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Old September 17, 2005, 07:49 PM   #1
Henry Baker
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My first AK is jamming constantly HELP ME PLEASE!

I went to a gunshow today and bought my first AK a new Vector Arms ak47 with a fixed wood stock. I also got some Brown Bare, soft point, 7.62x39mm ammo. (the cheapest I could find) Then I took it out to the woods to do some shooting, believe it or not. THIS IS WHERE I GET FRUSTRATED! We put a total of 200 rounds through it and the longest string it shot without jamming was 6 rounds. I had faiures to extract of every kind. Usually the fired casing didn't move from the chamber, but it also stove piped a lot, and spent brass stayed loose inside of the action instead of ejecting from the gun. I was stunned at these failures because I thought Vector arms was a great company. My questions are,
1. What's wrong with my gun?
2. What should I do to correct it?
3. Is my reciever stamped or milled?
4. I paid 500 for it, was this a fair price?

Thanks ahead of time for your comments,
HenryIneedhelpandstoleWildalaska'sclosingthingBaker
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Old September 17, 2005, 08:03 PM   #2
TPAW
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Go from simple to difficult.
Give it a good cleaning, examine the receiver and it's internal parts for anyting that might be obvious, try a better grade of ammo, use a different magazine, and see what happens. If the problem continues, it's time to look at the extractor and other components in the receiver. One thing at a time...
If your receiver has rivets going through it, then it's probably stamped. Vector shows a stamped receiver in their photo.
As for price, I can't say. I bought my AK from Arsenal Arms, made in the USA. It's milled steel and built like a bull dog. Clean finish and accurate. To date I put thousands of rounds through it with one jam. It empties a 30 round mag in seconds. I paid $650. It's the SAM 7.
The other option is to bring it back since you only had it one day.
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Old September 17, 2005, 08:15 PM   #3
Henry Baker
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Thanks TPAW, that makes sence. Do you think that if I took it back to the shop I could get a refund or a replacement?
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Old September 17, 2005, 10:14 PM   #4
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Tough to say but it's worth a try. Most dealers don't like to do it because of the paper work involved. He will probably try to pass it off and agree to send it back to the company. If you decide to do that, the company will have to correct the problem or give you a new gun.
If that's the route you want to take, don't do anything with the rifle. Read the warranty you received with the rifle and make sure that you did not violate any of the terms (if you get my drift). You know, proper ammo and all that good stuff. You don't want to give them an excuse for saying that you were the cause of the problem because of what you did or did not do.
You do have consumer rights, check them and know what they are so the dealer who sold you the gun dosen't try to pull the wool over your eyes.
Generally, they go back to the manufactuer for any repairs that might be necessary.
I'm sure that what ever it is will be resolved. I realize that it's a new rifle, but even new things can be broken. It's happened to me and many others.
Onward and Upward! Keep the faith!
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Old September 18, 2005, 06:45 AM   #5
Henry Baker
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Thanks again TPAW, I know the dealer pretty well ( his daughter's in my mothers girlscout troop), and he's a nice guy. I don't think that he'll "pull the wool over my eyes" but it does sound like I'll end up sending the gun back to the company for repairs. This is the strangest thing though, I can't figure out what's wrong with it. Because of the malfunctions I think it has to be the extractor or the chamber, but both look ok when inspected. Although I know my eyes couldn't tell if It was slightly off. Does Brown Bare ammo have a reputation for being crap? Could the ammo be the problem?
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Old September 18, 2005, 07:52 AM   #6
WillBrayjr
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AK-47 jamming thats a new one on me, maybe you got a bad lemon. I tried my hardest to get an AK to jam and could not.
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Old September 18, 2005, 08:04 AM   #7
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Quote:
(the cheapest I could find)
Many "What's wrong with my gun?" questions seem to include this phrase. Sometimes it can be awfully expensive to save a little money.

Quote:
1. What's wrong with my gun?
It's not working.

Quote:
2. What should I do to correct it?
Was it full of gooey cosmoline? Did you clean it out? Does the gun run well with better ammunition? Are there gouges on the spent cases that would indicate a rough chamber? How's the extractor? Hook in spec? Any spring tension present?

Quote:
3. Is my reciever stamped or milled?
I can't quite tell from here. Hold it closer to the monitor.

Quote:
4. I paid 500 for it, was this a fair price?
A quick search of the internet seems to indicate that these things are trading in the $475-$500 range, so your price would not be way out of line, assuming the gun worked.
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Old September 18, 2005, 08:08 AM   #8
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WillBrayjr,

Quote:
I tried my hardest to get an AK to jam and could not.
They jam. All guns jam. All guns break. Some more often than others, but all of them do.
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Old September 18, 2005, 08:37 AM   #9
Cpl Punishment
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WOW, I certainly am surprised to see it happening to a Vector Arms gun. Everyone squeezes out a lemon from time to time. Might want to try a couple other type of ammo first (buy only a box or two, event the "expensive" 7.62x39mm is cheap) if it runs with another type of ammo, then it just doesn't like the Brown Bear.

Also I'd make sure to give the gun a thorough cleaning.

Next thing to try is different magazines. It just might not like the ones you have.
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Old September 18, 2005, 10:07 AM   #10
Wildalaska
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Frrom a distance...short stroking...gas...out spec gas piston..or...schumutz in the gas port or gas port out of spec...

Next step...scrub chamber, clean gas system, check port and clean.

