Lynx Defense

Build an AK 47??

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  • Sarge

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    Dec 11, 2008
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    Has anyone built an AK from the parts kits?
    I am a good mechanic and have lots of good tools, but not a gunsmith.
    How hard is this to do?
    Thanks, Sarge
    DK Firearms
     

    accordingtoome

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    Oct 13, 2008
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    I have a unfired romanian G kit already demilled and ready for a reciever. All the hard stuff is done. I also have all the US parts to make it nice and legal. Selling for 400.00.

    I bought it from somone on the board and im a freaking retard when it comes to tools.
     

    nalioth

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    Oct 13, 2008
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    If you are a mechanic, you're easily able to build a Kalashnikov from a kit.

    Find a build party near you and go watch. You'll figure it out.


    Sad part is: It's no longer financially exciting to build an AK from a kit.
     

    seattleducati

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    Sep 24, 2008
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    And not to bash anyone, but I wouldn't pay $400 for a kit! Nalioth has it right, I have my builds done and have two left to build and I never paid more than $100 for a Romy kit.

    The other problems you'll run into, besides gouging, are...if you plan on building your own receivers you'll need a jig and they're spendy, or get a nodak spud receiver (which are slightly spendy) and then pay the FFL transfer fee. Rivet jigs are also spendy and therefore the only way to justify buying them is to build en mass. So I don't doubt your mechanical skills but you've pretty much missed the boat.
     

    Leper

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    If you buy a flat $20-$30, the bending jig +/-$300 and a couple other special tools $150 then you are able to make your own. Parts kits are around $300 or more now. It is not too hard to build one, but it is not like an AR by any means.
     

    Ride4TheBrand

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    Mar 3, 2009
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    And not to bash anyone, but I wouldn't pay $400 for a kit! Nalioth has it right, I have my builds done and have two left to build and I never paid more than $100 for a Romy kit.

    Not bashing here either, but under $100 for Romy kits are a thing of the distant past. The current market is at least $350. They are not as available as they used to be since no more are being imported like the good old days.

    All matching numbers fetch a premium.
     

    M. Sage

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    Jan 21, 2009
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    It's not that hard. I think you can get a run-down on what you need to do it and a how-to at akbuilder.com

    I wouldn't do a screw build. Rivets only (except for the trigger guard - screws are fine there)!

    If you buy a flat $20-$30, the bending jig +/-$300 and a couple other special tools $150 then you are able to make your own. Parts kits are around $300 or more now. It is not too hard to build one, but it is not like an AR by any means.

    Don't bother building a flat; as you noted, it's the more expensive way. It's also harder, and you'll wind up with an inferior product.

    It's hard to even consider a flat build, IMO, when an NDS-3 is $55 shipped.
     

    1Andy2

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    Apr 28, 2008
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    Not bashing here either, but under $100 for Romy kits are a thing of the distant past. The current market is at least $350. They are not as available as they used to be since no more are being imported like the good old days.

    All matching numbers fetch a premium.

    Glad I got a couple of the "rusty" kits from DPH awhile back. That was right when the prices started to rise much about $120 and I got them both for $60 apiece.

    There's alot of good info on pookieweb or gunsgutsandgod on how to build an AK from a kit.

    If you're just doing one, don't bend the flat yourself. It'd be much cheaper just to buy a complete receiver from Nodak Spud. Also easier. After you bend the flat, you still have to heat treat the lower rails, rivet or weld them on to the reciever, install the cross-piece, and heat treat the reciever itself. Or at least some of the FCG and trunnion holes.

    Build your own rivet crusher out of a bolt cutter for the short rivets.

    Build a rivet jig for the long rear trunion rivets and another for the trigger guard rivets and simply crush them on in a press.
     

