Problems Modernizing My AK

There are so many variants in AK's and specifications that I wouldn't be surprised that you have to custom fit to your gun.

AK parts frequently don't swap. The Sov didn't stamp numbers on all the parts to keep employment levels up. Those parts are fitted together as a set at the factory.

Mod the cheaper part to fit.

BSW

I'm FAR from a gunsmith or AK guru, so take it for what you will, but yeah I had the exact same issue with my WASR. Took a huge amount of filing down, but yes it eventually fit fine.

It is a common mistake to assume all AK's have interchangeable parts. The AK battle rifles were not built to be DIY project friendly. Practically that means mix and match for a custom job.

I am not sure what briansmith sees as a Soviet employment boosting measure, but it was in any case irrelevant because employment was mandatory and from time to time enforced.

Sorry this doesn't help, but the blame is squarely on the Warsaw Pact munitions industry.

Before you dremel anything, here's what I did:

Get a pair of vise grips wide enough to fit around the gas tube, wrap the tube forward of the handguard with thick cloth. Attach the vise grips to the cloth-covered part. BE VERY CAREFUL with this, make sure it is tight enough not to slip but not tight enough to warp the gas tube. The cloth keeps it from scratching the finish if it slips.
Hold the vise grips with one hand. With the other hand, push the upper handguard into the open side of the bracket and twist it on. The vise grips will give you the leverage you need. I recommend wearing work gloves, at least on the hand doing the twisting, the lower edges of most polymer handguards can and will take skin off your palm.

This has worked for me with several AKs, one of which was also a WASR. I hope this helps.

What about getting a new gas tube? Maybe a new one would have a more universal fit?

And the new gas tube might not fit the rifle.
In this case, the correct procedure is to make the hand guard fit the rifle.
Some hand guard and stock fitting is normal and expected with the AK.

Ben86 said:

I have a Romanian wasr 10 and am having such a hard time trying to get a modern polymer furniture set on it. Specifically the upper hand guard. I tried an ATI set that didn't fit. Now I am trying to get a Tapco set on. The upper hand guard just seems to big to fit between the collars on the gas tube. Does anyone here have any experience with this? I am considering getting my dremal out to do some fitting but want to save that as a last resort.

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I have a WASR-10 that I modernized and it rocks. As for the top handguard; my fit with a little bit of wiggling.



AK-74 style muzzle break
Tapco single hook G2 trigger group
Ergo pistol grip
Hogue Overmold handguard
Midwest Industries 30mm Red Dot mount w/ Aimpoint Clone
CAA metal one piece "buffer tube" with a M4 stock
Condor Tactical 2 point sling
Old Streamlight M3 w/ pressure tape
Magpul Moe stubby VFG

Go with the Hogue overmold handguard; they fit great.

TRY, http://www.Robertrg.com, they may me able to help u out.

IIRC there are some spots intended to be filed down to fit. In other words the AK designers assume variation between guns, and a brand new guard will need to have the proud spots filed down on some guns but not others. It sounds like your force-fit may have done that for you.

Dremel it out man, it wont change too much... Its probably because of the metal that is crimped there( on the gas tube), is crimped in a fasion where it keeps the upper hand guard from sitting on there flat and level... I dremeled mine out and it worked just fine... Btw it IS POSSIBLE for that upper handguard to sit too tight and make the piston action sticky.. Youll notice it right away... dremel more..

But, it's still so ...... Black.

It looks good, dude. I had to dremmel these ironwood pieces as well. The older I get, the more I like wood.

I will use either a top cover with a rail section or a side mount for a red dot.

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I would definitely read up on the ultimak gas tube rail. It is by for the strongest mount for mounting optics on an AK IMO. since you are going red dot, eye relief is not an issue. I'm running an old-school Aimpoint 9100 on mine, and it has held zero even running it really hot.

It is front heavy, no escaping that. It would be a poor quality in a three-gun match, but it sure makes mowing down cactus fun. No muzzle rise.

AKs don't need to be modern right? Don't you just need a fun switch and 500000 comrades on each side of you?
My best setup was an ace sidefolder standard handguards and a Kobra red dot.