New Romak 991 AK-47 - Questions

[Hardway]

I just received a new to me Romak 991 AK-47 in 7.62x39. This is my first AK and I picked it up off GB.com from a shop in Steam Boat Spgs Colorado. The ad and shop described it as a Romanian AK with synthetic Bulgarian Furniture. New, never fired, still in the original box, buy it now was $350. With $35 S&H and $35 FLL = $420 total, I feel I did okay on it. Hats off to Scott at Austin Gun Liquidators in Round Rock for making this whole transaction painless.

I have done some research on it and this is what I know. It has an Ohio Ordinance Works stamped receiver on it, no mag dimples but has small internal plates welded in around the mag well, no cut or grinding marks what so ever. It was originally sold by Intrac Arms in Knoxville TN who are now out of business, their instruction manual was included with it. It was made in 1999 per the SN, says Roman/Cugir above the receiver, as well as "D.I.G" Va Beach Va which I believe stands for Dominion Import Group. Has a Krebs style muzzle brake welded on and the barrel appears to be chrome lined and factory fresh. It came with a green webbed sling, 10 round double stack mag, 2 steel mag followers, 2 steel mag bottom plates, and a oiling bottle. The Intrac Arms manual has several color pictures showing it being disassembled with a awful looking Dragonv style wooden stock and fore-grip and it says it should have a single stack mag.

Now on to the questions, is the OOW receiver original? Everything I have read so far says it should not have or accept a double stack mag. However the 4 steel 30rd DS mags I bought fit it just fine and feed just fine. (Have not had a chance to fire it yet) However the 2 Tapco poly mags I bought will not fit. I assume this is common with the Tapco poly mags but I was hoping they would work. Since we are at 2011 and the receiver is US made I believe I am still good from a legal stand point. I know the synthetic furniture is not US and I plan on changing it anyway. Does anyone know anything else about this that I might be missing? Thank you in advance.

 

[nalioth]

It has an Ohio Ordinance Works stamped receiver on it

It may have once been a Romak 991, but not after a rebuild.

More info on actual Romanian AK variants: Romanian Kalashnikov Rifles

 

[Dawico]

Combloc mags are loose in my AK, and the Tapco mags are tight. They may be a hair oversized in an attempt to add strength.

 

[Hardway]

Thank you for the link Nalioth. I may try and trade my Tapco mags for some steel mags at the next gun show. If not AIM still has them for $10/ea.

I am guessing the OOW receiver conversion was popular 10+ years ago since it is specifically listed as a banned gun in CA. See flow chart link below. I am assuming this is due to the OOW receiver accepting DS mags and possibly a traditional pistol grip.

http://www.apt401.com/CAAW-Flowchart.pdf

Upon looking closer at the pictures from the user manual from Intrac Arms it originally had a dimpled reciever. Looks the previous owner bought it, had it converted, and put it back in the box without ever firing it.

 

[Steve M]

Yes, a Romak 991 should look like this:

Someone for some reason rebuilt it, probably prior to the expiration of the AWB in 2004. The OOW receiver with no dimples was one of the first US attempts at an AK receiver after the B-West debacle. If you have any return option I'd take it, too many possibilities to have been screwed up, otherwise go shoot it and see how it does.

 

[Hardway]

I got out to Red's in Pflugerville yesterday evening and put 120 rounds through the AK. I must say I was impressed with the performance in every aspect, no failures of any kind, and with only average trigger slap which will be corrected with an adj. or G2 trigger in the near future. What really surprised me was the accuracy. With the target set at 25 yards I was filling up the 9 and 10 rings with no problem. I was expecting to have to adjust the sights but they already seemed to be zeroed in so I left them alone. At 50 yards I was still doing good but the groupings got a bit larger as expected. One thing I will definitely be updating soon is the stock. The one that is on it is just too short. A Tapco or ATI adjustable will be ordered soon. Overall I am very happy with it. The OOW receiver does not seem to have diminished the performance in any way and I believe whoever did the conversion did it correctly.

 

[Steve M]

That's good to hear. Collectors were buying those and stripping the receivers off to rebuild various parts kits back before there were good US receiver options, that's probably where yours went.

 

[henrib2011]

I purchased the same D.I.G. imported rifle 11 years ago . It came with the OOW receivers without dimples cut for ds mags, so I don't think somebody replaced yours. The Bulgarian furniture and welded on muzzle brake came with the rifle as well. The pistol grip apparently has been replaced on your rifle though.

 

[Hardway]

Thank you for the info Henri. I got my G2 trigger installed which helped with the trigger slap and smoothed the trigger some. However it still has a slight "chunkiness" to it. But for a $35 trigger I think it was money very well spent. I also got my collapsible stock on so now it feels really comfortable in my hands. Next up is a new fore grip as the stock on gets pretty hot after about 90 rounds.

 

[M. Sage]

Just make sure the handguard has a metal reflector inside. That's about as good as it gets.

The handguards ain't too hot till they're melting!

 

[Dcav]

The handguards ain't too hot till they're melting!

That happens pretty quick lol damn things get hot fast.

 

[M. Sage]

That happens pretty quick lol damn things get hot fast.

Try shooting with an Ultimak on sometime. I have to remember to wrap up over the top of my Aimpoint just to make sure my thumb doesn't get second degree burns!