Meet Natasha..

[AiL45]

my 1st AK-47. oh and im a noob as well.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/AKStock.jpg



It's a CAI Romanian, bought it for $300 so I just couldn't pass it up.

Just hated the condition it was in, all scratched up, wood looked horrible, no polished bolt receiver, mag wasn't fitting correctly... so.. decided to fix all that...

Here's a comparison of the finish:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/RefinishCompare.jpg



Here's the wood before and after:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/WoodStock.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/2ndcoat.jpg



I decided to clean/refinish even the tools for the fuck of it:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/MiscRefinished.jpg



The final product (going to finish handsanding the bolt receiver tomorrow):

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/AKStock2.jpg http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/AKRefinished.jpg



Now just need to visit the range :mgwhore:

[chiak47]

Very nice...Welcome to the addiction.
I have a few Romanians and I have been pleased with the fact they work the way they are supposed to.

[jrken1]

Very nice job and welcome. I like the wood color. I too am a newb to the forum and AK"s. Been shooting all my life but other than a few .22 semiauto's I never owned a gun like these. They are alot of fun to work on and to shoot and make a great reliable defence weapon if a MELTDOWN ever does happen. Ammo is cheap enough and found all over the web. I got alot of information about the 7.62 X 39 round and sighting these guns in before my first trip. Ajusting sights to hit dead on at twenty five yards puts you about 1.5" high at 50, 3" high at 100 back to zero at around 200, 6" low at 250 and around 15" low at 300. I set mine up this way and it seems to hold true out to 100 yards. That is the longest range I've fired at. Everyone has their personal way of shooting, this is just a recommended starting point. Below is a target from my last trip to the range, fired 30 round mag from a rest at 50 yards at a 12" target. These are great shooters and I'm sure you'll agree after hitting the range............. GOOD LUCK !
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr359/jrken1/tmpphpBjpWyp.jpg

[rahatlakhoom]

Looks great!
Natasha has class.:naughty:

[AiL45]

thx guys, and yea gonna try out that out when I hit up the range on tues hopefully.

this is actually my 1st gun, been wanting an ak for years already and finally been able to get one. although I have shot an ar15, fully auto sks, saiga 12, a few 40's, 9's and 45's. next def going to get myself my ccw and a bersa 45.

finished polishing the bolt receiver...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/BoltRecieverPolished.jpg


and a better view of the finished product

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/AKComplete.jpg

[solarak]

nicely done! what did you use to refinish in black? Looks great.

[AiL45]

thanks, I used some Semi-Gloss Black Engine Enamel paint from auto-zone that I had laying around, liked how it was coming out so decided to paint the gun with it.

with just regular handling its been staying on very well, but some of the edges and etc from constant friction in the cardboard box its in has scratched off. so not really sure how long it will last me since I wasn't planning on treating this like its fragile.

either way, atm it still looks great and the tiny parts of paint that came off gave it slightly more of a rugged look which I prefer.

[majormadmax]

I have a "Natasha" as well; however, mine's not an AK but one of it's kissing cousins...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Guns/IMG00076-20110217-0736.jpg

And she's Yugoslav, not Romanian!

Cheers! M2

[O.S.O.K.]

Nice job on the WASR! Russian red furniture, polished carrier... man this is bringing back memories! :)

All of the newer guys here - :welcome: to the board!

Good to see new blood.

AiL45 - if that's Yugo ammo then be sure to clean up the rifle with warm water or water/windex after shooting as they have corrosive primers. You use the water and then dry and then clean as normal - chamber, bore, gas tube and piston - not to mention the muzzle brake and bolt face.

I think that might be Winchester though... but I thought I'd mention this just in case.

[AiL45]

I have a "Natasha" as well; however, mine's not an AK but one of it's kissing cousins...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Guns/IMG00076-20110217-0736.jpg

And she's Yugoslav, not Romanian!

Cheers! M2

haha awesome, i like the font you used as well.


Nice job on the WASR! Russian red furniture, polished carrier... man this is bringing back memories! :)

All of the newer guys here - :welcome: to the board!

Good to see new blood.

AiL45 - if that's Yugo ammo then be sure to clean up the rifle with warm water or water/windex after shooting as they have corrosive primers. You use the water and then dry and then clean as normal - chamber, bore, gas tube and piston - not to mention the muzzle brake and bolt face.

I think that might be Winchester though... but I thought I'd mention this just in case.

thx man, and yea the 30rds that came with the rifle are winchester. didnt realize the corrosive looked similar, was wondering why so many were warning me about it.

either way still useful to know since might consider shooting corrosive since have no issue with cleaning after the range, just depends on the price per ammo.

as for now though, prob will stick to shooting some of the cheap non-corrosive ammo that i find online.

