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Thread: Arsenal SAM5 5.56x45 AK

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteyrAUG View Post
    Actually wasn't sure. Just when you think you know everything, somebody rolls out a picture of an FN AK. I've learned to ask. I was pretty sure, but you never know, and if they did make one, I wanted to see it.

    He also said 70s / 80s and that threw me off because very few AK rifles came in during the 80s and they were either Egyptian, Hungarian or Chinese. I don't know of any Bulgarians, especially in 5.45x39, BUT if Belgium made one those would be importable.
    Bulgaria started making AK-74s and AKS-74Us for military use in the late 80’s or early 90’s IIRC but never totally switched over to the 5.45 as their standard cartridge (The collapse of the USSR probably had something to do with it.) and Bulgaria started dumping their 5.45 rifles on the surplus market. A lot of those Bulgarian ‘74s were pretty lightly used and ended up in the US as parts kits, which were assembled into complete guns by builders of varying competence.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Circle_10 View Post
    Bulgaria started making AK-74s and AKS-74Us for military use in the late 80’s or early 90’s IIRC but never totally switched over to the 5.45 as their standard cartridge (The collapse of the USSR probably had something to do with it.) and Bulgaria started dumping their 5.45 rifles on the surplus market. A lot of those Bulgarian ‘74s were pretty lightly used and ended up in the US as parts kits, which were assembled into complete guns by builders of varying competence.
    I understand that, I had two Bulgy 74s built onto Nodak receivers. I just thought we might have been talking about a Bulgarian import.
    It's hard to be a ACLU hating, philosophically Libertarian, socially liberal, fiscally conservative, scientifically grounded, agnostic, porn admiring gun owner who believes in self determination.

    Chuck, we miss ya man.

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  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteyrAUG View Post
    I understand that, I had two Bulgy 74s built onto Nodak receivers. I just thought we might have been talking about a Bulgarian import.
    Oh ok, yeah not until the mid-2000s or something did a Bulgarian entity (Arsenal) produce 74 type rifles expressly for the US market. I think it was the early SLR-105 series that kicked it off, and later the 104 series. I have a 104FR myself, very nice rifle.

  4. #14
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    Nice blaster. I miss my old SLR-106. It was a kitty to shoot.

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Circle_10 View Post
    Oh ok, yeah not until the mid-2000s or something did a Bulgarian entity (Arsenal) produce 74 type rifles expressly for the US market. I think it was the early SLR-105 series that kicked it off, and later the 104 series. I have a 104FR myself, very nice rifle.
    I still have three Bulgarians, a fixed stock 74 (Nodak), a folding stock 74 (Nodak) and a factory 7.62 folder (100 series or whatever) Arsenal import. Those were the ones I kept along with a Izmash, a Maadi, a GSAD (Chinese) and my Polys when I sold off all my other AKs during the Great Obama Gun Sale. Dumped all of my Romys and other CAI builds (Tantals, Yugo, etc.)
    It's hard to be a ACLU hating, philosophically Libertarian, socially liberal, fiscally conservative, scientifically grounded, agnostic, porn admiring gun owner who believes in self determination.

    Chuck, we miss ya man.

    كافر

  6. #16
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    I installed a KNS adjustable gas piston on the carrier and took my SAM5 to the range along with a variety of ammunition. I started with the adjustable gas piston in the closed position where it doesn't relieve any extra gas. The first ammunition I used was Wolf 55gr FMJ 223Rem. I shot five cartridges at a time. The first mag had a failure to feed, the second had another, the third ejected the 2nd and 4th cartridges completely, the forth ran all five cartridges 100%, the fifth ejected the 3rd cartridge. I was very perplexed by all of these failures because the rifle was running 100% with the original factory gas piston. Additionally, when the rifle did cycle correctly, it was tossing the spent cases to the moon. So, I decided to adjust the KNS piston to allow some gas to be relieved. I set it at 25 clicks. I was then able to run three magazines of five cartridges each without issue. The spent cases didn't go near as far. I then set it at 35 clicks and was able to run two magazines of five cartridges each without issue. Next, I put ten cartridges in the magazine and the second one didn't feed due to a short stroke, but all the rest did. Based on previous experience with KNS pistons, I could probably adjust the piston to 30 clicks and it would run 100% without fear of short stroking. At this point I decided to try some Wolf Military Classic 55gr FMJ 223Rem. I ran five cartridges and four short stroked. The ammunition was obviously significantly weaker than the regular Wolf 55gr FMJ 223Rem. Next, I gave five Fiocchi 55gr FMJ 223Rem cartridges a try. They ran 100% with the spent cases ejecting about 13' on average. Finally, I tried five IMI 55gr FMJ M193 5.56x45 cartridges. They ran 100% with the spent cases ejecting about 18' on average. It was getting dark, so I had to stop at this point. So, what to conclude from all of this? First, the problems that I had in the beginning were caused by the rifle being overgassed. Weird things can happen when a rifle is overgassed and this was no exception. Second, I need to decide which ammunition that I want to run regularly through this rifle and adjust the piston accordingly. Likely, that will be the IMI 55gr FMJ M193 since that's what I have the most of and it's 5.56x45. Finally, the SAM5 is overgassed from the factory like most AK's. That's not surprising given that they want to avoid people that shoot the weakest ammunition on the coldest day of the year complaining that their rifle isn't 100% reliable. However, I don't like the flip side of that which is the rifle pounding itself to death when proper quality ammunition is used, not to mention the wasted gas that results in lower bullet velocity. The KNS piston fixes the former, but nothing can be done about the latter. Bottom line: I'd recommend a KNS piston for any AK that you're going to shoot regularly that is overgassed if you have the knowledge and patience to set it up properly.
    Last edited by Bret; 11-15-20 at 09:39.

  7. #17
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    Mine's been reliable to date, just need more rounds though it before I get the review up

  8. #18
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    What model piston did you use?

  9. #19
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    AGP-A-20S. Make sure you get the one for the small bore. That's what the S at the end means. Optics Planet had the lowest price that I could find. They're definitely not cheap though.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bret View Post
    AGP-A-20S. Make sure you get the one for the small bore. That's what the S at the end means. Optics Planet had the lowest price that I could find. They're definitely not cheap though.
    That's the one i was gonna buy.
    Thanks.

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