Romanian AKM "G" marked kits

[Quarterbore]

There are a number of Romanian AKM kits that have been imported into the US and quite a few people have been trying to figure out what the rather conspicuous "G" on the rear sight assembly, the black paint on the end of the stock, and the noted absence of a full auto disconnector in all of the kits.

Because I also have one of these kits I wanted to compile some of the oppinions and discussions about these kits here so that if the threads get pruned off other websites the information may be preserved here. all of the information that follows is information that others came up with and I wil try to post credits as possible as I am no expert on Romanian AKMs, but I am trying to learn!

Atached is an image of one of these kits as being sold by DPH Arms as well as an image of one of these rear sight assemblies and front trunions that show the markings...

[Quarterbore]

Here are some related discussions:

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showt...postid=1302300

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topi...OPIC_ID=116882

http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=...t=74129&page=1

[Quarterbore]

Following are some informative comments from the Gunboards link:
http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topi...OPIC_ID=116882
Please Note - I did not copy over all of the thread!

Archivist Dick
Posted - 07/26/2005 : 11:47:24 PM
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Just took receipt of a kit from Bochephus and AS USUAL got more than my $$$ worth; thanks kindly Josiah!

It was 1986 AIM in profile, but not an assault rifle.

Should you have one of these kits laying around seek out the semi-auto sear or disconnector and look for a tail. Ah ha, you won't find one if it is a G-series, I betcha. Bobtailed like this this rifle is a semi-auto only gelding. And that figures considering recent word that grunts of the former Romanian Peoples Liberation Army started out w/ geldings and had to prove themselves worthy before being issued select-fire assault rifles.

Close inspection of my particular disconnector reveals it was manufactured in the manner it is and not modified by some nameless importer/distributor.

The other interesting feature of this former weapon is a solid black painted strip running the periphery of the butt stock at its rearmost, where wood joins steel buttplate. I guess this swath, plus the "G" prominently painted on the left side of the rear sight base, are visual cues that the rifle is modified and not a full featured AIM.

Comrades are complaining that they failed to receive complete FA trigger groups w/ their rifles. Perhaps the above explains why. Perhaps not. Just one man's opinion. YMMV.

Archivist Dick
Posted - 07/27/2005 : 7:29:21 PM

Point is we've all read rumours that Romy recruits were not issued select-fire Kalashnikov rifles until such time as they'd proven themselves (in some manner no one "outside the loop" can determine). SAR-1s were supposed to fit this description. Upon close examination of my G-series kit, I can "see" there may well be something to the "rumour." The semi-auto sear (AKA disconnector) is perfectly blued in the exact manner as the other surviving TG parts, only its tail is cropped as we're used to seeing in semi-auto only rifles. Hence I'm suggesting that many of the Romy kits we are accessing began their lives as semi-autos, prior to demilling. Perhaps you'd agree this is an interesting suggestion.

Archivist Dick
Posted - 07/28/2005 : 01:02:38 AM
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One can surmise the "G" has a definite meaning. Our "problem" is to decode it, if possible.

My kit is a 1986-vintage piece, unfired except for acceptance proofing (zero carbon deposits) and that's a very big plus in my book. The date is semi-important coz it was a year solidly "cold war." It wouldn't be three years before any kind of thaw occurred and when it did, Katie bar the door! In '86 nationwide conscription was the law of the land which meant, in practical terms, several millions of raw recruits drafted annually. Come 1990 this changed dramatically and the need for "recruit rifles" came to a halt. Could Cugir recently be guilty of dumping old gear not fit for national depot storage? That's my guess.

What follows is straight from the horse's mouth, in this particular case from the maul of A.D. Verbotslou, in his classic ARMIES OF WARSAW PACT NATIONS (Moscow, 1984):

"The Armed Forces are manned and equipped on the basis of the Law on National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Romania (SSR). Military service is mandatory for all citizens of the SSR. The term of active military duty is one year and four months for all branches of troops, two years for the Navy and on ships of the border troops. The draft age is 18 years for citizens with a secondary education and 20 years for others. The maximum age for draftees is 26 years. Men between the ages of 20 and 50 years and women between 18 and 45 can be enlisted for military services ... Reservists continue their training at periodic assemblies. These last up three months as necessary for individuals up to the age of 45 years, and one three month assembly is held for those between the ages of 46 and 50."

Further on: "A great deal of attention is devoted to theoretical training and field exercises for the fightingmen, to rifle, drill and other training, field firing and missile lauchings. The troops learn how to operate in any situation, including one approaching actual combat as nearly as possible, and make intensive use of the time to improve the quality of their combat and political training.

"In the training of commanders and staffs an important place is assigned to making the use of personnel and equipment in a rapidly changing combat situation even more effective, efficient and skillful. In the classes and exercises a great deal of attention is given to the physical fitness of the sub-units (squads 'n platoons) and units (companies 'n batteries) and to their capacity for rapid and maneuverable actions, surprise and the seizure of initiative in a battle. The fightingmen learn how to execute missions rapidly and decisively, to withstand hardships courageously, to perform in the manner essential in warfare and to master two or several related specialties.

"The competion for the title of "Advanced Fightingman" and "Advanced Sub-unit" has taken on broad scope in the forces. Olympiads of specialists, ten-day and week-long records events, competitions for the "Accurate Firing Cup" and so forth are conducted w/ the active participation of Young communist League organizations. The servicemen compete for the "Outstanding Servicemen" and "Advanced Participant in Patriotic Labor" badges."

From the above we can gather a pretty large requirement for rifles. AIMs came to predominate during the 80s as they were cheaper to make than SKSs. But, as suggested in my earlier posts, it is a very easy matter to render an AIM into a semi-auto at next to nothing extra cost.

In 1986 (when my rifle was made), Cugir (the state arsenal) was cranking out AIMs by the boatload! Why? To meet internal needs, and to serve as a peculiar socialist form of hard currency for international barter. W/ the toppling of the thugs ruling/ruining Romanian, around X-mas time 1989, this whole process came to a screeching halt. It is intriguing to think fifteen odd years on I'm a beneficiary of momenteous political events far away. Just a thought.

[Quarterbore]

reserved .....