM 7 A1R new in box a month or so ago and it had an inch long maybe 1/4 wide spot of bare metal that they obviously missed on the left side just below the rear sight........Then I got my 107FR with the canted front sight and the FS bored off center.Hey Arsenal WTF! Does yours have the canted sight?
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| damn, my SLR-105R is a couple of years old and doesn't look that bad. If you get solvent on it the finish will bleed right off though. I've gotten to the point I just rub it down with some alcohol and hit it with a can of spray paint until I get around to blasting it and gunkoting it. |
I poked, and the damn finish is flaking! |
I haven't shot it yet, but I definitely will to see if the front sight is canted. Omfg this is really pissing me off. $800 and I can't believe I'm having these kinds of problems! This is bullshit! |
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AKs aren't supposed to "hang" and won't after they've been fired some (unless you're using a Yugo BHO magazine). |
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I own two Arsenals one made in Bulgaria and one made in Vegas. Both have that shitty paint finish. Do yourself a favor and get the Arsenal parkerized. The parkerization adds a super tough finish that is less prone to rust. I suggest sending it to Arsenal inc of Texas they do good work with their parkerization process. 
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I believe its a rivet. It holds latch that catches the stock when you fold it to the side. |
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That's unacceptable simply on the basis it as an expensive gun. You don't pay that much for a crappy finish regardless of the rest. I wonder if Arsenal has been outsourcing some their jobs... How much should it run on average to parkerize an Ak in its entirety? |
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I have been a HUGE Arsenal fan for years, but this last 2 yrs of stuff they have been putting out has led me to take them off my "Want to buy" list. The older ones, I still think are great, but they have SEVERELY tarnished their name as of late in my book. Between canted sights, crappy finish, and stupid small runs of rifles that have all the stuff on them that lots of people want, I really don't understand their business model. But that is just my .o2. Doc |
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windage is adjustable by moving the front site pin over with a drift, or a AK/SKS adjustment tool Looks like it should be able to zero. I would not worrk about the finish (because the rest is just as fragile), if it bothers you you can strip it down and molyresin or duracaot it. I only use CLP to clean my arsenal, sronger stuff will mess up the "paint" just remember good rifles like the MADDI, and military polish tantals were also painted with crappy enamel paint also |
That actually looks pretty good to me. Someone correct me I am wrong but that is a decent group for 25 yards and is only a few inches off from zero. Some of our sights were off by a few *feet* not a few inches. If you rifle is shooting a little to the left, I think you just need o drift the front sight post over a little to the left and you will be good to go. The finish is another issue. I understand that these are battle rifles but I wouldn't be too happy with a new rifle that looked like that. Mine looked ok. |
I hope you get this rectified. Your rifle sights being screwed up is so unacceptable that it would choke me with rage. Finish is something easily rectified with a lil' krylon bbq paint. I own what just might be the ugliest AK out there, and yes, I'll post pictures eventually. |
No, you will not be able to zero that rifle. That 5" left at 25yds is 20" left at 100yds. You will be well outside the limit of the front sight adjustment. Even if you could get it zeroed, the sight picture will be unacceptable. If it were only the finish that were the problem, I'd say keep it. You could always strip the old Arsenal BBQ paint off with acetone, and refinish it with Dupli-Color High Heat baked enamel. That stuff is tough and solvent resistant and doesn't require an airbrush. Given the combination of problems, Arsenal should pay your shipping back fix their shit work. |
Lol. Deadboy I am definitely choked with rage. I'm going to go back tomorrow and see if I can get my money back or an exchange. I asked earlier and they can't get Vector or Lancaster. What other options do I have? They said they have a Yugo, but I think they are done up by Century Arms. What would you guys recommend? |
| Man I feel bad for ya having all that trouble with a new Arsenal, I'd get your $$ back and chalk it up to a learning curve, what the heck has happened to Arsenals product lately? I can't believe how many people are reporting quality issues, they used to be good as an AK could be had. Find a Vector, you'll save some bucks and they are awesome, someone had a really nice classic on the EE last time I looked. |
| It's a shame that the 107FR has to be a "learning experience" for so many people (myself included). Unless you have an awesome dealer, you're choices are probably limited to (1) sending it back to Arsenal (on your dime) and hoping it gets corrected. Early indication seems to be that they should fix it in a timely manner. (2) Pay someone else to fix it / Fix it yourself . I did the latter and considered the whole situation a lesson learned. No more Arsenals for me. |
Looked at my first SLR107FR Saturday. Looked nice, looked down the sights and the front sight was VERY obviously canted to the right. I have an SLR106FR that is truley awesome. I hate to hear all this crap about the 107, I really want one, but not so bad I'll take a fucked up one. Bought a Saiga 7.62x39 instead, it had dimples, and since I am going to do a complete conversion on it anyway, I didn't even look to see if the front sight was canted
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I didn't know that there were issues with canting on the new Arsenals? I have been busy with our building and have ALWAYS liked the Arsenal line and felt we were just filling a small gap between the expensive AK's and the home-builds. I actually have a meeting with the owner of Arsenal this week to discuss become a distributor of his products and will mention this to him. If we can negotiate a deal that is favorable to the both of us, we will DEFINITELY hand-check each and every rifle for straightness. We even do this with WASR's and Yugo's (we correct them before shipping if there is a problem) that we sell but that is to be expected.... man  thanks, Ron |
Your rifle even with canted sight base and chipping paint is better than Vector, Lancaster, or Century Arms Yugo. It is made of 100% brand new parts, most importantly, brand new, cold hammer forged, chrome lined barrel. You can't say that about the others. Send the rifle to Arsenal. Chipping paint and canted front sight base is minor repair. You shot it today, right? Shoots well? |
In the sense that it looks like shit and doesn't shoot within a foot of point of aim? Look, I'm a big fan of metallurgy too, but there are some basics any rifle has to satisfy. 
