WASR-series rifles

The WASR-10 is a post-ban version of the AKM rifle in 7.62×39mm caliber. Factory-original rifles only support single-stack, low-capacity magazines (10-rounds). After import, Century Arms offered WASR rifles modified to accept double-stack, standard-capacity magazines (machining burrs on the magazine well may cause some magazines to fit improperly if the burrs are not removed). Pistol grip and thumbhole stocks were both commonly fitted to WASR rifles.

After the sunset of the 1994 assault weapons ban, importers were able to legally equip WASR-10s with compensators, bayonet lugs, and folding stocks, thus making the GP WASR-10 (with GP standing for general purpose). Some advantages of this rifle are the reliability of the gun and the availability of standardized aftermarket parts.[7]

The GP WASR-10/63 was built using the same newly-manufactured single-stack receiver and chrome-lined barrel as the GP WASR-10, and the two models are cosmetically similar. However, while the GP WASR-10 was made with new parts, all parts on the GP WASR-10/63 (other than the receiver and barrel) came from a former Romanian military rifle. The original year of manufacture can be seen engraved on the left side of the trunion (the trunion is visible where it protrudes through the receiver on the left side, near the front), along with the original rifle's serial number. Dates seem to range from the early 1960s to the 1980s. Most or all small metal parts are marked with the last few digits of the original serial number. As with other WASR models imported into the United States, Century Arms modified these rifles to accept normal 30-round magazines.

The pistol grip, trigger group, slant muzzle brake and gas piston were replaced with U.S.-made substitutes to comply with U.S. regulations.[8]

There are rumors that the GP WASR-10/63 was built from rejected parts. This is not true. All parts had passed inspection and the original rifle had been accepted into actual military service.

Because the GP WASR-10/63 originated as a Romanian military rifle, Century Arms sold them with many of the original rifle's accessories, such as a bayonet, oil bottle, magazine pouch and cleaning kit.

The WASR-22 or AK-22 Trainer is a .22 Long Rifle, semi-automatic cadet rifle loosely based upon the AK-47 and manufactured in Romania by Cugir Arms Factory.[9] Unlike the AK-47, it uses a simple blowback method of operation. As such, it has no gas system and the internal components have been modified accordingly. While designed to be a cadet rifle for basic firearms and marksmanship training for the Romanian Army, it was never used as such. Instead, it was sold on the civilian market, primarily in the United States in collaboration with Century International Arms. Because of its cheap ammo and low recoil, it is marketed as a “starter” or “trainer AK”.[10] It is usually shipped with two 10-round magazines and is currently sold with the price ranging from $200 to $500 USD.

The WASR-2 is essentially a WASR-10 chambered in 5.45×39mm, and usually does not come with any accessories (muzzle brake, bayonet), especially if it is ordered directly from Century Arms.[11]

Spare parts were difficult to come by until the import of AIMS74 kits were imported around 2018. These parts were often a direct match. While some suffered from reliability issues due to parts made on old tooling and loose tolerances, most were reliable.

This commercial export version of the WASR is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO (which can also safely fire the .223 Remington round). It usually comes in the same configuration as the WASR-2. These have known problems with jamming or failure to feed. This may be due to low quality magazines, or their followers. The WASR-3 was originally supplied with surplus 5.45×39mm AK-74 magazines, which do not reliably feed the 5.56/.223 cartridge. People have used Wieger magazines with some success. Century Arms eventually began including Romanian copies of the reliable Wieger magazine with these rifles. Some switch the follower of an AK-74 magazine with one from Robinson Arms.[12] Israeli Galil steel magazines are also known to work without modification in the WASR-3. Some owners have also modified the rifle to accept Bulgarian Circle-10 5.56 magazines, or Polish Beryl 5.56 magazines. These sometimes require some material to be removed from the receiver center support bar.