The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Curios and Relics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 5, 2012, 12:42 AM   #1
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Have you tried a Romanian M-69 .22 Trainer?

A good buddy sold me one today. He bought his two years ago.
These seem a bit unique, and are reportedly accurate. The front post is not nearly as thin as the tiny bead on my '40s Savage .22.

If you are familiar, what features do you like the most, or dislike?
My Google results (even Youtube) last night were a bit limited, and M-69s seem to be civilian trainers, not military. Were they civilian, or both?
Ignition Override is offline  
Old August 5, 2012, 01:18 AM   #2
JohnKSa
Staff
 
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,928
Mine is quite accurate although the sights aren't the best.

The trigger is sort of weird, it's a bizarre 2 stage afair that is almost like a sort of set trigger. If you pull very gradually through the first stage you'll feel a sort of a give at the end of that stage and it's like the trigger is now set. It may be some sort of tactile illusion, but at that point it feels as if a lighter short pull fires the gun from that position. However, it's not really a set trigger because if you release it, the trigger goes all the way back forward.

I've had trouble using mine consistently as anything other than a single shot. I don't know if I've only tried rounds that the gun doesn't like, but for whatever reason, I can't get it to feed consistently from the magazine. I also don't know if that's common or if it's just my rifle.

I had some ejection issues initially but figured out what the problem was and remedied it. I sharpened the shoulder on the ejector so it would catch properly on the bolt latch. As I recall, the ejector floats in the bolt but as the bolt is retracted, a shoulder on the ejector catches on the bolt latch. The ejector's shoulder had rounded off and it wasn't catching reliably on the bolt latch.

I think I paid about $60-$65 for mine (shipping & fees included) a few years back when they were being imported in large numbers and were really cheap, so I can't complain.

The front sight elevation can be adjusted with a standard elevation adjuster for an AK front sight. Be sure to select the proper rear sight "leaf" when zeroing the rifle. Windage adjustment requires drifting the entire rear sight assembly.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
JohnKSa is offline  
Old August 12, 2012, 04:20 AM   #3
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Thanks very much for the detailed description. Mine shoots a few inches high at 50 yards.

Can the front post be elevated a tiny bit with an AK tool, or just moved laterally? The only sight tool I've ever used is the type for my two FR-8s.
Ignition Override is offline  
Old August 12, 2012, 08:10 AM   #4
Bigdog57
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 2, 2006
Posts: 122
Having 55 year old eyes (and needing new glasses) I scoped my M69 a few years back. The top 'rail' is not grooved, so most .22 rings will not hold - I used the dreaded Dremel tool to undercut a groove each side of it, and touched up the blueing. Makes it much easier to see the target.
Mine has issues with magazine feeding - the firing pin actsas the ejector, being held back for catridge feeding by the bolt stop - mine doesn't hold and the extended FP blocks the new cartridgr rim coming up.
Not a problem - having several singleshot twentytwos, I just shoot theM69 in same fashion.
Accuracy is alright - not a terget rifle!
I refinished the stock too - the original finish is tough! Takes real work to remove! But the wood turned out to be a very nice figured birch wood.
Wish they weren't so scarce and spendy these days. I'd get a couple more to really try some 'projects'. Some owners onother forums have done interesting things with reshaped stocks and other things.
Bigdog57 is offline  
Old August 12, 2012, 04:31 PM   #5
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Thanks Birdog57.
Ignition Override is offline  
Old August 12, 2012, 05:20 PM   #6
JohnKSa
Staff
 
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,928
Quote:
Can the front post be elevated a tiny bit with an AK tool, or just moved laterally?
Unlike the AK front sight, the M69 sight can not be adjusted for windage. Windage adjustments can be made by drifting the M69 rear sight.

The elevation portion of the AK tool will work on the M69. Tapco makes a tool that does only the elevation adjustment and it's a good deal less expensive than the standard tool that does both elevation and windage for an AK front sight. It's only about $4.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
JohnKSa is offline  
Old August 13, 2012, 04:12 PM   #7
coyota1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 6, 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 663
I have a trainer myself. I have no complaints except It isn't grouping as tight as I want. I'm gonna take it to my gunsmith and have him look at the crown. I'm guessing the previous owner may have been careless with a cleaning rod, and damaged the crown.
coyota1 is offline  
Old August 13, 2012, 04:59 PM   #8
Josh Smith
member
 
Join Date: November 5, 2000
Location: Wabash IN
Posts: 740










I sold it. I wish I had not. It was an accurate, nifty lil' rifle. The barrel was made by Anschutz if I recall correctly. Target grade at any case.

As you can see, I could not get parts. I had to make a new extractor when my old one broke. It solved the weak ejection these were prone to, though.

Write me if you need any help with it; I may have pictures or dim recollections of 'smithing it.

Regards,

Josh Smith
[email protected]
Josh Smith is offline  
Old August 24, 2012, 12:41 AM   #9
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Josh: Thanks for the offer, and for now it works pretty well.

It's tempting to keep shooting just this handy, quiet rifle, and ignore the SKS, multiple Enfields and the Garand.
Ignition Override is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.05999 seconds with 10 queries