my first AK47 build

[Wingshooter]

Actually it's my first AK. This was sort of an impulse buy, and I hope I'm not in over my head. I also hope it will be decent when I'm done. I know this is a different animal than an AR build, but I'm looking forward to learning. I'll need a barrel, a receiver, some tools and a ton of advice :)

Here's the kit...

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/909439/military-surplus-ak-47-polish-under-folding-stock-parts-kit-762x39mm Edited July 28, 2015 by Wingshooter

[gjohnsoniv]

Nodak Spud for receiver or Atlantic Firearms. Barrel from Atlantic as well, that's what I did for mine.

[Caster]

I'll double up what Johnson said there. No one makes a better AK receiver than North Dakota Spud. Edited July 28, 2015 by Caster

[gjohnsoniv]

Only thing to point out about the Nodak is that you will have to drill out your front trunnion rivet holes. That's not an issue though.

[Wingshooter]

Thanks for the info.

Looks like the NDS-1P receiver for $115 http://www.nodakspud.com/AK%20Receivers.htm

[gjohnsoniv]

They're really nice though, no need to do any refinishing.

[Wingshooter]

This is the perfect excuse... I mean reason to get a shop press :)

[gjohnsoniv]

Other option is Toth Tool, I've heard good things about them. I'm personally looking at buying some of their stuff to finish my build that's been sitting in partially completed form for a while now.

[Wingshooter]

Other option is Toth Tool, I've heard good things about them. I'm personally looking at buying some of their stuff to finish my build that's been sitting in partially completed form for a while now.

I just looked up their site. They have some good stuff :up:

[seez52]

Its a lot of fun, I'm sure you can do it. We did a bunch way back when. The best I ever got to was 10 hours starting with a flat to finish, not including parkerizing. It's a good feeling of accomplishment when you're done, more so than when building an AR. good luck with it.

[Caster]

If you're doing a screw build, you'll need some very high quality HSS drill bit (preferably 5%cobalt) to open the receiver holes. NorthDakota Spud does a full heat treat and they are fairly hard.

I've done screw and rivet builds. Don't let the traditionalists brow beat you, screw builds are just good IF DONE RIGHT, but they can easily be done wrong. I used a 10/32. Thread contact is at a premium here so don't use 10-24.
Use a high quality screw too. I ordered some stainless steel button headed cap screws. The screw heads on the trigger guard will have to be turned down because of how close they are. If you don't have a lathe, a drill and a file will work fine if you have the patience and a steady hand.
Test everything with lots of grease if you use stainless. They like to gall and are a miserable SOB to get out if you strip the head out. Trust me. Once you know everything is right, I like to remove the screws from the trunnions one at a time, spray them out really good with brake cleaner then compressed air, then red locktite the crap out of them.
Maybe later I'll post a picture of a Yugo M70 I did.

Everything on an AK feels like an interference press fit so be careful and take your time. Move part tolerances are loose but nonmoving parts are TIGHT. Think twice, do once. Edited July 29, 2015 by Caster

[Oh Shoot]

How do you get a barrel into dem thangs?

 

- OS

[gjohnsoniv]

How do you get a barrel into dem thangs?

- OS

A press.

[Caster]

Yep. The barrel is press fitted into the front trunnion and then pinned in place with a large dowel pin. Quite possibly the most difficult part of the build is removing and installing the barrel.

My last two builds came with good barrels but I had to remove them to drill and tap the holes/get the old rivets out. I used a gear puller and a nickel (over the chamber) to pull it.
Once removed I lightly sanded and polished the shank and trunnion bore. When it came time to reassemble, I put the barrel in the freezer overnight and heated the trunnion with a MAP gas torch. When you do this, you GOTTA have all your ducks in a row and get on with it!!! because the two parts will start to normalize quickly and if you ain't got it where you want it, you get to start all over.....or beat and wrench on the thing and end up chewing up your stuff to the point it looks like Century Arms built it. A good antisieze is your friend too. Edited July 29, 2015 by Caster

[Oh Shoot]

Yep. The barrel is press fitted into the front trunnion and then pinned in place with a large dowel pin. Quite possibly the most difficult part of the build is removing and installing the barrel.

My last two builds came with good barrels but I had to remove them to drill and tap the holes/get the old rivets out. I used a gear puller and a nickel (over the chamber) to pull it.
Once removed I lightly sanded and polished the shank and trunnion bore. When it came time to reassemble, I put the barrel in the freezer overnight and heated the trunnion with a MAP gas torch. When you do this, you GOTTA have all your ducks in a row and get on with it!!! because the two parts will start to normalize quickly and if you ain't got it where you want it, you get to start all over.....or beat and wrench on the thing and end up chewing up your stuff to the point it looks like Century Arms built it. A good antisieze is your friend too.

