Classic Arms - Reputable?

[notasccrmom]

I'm shopping around to pick up a Romanian WASR (my first AK) and classicarms.us has exactly the one I want. I've researched the WASR and I'm pretty set that it will do for what I want it for. I am just wondering if anyone here has purchased from them and whether or not they are good to deal with. Their prices seem right.

[DaGroaner]

I have been 100% satisfied with their service. They are awesome Americans, old school seal the deal with a handshake kind of people. :thumbsup:

[RUDEDOG.357]

I would highly recommend classic arms. I bought my wasr from them and it was in good shape. No canted sights or any problems shooting it. Talk to Ben. price was 320.00

[notasccrmom]

I would highly recommend classic arms. I bought my wasr from them and it was in good shape. No canted sights or any problems shooting it. Talk to Ben. price was 320.00
Awesome, my main concern is because of the WASRs canted sights and mag wobble problems and not being able to inspect the rifle before buying. Do they inspect them individually before selling? or can you specify that you want to make sure it doesn't have the usual problems? I just don't want to order one, and then have to go through the hassle of getting it fixed or sending it back to Century.

[DaGroaner]

Awesome, my main concern is because of the WASRs canted sights and mag wobble problems and not being able to inspect the rifle before buying. Do they inspect them individually before selling? or can you specify that you want to make sure it doesn't have the usual problems? I just don't want to order one, and then have to go through the hassle of getting it fixed or sending it back to Century.

Call them and ask them to check out the sights before they ship it. They are very nice people.

[RWBlue]

That is where I got my Yugo underfolder. No issues.

I have no idea what they do on the WASRs.

[jbremount]

I'm shopping around to pick up a Romanian WASR (my first AK) and classicarms.us has exactly the one I want. I've researched the WASR and I'm pretty set that it will do for what I want it for. I am just wondering if anyone here has purchased from them and whether or not they are good to deal with. Their prices seem right.


I got my Saiga from them and not one single problem. I will defintely recommend and buy from them again. The prices are very competive.

[notasccrmom]

I placed an order with them on Saturday for one of the Romanian kit-builds that they have. I figure it's gotta be somewhat better than a WASR since it's built on a double stack receiver. I should have it by the end of the week.:banana:

[RMTactical]

Yes, they are reputable! :)

[CarlosC]

I've been doing business with them for several years, mostly C&R though, but it has all been positive. I Just got one of their G kit rifles last week - an excellent value, you will REALLY like it. I used the guy Ben suggested to do the transfer for $15 and it all went very smooth. In fact, I ordered the rifle at 9AM, drove up to NC and had it in my hands 3 hours later.
I also bought the Hungarian AMD-65 since it was on sale. Classic had it for $399 and still does. The closest anyone else would go at the local gunshows was $500, and even then they complained they were making nothing on it.

[notasccrmom]

Carlos, I am very happy to hear that you are pleased with the Romanian G kit rifle. I was kinda worried since I've never heard of the builder, but I figured there is only one way to find out and that they were still probably better than a Century WASR. Also, everyone has said that Classic is a good dealer so I figured that they wouldn't sell them if they were junk. Now you have me all excited to get it... not that I wasn't.

Have you had the chance to shoot it yet? Have any more detailed pictures?

[CarlosC]

I will try to post pics as soon as I can. You see, it all started with my Christmas allowance of $350, to which I added another $50 to get the AMD-65. I was okay at that point. BUT, I was looking around at Classic's site and I saw the G-kit rifle.

I had to have it.

So, I am now in the doghouse for going $350 over my budget. Of course, I'll repay that money to Savings, but in the mean time, the mere mention of the G-rifle is a bad thing. I have to lay low for a while, and that includes shooting it.

I will say this...while the build is excellent, there are a few minor things I should mention. First, the furniture is typical Romanian....it all looks like it was finished with a chainsaw. Not a big deal. My Romanian AK-74 was tha same and I finished the wood to where it looks beautiful, so I guess I have another project.
Second, the bottom foregrip is not a pistol grip, which it should be. Instead, it's a standard AK grip, but with no bulges. Easily replaced.
Third, in order to make the 922 parts count, the rifle comes with two ProMags. I already replaced the slant brake, so I can use some old steel AK mags with US guts. The ProMags are trading material now.
Fourth, the $350 deal does not include a bayonet. Who cares though...Romanian AK bayonets are a dime-a-dozen.

[notasccrmom]

I've had my heart set on an AK for Christmas for a while now, and as you can see in the first post that I was pretty set on a WASR. Then the G rifle showed up on their site for just a little more, so I figured what the heck. I'm not in the doghouse for it either, actually my girlfriend is getting me a case of 7.62x39 to go with it.