WildthenshootAlaska

PS next time buy an AR
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Old September 18, 2005, 11:32 AM   #11
Henry Baker
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I was as surprised as you guys are whene it jammed. It is very clean no cosmo at all with a light coat of oil like it had just been cleaned by a knowledgable person, and everything looks in place. The rounds that stove pipe or get caught in the gears have marks from the gears, but the ones that do eject normally have no marks and the ones that just sit in the chamber are clean and mark free too. I will try different types of ammo but I want it to shoot the cheap stuff so unless it gets much better real fast I'm sending it back to be repared.

Last edited by Henry Baker; September 18, 2005 at 12:09 PM.
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Old September 18, 2005, 01:55 PM   #12
Kaylee
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Can't be. Everyone on the Internet knows AKs don't jam.


I'm with WA.. sounds like there's not enough oomph getting to the bolt carrier group. Try dissassembling the gas system and see if there's any gook in the gas port.

(i.e.. take the top cover off in back and take out the carrier group like you normally do when cleaning it, then move that little lever on the side of the rear sight block to about the 2-o-clock position. Then grab the top handguard and lift it up and away from the rifle. [obviously, this won't work with the rest of the guts in there, 'cause the piston on the carrier will be inside said tube]. Anyhow.. there should be a little hole in the top of the barrel. Make sure it's free and clear, and that the piston part of the carrier can slide freely inside the tube. )
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Old September 18, 2005, 07:08 PM   #13
TPAW
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HENRY BAKER

Other than taking it back to the dealer you bought it from, I can't add anything more to what I said or what the other guys said.
Let us know how you make out, I'm curious to know.
Good Luck!
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Old September 18, 2005, 07:40 PM   #14
Henry Baker
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I can't thank you guys enough for your help. I have inspected this thing up and down. For the life of me I can't tell what the problem is. One of you could probubly tell in a second, but I know nothing about aks. Monday after school I'm going to take it back to the gunshop and see what can be done. Unless the dealer fixes it right there, that won't happen, I'll send it back to the company and hopefully get a new one, or at least get this one fixed. I could spend time and money trying out different ammo and things, but the way I see it that responcebility falls on the company that produced it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Vector and I'm sure this is a lemon, but still.

Greatfully,
Henry Baker
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Old September 18, 2005, 09:50 PM   #15
KaceCoyote
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Ok have you insured that...

1. The gas port is clear?
2. The bolt is clean?
3. You didnt get a nasty box've ammo?
4. The rifle was lubricated?

You DID strip the rifle down and clean and lubricate it before firing, right?
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Old September 18, 2005, 10:46 PM   #16
No4Mk1
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I agree with Kaylee....

You must be lying. AK's don't jam, everybody knows that....
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Old September 19, 2005, 05:18 AM   #17
Henry Baker
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KaceCoyote, to answer your questions,
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. I can't say for sure, but I don't think so due to the nature of the malfunctions.
4. Yes
I striped it and checked it before firing to ensure that it was safe to fire.
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Old September 19, 2005, 07:28 AM   #18
Tomac
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Check the gas piston for wear. If it's not properly pinned to the bolt carrier w/just a little play then it can rub on the inside of the gas tube causing malfunctions. HTH...
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Old September 19, 2005, 12:52 PM   #19
TPAW
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Henry Baker

If you still have the shell caseings, show them to dealer and send them with the AK if you decide to return it. Just be sure the what you fired is within the gaurantee that came with the rifle.
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Old September 19, 2005, 01:29 PM   #20
Henry Baker
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I bougt it brand new. The tag said vector arms and the reciever sais vector arms model 99 and has a stamp for ITM. I went to www.vectorarms.com and it said they have a 5 year waranty, but I can't find a copy of the waranty any where. I will take it back to the dealer tomorrow afternoon, but I would like to see a copy of their waranty. Any help finding their waranty on line would be greatly appreciated. Also, I do not have any of the spent casings but I do have unfired shells from the same lot.

Thanks again,
Henry Baker
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Old September 19, 2005, 04:48 PM   #21
TPAW
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I don't think the unfired shells will help?
As for the warranty, perhaps the dealer you bought the rifle from will have one in another box. If not, call the company and ask them to send one.
They may require a receipt for the purchase. Just fax one to them.
Good Luck!
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Old September 19, 2005, 05:39 PM   #22
NewDad24
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change your ammo

Mine was doing the exact same thing.Mine was because i was using hollowpoints.Try using fmj and see if it does any better.If you are shooting hollow points like I was.
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Old September 19, 2005, 05:42 PM   #23
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soft points.

I see you were shooting soft points,I can almost promise that if you go to FMJ your problem will be solved.
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Old September 19, 2005, 05:49 PM   #24
TPAW
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AK's are known to shoot trash ammo of all kinds and still function. I don't think that FMJ ammo is the answer. Even if it were, you should not be limited to shooting only FMJ. That being the case, there is something wrong with the rifle that his good cleaning did not fix.
I've shot just about everything out of mine and never had a problem.
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Old September 19, 2005, 05:51 PM   #25
Henry Baker
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NewDad24, I am very surprised to hear this. I don't doubt you, but it strikes me as strange. Was yours a vector too?
TPAW, You're write about the shells, I just threw that in there. The place I bought it from has a 25 yard pistol range and the easyest thing would be to try other ammo there. I know you can use pistol caliber carbines and rifles, but would they allow the 762x39? Also, would I send it back to the company directly or do that through the dealer?
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