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SAR-1

5K views 39 replies 15 participants last post by  AKBLUE 
#1 ·
Thoughts on this? Any fun facts I should know with this variant?

 

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#3 · (Edited)
back in the day, circa early 2000s, these were the bottom of the barrel commercial AKMs, plagued with canted sights, gas blocks, rear sight block and general $hitty overall workmanship.

now, they are all the rage because they got the mag "dimple" and the "Y" indent for the auto pin :rolleyes:

I bought the SAR3, because it was chambered in 5.56 and it was cheap, cheap, cheap. something like 110 bucks or there abouts from a dealer at a show. and even then the dealer couldn't even give them away as it was not popular at all, folks were wanting 7.62 and 5.45, so he was selling what at the price he bought them for just to get rid of them

a couple issues with mine was it had canted rear sight block + the face of the hammer was not striking the bolt tail square on, but at a angle causing the "tail" to be deformed, which was common with all the SAR 3s.

the hammer was a AKM hammer and the bolt was shorter then a AKM bolt. fixed that problem by buying the correct SAR3 hammer and replacing the AKM hammer.

sight block, ehhhh I was able to overcome that by replacing the rear sight with a RPK rear sight. which gave more windage adjust then the front sight
 
#5 · (Edited)
Most SAR 1, 2 ,3 models were decent factory builds and functional.

The biggest problem with the SAR 3 was the lack of correct 5.56 magazines.
The East German Weiger's or Romanian copies were uncommon.
Century tried to use DDR 5.45 bakelite magazines but they were problematic. Users often tried other types and feed failures were common.

The SAR 1 and 2 were much less problematic and magazines not an issue..

The SAR rifles were in the $225 - $250 price range when first imported.

The SAR 3 suffered from trigger slap and attempts to use a standard profiled hammer was not mechanically a correct fitment.
The SAR3 bolt profile required a different hammer face profile so it would contact the rear bolt face and firing pin squarely.

If not properly profiled the hammer struck the bolt tail at the bottom and often light struck the firing pin and started to open the bolt tail.
Misfires were then possible.

Re-profiling a hammer to work properly in a SAR3 is not difficult but most owners were not versed in this process.
 
#15 ·
Most SAR 1, 2 ,3 models were decent factory builds and functional.

The biggest problem with the SAR 3 was the lack of correct 5.56 magazines.
The East German Weiger's or Romanian copies were uncommon.
Century tried to use DDR 5.45 bakelite nagazines but they wete problematic. Users often tried other types and feed failures were common.

The SAR 1 and 2 were much less problematic and magazines not an issue..

The SAR rifles were in the $225 - $250 price range when first imported.

The SAR 3 suffered from trigger slap and attempts to use a standard profiled hammer was not mechanically a correct fitment.
The SAR3 bolt profile required a diffetent hammer face profile so it would contact the rear bolt face and firing pin squarely.

If not properly profiled the hammer struck the bolt tail at the bottom and often light struck the firing pin and started to open the bolt tail.
Misfires were then possible.

Re-profiling a hammer to work properly in a SAR3 is not difficult but most owners were not versed in this process.
One had to buy a Red Star Hammer to fix this issue.... I am not sure if they are still in business....
 
#6 ·
Recently fiddled around with my SAR3. Solved the mag problem by using Tapco Galol mags. Never found any Weigers to try. Replaced the trigger and sear with an RAS double hook, but retained the original hammer as it was fine. Overall a fun rifle.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Recently fiddled around with my SAR3. Solved the mag problem by using Tapco Galol mags.
Hal, now you just need to take one of mags and make a feed tower to go onto a 100 rd. 5.56 round drum :),

below is a picture on how to cut and mate the top of the mag to the bottom part of the AR feed tower. use a piece of wood the same inside width as the tower and mag to line it up, then epoxy it and brace both sides with flat alumium stock. then attach it to the drum then "you'll be cooking with gas" :laugh:

 
#9 ·
Good solid rifles, if it has the century trigger in it still, swap it for a tapco or alg.
They are factory double stack receivers, way better than the dremeled out WASRs that replaced them.
Some will dis them, but I never had a problem with the 2 I had over the years...
 
#12 ·
great :) post a picture and give us the details on how you went to go about it. :)

I have more respect and admiration for someone who can fabricate things, then someone buying a part or accessory putting it on their gun then proudly announced "look what I did" :rolleyes:
 
#13 ·
"Thoughts on this? Any fun facts I should know with this variant?"

As long as they are straight enough and the welded up gas piston is copacetic with the gas tube and the trigger doesn't slap your finger too hard they are good rifles. A far better weapon than the ones made here by folks who thought that clearances are the same thing as tolerances. My SAR 1 puts 4 rounds into <4 inches from sitting at 100 yards, <8 inches at 200 and will hit 12 inch by 12 inch steel at 300 with Barnaul HP. It has never failed to fire.
 
#17 ·
SAR-1:
2,000 or so total rds., using only Russian ammo.

Zero operating issues. My only magazines (on all AKs) are Hungarian Tankers.

A little trigger slap was avoided by easily installing a Tapco trigger group. Also Very easily installed a "Pin Retainer Plate". There is no reason to ever again struggle with a "shepherd's hook".
 
