u/SgtKashim

A few rough edges - I'll need to do a slower print to clean up the surface - but print is sturdy. I finally found, sailing on the sea, a copy of the Brown's Brush Magpul-to-A3 files. I just couldn't bring myself to pay for a true A3 stock and this just scratches enough of the Die Hard itch for me.

Also because I wasn't paying attention, you can see where I ran out of my original filament halfway through and had to switch to a slightly different color.

I grabbed myself one of the " AK 47 Rifle WASR 10 - Show Demo" rifles Atlantic had for sale, and... the thing's a mess. Sold as "May have cosmetic blemishes" was kinda underselling it. I suspect these might be RMA rifles that Century was having trouble shifting.

The biggest issue was the mag well: it was cut to 22mm, as were the two magazine stabilizing bars inside the receiver. Everything I can find says they should be about 25mm. The front sight cam was completely frozen - I broke a front sight tool trying to move it. And most accursedly, the wood was hideously blonde. Way, way, way too blonde for a distinguished rifle like this.

I solved the magwell with some careful hand filing (Both my yugo and Romanian surplus mags lock up without rattling, and Magpul PMags fit straight of the bag). I solved the front sight with a torch and a second front sight tool. And I solved the blonde wood the only way I know how: A sander, some minwax, and a bit of tung oil.

Here she is, after a solid weekend of feverish work doing my best Khyber Pass impression. She looks more mature now. More worldly. Before and afters in the pictures.

I also got some range time. I'm not nearly as good with irons as I should be, we can hit steel at 200 at least. Now that it's zeroable, anyway.

Over the past couple of months the Warrior Systems Legionary's been popping up on r/gundeals for $119. A full-service k-baffle aluminum can for the price of a hi-point plus transfer. While I've got an OCL Titanium I love, more cans is almost always better, and what the hell... it's cheap. I did promise a write-up after testing, so here we are:

I tested 3 22LR cans - the OCL titanium, the AB Little Bird, and the Warrior Systems Legionary - in an empty indoor range. These are subjective. I don't have professional audio measuring equipment, so this is my personal experience. Each can got 5 rounds from cold and dry in a semi-auto rifle (Ruger 10/22), a bolt-action rifle (Savage B22), and a semi-auto pistol (Keltec P17). The audio is recorded, poorly, by stuffing my cell phone in an ammo box next to my shooting bag. Ammo all came from the same box of standard velocity Remington cheap stuff.

1. OCL Titanium:
   1. I'll start here - this can is well reviewed other places, so you can get a pretty good idea of what it sounds like out on the internet. Everything else I say is relative to this one. The OCL is the quietest, and I noticed the least difference between sound on the first and second rounds. There's still a *tiny* bit of first round pop, but it's a slim margin - you'd only hear it if you were listening very closely. Can is rated for 5.7x28 as well, so quite sturdy. Titanium, easy to clean with either dip or simple-green in an ultrasonic bath. This is the gold standard 22LR can, or at least in the mix with one or two others.
2. AB Little Bird:
   1. Very slightly louder than the OCL, and with noticeable difference between first, second, and even third rounds. After 3 rounds or so it settles in, and is quiet enough that I couldn't really hear a difference. Those first 2 rounds, though, are a little bit louder. The difference is bigger on pistols than rifles. Aluminum can - lightweight, but probably shouldn't be left too long in the Simple Green bath. I find the baffle removal and re-install tedious, but it is *functional*. There's a chance deferring cleaning to long can threadlock the baffles. I confirmed with the manufacturer; the manual is incorrect, and the can *IS* rated for 5.7x28. One odd note - for some reason about 3 of the rounds I shot through this in the bolt action rifle went supersonic, which didn't happen for any of the other cans. I let it cool off and re-shot, and one still went super. I don't have a full explanation yet.
3. Warrior Systems Legionary:
   1. This is a basic k-baffle, 1"x6" aluminum can selling for a pittance. Cutting to the chase, it's louder than the other two. Noticeably louder. If the AB and OCL sound kinda like a CO2 BB gun, this sounds more like a nail gun. I can't really tell you exactly how much louder, but... louder. There's a pretty beefy first round pop as well. Again, aluminum, so watch which solvents you use to clean it. The baffles are a bit rattly in the tube, until you torque down the end cap.

So here's the upshot; to a certain extent, you get what you pay for. Honestly, if I didn't also have the Titanium, I'd be over the moon with the Legionary... but the OCL is just better.

