Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

So I got my trusty new AK47 I bought from SSG Tactical last week and had a very short life with it. I cleaned it right after purchase and then took it out in the backyard. I was short on time, so I only got three rounds out of it to ensure it was functioning OK.

Came inside and left it as is for the range on Christmas day.
Come Christmas day, on the very first round that went out, the receiver blew apart. Bullet successfully went downrange to the target, but the receiver cover blew skyward and the magazine below obliterated. Receiver and receiver cover are warped.

I did find a thread in another forum from back in 2008 where someone else reported the exact same thing with an IO AK47 and it was followed by numerous comments about their lack of quality (to where posters were declaring they were unsafe). I'm going to be very interested to see how they will back their warranty and what will be exchanged between myself and their customer service.

Ammo used: TulAmmo 7.62x39 124 grain FMJ

More Pictures:

And final pics.....

"Trusty"???? Glad you didn't get injured! Hope the tale ends well.

Ha! yeah, didn't catch that I typed that out. Too much egg nog.
Heard back from the president of the company this morning. They say they are covering it on the warranty and to send it in.

Question is when I get the repaired (probably more like new) one back, do I trust it or just sell it for something more proven?

Not sure the wife is going to let me keep this one now.

Have you talked to SSG Tactical about it? What do they have to say?

I emailed Doug; haven't heard back from him yet, but I'm sure he is going to say go to the manufacturer.

Who's receiver is on the gun? Is it a Saiga?

Post a pic of the left side of the receiver if you can.

This thread is a lie. AKs never malfunction.

In all seriousness, glad to hear you're ok. Hope that warranty work happens quick.

IOs are not saigas Saiga is made by Izshmash and imported to the US. IOs are US made, iirc.

That really is a shame, and thankfully no one was injured. I'd be interested in learning what exactly happened. AKs are pretty solid and dependable.

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Alright here is my theory. First three rounds were corrosive ammo and overnight some rusting occurred and when the next round was had to break apart the rust and that caused excess pressure.

First three rounds were (I believe) speed-dot that SSG Tactical told me to use. I tried to do a round of 10, but it kept misfiring (verified pin strike on the cartridge), so when I went back to get a different type (after the ban frenzy), the only thing available was Tul-Ammo.

First round of that caused the boom. Sorry, can't get any more pictures. The firearm shipped out today to the manufacturer.

I talked to them today on the phone and there was no disagreement that the warranty would cover. He agreed TulAmmo should have been just fine and that the damaged magazine would also be covered.

He did say this would take a much longer time than the normal 2-4 weeks due to the frenzy going on.

You didn't say what the casing that was fired looked like from that round. I have a feeling what you have is a ruptured case and the front half would probably still be in the chamber. The fact that you had primer strikes on some of the first rounds you tried to fire tells me that you may have actually had an overlength chamber (excessive headspace) that would allow the round to bump forward before the round went off. In that case they would look light a light strike on those rounds. If that was the case, it would be easily detected by comparing the rounds that went off to the ones that didn't.

You are a very fortunate/ unfortunate man, fortunate that you weren't injured, unfortunate that you ended up with a poorly manufactured rifle. If it were me I wouldn't keep the replacement rifle.

It was hard to tell since this was at the firing range. There was a lot of casings on the ground in the area. I think I found the one, but couldn't say for sure.

I suspected it because it was intact, but at the top of the casing, the rim was warped. Appeared to be bent inward.

grumpyMSG wrote:
You are a very fortunate/ unfortunate man, fortunate that you weren't injured, unfortunate that you ended up with a poorly manufactured rifle. If it were me I wouldn't keep the replacement rifle.

I most certainly would have been injured had I shot from the hip or if my hand was cradling the area near the magazine.

I was thinking bad ammo too.that looks exactly like what happens when you have a hot round. I'm guessing these we're not reloads so something else was going on.

You say the case mouth was bent inward, that could have possibly put extra grab on the bullet and increase pressure. I use Tul in my a.k.a. also and never had a problem.

Good luck and glad that the gun was the only thing injured.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Shocker! Rifle was a total loss. They are sending a new one in its place after holding on to it for 8 weeks.

Wow... what a bunch of crap. They should have been able to tell that after a day of being in their shop.

I would sell that sucker as soon as you get it.

I'll give you $5 for it.

jrswanson1 wrote:I'll give you $5 for it.

You owe me a keyboard!