Century Arms WASR-10: An Imported Romanian AK

by
posted on November 24, 2021
Century Arms WASR 10

Century Arms offers a wide variety of popular firearms, from pistols to rifles and shotguns. One of the company’s best-known products, however, is the WASR-10, with a design just about as identical to the AK-47 as you can get today. It’s not fully automatic, for example, and the company installs quality American hardware that improves performance while complying with Federal regulations.

The semi-automatic is manufactured by Cugir Arms Factory, which is located in Romania and traces its roots back to the Austro-Hungarian empire. The company has a long history of producing reliable firearms that perform, likely the sole reason it survived the oppressive communist rule the country and its citizens endured for decades after World War II.

Wassenaar Arrangement Semi-automatic Rifles doesn’t roll off the tongue well, so the company wisely shortened it to WASR. The number “10” in the name is remnant from a time when a restrictive federal assault weapons ban mandated that any imported firearm could only have a magazine capacity of 10 cartridges. Today’s versions accept standard double-stack, 30-round, AK-47 magazines thankfully.

Century Arms currently offers four models of the WASR-10, including one that’s California compliant. Each are chambered in 7.62x39 mm and have a 16.25" barrel with a rifling rate of 1:10". Barrels are chrome-lined and hammer forged. The guns ship with a side-mount scope rail.

Overall length is 34.25" throughout the line, including the WASR-10 UF, which has an under-folding stock. With the exception of the California-complaint model, the guns ship with a 30-round U.S. Palm polymer magazine. Enthusiasts in the Golden State will receive a 10-cartridge version and fin grip instead of the traditional pistol grip. The entire line has been fitted with the RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group.

MSRP for the standard version is $1,100. The California and folding-stock models come in at $1,200. If you’re willing to give up the bayonet lug and are okay with a muzzle nut, the price drops to $1,050.

Latest

Rem 360 Buckhammer Rifleman Review 4
Rem 360 Buckhammer Rifleman Review 4

Rifleman Review: Remington 360 Buckhammer

Remington Ammunition's 360 Buckhammer is a straight-wall hunting cartridge that's designed to give deer hunters an ideal round for their Midwestern hunt.

New For 2025: EAA Girsan Witness2311 Brat, Match and MatchX

European American Armory Corp. (EAA) introduced an affordable variation of the double-stack 1911 design with their Girsan Witness2311 in 2023, continually adding additional chamberings and slide length options. New for 2025, the company is adding three new versions of the Witness2311 with the Match, MatchX and Brat models.

Review: Citadel Trakr

At less than 4 lbs., this repeating rifle is easy on the back while also being extraordinarily easy on the budget.

Freedom Munitions To Move Ammo Component Production To Idaho

Freedom Munitions has announced it will be consolidating its projectile component production from X-Treme Bullets out of Nevada into its Lewiston, Idaho, facilities.

Rifleman Q&A: A Curious Concoction

My husband owns an antique fowling piece, and we wish to establish a possible date range during which it could have been made.

Model 1918: The Sniper Rifle That Never Was

Despite the best efforts of the Ordnance Department and civilian contractors, the quest for a suitable U.S. rifle with which to arm World War I snipers eventually led to a dead end.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.