Why is there an empty cartridge on the charging handle? As for your short cycling, have you checked the gas port in the barrel for a possible obstruction or aligned incorrectly?

Did this rifle ever work correctly or did this just start happening? A little more info would be helpful in figuring out your situation.

 

That is an extended charging handle shown. Honestly I have not checked the port for either issues you mentioned, I’m a fairly new ak owner and dont know what to look into it.

Yes, it use to work correctly with the exact same ammo. I put in about 100 rounds then started having this issue out of nowhere. Should’ve put in more details.

 

The AK is basically a balancing act between the gas from the cartridge when fired & the recoil spring. Since yours worked to start with, then started short stroking, something has gotten out of the balance.

Gas ports usually don't just plug up, so look @ that last as you strip the gun. Open the top cover after clearing the gun & check the spring to make sure it is intact. Then see if the bolt carrier slides back & forth easily & is not dragging on the rails with the spring removed (it will drag on the hammer). To stop it from dragging on the hammer, cock the hammer & hold the trigger down & it will lock the hammer out of the way. If that shows nothing is slowing down the bolt carrier, remove the top piece of the front handguard/gastube & use a flashlight to look down into the gas block to see if it is clear & nothing is in it. Shining a flashlight into it & looking down the barrel from the muzzle side will let you see if it is clear.

If every thing seems to be fine, reassemble the gun & oil the rails where the carrier runs & the bolt & see if it will eject a round.

 

Thanks for the time and breakdown of steps to take!

Some comments after following the steps:

1. When removing the spring and checking if the blot
carrier could slide back and forth easily, it did have a
little catch up when going over the the hammer (I
had the trigger pressed down) but I only had to use
a bit more force to pull back, nothing that I would
think would stop the bolt carrier from going back
when firing? Should it not even rub a little bit when have the trigger pressed down?


2. I Checked for anything blocking the hole in the gas block and looks open. I tried flashing the light and looking down the barrel, am I suppose to see light from the flashlight? Should I be able to stick a piece of wire from the gas block and it should come out into the barrel? I sticked some wire but it would not go all the way down to where if I looked into the barrel I could see it. Does that means something is blocking it or I’m not sticking it in correctly from the gas block?

Thanks again for the help.

 

In addition to what's been pointed out above, I'll add that the magazine you're using isn't the proper one. It might work most of the time, but don't count on it 100% of the time. Unless you have a 5.56x45 Bulgarian AK, I'd sell the Bulgarian waffles and use the proceeds to buy Zastava metal 5.56x45 magazines (not the plastic ones non-factory ones that Zastava USA is selling).

You shouldn't need such an enormous extended changing handle. The one that's there sticks out plenty far.

Finally, as far as I've seen, the M85 top cover doesn't have a rail that far back on it. Is that the original factory top cover? What happened to the rear iron sight?

 

I initially thought it was a magazine issue so I did buy a factory Zastava metal magazine for it and still had the same issue.
Correct, this is an aftermarket top cover, it is manufactured by Texas Weapons Systems.

 

I'd try to eliminate the top cover as the source of the problem. AK's will fire without the top cover. Remove it and see if not having it in place makes a difference.

 

Thanks, I’ll try that! Weird that I’d fire the first 100 or so rounds with it on though.

 

It might not be the issue, but you have to eliminate the variables. If anything, the M85 is typically over gassed.

 

Intersting. I bought a used ak pistol some time ago. Similar problem. If you take a zip tie, skinnier one, you can stick it down the gas port and it should stick into the barrel. A flashlight from the breech end will show it. The gas block had been installed a bit fw and was slightly obstructing the hole. After I adjusted it no more problems. This would be an exceptionally rare case imo.

 

Thanks for your input. I have to give that try, if I can’t pass the zip tie into the barrel from the gas port than that means it’s not aligned correctly? Are there any videos on how to do this or if I need to align the gas block? Thanks.

 

The zip tie test is good to determine if there is a misalignment or an obstruction. Given that your pistol was working properly at one point, the odds of the gas block being misaligned is close to zero. If the zip tie won't pass through to the barrel, then it almost has to be an obstruction of some sort.

 

Did you ever get this issuse resolved OP?