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Soo...I just got off the phone with Julia at Arsenal. They confirm that they have a problem with their S line up with the canted sight as well as with the finish. HOWEVER, they will only guarantee to fix the sight and not the finish. They MIGHT fix the finish at their own discretion. This is absolute bullshit and unacceptable. I am driving down to the gun shop where I purchased this and asking for a refund. Lesson learned is DO NOT BUY FROM ARSENAL! They might have been the best but they are not complete and utter shit. |
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Alright I just got off the phone with the shop that I bought the gun at and they are willing to give me a full refund. Thank goodness. I am going to buy an AK DAMMIT! Now Arsenal is off my list its between Vector and Lancaster. I know Vector makes the best bang for the buck and I've never heard any bad things about them but how is their customer service? I like the Lancaster as well because they parkerize their finish and then gun kote finish it and their lifetime warranty is nice as well. What do you guys think? Are they 'accurate' ie will they hit my target at 100 yards or they will they be a couple inches off to one side? My buddies Yugo is 6 inches off to the left at 100 yards which is WAY better than my Arsenal but still not that great for me. I know an AK isnt supposed to get great groupings but I'd still like to be able to hit center of mass. Thanks in advance. |
I own a Vector; their product AND customer service is top notch! |
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Grouping is independent of an inability to zero. That is, you could have a very accurate rifle that makes a one inch group at 100 yards, but it's six inches left of the point of aim, and can't be brought any closer without using kentucky windage, which is unacceptable. On the other hand, you could have a terrible rifle that makes a 12 inch group at 100 yards, but the group is perfectly centered on the point of aim, and you didn't have to try very hard to zero it. That would be acceptable, if you don't mind the large group. Yugo AK's are widely known for their manufacturing issues; many have canted front sight blocks which prevent zeroing. They also group poorly, naturally, so they're basically the worst of both worlds. Arsenal is supposed to be really good, from what I hear, but obviously they fubar'ed the 107's, so that you had an accurate rifle that was canted even worse than a random yugo. Vector and the other ~$550 stamped Bulgarians are generally better, and they have better service for any issues that do slip through. I would probably vote Vector, if I were in a banless state. If only for their larger customer base, and thus greater likelihood of still being around in four years if I need an unusual part from them or something. |
I must have gotten a "good" Yugo then because mine was able to zero easily and it hits 3.5 inch groups at 100 yards. Oh and the finish is holding up just fine. |
The Lancaster that I bought from Atlantic Arms is probably the best money I've spent in really long time. All who have shot it, some AK owners, some not, have told me that they wanted dibs if I ever sell. I've not had a chance to shoot at a 100 yards yet, but I can consistently make head shots on a standard IPSC target out to 50 yards. While not the sign of a reliable firearm, fit and finish is awesome also, which was a bonus. |
Keep in mind that the current "Yugos" are being made with barrels made in the U.S., and the sights and gas block are being attached to that U.S. barrel by Century Arms' trained monkeys or some equally-qualified subcontractor thereof. A Yugo AK, as in one completely manufactured in Yugoslavia, would not be found with any of the issues that a Century Arms "Yugo" has. Admittedly, the NoDak receiver they are using is simply excellent, and even Century Arms manages to mount the sights and gas blocks straight on some of their builds. Sadly, the overall quality of AK's here in the good ol' U.S. of A. is at an all time low... 
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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Bittersweet. NEW Arsenal! (Page 1 of 2)
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