thoughts on second gen WK180C
- Thread starter zezy
- Start date
I have one. 500 or so rnds through it with no issues.
Installed the the updated op rod guide and updated gas piston
Disassembled rifle and cleaned and loctited all fastners.
Used it winter brutality with no issues.
It’s actually quite accurate.
It’s no AR but for range/multi gun it runs fine as far as I’m concerned.
Installed the the updated op rod guide and updated gas piston
Disassembled rifle and cleaned and loctited all fastners.
Used it winter brutality with no issues.
It’s actually quite accurate.
It’s no AR but for range/multi gun it runs fine as far as I’m concerned.
I bought the 180C Gen 2 this year and put about 500 rounds through it. Here are some of my observations:
- Removal of the handguard to clean the piston rod and gas block is annoying. There are 8 hex screws and all of them need to be removed. The hexscrews are also quite weak and strip easily...so becareful with the torque
- The gas regulator will always unthread itself during use. I have heard some people blue loctite it.
- The original magazine catch that came with mine was too shallow to accept any Pmags. I contacted KD and then sent me a replacement that protrudes out more to catch the magazine.
- The castle nut was not properly staked and comes loose during firing resulting in buffer tube wobble. I ended up staking it myself and applying some loctite to be safe.
- The trigger is absolute garbage - feels like 8-10lbs with a terrible reset. I replaced mine with a trigger tech.
- The picatinny rail on the upper receiver is too wide and doesn't accept some optics. You may need to file it down slightly to accomodate certain optic mounts. I had no issues with my EOTECH, but my Vortex did not fit.
- If you disassemble the bolt carrier group for cleaning (as you should every now and then), the firing pin retaining pin is a HUGE pain in the ass to get back in.
- The bolt carrier and charging handle is quite smooth (keep it well oiled)
- Accuracy is decent, and I've never had a stoppage or failure to eject in all 500 rounds
- Piston system keeps the internals of the upper and lower receiver relatively clean, so it's not too much work to clean after each range session.
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I'm not sure if this will be a popular option with Kodiak, but I read on a comment somewhere (I can't remember if it was YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, or elsewhere) that after multiple piston breakage events and banjo-bolt ejections, one WK Gen 2 owner had received the more robust, multi-piece piston system from the WK181-C. Since it has multiple pieces, the piston cup attached to gas block has a closed end, appearing more like that of a Type 81, so their is no banjo bolt to connect, and the flexibility of having more pieces allows much more give without snapping. Ideally, Kodiak would release a Gen 2.5 or Gen 3 WK180C that would bring this retrofit to official status. Or TNA or another third party could put out retrofit kits for people to apply this to their existing WKs. Or both! 
I'm not sure if this will be a popular option with Kodiak, but I read on a comment somewhere (I can't remember if it was YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, or elsewhere) that after multiple piston breakage events and banjo-bolt ejections, one WK Gen 2 owner had received the more robust, multi-piece piston system from the WK181-C. Since it has multiple pieces, the piston cup attached to gas block has a closed end, appearing more like that of a Type 81, so their is no banjo bolt to connect, and the flexibility of having more pieces allows much more give without snapping. Ideally, Kodiak would release a Gen 2.5 or Gen 3 WK180C that would bring this retrofit to official status. Or TNA or another third party could put out retrofit kits for people to apply this to their existing WKs. Or both!
It's crazy that Kodiak has never addressed the bad piston design on the 180. I wonder how many warranty replacements it takes to justify a design fix. Dollars and cents aside, it's done irreparable damage to their reputation but...maybe it's just the Canadian political mess we're in. These manufacturers have no clue how much longer they'll be allowed to sell and just want to pump them out while they can and not waste on R&D? The Raven 556 mess sure speaks to that...
Other than being one piece and a bit thin there's nothing overtly wrong with the WK piston.
The issue is that Kodiak stopped pinning their gas blocks early on, so if they loosen up and walk off-center they can torque the piston and snap it. And a thin piston snaps easier.
They also used a nylon bushing in the receiver for the piston, which wears prematurely causing play and potential breakage. Being overgassed AF didn't help.