I know about the furniture, and that's no big deal. I can fix or change it and bayonets are cheap. I like the fact that the bottom foregrip doesn't have the pistol grip, I don't like how they look. I do plan on replacing some parts so I can use foreign mags. Speaking of which, how many parts does it need changed to make it compliant? Also, how are the ProMags? I've heard some bad, but not all. Do they get the job done, or are they cheap junk?

Sorry about all the questions, you're the first person that I've talked to that has one.

[CarlosC]

No probelm with the questions...

I also prefer the straight foregrip, but the pistol grip is originally the way the gun was made, so I would like to have it with one.

Per 922, you can't have more than 10 imported parts on the AK. By my count, the Gs are at 9 foreign (barrel, trunion, brake, bolt, carrier, piston, stock, upper grip, lower grip) and 7 US (receiver, trigger, disconnector, hammer, mag body, follower, base plate). You can play the numbers as long as you don't go over ten in the foreign column. Replacing the piston and brake would put you at exactly 10, so you could then use 100% foreign mags

I have a personal bias against ProMag, so I avoid them. During the ban, I sent them two of their G-19 mags - under their waranty - to have them replaced. I called after I did not get them back for several weeks, only to find out they had destroyed my mags per Kalifornia law. They never even bothered to tell me. Only when I called did they offer any replacement - two of their neutered mags or something else, so I settled for some 1911 mags.
While the AK ProMags look like they're pretty good quality and probably work okay, I would rather get plastic Bulgarian mags or just switch out a few parts and use full up foreign, steel mags.

[notasccrmom]

Thanks for the 922 info, I appreciate it.

I can understand your reservations about ProMag, I would have been pretty mad myself. I'm going to give these a try and if they don't work out I'll trade them away. Either way, I definitely plan to swap some US parts into the rifle so I can use whatever mags I want.

[scromer]

Upper and lower handguards count as only one part.

[CarlosC]

Thanks for the correction...so that makes it even easier to make the change. All you'll need is to change something simple like the slant brake, which is available from several sources.

[notasccrmom]

Thanks for the correction...so that makes it even easier to make the change. All you'll need is to change something simple like the slant brake, which is available from several sources.
Quick question about the slant brakes... Can you tell a difference in them? Are they marked in a spot I'm not seeing that tells if they are US made or not? Otherwise, the whole idea of changing out the brake for one that is identical seems really trivial to me.

[RWBlue]

Quick question about the slant brakes... Can you tell a difference in them? Are they marked in a spot I'm not seeing that tells if they are US made or not? Otherwise, the whole idea of changing out the brake for one that is identical seems really trivial to me.

Not trivial, legal.

But you are getting to understand why gun laws are generally stupid.

[CarlosC]

...very stupid laws.

Anyway, yes, the US-made parts, including the brakes, are somehow marked to show they are made in the USA. Here's 4 links for US-made brakes...

http://dpharms.com/us-marked-14x1-lh-us-slant-breaks-p-82.html

http://estore.websitepros.com/832529/Detail.bok?no=393

On this one, it's about half way down the page...
http://www.gunthings.com/

http://www.tapco.com/proddesc.aspx?Id=1443d0cd-1be6-46e4-ac59-055f322563c1


Edited to add another link...

http://www.copesdist.com/images/000_0494.jpg

[scromer]

The US made slant brake on my Century M70B1 has "USA" engraved on the outside.

I've always looked at 922R as one of those stupid "Pile-on" laws. If you do something else wrong and run afoul of the law, the prosecutors can add a 922R violation to the list of charges if you have a firearm that is out of compliance. Otherwise it is unlikely that anyone in law enforcement cares about 922R

[DaGroaner]

The US made slant brake on my Century M70B1 has "USA" engraved on the outside.

I've always looked at 922R as one of those stupid "Pile-on" laws. If you do something else wrong and run afoul of the law, the prosecutors can add a 922R violation to the list of charges if you have a firearm that is out of compliance. Otherwise it is unlikely that anyone in law enforcement cares about 922R

That's great until you run into the exception to that rule. It's a lot cheaper and easier to just comply.

[scromer]

Yep you're right. That's why all of my AK's are 100% compliant. I enjoy this hobby way too much to endanger it over breaking some idiotic law.

[CarlosC]

Okay, notasccrmom, I know you got your G rifle already...so how about some pics???

[notasccrmom]

Yeah, I have it. I haven't had a chance to take pics yet. I'll try to do so soon.

A few notes about the rifle: I put about 100 rds through it so far and it shoots great. I was drilling the 100 yard gong with it. I didn't have a single problem with the ProMags. The wood is more or less hideous. I'm gonna have to refinish it or find some better wood for sure. Right now it's three different colors. Mechanically, it is solid. I'll either order a US slant brake soon, or wait for the next gun show in January.

[CognitiveDissonance]

I like hideous wood. :)

Seriously, though. Good to hear those Rommy G builds are good to 100 yards, because I am very tempted to pick one up. Trying to resist though, as I want more mags and ammo instead.