We’re neither here to vindicate nor excoriate the AK-47. Truthfully, that weapon’s repute speaks for itself. It’s been used worldwide for well over half a century at this point.
So much so that its silhouette alone is more or less recognizable to people that have never even fired a gun, let alone served in an official capacity.
That being the case, it has inspired countless clones and similar lookalike platforms. Doubtless, many in the United States own some sort of clone or other.
That said, its widespread adoption doesn’t mean it’s a “great” gun. Even though they’re reliable, they’re dirty, easily overheat, and not known for accuracy.
So if you own some clone or variant, keep these AK-47 parts around, as they may fail sooner rather than later, despite the fact that the rifle is, overall, built like a tank.
1. Extractor and ejectors and springs
The ejectors of semi-automatic and automatic platforms (like the AK-47) really get a lot of abuse. Nonetheless, without them, your gun will jam after every round. Replace these sensitive AK-47 parts at the first sign they’re going finicky. A common observation is that the extractor spring is one of the first things to fail on an AK-47, so have replacements on hand.
2. Trigger groups
Some triggers are naturally gritty and inconsistent, others will slap forward into your finger in a process known as “trigger rebound” which naturally stresses the trigger group.
If you have either of these problems, it might be wise to replace the trigger.
3. Barrels
Barrels on AK-47 rifles don’t necessarily fail, but they do wear out and lose their rifling, and that’s effectively the same.
Over time, as your rifling wears down, the accuracy of your AK-47 will drop even more. Keep a spare barrel ready to go when your original converts itself into a smoothbore.
4. Magazine/magazine springs
Not technically a part of the gun, but still prone to failure. The springs can fatigue or the follower can become deformed, both of which can badly hinder feeding.
5. Trunnions
The bolt carrier group in an AK-47 slams back into the trunnions with great force after each round fired. It’s not entirely uncommon for trunnions to crack. You’ll need to replace them when this happens but a good practice is simply to keep AK-47 parts like these available to be better prepared.
6. Recoil spring
Guess what else takes a lot of abuse every time the bolt carrier group slams back into the trunnions – the recoil springs. They will fatigue, and when they do, you’ll need to replace them or your bolt won’t reset properly.
7. Other springs: hammer, trigger, etc.
Round count is the primary indicator of how much abuse the springs in an AK-47 will shoulder before they fail, but this is not a mark against the platform. Firearm springs naturally wear out over time so this is to be expected. Good practice is to replace your internal springs after 5,000 rounds or so – so make sure you have springs available and know where to get them (see below).
Get These AK-47 Parts at SARCO, Inc.
Other than these AK-47 parts mentioned, the rest are pretty durable. The AK-47 is designed to be an extremely resilient platform that lasts forever. You might have thought along the lines of “firing pins,” but even though these frequently break in other platforms, in the AK-47, they’re built to be bombproof.
Either way, if you’re looking for AK-47 parts like these, visit SARCO, Inc., online at SarcoInc.com first. They carry a huge selection of firearms and parts and can help you find what you need.
