AK-47 Build Who has done one??????

[mr ed]

You have to watch out on the parts kit.
Most no longer come with a barrel.
Romy - g's with barrels are running $300+
Then the receiver is about $100 delivered.
Then you got $100-200 in compliance parts to buy.
Unless you just want the experience and pleasure of doing it yourself
Buy a ready to go gun.

 

[redmax51]

Screw builds have a very bad rep with the AK community(go to theakforum.net and post up about them ).They would be very hard to sell if you so chose.Don't do it,use rivets. Steve

 

[dak]

You have to watch out on the parts kit.
Most no longer come with a barrel.
Romy - g's with barrels are running $300+
Then the receiver is about $100 delivered.
Then you got $100-200 in compliance parts to buy.
Unless you just want the experience and pleasure of doing it yourself
Buy a ready to go gun.

100-200 for compliance parts? yeah if you're tapcoing/ati'ing it out.

You can grab a Romy G kit for $250-280 on most gun boards nowadays, Nodak Spud NDS-3 receiver is $55 shipped, compliance parts $50-60, rivets 2x$9.00(get extra your first build)

It isn't very hard to do if you're handy. My first build I did with a pair of $10 18" bolt cutters from Harbor Freight modified with a bench grinder, a set of head space gauges($50-60), and 1/4" stock to make a trigger guard jig with. You're going to have to have a variety of hand and power tools so if your garage/workshop isn't that well furnished then you're pretty much going to be better off ordering a WASR for $350-380. Building it will still be $350-400 nowadays unless you get lucky on the price of a kit.

Don't use screws, it's actually more work that rivets. The only reason most people do it is because they think it's easier or they're afraid to remove the barrel. Building guns is addictive, whether it be AR, AK, or otherwise. Definitely cheaper to just buy one in the long run

 

[flatwins]

I have 2 kits waiting to be built (or sold).

 

[Kid Glock]

What about The Firing Line in Wyandotte? Are they any good for building one's AK, or are they an outfit to steer clear of?

No complaints from me. Good to deal with in my experience.
If you're doing a stamped build, there's a lot to chose from but if you're doing a milled, your options are more limited. I had a milled Yugo underfolder kit converted to a fixed wooden stock on a Firing Line milled receiver which turned out good.

 

[mr ed]

100-200 for compliance parts? yeah if you're tapcoing/ati'ing it out.

You can grab a Romy G kit for $250-280 on most gun boards nowadays, Nodak Spud NDS-3 receiver is $55 shipped, compliance parts $50-60, rivets 2x$9.00(get extra your first build)

what kind of compliance parts are you getting for $50-60 and where from.
when I build 1 its 100% complianant and that means no stupid floorplates and followers. If I should want to put a drum in it I can or if I have to sell it the next guy won't get in trouble.

My last romy kit unfired was $289 + ship = $310
My last nodak they nailed me $85 delivered + $10 to my ffl
$135 delivered for US fcg, piston, stock set, fhider and rivets.
You may do it cheaper now, my last 1 was last may.

 

[daddy-o]

Its not that bad. Buy NoDakSpud receiver. You'll be happier because you did it then some monkey working for century. Other options without alot of tools is converting saiga or buying arsenal.
thanks
daddy-o

 

[FAL guy]

I've done 3 screw builds and don't have any issues with screws loosening, but I probably prep differently than most.

I use Red Loc-tite after thoroughly degreasing both the screws and the holes. If you don't degrease the loc-tite doesn't adhere correctly.

Alot of folks argue that the rivits are stronger. I don't believe Mikhail Kalashnikov used rivits becuase they were stronger. I believe he used them because they were cheap.

 

[dak]

what kind of compliance parts are you getting for $50-60 and where from.
when I build 1 its 100% complianant and that means no stupid floorplates and followers. If I should want to put a drum in it I can or if I have to sell it the next guy won't get in trouble.

My last romy kit unfired was $289 + ship = $310
My last nodak they nailed me $85 delivered + $10 to my ffl
$135 delivered for US fcg, piston, stock set, fhider and rivets.
You may do it cheaper now, my last 1 was last may.

Natchez sells tapco G2s for 19.99, pistons for 10.50, slant brakes for 4.99. The shipping is the killer on this and you have to wait until it's in stock because they sell out a lot, you won't save much if you're just ordering one set because the shipping will run you $12-13. I usually get slant brakes from AK-Builder when I order rivets because I don't dig the tapco ones. Tapco G2s are perfectly fine and you'll never see the piston. For a standard Romy G build you only need: FCG-3 parts, US stamped receiver-1 part, Piston-1 part, Muzzle attachment-1 part for 6 US parts total... why are you changing the furniture for compliance too? You can do a lot with some sand paper, stain, and shellac.

 

[kbolt]

I'd like to see some provenance... some evidence... some links or real stories about screw-built AKs blowing up or otherwise. There certainly have been a lot of them made. Most folks I have read about have built AKs with screws and liked them. Some like them, but admit they switched over to rivits with subsequent builds. I suspect this is due to peer pressure.
I take the middle of the ground. The most important thing to me is the builder and the care he puts into the build. I haven't heard of one screw build catastrophically failing.
Now if our AK'S were full auto it might be an issue, but we are building semi-auto rifles.Even bump firing my romy has had no affect on the screws.
Honestly in my opinion, I like rivets. But use anything that you want, it is your rifle. I believe screws with some loc tite will last for as long as you do, just check the screws every once in awhile to make sure they are still tight.(lefty loosy righty tighty) All that matters is that the trunnions stay in place, and since I am pretty sure the screws are harder than the rivets, as long as they are in place the gun will be good to go.
I haven't ever heard even anecdotal evidence of a screw build kaboom, and I have searched for it, however, I would like to see a licensed person do a screw build full auto and do a torture test on it.
The screw-rivet argument is a little silly to me, but there's one reason I never see come up in the debate. What do bored soldiers do? They fiddle with stuff, carve names in the things, break things, the list goes on and on. I suspect the biggest reason for rivets in the original design is that the point of a bayonet, butter knife, edge of a spoon, etc. can't unscrew a rivet.
If rivets really were better than screws, American made firearms would be made with rivets instead of screws.
How many Brownings (non-MGs), Remingtons, Winchesters, Rugers, and etc., use rivets? None to my knowledge.