AK flats, what kind of steel are they?

[Hammerhead6814]

As I'm working on my own knife this month, a buddy of mine is trying his hand at making an AK-47 receiver (the bastard ). So he's considering ordering an AK flat since his family has a hydraulic press, but something bothers me about the flats he showed me.

They look like any old piece of sheet metal. Other than the pre-cut holes on some of them, there really doesn't appear to be anything special about them.

Are AK receivers built out of some kind of steel you couldn't find at any old junkyard? Given what I've seen, he may as well go down to pick-and-pull and find a flat piece of one millimeter sheet metal.

 

[gb6491]

The Tapco flat is 1.05mm thick 4130 carbon steel. The steel used needs to have enough carbon in it that it can be hardened by heat treatment.
Regards,
Greg

 

[Hammerhead6814]

So how can you tell if the steel you have is good enough for an AK receiver?

 

[gb6491]

Best bet would be to acquire it from a reputable source. Outside that (or expensive lab testing), you could try hardening a piece of it.
Here's a good article on building an AK from a flat:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/souptonuts1/index.asp
Regards,
Greg

 

[Hammerhead6814]

Thanks Greg. I'm going to try pick-and-pull tomorrow and see if I can find a piece of 1.05mm steel. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky, find a piece, and it will work? Either way he's probably going to order one, so if this works I'll let everyone know .

 

[jack404]

Soviet era AK where initially 1030 steel then hardened

post soviet they when to 4130 but a lighter guage

1010, 1020,1030 steel can all be brought up to 3-4 points of rockwell as 4130

so as the for a flat it can be made from a few things as its just a holder

chinese type 56 ( AKM clone) is 1028 steel thats hardened and they work well

( one of the better AKM clones about)

cheers

jack