I saw the least difference on a semi-auto rifle. The port pop covered up some of the quietness of the OCL. On a full length rifle, it does quiet the gun enough I'd call it hearing safe. On a pistol it's borderline. A few rounds, sure. An extended range session? I'd still want earplugs. The OCL I'd consider safe all day. *EDIT* Should also add; perceived weight difference is negligible. The OCL is the heaviest at 4oz, 3.5oz for the Legionary and 2.8 for the Little Bird... but honestly, I couldn't have told you that by feel. It's in the noise at that range.

Sound samples: https://imgur.com/a/kEw2gug

Over the past couple of months the Warrior Systems Legionary's been popping up on r/gundeals for $119. A full-service k-baffle aluminum can for the price of a hi-point plus transfer. While I've got an OCL Titanium I love, more cans is almost always better, and what the hell... it's cheap. I did promise a write-up after testing, so here we are:

I tested 3 22LR cans - the OCL titanium, the AB Little Bird, and the Warrior Systems Legionary - in an empty indoor range. These are subjective. I don't have professional audio measuring equipment, so this is my personal experience. Each can got 5 rounds from cold and dry in a semi-auto rifle (Ruger 10/22), a bolt-action rifle (Savage B22), and a semi-auto pistol (Keltec P17). The audio is recorded, poorly, by stuffing my cell phone in an ammo box next to my shooting bag. Ammo all came from the same box of standard velocity Remington cheap stuff.

1. OCL Titanium:
   1. I'll start here - this can is well reviewed other places, so you can get a pretty good idea of what it sounds like out on the internet. Everything else I say is relative to this one. The OCL is the quietest, and I noticed the least difference between sound on the first and second rounds. There's still a *tiny* bit of first round pop, but it's a slim margin - you'd only hear it if you were listening very closely. Can is rated for 5.7x28 as well, so quite sturdy. Titanium, easy to clean with either dip or simple-green in an ultrasonic bath. This is the gold standard 22LR can, or at least in the mix with one or two others.
2. AB Little Bird:
   1. Very slightly louder than the OCL, and with noticeable difference between first, second, and even third rounds. After 3 rounds or so it settles in, and is quiet enough that I couldn't really hear a difference. Those first 2 rounds, though, are a little bit louder. The difference is bigger on pistols than rifles. Aluminum can - lightweight, but probably shouldn't be left too long in the Simple Green bath. I find the baffle removal and re-install tedious, but it is *functional*. There's a chance deferring cleaning to long can threadlock the baffles. I confirmed with the manufacturer; the manual is incorrect, and the can *IS* rated for 5.7x28. One odd note - for some reason about 3 of the rounds I shot through this in the bolt action rifle went supersonic, which didn't happen for any of the other cans. I let it cool off and re-shot, and one still went super. I don't have a full explanation yet.
3. Warrior Systems Legionary:
   1. This is a basic k-baffle, 1"x6" aluminum can selling for a pittance. Cutting to the chase, it's louder than the other two. Noticeably louder. If the AB and OCL sound kinda like a CO2 BB gun, this sounds more like a nail gun. I can't really tell you exactly how much louder, but... louder. There's a pretty beefy first round pop as well. Again, aluminum, so watch which solvents you use to clean it. The baffles are a bit rattly in the tube, until you torque down the end cap.

So here's the upshot; to a certain extent, you get what you pay for. Honestly, if I didn't also have the Titanium, I'd be over the moon with the Legionary... but the OCL is just better.

I saw the least difference on a semi-auto rifle. The port pop covered up some of the quietness of the OCL. On a full length rifle, it does quiet the gun enough I'd call it hearing safe. On a pistol it's borderline. A few rounds, sure. An extended range session? I'd still want earplugs. The OCL I'd consider safe all day. *EDIT* Should also add; perceived weight difference is negligible. The OCL is the heaviest at 4oz, 3.5oz for the Legionary and 2.8 for the Little Bird... but honestly, I couldn't have told you that by feel. It's in the noise at that range.

Sound samples: https://imgur.com/a/kEw2gug

Over the past couple of months the Warrior Systems Legionary's been popping up on r/gundeals for $119. A full-service k-baffle aluminum can for the price of a hi-point plus transfer. While I've got an OCL Titanium I love, more cans is almost always better, and what the hell... it's cheap. I did promise a write-up after testing, so here we are:

I tested 3 22LR cans - the OCL titanium, the AB Little Bird, and the Warrior Systems Legionary - in an empty indoor range. These are subjective. I don't have professional audio measuring equipment, so this is my personal experience. Each can got 5 rounds from cold and dry in a semi-auto rifle (Ruger 10/22), a bolt-action rifle (Savage B22), and a semi-auto pistol (Keltec P17). The audio is recorded, poorly, by stuffing my cell phone in an ammo box next to my shooting bag. Ammo all came from the same box of standard velocity Remington cheap stuff.

