Building a AK

[zac4551]

I am fixing to start a AK build and I was looking for places to buy the kit. For the first one I am just going to go with a plain Romanian kit and a 100% nodak receiver. Any info would be helpful.

Thanks,
Zac

[creekwalker]

I really hate to say it but you can buy a new AK clone for a lot less money than you'll spend building one yourself. Many people (like me) have chosen to buy a Saiga and modify it instead, much nicer end result to boot. But in response to your question Tappco and others you'll find on an internet search are the best bets.

cw

[gokyo]

It my neck of the woods there are tonnes of Yugo. Wood and underfolders. They seem priced pretty fair. A little on the high end. However they have a new barrel and a sweet trigger.

I say just buy one.

[pastprime]

Check out this site www.gunsnet.net (http://www.gunsnet.net)
They are the best AK related site I have found, good people, and lots of info...look in the "For Sale" forum for kits...usually something there..

[jawjaboy]

I know nothing about them Zac, but Jtrade be purdy heavy into'em. Check wit him.

[BigSlick]

Global Trades is still doing the bulgarian receivers, and offering full guns.

The ones I've seen have been very nice in every respect ~$600 to start for s folder, prices above and below depending upon caliber and features

[zac4551]

Thanks, I am going to order a plain Romanian kit and a completed receiver to try and if that goes good then I think i am going to try a under fold. I have built a few ARs and decided I would like to have one of these before they dry up.

[jtrade]

Good luck finding a kit that ain't over $150. DO NOT GET ONE FROM CENTERFIRE SYSTEMS. You would honestly be better off getting a WASR10 & would probably come out cheaper.

Also, I hope you have a 12 ton hydraulic press cause your not going to get the barrel pin out any other way & salvage it that is.

If you need a set of rivets for your build let me know. Ive got enough to build about 40 AKs and wont be building that many.

J

[pastprime]

jtrade is right on....I have seen instructions on how to build an AR and I have built 2 AK's from kits and IMHO there ain't much comparision....you need the 12 ton minimum press, holding fixtures, push pins, at least a bolt cutter riveter, a drill press to correct canted sight blocks or gas blocks if necessary and to drill out the old rivets, and it helps to have a friend who doesn't mind small metal object flying around the room to help hold things while your pressing the pins and barrel out...also helps to have a few bandaides and a generous supply of whatever elixir you prefer...

But, like most things, once you have all the tools and do a couple, its a snap...

I have seen posts by people who say they did the kit build with a hammer and a set of punches...I can only assume that a man who can do that lives in a cave, eats raw meat, and enjoys sex with a mountain lion...

[jtrade]

What pastprime just said is the honest truth. I can thank my better half (CRBsICandy on here) for rollin up her sleeves, getting dirty, some kits are greasy/nasty, & helping me out.

If you do want to continue down this journey just ask. Might be able to save you some $ building ur own tools.

J

jtrade is right on....I have seen instructions on how to build an AR and I have built 2 AK's from kits and IMHO there ain't much comparision....you need the 12 ton minimum press, holding fixtures, push pins, at least a bolt cutter riveter, a drill press to correct canted sight blocks or gas blocks if necessary and to drill out the old rivets, and it helps to have a friend who doesn't mind small metal object flying around the room to help hold things while your pressing the pins and barrel out...also helps to have a few bandaides and a generous supply of whatever elixir you prefer...

But, like most things, once you have all the tools and do a couple, its a snap...

I have seen posts by people who say they did the kit build with a hammer and a set of punches...I can only assume that a man who can do that lives in a cave, eats raw meat, and enjoys sex with a mountain lion...

[MakeMineaP99]

You got the better half on GP? Good for you.

[jtrade]

She wanted to sign up. No convincing on my part.

Actually last weekend at JJB's she reloaded about 20 9mm rounds on the LCT. Now she can't wait till "ours" gets here. It was "mine" till she used JJB's. :lol:

Just like it was my AR I'm building. Now it's "hers". :lol:

J

[MakeMineaP99]

Just keep her away from your sidearm.

[jtrade]

She actually wants her own. The CZ82 was not good enough I guess cause it turned into my gun. She is going to have to buy her own this time. ;)

J

Just keep her away from your sidearm.

[Bogey]

...I can only assume that a man who can do that lives in a cave, eats raw meat, and enjoys sex with a mountain lion...


What you got against mountain lions?














