AK smiths: RPK Failing to go into battery

[Xcaliber]

what ails my RPK/AES10b? it suddenly will not go into battery. short story: I bought it, shot at least 100 rounds, it works 100%. Take it apart, clean reassemble, throw into safe. I then put a new top cover on, cause it was a little loose and throw an optic on, go zero it, gun sometimes will not go completely into battery. I fired the gun w/o the top cover and optic, it still fails. I also tried a new recoil spring, no dice. I looked at the travel of the carrier and it seems to be hitting or dragging somewhere in the gas tube. The gas tube of the RPK sits LOWER than normal AKs that I own so I can't just swap them to try w/o major surgery. I don't want to fire the gun w/o the gas tube as it seems unsafe, anyone tried? any ideas?

 

[sovietak474u]

Can you look inside the gas tube and see if its rubbing? Also does the piston look bent?

 

[Zastava]

Sounds like the tube is not correctly mounted or the carrier is not properly lined up.

 

[rOmiLaYu]

Can you look inside the gas tube and see if its rubbing? Also does the piston look bent?

My first guess would be a bent piston, too....binding up on the bottom of the gas tube.

 

[sovietak474u]

My first guess would be a bent piston, too....binding up on the bottom of the gas tube.

Thats what im thinking. It seems odd that it fires flawless than just goes tits up.

 

[blazedawg87]

Thats what im thinking. It seems odd that it fires flawless than just goes tits up.

so it goes missonary? and you want downward face dog?

 

[sovietak474u]

so it goes missonary? and you want downward face dog?

you need help sir.

 

[Xcaliber]

there is a rub mark on the underside of the carrier right before the piston but otherwise it doesn't look bent. I filed away some material from the lower part of the entrance of the gas tube (where the carrier would hit) but it's still failing.

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow.

 

[sovietak474u]

there is a rub mark on the underside of the carrier right before the piston but otherwise it doesn't look bent. I filed away some material from the lower part of the entrance of the gas tube (where the carrier would hit) but it's still failing.

Sounds like the carrier is not lined up correctly. Did you buy this gun brand new?

 

[Hasselhoss]

How smoothly does it slide past the hammer? Does it go in to battery if you "assist it"? Is the gas tube the least bit canted?