I have been eyeballing some AK-47 kits on the net for awhile now. They seem to be labor intensive and to require a lot of special tools to put together. But the price is something that is very attractive. Using a Romanian parts kit and a reciever I think that I have a complete rifle for under $250.00. Am I missing something here? SO have any of you guys actually put together one of these kits before. If so what tools dod you use to get er done. I am not a mechanical retard I am just wondering if it is a project that someone with a basic home workshop can build. So any tips will also be helpful. CHEERS
I've never done one myself, but from what I've heard, you can build it with hand tools. A press would be really nice to use to get the barrel in the trunium, but it could be done with a hammer and some patience.
My ak was built from a kit and the rivets holding the trunium were welded on, the rest were hammered.
My ak was built from a kit and the rivets holding the trunium were welded on, the rest were hammered.
neanderthal has done one i think
To do it right you need some special tools that will cost you enough money that, unless you are planning to build several,it's not worth it.I've had 3 kits built by Elk River Tool and Die out of Houston.Good folks reasonable prices excellent work.They have a website with prices. Steve
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?
You also need US compliant parts to be legal.
Those evil foreign parts will land you in the pokey if the alphabet part of the Gov finds out.
Special tools are a big part of the cost, you'll nead headspace guages and a couple kinda unique bucking bars and the ability to rivet and a press to set the barrel at the correct headspace. I would not hammer a barrel at all.
The kits builds are pretty easy if you have some mechanical apptitude and some aircraft sheetmetal experience and a way to fabricate the bucking bars.
The most important part is to get the correct headspace while pressing in the barrel. Too much headspace and you have a grenade, too little and you have a club.
Those evil foreign parts will land you in the pokey if the alphabet part of the Gov finds out.
Special tools are a big part of the cost, you'll nead headspace guages and a couple kinda unique bucking bars and the ability to rivet and a press to set the barrel at the correct headspace. I would not hammer a barrel at all.
The kits builds are pretty easy if you have some mechanical apptitude and some aircraft sheetmetal experience and a way to fabricate the bucking bars.
The most important part is to get the correct headspace while pressing in the barrel. Too much headspace and you have a grenade, too little and you have a club.
I have a romy "g" screw build with a ohio ordanace works mk99 receiver http://www.ohioordnanceworks.com/semi-auto/receivers.html It seems to me that it would be fairly simple if you get a pre bent receiver with the rails already installed all that is left is some drilling and tapping.
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I've actually built several now. Don't let everyone convince you that you will need top of the line specialty equipment, that's not really the case.
Although I use a press and prefab jigs for some, I have found that sometimes it's much easier to use other methods. For popping barrel pins, a hand sledge and punch works better (and is more safe half of the time) than a press. Pressing barrels is quicker only some of the time, and if you don't know what you're doing can be dangerous as well. You'd be surprised just how well a simple and quick a modified gear puller and all-thread will work on barrels.
Don't be tempted by how easy it is to do screw builds or those dang U-drive rivets - they suck. The screws are usually tight at first, but will loosen up over time, same with the U-drive rivets. Also, not all rivet kits are the same. I like making my own rivets lately out of larger diameter rod-stock, heating them and then forming the rivet heads and then cutting to length. I also like hand hammering the long rivets, you seem to get a much nicer tight end-result than when pressing with rivet jigs (some of the jigs anyways). Going slower with a smaller hammer works much better than using a larger one for setting rivets.
I use a lot of parts (retaining keys, cross-braces, etc) that I designed myself, they seem to work better for me than most that are out there on the market right now.
As far as headspacing, if you use an all matching set you usually won't have any problems. I do check them all just in case and have found that matching kits have far fewer issues.
If you are just wanting to get your feet wet and just put one together to say you did, then you may want to consider getting a prefab receiver from Nodak. There's a bit more to bending your own receiver and unless you plan on doing several, a bending jig wouldn't be cost effective.
Moose is right about compliance, make sure you have the correct number of U.S. parts.
Although I use a press and prefab jigs for some, I have found that sometimes it's much easier to use other methods. For popping barrel pins, a hand sledge and punch works better (and is more safe half of the time) than a press. Pressing barrels is quicker only some of the time, and if you don't know what you're doing can be dangerous as well. You'd be surprised just how well a simple and quick a modified gear puller and all-thread will work on barrels.
Don't be tempted by how easy it is to do screw builds or those dang U-drive rivets - they suck. The screws are usually tight at first, but will loosen up over time, same with the U-drive rivets. Also, not all rivet kits are the same. I like making my own rivets lately out of larger diameter rod-stock, heating them and then forming the rivet heads and then cutting to length. I also like hand hammering the long rivets, you seem to get a much nicer tight end-result than when pressing with rivet jigs (some of the jigs anyways). Going slower with a smaller hammer works much better than using a larger one for setting rivets.
I use a lot of parts (retaining keys, cross-braces, etc) that I designed myself, they seem to work better for me than most that are out there on the market right now.
As far as headspacing, if you use an all matching set you usually won't have any problems. I do check them all just in case and have found that matching kits have far fewer issues.
If you are just wanting to get your feet wet and just put one together to say you did, then you may want to consider getting a prefab receiver from Nodak. There's a bit more to bending your own receiver and unless you plan on doing several, a bending jig wouldn't be cost effective.
Moose is right about compliance, make sure you have the correct number of U.S. parts.
The problem with screw builds is that they eventually will come loose on you. I have had several of them, and that was the case with each and every one. You can put lock-tite on the screws, or even jb weld, but that still doesn't guarantee it will hold up. It's not as much an issue for the rear rivets because the rear trunion is much thicker and you get more thread count out of it when you tap it. It's the front screws that eventually will develop problems.
I also never much cared for the fact that you are drilling into the side of the barrel for some of the screws. The front trunion (at least on a few of the holes) isn't thick enough to support enough threads to hold it securely by itself. I know, there's a lot of barrel meat left there, but I have seen a LOT of barrels trashed from people going a lil too deep.
Weld builds aren't too bad (which is what a lot of people do to try and fix certain screw builds), but the few I have messed with seem to crack when they get a lot of rounds down the tube. I've been told it's because the receiver & trunion metals are so different.
By and large I'll agree with Neanderthal; however mine are screw builds. I'm not enamored of JB weld or LT red; I use either Thermosteel epoxy (Autozone) oven-heated, then torch-cured, or (best IMHO) Devcon's steel epoxy. Mine hold (are holding) and I know they will continue to do so. Your build & techniques are not mine, YMMV, etc., etc..
If you're doing one or two, buy the Nodak NDS-1 receivers & be happy. If you want to make yourself a half dozen, spend the $$ and get the rivet press, bending jigs, etc..
As noted, unless you are a very experienced welder, that's not generally an advisable direction to go.
If you're doing one or two, buy the Nodak NDS-1 receivers & be happy. If you want to make yourself a half dozen, spend the $$ and get the rivet press, bending jigs, etc..
As noted, unless you are a very experienced welder, that's not generally an advisable direction to go.
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