:rofl:


Not ever intending to build one....which AK would be the best value for the $ spent? (7.62x39)

[speedracer211]

These guys are wrong you dont need a press at all. I have never used my press to get out any barrel pins. You just have to drive them out from the right direction. I dont even soak them in oil. I put what is left of the receiver aka front trunnion in the vice and drive it out from right to left when looking at the muzzle brake end. BFH and a brass chamber support and a socket extension to get the barrel out. Or borrow the autozone steering wheel puller and that will get the barrel out. $5 in material for all thread and some odds and ends to get the barrel back in. If you look around on akfiles or gunco you can find a build party close to home. You dont need a press, a drill press or any of that. It certainly makes it easier but is not needed. You will need a drill of some sort, you can use the barrel as the bucking bar for the front rivets and use a punch with a 5/16" ball end mill to recess the punch. For the rear of a rommy make a dimp plate bucking bar use a c clamp to clamp the receiver to it and then use the same punch you used for the front. Their are wecsog ways that do work and I have all the jigs and presses and built my last rommy using a BFH a punch, drill and my all thread. There are guys who even use a BFH to get the barrel back in. Building an ak is not rocket science. If you want any details pm me and we can talk I dont feel like typing the details out now. You could always screw the kit errrrrr or use u drives errrrrr. Not my cup of tea, but many do build that way.

[jtrade]

I never said you needed a press to get the barrel out, it is a little easier for me though & a lot faster for me. I have used a pulley puller & threaded rod before I got my press. (Thanks to my next door neighbor for letting me use his shop!)

I tried your method of removing the barrel pin from a Romanian "G" '76 kit along with quite a few other "brute force" methods. Which mainly resulted in me almost hurting myself & others. The barrel Pins on Yugo & Other kits are not as tight so the other methods may work.

You have to consider that I weight a buck 60 drippin wet. You may have a lot more strength than me but that '76 kit took every bit of my 12 ton press to get it out. So there was no way I was getting it out w/o one.

Also I wish I had an End Mill laying around.

J



These guys are wrong you dont need a press at all. I have never used my press to get out any barrel pins. You just have to drive them out from the right direction. I dont even soak them in oil. I put what is left of the receiver aka front trunnion in the vice and drive it out from right to left when looking at the muzzle brake end. BFH and a brass chamber support and a socket extension to get the barrel out. Or borrow the autozone steering wheel puller and that will get the barrel out. $5 in material for all thread and some odds and ends to get the barrel back in. If you look around on akfiles or gunco you can find a build party close to home. You dont need a press, a drill press or any of that. It certainly makes it easier but is not needed. You will need a drill of some sort, you can use the barrel as the bucking bar for the front rivets and use a punch with a 5/16" ball end mill to recess the punch. For the rear of a rommy make a dimp plate bucking bar use a c clamp to clamp the receiver to it and then use the same punch you used for the front. Their are wecsog ways that do work and I have all the jigs and presses and built my last rommy using a BFH a punch, drill and my all thread. There are guys who even use a BFH to get the barrel back in. Building an ak is not rocket science. If you want any details pm me and we can talk I dont feel like typing the details out now. You could always screw the kit errrrrr or use u drives errrrrr. Not my cup of tea, but many do build that way.

[MakeMineaP99]

End mill? Sign me up.

160 dripping wet? I guess we do make them bigger up north.

[speedracer211]

I am a transplant. I lived in PA for 25 years and moved to Florida last summer. I am only 200lbs but I guess I have that magic whack to get those pins moving. On a few of them it did not seem like they were moving until the hammer would slip and I would cut my hand from hitting it with the hammer. Pissed me off enough to drive that fn pin out. Jt when you were using your press to get the pin out did you put it under pressure then smack the top of the press with a BFH? a lot of time that extra shock gets the pin moving much faster.

[jtrade]

Bigger up top & smaller down below? ;)

J

End mill? Sign me up.

160 dripping wet? I guess we do make them bigger up north.

[KCGunnr]

I've built 3 Romanian AK's. Used a BFH and a punch to remove the barrel pins. Destroyed nothing.
I have a vertical mill, but a drill press is fine to drill out the old rivets. You can either use the BFH method after freezing the barrel and heating the front trunnion, or all-thread to reinstall the barrel. I'm partial to dead-blow BFH and freeze-heat. I built a bolt cutter riveter, works great. I've got it down to where I can build one on a Saturday morning.

The first one I made my own receiver, the other two I used NodakSpud receivers.

As said above, AK's aren't rocket science or necessarily precision built weapons, but they are fun to build and shoot!