Getting an AK.

[M. Sage]

I used to have a Norinco MAK-90 years ago. I wish I still had it. The trigger was great and it was pretty tight. It was decently accurate but not a nail driver. I used it a lot for hog hunting in the thick brush and had a lot of fun with it. Not sure what everyone else's experience is with those. Man, I wish I still had it, lots of fun. Here's my 2 cents...

I eventually put a ProPoint on it. Originally mounted to a cover with a rail; those change zero every time to you remove them and put them back on. Since I habitually clean my weapons every time I shoot and had to remove it this got annoying fast. Make sure to mount it somewhere more permanent (e.g. receiver).

Drums, I had a 75 rounder. Pretty cool the first time, but ridiculously heavy when loaded up. I walk hunted a lot and it was much easier to have extra mags close to the body in a pocket to distribute the weight.

Other than that all stock. Wood furniture with thumbhole stock. May have experimented with synthetic furniture to cut down the weight.

Oh, yeah. Plastic furniture definitely cuts the weight.

Best way to mount a red dot sight is the Ultimak, in my opinion. AK-47 Accessories, AK-47 Mini-14, Mini-30, M1 .30 Carbine Scout Scope Mount from UltiMAK I've got one, love mine. If you use a bigger sight like an Aimpoint Comp M2 (like I do), it will make the rifle a little front-heavy. Otherwise, the rail itself doesn't do a lot to affect the balance of the rifle.

 

[tussery]

M. Sage you make me feel like I made the right choices on my SGL-31 mods.

 

[speepdaedeesi]

Classic Arms Inc.

thank me later.

 

[M. Sage]

M. Sage you make me feel like I made the right choices on my SGL-31 mods.

Then you probably did! If you like it, that's what matters most.

 

[TheDan]

I'd strongly suggest you invest in an ULtimak gas tube. Lower furniture might take a little modification for it to fit, but then you can put an Aimpoint on and it'll hold zero.

That's good to hear. I never tired one out because I didn't think it'd hold zero. I think I'll be ordering one soon.

 

[M. Sage]

That's good to hear. I never tired one out because I didn't think it'd hold zero. I think I'll be ordering one soon.

It clamps to the barrel very securely. You really don't need to take it off to clean your rifle, but you will if you ever decide to change handguards. But if you do ever have to take it off, the right setup will co-witness with your iron sights, so getting it back on target will be very easy.

 

[Adionik]

I've had a Bulgy Ak74, WASR10, Draco and M70AB2. My favorite of the 3 was probably the 74, but the WASR10 was not bad for the price...although the M70AB2 was way better in quality. The magwell on the WASR required some altering to get the mags to fit...they over compensated for the WASR Mag wobble.

 

[Wolfwood]

co-witness

?

 

[tussery]

Co-witness is when you can use your iron sights through your red dot optic.

 

[Wolfwood]

sounds redundant but ok.

 

[Wolfwood]

oh yeah. so i got it!

looks functional, and apparently is.

what do you guys think about those bullpup stocks? they look sexy IMHO. but how rugged is the cable operated trigger thingy?

 

[majormadmax]

Ugh, I can't stand those bullpup stocks; and have heard a lot of bad things about the trigger mechanisms specifically. Please don't tell me this is what you are planning to do with the Maadi you just picked up, there are so many better options!

I snagged a Khyber Pass clone yesterday, built on a NDS receiver and a Polish parts kit. It has the traditional KP AK-74 folding stock and Russian Red furniture on it (grip and handguards). I also scored four orange bakelite magazines in the deal! It's a real beaut, I need to take some pics in natural light but here is a quick one I took in the office last night...

Cheers! M2

 

[Wolfwood]

curses! cant see it from this computer.

yeah i had considered the bulpup, but i was worried about the trigger, and from what you say it sucks.

speaking of parts kits, are the polish ones any good? which ones are the best and which ones are the worst, and which ones are middle of the road price + quality?

or are they all the same?

 

[majormadmax]

The reason to skip the bullpup is that the ones for sale now are KVAR kits and they've got a reputation for being cheaply made. There are some builders that make better ones but I think the trigger issue is common in all of them, to include the Chinese made ones from before the ban.

The Polish kits have a good reputation, and if you're gonna build one they come highly recommended. I bought a Yugo kit and ended up scalping the furniture off of it for another M70B1 I had and selling it for what I paid. I like the Yugos for the beefier receiver (1.5mm) and as I spent some time in the Balkans, obviously they're gonna be heavier but they have reputations for being tanks which is what I want.

It's hard to say what kits are best or worse, as there are so many factors that come into play with AKs. I'd recommend reading How to Build an AK-47, AK builds are a bit complicated and beyond my skills/tools.

Cheers! M2

p.s. Maybe an attached pic would work, the link is to Photobucket which i know is blocked in some workplaces...

View attachment 6213

 

[Wolfwood]

ohhh fancy!

that showed up jsut fine!
thanks.



WTF they leave the f/a stuff in the kits?

 

[M. Sage]

?

You can line your sights up through the optic, and if the optic is on when you do it, the reticle will sit on the tip of your front sight post. It's redundant in a good way. Most of the time, I would suggest a lower 1/3 cowitness, which is where you have to look through the optic at about 1/3 of the way from the bottom to line everything up. That way, you're normally looking just over the iron sights to use your optics.

Reasons it's good: if the optic dies, irons are instantly useful. You can instantly ensure that your optic's zero is still on. And it makes it a lot easier to zero your optic in the first place - zero your iron sights, line 'em up and just twiddle nobs until your reticle is sitting on the tip of the front post.

Sometimes redundancy is good.

 

[Wolfwood]

awesome.

i tried looking it up on the internet but jsut came up with monster threads debating the meaning of the term. lol


so i was looking and i saw a carbine setup for the beretta neos. and that got me ta thinking, can i do the opposite with the ak? ive wanted to play with a pistol in a rifle cartridge, but dont need one so much as to buy a dedicated one.

hoping fro the added bonus of converting it back and forth giving me an intimate knowledge and understanding of the weapon as well .

ofcourse that just may be me typing on a forum ag 4 am at work.

 

[M. Sage]

You can't turn a rifle into a handgun. BATFE considers that an SBR.

In fact, according to them if you take a handgun and put one of those carbine kits on it, you can't turn it back into a pistol again.

 

[Wolfwood]

really?

weird. so i would have to get it sbr'd if i were to do that?

kindof sounds fun. i guess thats just putting a short barrel and a folder really. and ofcourse all the nessecary paperwork.

probably wont end up going that route then.
as soon as someone thinks of something fun they go and make a law against it.

bastards.

 

[Wolfwood]

also it looks like the muzzle might be threaded but it has a cap that loooks liek it may be screwed on, but looks like it might have been spot welded. that is if that means "welded in a spot" there are two dots between the cap and the muzzle that apear to be connected / melted together other than that, it doesnt seem to be connected anywhere else.

i can jsut cut through that and unscrew it and enjoy my new threaded barrel right?