Building an AK from a parts kit

[EricTheBarbarian]

Well ive been looking at these ak parts kits online for $109. They say they are romanian surplus and do not have the receiver. Has anyone built an ak from a kit like this and how difficult is it? Will I need an special tools to get the job done? Also, what parts would I need to replace to make this compliant? Any info on this would be appreciated, thanks.

and heres the link http://dpharms.com/romanian-ak47-kits-p-95.html

 

[mattw]

This topic has been explored countless times by myself, others, and now you. The best thing to do is use the search feature to find info. You might even find my thread...

Basically unless you're very mechanically enclined or have a buddy who owns a machine shop, don't waste your time.

 

[kfranz]

Basically unless you're very mechanically enclined or have a buddy who owns a machine shop, don't waste your time.

I disagree. If you can read, you can do it.

 

[mattw]

theoretically anyone could do anything... it just depends on how much time you want to spend on it when you could just spend about $400 and have a decent AK in your hands tomorrow

 

[kfranz]

If a guy were only going to do one, I'd agree. If a fella wanted a number of them, it makes sense to get the education and tooling. The tooling can be sold off for a fair percentage of what was paid for it after the builds are done...

 

[Ndenway]

kfranz If a guy were only going to do one, I'd agree. If a fella wanted a number of them, it makes sense to get the education and tooling. The tooling can be sold off for a fair percentage of what was paid for it after the builds are done...

this guy hit it on the nose, if your only looking at building one or two, then buy them outright, it'll be easier,

the first one I did was a screw build I did with basic hand tools I had on hand, so I know for a fact they can be done without the high dollar build tools being sold, did a AMD 65 for a cost of $262, about half of what dealers were selling them for at the time,

after that I moved up to the rivets builds, I've built several of them with tooling I made myself, sans spot welder, and a ground out $8 pair of 24" bolt cutters to use for rivet squeezer,

the compliance parts are what kills your savings on the romys, your real savings comes from building the higher end AKs like the polish, AMD 65 and 63, krinks and ak74/tantels,

your tooling cost will be higher if you want to build on flats vs. 100% recievers, unless you can build your own bending jig, and have access to either a arc or mig welder or a spot welder.


look on ak47.com in the DIY section, or just ask in the build section and see if you can find someone in your area that already has build tools they'll let you use.

an AKs not hard to build, if you can use a hammer, screwdriver and monkey wrench you've got a leg up on assembling them.

 

[Ndenway]

kfranz If a guy were only going to do one, I'd agree. If a fella wanted a number of them, it makes sense to get the education and tooling. The tooling can be sold off for a fair percentage of what was paid for it after the builds are done...

this guy hit it on the nose, if your only looking at building one or two, then buy them outright, it'll be easier,

the first one I did was a screw build I did with basic hand tools I had on hand, so I know for a fact they can be done without the high dollar build tools being sold, did a AMD 65 for a cost of $262, about half of what dealers were selling them for at the time,

after that I moved up to the rivets builds, I've built several of them with tooling I made myself, sans spot welder, and a ground out $8 pair of 24" bolt cutters to use for rivet squeezer,

the compliance parts are what kills your savings on the romys, your real savings comes from building the higher end AKs like the polish, AMD 65 and 63, krinks and ak74/tantels,

your tooling cost will be higher if you want to build on flats vs. 100% recievers, unless you can build your own bending jig, and have access to either a arc or mig welder or a spot welder.


look on ak47.com in the DIY section, or just ask in the build section and see if you can find someone in your area that already has build tools they'll let you use.

an AKs not hard to build, if you can use a hammer, screwdriver and monkey wrench you've got a leg up on assembling them.

 

[Glockfan.45]

It depends on how you plan to approach it. I built a polish underfolder on a pre bent blank. Only tools needed were a dremel and a drill. I built with the screw set and it runs just fine. You will need a compliance parts set to make your build legal. If you build on a 80% reciever you may never sell or transfer it however, if you plan to build on a completed reciever they can be had for around $40-$50 from various supliers. A word of caution on building from a parts set. Some of the cheaper kits are old, shot out, rusty, beat to hell, junk.

 

[Dmack_901]

I would say it's definately doable by the average joe.

But I'd recommend just buying a pre-built receiver. That's were all the problems seemed to arise for me. And you could get all the same learning/fun out of it. You probably won't save too much, but it'd be fun.

 

[Monkeybear]

Do it.

But if you do it, do it for fun because your not gonna save any money.

 

[Prince Yamato]

Ok, now the prince is curious.

If I buy a pre-built receiver, I don't need any special tools beyond a wrench, hammer, drill, etc.? No press or anything? How do you get the barrel into the receiver. I take it the "screw set" is just screws instead of rivets? Loctite it and it should be fine, I would assume. Is it really that simple. Everyone I've talked to says that I needed a drill press and a bunch of $1000 equipment. Could I literally build one in my apartment?

 

[kfranz]

Could I literally build one in my apartment?

Yes. I've got maybe $250 worth of tools between the small chicom drill press($35), 12 ton chicom hydraulic press($100) and the non chicom flat bending jig(the largest expense at $120ish). Another $50-100 for rivet related stuff maybe. Essentially the cost of one store bought AK.

Everyone I've talked to says that I needed a drill press and a bunch of $1000 equipment.

Have any of them ever built one?

I take it the "screw set" is just screws instead of rivets?

Right. You'll need to tap the trunnion. Easy and cheap enough to do, but it comes with the risk of busting a tap off in the trunnion.

