When I pitched this article idea, I had planned on calling it “5 Common AK Issues,” but the more I thought about what I was experiencing, the less sure I was that these issues were in any way common. The AK platform can have its hiccups. Yet, much like the common double-action .38 revolver, the classic AKM has a reputation for being almost foolproof.
That said, I hit the range recently with a new adjustable piston in my AK—a KNS Precision Adjustable Gas Piston that I’d intended to help regulate gas while shooting suppressed. When the adjustments aren’t set just right on this, failures are a regular occurrence. Far from being an indictment of the new piston or a knock on the gun itself, it is proof that the KNS Precision Adjustable Gas Piston System does exactly what it is supposed to do by limiting or opening up the gas pushing the piston.
Let’s start with an example of a REALLY bad gun (not an AK).
Take a look at the image below. How many problems can you spot? I’m looking at four, at least. All of these were induced by a 6.5 Creedmoor AR platform rifle that was supposed to be a shining example of peak American manufacturing. Spoiler: it is not.
I took it to the range and, while trying to sight it in, needed to make the rifle safe. I cleared the chamber, only to find that the bullet had been violently driven down into the cartridge. This can be wildly dangerous, as it changes the available space inside the case, driving up pressure when the primer ignites.
I happened to look at the back of the primer and noticed that the firing pin is slinging out when the bolt returns or drops and hits the primer. Every round I put in and then extracted showed this mark, and no two looked alike. This is a big red flag. The pin shouldn’t touch the primer until it is time to fire.
Before I’d made those discoveries, I’d had a few cases that ejected violently. The brass was dented. While this has less to do with safety, it is a disappointment for those who reload. A couple failed to clear the ejection port and were crunched as the bolt returned.
After one range session (where I didn’t even get fully sighted in), I filed a complaint. The company sent me a new BCG, but the problems persisted, so the whole gun went back. I hope they recycled it.
The AK-47 Platform’s Maladies
Dented brass may still be an issue, but I’m not going to justify it with a spot on this list. I’ve run some nice 7.62×39 that I would have reloaded had I been so inclined, but I know few people who reload this caliber, and 90% of what I shoot is steel-cased anyway and doesn’t take to reloading well.
The other issues in this list, though, are ones you should train for. This is a crucial step here. I’d suggest using snap-caps or empty brass — something that would force some of these failures in a gun while you are on the range so you can work your way toward proficiency.
1. Failure to Feed.
You may run into the occasional nosedive. This is where the round careens into the feed ramp, or even into the breech, in such a way that it locks up and doesn’t seat. The only good way to clear one is to drop the mag and run the bolt a couple of times, hard.
If you don’t drop the mag but run the bolt, you may force a double feed, which is worse.
I’ve had more nosedives with soft-nosed rounds and hollow-point 7.62x39s than anything else. Pro tip: If the ammo comes in a SPAM can or has a picture of a wolf or a tiger on the box, it is likely going to run just fine.
2. Magazine Related Failures to Feed
I’ve heard rumors that you should never top off a 30-round magazine. Hogswallop. I frequently run Magpul, Bulgarian Steel, and US Palm magazines, and they all run reliably well with 30 rounds. I leave them loaded. Their springs don’t give out. If you have a mag that won’t feed if you load that last round, I’d chuck it. Life’s too short.
I’ve heard others say you shouldn’t use the magazine as a grip for your support hand, too. Pulling back may (or so I hear) pull the magazine down, out of alignment, and cause a nosedive. I’ve never had it happen, personally.
3. Failure to Extract
If there’s not enough gas to drive the piston, the empty round may not be thrown clear of the gun. I’ve had the occasional stove-pipe. These are relatively, as you can see them easily enough. They’re not terribly complicated to clear, either. Drop the mag and run the bolt. Then, reinsert the mag and run the bolt. Or, if you aren’t under immense pressure, pull the bolt back a smidge and shake it to the right side, then run it all the way back.
But one stove-pipe may serve as foreshadowing for more to come. While the ejection issue is easily cleared, what will prevent the problem from repeating itself? More gas? A bit of oil?
4. Duds
It seems like I was just proclaiming the virtues of cheap ammo. It feeds well and goes bang almost every single time. I have had a couple of stubborn rounds, though. It happens.
This may well be the easiest problem to clear, too, as the click of the hammer falling on a dud indicates it is time to rack the slide. Hit it and go.
If the problem isn’t isolated to one out of every 1,000 rounds, maybe you need to check the firing pin. While I’ve never had it happen in an AK, I have had rimfires get so nasty dirty that the firing pin began traveling somewhat sluggishly. I can see how this would be possible with an AK, too.
5. Lack of a bolt catch
This last one is tricky. The bolt on almost all AKs drops on an empty mag. If you count to 30 with impeccable alacrity, you might time your mag changes well.
I can’t count past 20. Not enough digits. When I hear the empty click, I initiate the panic sequence that I do every time I reload an AK.
The fix is easy—simply kick out the empty mag, rock in a new one, and run the bolt. I try to sneak a peek at the top of the empty mag as it falls, though that isn’t always feasible. If there is a round left in that mag, odds are I may have a bigger problem that I’ll need to clear before the gun will run again.
While the problems above are hardly typical for an AK, they do happen. If you are serious about the gun (and this goes for any gun), you need to practice worst-case scenario drills. Have a friend load your mag with a snap cap. Force a double feed. Hand-set some stove pipes. Train. While this won’t always provide the spontaneity that comes from a genuine failure, it is a reliable way to practice these skills.