    Hotrod

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    Feb 5, 2009
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    Where you at Sarge? I'll be doin a complete build on a AMD-65 over the week of Easter down in Houston from folding and welding your own reciever to riveting and and pressing the barrel in and refinishing the exterior
     

    secretasianman

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    Apr 11, 2009
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    Hi all, new member here. Been shooting my M44 Carbine quite a bit and enjoying it and I'm thinking of building an AK.

    Like anything else in life that could kill me if it malfunctioned, I'd like to build my first AK under the guidance of someone who knows what they're doing, while using the proper tools.

    Is anyone running a build party in the Houston area any time soon? I'm reasonably handy with tools and would be glad to provide assistance, both mechanical and bottled.
     

    secretasianman

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    Apr 11, 2009
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    If it's OK with you, I'd love to come to one.

    What do people normally bring? A parts kit with receiver stubs and a flat only, or everything?

    Also, do you know of places that would heat treat/powder coat/etc the metal parts? Is it recommended? I've never built a gun before.
     

    nalioth

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    Oct 13, 2008
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    If it's OK with you, I'd love to come to one.

    What do people normally bring? A parts kit with receiver stubs and a flat only, or everything?

    Also, do you know of places that would heat treat/powder coat/etc the metal parts? Is it recommended? I've never built a gun before.

    You'll need to bring your parts kit, your 922r parts and some drill bits.

    I don't have a jig to bend flats. Flats are far more trouble than they're worth, in my opinion. Nodak Spud will fix you up with an excellent product.

    "Powder coating" is not a finish you see on guns for a reason.

    There are many places you can send it afterwards to have it blasted and parkerized, or [special-weshul sooper]coated (Molycoat, duracote, cerakote, etc, ad nauseum) or you could even apply a coating to it yourself.
     

    secretasianman

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    It appears that in spite of my poking around on the internets I am still not well-informed as to what I should be buying.

    Would you have any advice as to what I should get for a beginner AK, etc?
     

    nalioth

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    It appears that in spite of my poking around on the internets I am still not well-informed as to what I should be buying.

    Would you have any advice as to what I should get for a beginner AK, etc?

    Well, the days of building a cheap AK from a kit are over.

    These days, I've been recommending folks buy a new Saiga and convert it.

    If you just want to spend the money, you'll probably want to find a Romanian G kit. They'll be the least expensive.

    After that, you'll need to look at the 922r options and figure out which parts you'll want to be US made.
     

    akarfal

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    Apr 14, 2009
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    AK Build

    SARGE;

    You can pick up a like new Tantel WZ-88 kit from Modle 1 Sales for $395.00 out the door. I got two kits from them when they were $300.00 and they are like new kits. I know for sure that they will be at MKT Hall 25-26 April. There is also a guy there that has tons of AK 922R and other parts. He has the Museum of the Pacific Banner.


    There are alot of people that can help you with a build in the DFW area.
     

    M. Sage

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    Jan 21, 2009
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    I just found out Centerfire Systems has a bunch of Mak-90 kits for around $300.

    You'll need a parts kit, the tools and skills to finish disassembling it (remove barrel pin, remove barrel, remove rivets from trunnion, trigger guard and rear support). You'll need a receiver or flat that's compatible with the kit you get. You'll need a good rivet kit (get AKbuilder.com, the one I've been recommended most). You'll need 922(r) compliance parts, most likely a US-made trigger group and muzzle brake. Then you'll need the skills and tools to put that pile of parts together correctly. You'll have to have a way to cold-rivet the trunnion and rear support into the receiver. Putting the barrel back in is fairly easy, and the rest is just reassembling the gun after a detail strip.

    Building an AK is much more involved than assembling an AR.
     

    M. Sage

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    Riveting without heating the rivet, of course: Cold Rivets - Types and Uses

    Hot, cold and pop. Those are the three rivets I know of. Pop riveting isn't terribly high strength, especially when it comes to shearing, so it's not going to be useful for an AK. Putting red hot rivets in the AK and mashing them seems like overkill; they're not big enough to be hard to deform.

    You can always do a screw build, but IMO factory AKs are riveted for a reason.
     
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