 

[texlurch]

I've built more than a few. Only tool I had to buy was the bolt cutters. I already have a good assortment of tools from my car days.

A screw build you don't even have to pull the barrel, just get a bottoming tap or grind down a standard one. My first 3 or 4 were screw builds.

I use a simple 2-arm puller to press out the barrel. Knock the barrel pin out with a BFH and a punch. To get it back in, put the barrel in the freezer over night, and the receiver in the oven for an hour or so, and tap it back in.

To smash rivets, I made a couple tools from 1-1/4 keystock and a drill and dremel, BFH, and assorted other odds and ends.

Compliance parts depend on what stock you want to use. I basically use a receiver, FCG, gas piston and US MB to start, and go from there.

Do your first build with a quality 100% receiver; costs a little more, but eliminates the issue of out of spec holes and frustration.

How creative are you? Here are my last two, a Polish and an M95. Both these kits were rather expensive, but are new guns cut up for parts kits.

 

[rbernie]

Why are screw builds treated as stepchildren? Is there some inherent reliability flaw introduced in using screws instead of rivets?

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

Romanian kits for stamped receivers. Kits are complete except for a missing disconnector from the original fcg, most (95%) of the kits are matching number kits and all of the kits have nice bores.

This might be a dumb question but, what is the missing disconnector from the original fcg?

 

[texlurch]

This might be a dumb question but, what is the missing disconnector from the original fcg?

The FCG is replaced by a US made parts set, which comes with the new disconnector. Seems when they imported these kits, someone got overzealous and tossed the disconnector out with the FA parts. OOps!

Why are screw builds treated as stepchildren? Is there some inherent reliability flaw introduced in using screws instead of rivets?

No flaw whatsoever, They are considered "inferior" becuase the "correct" way to build them is with rivets.

 

[Glockfan.45]

Is there some inherent reliability flaw introduced in using screws instead of rivets?

My screw built polish underfolder runs just as good as my factory riveted WASR. People look down on them because the proper method is a rivet build.

someone got overzealous and tossed the disconnector out with the FA parts. OOps!

Be warned some kits come with the full auto parts. My recomendation is to toss them in the garbage as soon as it arrives.

How do you get the barrel into the receiver.

The barrel will already be pressed into the trunion. No need to pull it with a screw build.

 

[Prince Yamato]

The barrel will already be pressed into the trunion. No need to pull it with a screw build.

Ok, I'm a little slow...

So let's say I buy a vector stamped receiver off of their website (going through FFL la dee da). Then, I buy a cheap Romanian parts kit. I want to do a screw build, so I buy the right size screws. All I need is what? A hand drill, hammer, and a screw-driver, and then I can put the rifle together on my kitchen table?

The barrel I thought was the most difficult part. But if you say it's already in the trunion, all I need to do is screw the rest of the stuff into the receiver. No pulling, pounding, pressing, etc?

 

[Glockfan.45]

Heres a link that covers the process step by step. The author built from a reciver blank. If you plan on building from a completed reciever just ignore the first few steps.

http://gunsgutsandgod.com/Yugobuildstepbystep.htm

Dont worry its not as dificult as it looks. Hell I am now looking to do a AR build from a 80% reciever . Nothing more fun than shooting a gun you built.

The barrel I thought was the most difficult part. But if you say it's already in the trunion, all I need to do is screw the rest of the stuff into the receiver. No pulling, pounding, pressing, etc?

You will need to tap the holes in the trunion, but no press is needed. You can buy the tap and screw kits from various different online manufacturers. I buy all my AK stuff at gunshows.

 

[webuyhouses]

these guys act like they never owned a "tool" in their life and they have to go out and buy their first screwdriver to assemble a gun.

im proud to say i already own enough tools to do this build, and if i didnt, id buy them because theres no such thing as a tool that a man doesnt need.

Be warned some kits come with the full auto parts. My recomendation is to toss them in the garbage as soon as it arrives.

*** are you telling me you dont want to own a full auto AK??
what is wrong with you??!!???
I agree completely, the laws of this country are there to protect us from criminals, and i am happy to do my part:banghead:

 

[rbernie]

*** are you telling me you dont want to own a full auto AK??
what is wrong with you??!!???

I don't feel like spending the best part of my life in Club Fed.

 

[Glockfan.45]

*** are you telling me you dont want to own a full auto AK??
what is wrong with you??!!???

I dont want to spend 5 years of my life avoiding gang rape in the shower.

 

[Prince Yamato]

these guys act like they never owned a "tool" in their life and they have to go out and buy their first screwdriver to assemble a gun.

im proud to say i already own enough tools to do this build, and if i didnt, id buy them because theres no such thing as a tool that a man doesnt need.

Great attitude. No, I'm not mechanically inclined. I own a basic toolset for around the house repairs. I live in an apartment, so it's not like I can set up shop where ever I please. If building an AK is truely a kitchen table project, or at least can be done with said tools, I'll give it a go., but I don't want to spend a couple hundred bucks on gun parts, only to find out I need special equipment.

 

[Koobuh]

If you're dead set on it, but for cost reasons, see if you can find a build party in your area. Check arfcom's AK section for more info.
If you can find one nearby you should be able to get it built with no trouble at all, with help from people that actually know what they're doing.

 

[webuyhouses]

live in an apartment, so it's not like I can set up shop where ever I please.

(this statement edited by moderator)

i usually wouldnt do this but for thegood of all my fellow appartment dwellers, this is an actuall photo of my bedroom in my appt. as seen from the chair im sitting in:

i got the industrial shelve sets for free when the local university pitched them.