1. OCL Titanium:
   1. I'll start here - this can is well reviewed other places, so you can get a pretty good idea of what it sounds like out on the internet. Everything else I say is relative to this one. The OCL is the quietest, and I noticed the least difference between sound on the first and second rounds. There's still a *tiny* bit of first round pop, but it's a slim margin - you'd only hear it if you were listening very closely. Can is rated for 5.7x28 as well, so quite sturdy. Titanium, easy to clean with either dip or simple-green in an ultrasonic bath. This is the gold standard 22LR can, or at least in the mix with one or two others.
2. AB Little Bird:
   1. Very slightly louder than the OCL, and with noticeable difference between first, second, and even third rounds. After 3 rounds or so it settles in, and is quiet enough that I couldn't really hear a difference. Those first 2 rounds, though, are a little bit louder. The difference is bigger on pistols than rifles. Aluminum can - lightweight, but probably shouldn't be left too long in the Simple Green bath. I find the baffle removal and re-install tedious, but it is *functional*. There's a chance deferring cleaning to long can threadlock the baffles. Now *officially* rated for 5.7x28, despite what the manual says. One odd note - for some reason about 3 of the rounds I shot through this in the bolt action rifle went supersonic, which didn't happen for any of the other cans. I let it cool off and re-shot, and one still went super. I don't have a full explanation yet.
3. Warrior Systems Legionary:
   1. This is a basic k-baffle, 1"x6" aluminum can selling for a pittance. Cutting to the chase, it's louder than the other two. Noticeably louder. If the AB and OCL sound kinda like a CO2 BB gun, this sounds more like a nail gun. I can't really tell you exactly how much louder, but... louder. There's a pretty beefy first round pop as well. Again, aluminum, so watch which solvents you use to clean it. The baffles are a bit rattly in the tube, until you torque down the end cap.

So here's the upshot; to a certain extent, you get what you pay for. Honestly, if I didn't also have the Titanium, I'd be over the moon with the Legionary... but the OCL is just better.

I saw the least difference on a semi-auto rifle. The port pop covered up some of the quietness of the OCL. On a full length rifle, it does quiet the gun enough I'd call it hearing safe. On a pistol it's borderline. A few rounds, sure. An extended range session? I'd still want earplugs. The OCL I'd consider safe all day. *EDIT* Should also add; perceived weight difference is negligible. The OCL is the heaviest at 4oz, 3.5oz for the Legionary and 2.8 for the Little Bird... but honestly, I couldn't have told you that by feel. It's in the noise at that range.

Sound samples: https://imgur.com/a/kEw2gug

My state's closing the door on a bunch of stuff next year, and I've always wanted an AK-style rifle to help round out my collection. I ordered one of those "WASR-10 Show Guns" that popped up on Atlantic the other day. When I went to the shop to pick it up, they had a recent trade-in PSAK AK-103 at a reasonable price... So now I have two.

So let's talk about the mess that this WASR-10 is.

Sights are canted. Great - I understand this happens with AKs, and I kinda expected it. Fixable. It's got some finish dings - again, expected. A weird mix of un-lubed metal and crusted packing grease... All the usual things expected.

The magwell, though, seems to be a mess. I have 6 mags currently available: 1 PMAG (came with the 103), 1 "palm" polymer (came with the WASR), and 4 Romanian Surplus mags. Of the 6, only the "palm" that came with it will even fit in the magwell. The Magpuls can kinda be hammered in, but it scrapes the crap out of the sides of the mag. The Romanian mags, not a chance. All the mags work cleanly in the PSAK.

So I think the magwell's tight. I'm new to the Kalashnikov, though I've done my share of wrench turning. Anyone got advice or tricks for how to actually do the magwell filing?

EDIT:
After measuring, it looks like the magwell was about 25mm, where it should have been 28mm. Same for the 'stabilizers' inside the receiver. Serial number indicates this is probably a 2022 gun - has the CAI updated trigger, not the tapco. I *thought* they'd fixed the magwell dimensioning by them, but possible this was yanked for a show or something and managed to escape QC. I needed to embrace my inner Khyber Pass and spend about an hour or two hand-filing.

OK; I've got an OCL Titanium I *love*, but I've also always been a sucker for cheap shit. And 22LR is so danged forgiving to suppress. When the "Warrior Systems Legionary" popped for $119 shipped, I needed one - just to see how much can a hi-point plus background check can buy you.

My FFL let me know he had a spare AB Littlebird clogging up his shelf, and he'd throw it in the transfer for an extra $100. So here we are - for under $300 including transfer fees and shipping, a pair of 22 cans. We'll see if they're absolute crap, or if they're tolerable at least. If nothing else, I have a spare for my 10/22.