#25 ·
All the SAR 1, 2 and 3's had trigger slap. I have owned two SAR2's and a SAR3. I regret selling the SAR3 and still have one of the SAR2's. The 3 came with one "converted" East German AK74 mag that refused to work with more than 20 rounds in it. I did buy 3 or 4 Weiger mags and they all worked perfectly. Incidentally, I still have the converted AK74 mag and it still works with 5.45x39 ammo in my other AK74 clones. Mine had a canted gas block. But the sights were straight. Since the rifle still functioned with the gas block as-is, I left it alone.
There used to be instructions on fixing the trigger slap problem that involved removing some metal from the bottom of the disconnector. I tried this but it didn't help. If you fire a full mag from yours and your trigger finger stings or is numb, you've still got trigger slap.
 
#26 ·
The top pictured rifle is a kit build from a MarcolMar import of an AIMS PM Md 86 Romanian AK in 5.45x39. The Sar 2 was imported as a neutered example of this model.
The original used the push button side folding buttstock, 22mm threaded front sight block and chambered muzzle device. Lower handguard was the pistol grip type with a bakelite upper gas tube cover., and the later issued green nylon sling vs the early maroon leather type sling.

The bottom rifle is a clone PM Md97 Romanian AK in 5.56x45. This clone was made from a SAR 3 rifle with the original pattern parts added. Similar to the Pm model 86 above it.
This model would have originally had a bulged front trunnion unlike the slab side SAR 3 import.

The SAR1 for domestic Romanian use would have had the side folding push button folding stock and was a PM Md90 that replaced the earlier PM Md63 fixed wooden stock mode and the PM Md65 underfolder model in part.l. The muzzle device would be a slant brake vs the 22mm on the 5.45 and 5.56.

Romania also built the firearms to customer spec for export with variations in stocks and furniture etc.


 
#27 ·
#29 ·
Anybody who tells you these are junk is full of SHIT, absolutely one of the best rifles that were ever imported, I sold a ton of them at the time, and I regret getting rid of the SAR1 I owned, a bad choice in retrospect.

I did keep and unban a SAR2, and its one of the most accurate AK's I own, probably the MOST accurate, I keep it loaded with a 45 round mag, and a Kobra red dot optic on it, its my go to long 5.45, my little one is a 104 UR, with a can.

Its long, and heavy with an EG flash hider on it, and the 45 round mag weighs a ton, but, as stated, if I go to war its one of the ones I'm taking.

Never had issues with trigger slap, and, if memory serves me, we had one that the trigger pins worked out, and it went full auto, sent that one back, because it was just dangerous.

Never really had many issues with canted sights either, and, if you understand AK's and how they are produced, its not that big of a problem, as they generally shoot straight, I just had a friend buy his first AK, and he was amazed at how nothing is square to anything else, gas block, front sights, to the receiver, etc.

I told him he needs to relearn his thinking if he wants to own an AK.
 
#32 ·
Guys who Need to sell their ARs or AKs (or paid too much) will have high motivation to make other people feel that their rifles are inferior.
.

and you be wrong on that, junior. I bought a SAR3 for way under 200 bucks, and the workmanship is crap, does it work? yes, but the workmanship was simply put; crap......these SARs were the scrapings of the bottom of barrel when it came to imported AKs, but since I got it at or below dealer's cost and it was in 5.56 I decided to buy it, just for $hits and giggles and mostly because the 5.56 round would be around forever, might not be so for imported 7.62x39, which would be at the whim of importation laws

the SAR1 and 2 were no better when it came to workmanship.
 
#31 ·
It's a lower tier rifle. I'm Shure it shoots great like an AK. Value is what you can get . I've done a shitload of aks I am not biased. The magwell dimples are a major plus for me. The electro pencil engraving for the markings it's just horrible. The rifles would have been so much nicer if engraved properly
 
#38 · (Edited)
I'll agree that the post-89 ban MAADIs, that were imported by INTRAC, PARS, had some of the worst finish on them........looks as if they took a rattle can spray paint and they painted it in a sand storm that is how mine looked when i bought it, but the front sights, gas block and rear sight block was straight. the milling of the bolt and bolt carrier was also very good.

it was so cheap I decided to spend a few extra bucks to have it refinish then bought brand new in wrapper Soviet AKM laminated stock set, also not very expensive at the time, less than 50 bucks from GLOBAL, and made it look a lot nicer then what it was. :)





now, i had a MISR S/A that were imported by CENTURY ARMS, the milling of the bolt carrier and bolt looked as it was done by a "special needs" shop class, it was terrible with large furrows in the recesses of the carrier. it worked, but geeze Louise you'd would have thought they would have at least finish up the milling instead of leaving it rough like that. there is nothing remotely good to say about the MISR 90......that was just a abortion gone bad, bad, bad
 
#34 ·
Virtually all AK firerams are now in the $800 range and higher.
Pre election., world wide and national pandemic, riots etc.

Price today is not as much to do with quality in most cases., as it is due to political, social and security issues.

The Romanian and Egyptian AKM firearms are adequate in fit and finish.
Not among the better quality in that regard.

In function they work fine in general.
In terms of being held to a high spec of parts production or assembly, not as much.

Pin installation, component alignment, furniture fitment is not among the better examples.

If open handles enough parts and disassembles enough examples and builds from the kits., the tolerances, uniformity of manufacture are revealed in more detail.

Egytian and Romanian AKM's work.

The SAR and Sile Maadi's were generally among the best of the Romanian and Egyptian imports.

Other AK' from countries such as Bulgaria, firmer Yugoslavia, Hungary, Soviet Union held to higher standards.
Particularly before the fall of the communist states in the early 1990's.
They are generally better in fit, finish and adhering to higher tolerances

This thread kinda went into pro/con Romanian AK's. ;)

It happens., they work. ;)
 
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