[majormadmax]

haha awesome, i like the font you used as well.

Not my work, I bought it that way. I've had some interesting discussions as to whether it is original (i.e. "trench art") or added later on.

It was very neatly done and if you look closely (compare the three 'a's) it does appear to have been hand-carved...

Cheers! M2

[O.S.O.K.]

I'd say trench art - as that was fairly common. A lot of crosses and such are seen too.

Gotta love a milsurp rifle that's seen action.

[majormadmax]

Here are some more pics of my Natasha!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Guns/IMG_4809.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Guns/IMG_48102.jpg

Having spent time in Bosnia a while back, I have an affinity for Serb weapons! I've got a M70AB1, a M70B2, a M72 and a couple of Yugo SKS rifles.

Cheers! M2

p.s. Love the Tull quote, they are one of my favorite bands of all time! Saw them when I was 16 in 1979 for the Stormwatch tour in Jacksonville, Florida; then again years later in 1995 for the Roots to Branches tour in Mannheim, Germany. I also own the Live At Montreux 2003 DVD which is most excellent!

[Krupski]

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/AKStock2.jpg http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Ail45/AK47/AKRefinished.jpg

WOW you did a really nice job on her!

I really like the bolt carrier "in the white" look... I did that to all of my Kalashnikovs.

All that rifle needs now is a real Romy P-Grip and a cleaning rod!

[Krupski]

I have a "Natasha" as well; however, mine's not an AK but one of it's kissing cousins...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Guns/IMG00076-20110217-0736.jpg

And she's Yugoslav, not Romanian!

Cheers! M2

How did you do that????????? Is it laser etched?

[TEN-32]

Nice stuff guys. Welcome. Hope to see more posts from you. Ail45, you might try
www.aimsurplus.com
for some steel mags. I think they would look better in your Natasha. ;)

[imanaknut]

AiL45, welcome to the addictive world of the AK and AKM.

When the Romanians first started coming into this country, they were pretty much ignored like the earlier Chinese. Then Century hit the jackpot with the SAR series which really opened up the door to people taking their new bought toys and spending the time to redo the woodwork and other stuff to personalize their SARs. The WASR series started out a the "orphan stepchild" of the SAR, but ATF fixed that when they banned the SAR series from importation as not meeting the sporting clause provisions of the second amendment as they twisted it.

The WASRs then became the poplular model to do exactly what you did to yours. You take the basic rifle as a clean blank surface to a painter, and personalize it into that one of a kind beauty that only you have.

The problem arises when you find out how much fun they are, so you have to get another to try something new, then you get one from a different country, then a different caliber, then a different style, and before you know it you are certified as an AK nut and are fully addicted!

I would tell you to enjoy your WASR, but I see you already are, so keep up the good work, and keep posting as you get further into your new hobby!!!! :thumbsup:

[Dr. Gonzo GED]

Congrats on your first Kalashnikov. Is a terribly fun series of weapons to collect, study, and play with.

Like what you did with the wood. You thinking of going full ROMAK eventually with one of those cool P grips? They look pretty sweet reversed.

Shoot safe amigo!

[tx318]

Nice ,Here is my Veronika SAR-1 :bouncing-boobies:http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab274/tx318/022.jpg

[(AK)1000shots]

Very nice finish job.

[Bluntforce]

Gotta respect the man who'll clean and re-finish the tools.

[silverstar]

That looks gorgeous man! That's the redness I was looking for on my stock but mine came out a little too much like older american walnut like on my M1. I gotta pick a nice ruskie name for my new girl too. Maybe nakita??

[goyena70]

Good job! Now I want another AK with wood. BTW how did you polish the bolt receiver?

[binky59]

:welcome: Nice job and welcome to the darkside. You realize that it is just the
begining, you finish one, then the urge comes and you start thinking of how
lonely Natasha is and how she would feel better if she had a friend...and have
any of you noticed that in almost every video on YouTube that has someone
firing an AK, they always have a big grin on their face when they're done. AK's
must be fun 100,000,000 satisfied customers can't be wrong!
:shootski:

[Krupski]

Good job! Now I want another AK with wood. BTW how did you polish the bolt receiver?

I made my bolt carriers "in the white". They are not mirror polished like Ail45's are. I first used Naval Jelly to strip off the bluing, then used a wire wheel to shiny them up. It's got more of a satin finish than a mirror finish.....

http://three-dog.homelinux.com/images/bolt-carrier.png

[FunkyPertwee]

I made my bolt carriers "in the white". They are not mirror polished like Ail45's are. I first used Naval Jelly to strip off the bluing, then used a wire wheel to shiny them up. It's got more of a satin finish than a mirror finish.....

http://three-dog.homelinux.com/images/bolt-carrier.png

Is that a Norinco? I thought those came chromed.