My sub-100 serial # WK came with a pinned gas block. We had tons of issues with our early WKs, broken carriers, broken guide rods, chewed up receivers, but none of us broke pistons unless the carriers broke taking everything with it.
If you buy a 2nd gen, consider finding a smith that can pin the GB. And immediately install the brass bushing and adjustable gas block.
Better yet, find a cheap early gen 1 pinned WK on the EE and swap the upper out for a gen 2 or steel upper from TNA (with brass bushing and adjustable gas).
Having beta tested the WK with my own money, my ultimate recommendation is to save your pesos and buy a Raven.
The issue is that Kodiak stopped pinning their gas blocks early on, so if they loosen up and walk off-center they can torque the piston and snap it. And a thin piston snaps easier.
They also used a nylon bushing in the receiver for the piston, which wears prematurely causing play and potential breakage. Being overgassed AF didn't help.
My sub-100 serial # WK came with a pinned gas block. We had tons of issues with our early WKs, broken carriers, broken guide rods, chewed up receivers, but none of us broke pistons unless the carriers broke taking everything with it.
If you buy a 2nd gen, consider finding a smith that can pin the GB. And immediately install the brass bushing and adjustable gas block.
Better yet, find a cheap early gen 1 pinned WK on the EE and swap the upper out for a gen 2 or steel upper from TNA (with brass bushing and adjustable gas).
Having beta tested the WK with my own money, my ultimate recommendation is to save your pesos and buy a Raven.
Correct. The TNA adjustable gas valve.
Keep the gas block aligned and piston issues seem to be nonexistent thus far.
I dimpled the barrel and loctited the set screws.
Tight so far, about 700 rnds in now.
If it does come loose then i will pin it.
As i said before it’s no AR but still fun to shoot.
Keep the gas block aligned and piston issues seem to be nonexistent thus far.
I dimpled the barrel and loctited the set screws.
Tight so far, about 700 rnds in now.
If it does come loose then i will pin it.
As i said before it’s no AR but still fun to shoot.
Gen 1 was actually more reliable for me.
Barrel nut was hand tight so I tightened it. Charging handle would always come loose. Tried 2 types plus loc-tite. Didnt matter.
But the rifle ran great especially after i made my own adjustable gas block.
Gen 2
Actually wishing I kept the gen 1 at this point.
- put an LPVO on it and the rifle weighs a ton.
- broke the nylon piston bushing, replaced with brass.
- twisted up the piston rod like a pigs tail and bound up in the receiver.
- Had a nice Geissle trigger for it but the hammer would not reset so I dropped in a triggertech which now feels very different from the gen 1 I originally had it in.
- since I have changed the bushing and the rod, it recoils even harder now. Shaken my optic mount lose, kicked out my trigger pins and loosened the screws in my folding stock mount.
Might modify the gas block on this one too, after I have another look at the whole gas system. But by now I am wanting to give the Crusader Templar a try.
Barrel nut was hand tight so I tightened it. Charging handle would always come loose. Tried 2 types plus loc-tite. Didnt matter.
But the rifle ran great especially after i made my own adjustable gas block.
Gen 2
Actually wishing I kept the gen 1 at this point.
- put an LPVO on it and the rifle weighs a ton.
- broke the nylon piston bushing, replaced with brass.
- twisted up the piston rod like a pigs tail and bound up in the receiver.
- Had a nice Geissle trigger for it but the hammer would not reset so I dropped in a triggertech which now feels very different from the gen 1 I originally had it in.
- since I have changed the bushing and the rod, it recoils even harder now. Shaken my optic mount lose, kicked out my trigger pins and loosened the screws in my folding stock mount.
Might modify the gas block on this one too, after I have another look at the whole gas system. But by now I am wanting to give the Crusader Templar a try.
What folding stock are you using?
Hera Arms folding stock adapter for a regular AR buffer tube from Irunguns. Flipped it upside down. Re drilled and tapped the set screw hole so that it folds toward the ejection port side. This way I can wear it slung muzzle down while folded and deploy it quick.
Had it on my gen 1 for atleast 3 years.