 

So, even reading up quickly, I'm confused about the pin.

 

Looks like new barrels don't come with the pin channel already cut, so you have to drill it? Does this mean you can't necessarily use a used barrel that already has the pin channel cut, sort of like A2 gas block pin channels on an AR?

 

- OS

[Caster]

You bring up an interesting subject.

Yes, you'll have most likely have to cut that on a new barrel. To do it and do it RIGHT, it needs to be done in a mill or an extremely sturdy drill press. You need to use an end mill to plunge cut until you have a flat bottom, then center drill and then drill half way through., then flip,and repeat being mindful to drill undersized. Then use an appropriate reamer to finish the hole. If you don't, you take a very big risk of a drill bit wandering around on you, especially at the start and finish because of the round edge of the barrel. That sucks I know.

Using a barrel that already has the pin cut is a crap shoot. Maybe it's headspaced correctly, maybe not. I have heard of people elongating the barrel cut, but that's just begging for things to move.
Were I to do another, I would want a short chambered barrel. I'd drill and tap the trunnion, install and pin the barrel and set the headspace with a chamber reamer before putting it in the reciever. Since the locking lugs are in trunnion, not the receiver, it can be done that way. Edited July 29, 2015 by Caster

[Caster]

If I REALLY had the money and wants to build a top shelf AK, I would go with a threaded barrel. Either a milled reciever or threading the trunnion on a stamped.

There was a company making new trunnions a few years ago, I would be willing to bet if they are made here in the USA, you could get one with a smaller hole to give you more options.

Then I would turn my own barrel. They're not overly complicated. They do require a relief cut on the chamber end...at least the Yugo's did.


Dammit, now I'm sitting here wanting to build one and I'm broke as a convict!
Hmmm, a .300 blackout AK with an adapter for STANAG magazines. Then you'd have a .300 BLK AK with P Mags! Edited July 29, 2015 by Caster

[viscero]

I would stay away from doing a screw build.  

 

Receiver - either Nodak Spud or Childers receiver is the only way to go.

 

Hit up Akbuilder for the rivet sets, jigs, and build tools.

 

Hit up harbor freight for a 20 ton press.  You can do it with a 12 but I would advise to spring for the 20.

 

Several places offer the US barrels including, as mentioned, atlantic firearms.

[viscero]

Also, if you decide to try using the toth tool approach here is a playlist of building up an underfolder kit from the kitchen table:

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdVd3Ak_wHYC73cSwSck8Wz4Nz8_kFuG8

[Caster]

I would stay away from doing a screw build.  
 
.

Why?

The only screw builds that have ever failed did so for the same reason a rivet build can/will fail. Pisspoor workmanship. Either method works fine and neither will outlast the other.

I've found screw builds far easier to do. If one really wants the traditional look, it's a simple matter. I did Romaninan kit with button headed caps screws and used Devcon to fill the heads smooth.

Doing a rivet build isn't all that bad but to do it RIGHT, you're gonna have to buy a few tools. Something you should ask yourself, is the cost of the tools worth it? If you're going to build more in the future, then they will pay for themselves. If not....well.

[gjohnsoniv]

I think I've about convinced myself to buy the tools to finish mine. So if anyone wants to get together for a build party I would be down for that.

[Caster]

Several years ago, back in the parts kit Golden Days, that's how the goons over at the AKFiles would do it.
Get a full set of tools and everything, then invite several people over. One brings beer, another some bbq, you got yourself a real man party.

[gjohnsoniv]

That would make for a fun TGO event if we could all agree on something to build that's cheap and available.

[viscero]

Screw builds were fine for the days before we had a plethora of appropriately sized and hardened rivets and cheap tools and jigs to make an AK correctly; pre-2007.  Now that we have the appropriate stuff on hand and the fact that you need to use glue(loctite) to keep the screws from falling out should be all the reason one needs to just build an ak appropriately.  On the tools side of it, if you are just going to build one then get the bolt cutters with the replacement rivet crushing jaws.  If you want to build several kits then go full tilt with a press and the appropriate jigs.  Ak building has gone through many methods here in the states; welding, then screws, now finally rivets.  Screw builds can still have value as a learning tool so that you can disassemble easily when you mess up that first build or a difficult build. Beyond that stick with rivets for the final build.  I'm not going to tell someone that their screwbuild AK is a piece of junk; there are several examples that hold up fine to abuse.  However, I will say that there's definitely one person that agreed with rivet building as the only way to go... Mikhail Kalishnikov.

[Smith]

Rivets flex with the receiver. Screws don't flex, so the holes will eventually egg out or the screws will break. Either way, not good. It's too easy to do rivets now with tools from Toth or this guy robertforbus.com