I have been collecting HK rifles for a while and the fact that they had a cool new rifle (G36) and I could not buy one was annoying me. My goal was to make something as close as possible to the original HK. It took months to collect together all the parts and then assemble it then wait for the end of the AWB to add the flash hider, bayonet lug and make the stock fold. However that did allow me to spread the cost out over time.
Here is a breakdown of the major parts involved:
SL8-1 ($975) (HK has stopped importing and is sold out of these so prices have been rising)
G36 barrel ($500) (Or, if you have your own barrel turned down, about $200)
Top-Notch Conversion Kit ($600.) (Now they are $410
www.top-notchparts.com )
(Kit includes G36 Lower and Stock, M16 Mag Well, G36 type bolt, USA gas piston )
G36 3.0x scope ($325)
C Stock. ($75)
G36 Forearm ($80)
Basically the rifle and conversion parts cost about $2600 plus labor. Now that the conversion kits sell for $410 and if you used your own barrel that would bring the cost down to $2100. Shortening the sight rail and using the factory sights instead of the 3.0x scope would bring the cost down to under $1800.
The toughest part was getting the 19" G36E barrel. For authenticity, I wanted a real one instead of a turn down but, HK will not sell them and they rarely come up for sale. I found an unfired one in the HKPro.com for sale section for $500. If you are going to use a G36 barrel you will also need the correct gas block (different than SL8). Another option is if a class 3 dealer has a G36, some will chop up the receiver and sell you the gun for parts. But, expect to pay $800 to $1700.
Labor involved:
Remove and replace barrel and gas block.
Mill out receiver
Dye receiver
Swap trigger parts to new lower
Swap bolt head parts
Swap C stock
I had LarryG36 from The Arms Room in Nevada do all the labor. He has done a lot of these and even though I'm a handy guy, it was better to pay a professional than screw up a $1000 receiver. The barrel requires special tools. One slip opening up the mag well and its all over. If you have never moved the trigger parts it's a jig saw puzzle and pounding out and back in the extractor pin on the bolt is a pain. About the only simple part is dying the receiver. Just make sure the water is really hot.
The gun shoots smoothly, reliably and accurately. Even after lots of shooting the chamber area stays very clean. If there is one problem it is that the bolt hold open does not work reliably with AR15 mags. Top Notch has announced they will soon have a kit with some extra US made parts to allow using German G36 mags. That should solve the bolt hold open problem and make the gun look even more authentic.
Unfortunately, this is probably the closest anyone will get to owning a G36 or XM8 type rifle for the foreseeable future.
