My $165 AK-74

[SnakeEater]

Some of you will recall my thread before black friday about the sale at Dunham's. I grabbed a WASR-2 for $150. Single stack mag, horrid thumbhole stock. Who want's one of those? Well, $15 in a cheap stock and grip, plus an hour with the dremel and here she is. I believe I did a much better job on the magwell than Century does, after some trial and error the mags fit just right. I now own, IMHO, the perfect "truck gun". I've already spent $20 more for a '74 muzzle brake, but I'm still under $200.

For those of you who might want to try this, single stack WASR's can be found for $200 if you look around. Furniture is cheap, mags are cheap, and ammo is cheap. And everybody oughta own a dremel.

Shown with original buttstock and magazine.

 

[rocinante]

I'll give you a that a boy. Cheaper than my SKS.

 

[dstorm1911]

And you also now need to add 922R compliance parts, since as it sits its in violation..... thats WHY they are so cheap, by you converting it to HI-Cap mag and adding the pistol grip you brought it under the venue of the federal law requireing it to have 10 or less import parts.....

if you want to keep that original furniture without it being a felony then you need to add

G2 FCG (the lo caps have original Romanian parts throughout) $39

That will get you 3 of the 6 parts you must swap out so next you can go with a USA Gas piston $24 and a USA Muzzle device $12 then a USA pistol grip $10-$15 then it will be legal again as it stands you are in violation of 922R


Ya know it always amazes me when folks do stuff like this especially after reading all these threads all over the net about 922R compliance requirements...... AND THEN they put up a thread on the internet bragging about creating an illegal rifle!!! Amazing!!You get the Thumbhole WASRs cheaper than the HICAP WASRs because Century does not have to invest extra $$ to make it a legal rifle they can sell it as it is shipped from Romania, once you modify it from that original condition then you must complete the work Century didn't want to do..

To avoid being chargable with a Felony at this point you need to remove at least 6 components from the 922R list of parts

by not having an import mag in the rifle you can knockoff 3 parts right there..... putting the original furniture back on now does you no good as you have already modified the magwell so...... your going to need USA furniture or until ya can get compliance parts simply remove the muzzle device, butt stock and pistol grip....... that will at least keep ya outa jail unless that AK74 brake is marked "made in USA" then you wasted your $20 becuse it doesn't count towards 922R compliance unless it can be verified to be USA made....... getting caught with it in its current configuration can get you fined up to $150,000 10 years in federal prison and of course with a felony conviction you can no longer posses a firearm

1) Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings
or stampings
(2) Barrels
(3) Barrel extensions
(4) Mounting blocks (trunnions)
(5) Muzzle attachments
(6) Bolts
(7) Bolt carriers
(8) Operating rods
(9) Gas pistons
(10) Trigger housings
(11) Triggers
(12) Hammers
(13) Sears
(14) Disconnectors
(15) Buttstocks
(16) Pistol grips
(17) Forearms, handguards
(18) Magazine bodies
(19) Followers
(20) Floorplates

 

[eab]

Actually there is a good chance it is already 922R compliant.

I picked up a single stack WASR in 7.62*39 with intent of converting it to double stack. When I bought it from the store it had a Tapco G2 FCG already in it (it says Tapco G2, 3 parts) I did some research and aparently the gas piston is Century (if it is is not pinned in, ie its really tight and there is NO slop in it, its a Century, so thats 4), and the pistol grip on it, on the inside it is marked C, made by Century too.

(thats 5). If I leave it without a muzzel brake for flash hider I only need 5 US parts.

So for about an hour with my dremel and I have a double stack WASR for under $240.00 out the door with taxes.


Nice rifle dude, I went with the 7.62 for a wider avaiblity of ammo and that I already was stocking the round for my SKS.

 

[cracked butt]

Single stack mag, horrid thumbhole stock. Who want's one of those? Well, $15 in a cheap stock and grip, plus an hour with the dremel and here she is. I believe I did a much better job on the magwell than Century does, after some trial and error the mags fit just right

A friend of mine did the same thing and had really nice results as well. His also came with a tapco trigger, which was way better than I expected.

 

[dstorm1911]

eab, the Century gas pistons get welded on.... when installed by Century if it doesn't have a weld bead then they didn't do it.... The WASRs are built from out of spec components the gas pistons are generally either really loose or locked tight as opposed to just a little wobble, a Century gas piston will be stainless steel as opposed to chrome plated and it will have a flat face as opposed to concave the original pistons have a black center of exposed iron as the face isn't chromed...... the Century pistol grips are black plastic

you have a different gun than what is posted above, if you will notice I stated THUMBHOLE stock, these are different from the pistol grip low cap rifles, the PG low caps have enough parts to get the PG legal without having to add enough parts to go for a HICAP mag ability

the Thumbhole stock guns get nothing added, yours had a G2 FCG added to make it legal with a pistol grip, by cutting off the muzzle nut and adding HI Cap capability you then have to also complete the steps for full 922R compliance....... our government at its best if Century added a G2 to the thumbhole then that gets ya closer, it will be marked on the left side but as of last year they weren't doing the G2 in the thumbhole guns....

 

[silverlance]

dstorm knows what he's talking about; I'd listen to him WRT AK rifles.

speaking of which - dstorm, I just built my own homemade AK pistol last month. I say build as in from a flat - I bent it, heat treated it, drilled it, cut the rails, etc. it looks like a horrid piece of crap and during pressing I even screwed up and squished part of the receiver a couple of times lightly - however, after literally beating it back in shape with a hammer it now racks and slides easily by hand (no spring, just hand back and forth).

I'd like to finish build it into a fixed magazine pistol that will be ban-state legal, and I was just told by a friend that homebuilt personal use only firearms do not need to adhere to 922R. is that true?

 

[dstorm1911]

Silverlance it not "home built firearms" that do not have to comply with 922R its ONLY pistols as 922R only effects rifles so a pistol does not need to meet 922R requirements and can use import parts. As for the fixed box mag I would tripple check the state you plan to go into because most have a stipulation prohibiting the magazine from being seperate of the pistols grip and in front of the trigger gaurd this was to prevent guns like tech nines etc... 922R specifically addresses ANY rifle that is a clone of an otherwise banned for import rifle regardless of who builds it as having to comply with 922R otherwise all of companies catering to the home builder of AK, FALs G3/CETMEs etc... would not exist and all the thousands of home builders would not be trying to figure out how to best meet 922R compliance etc.... thats the problem with "friends" providing information concerning laws that can get you locked up for 10 years...

heres a good link for your friend

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm

and here is the section specifically dealing with making your own guns

(A6) Does the GCA prohibit anyone from making a handgun, shotgun or rifle? [Back]

With certain exceptions a firearm may be made by a non-licensee provided it is not for sale and the maker is not prohibited from possessing firearms. However, a person is prohibited from assembling a non-sporting semi-automatic rifle or non-sporting shotgun from imported parts. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and approval by ATF. An application to make a machine gun will not be approved unless documentation is submitted showing that the firearm is being made for a Federal or State agency.

[18 U.S.C. 922(o) and (r), 26 U.S.C. 5822, 27 CFR 478.39, 479.62 and 479.105]


more people end up in jail from listening to "friends" than anything else and "my friend said" is not accepted as a deffense in court.........


BTW; Ya do know a hammer MUST always be involved at some point when building any AK based gun right? so that means ya done just right.... now if ya had gotten it together without the use of a hammer then we'd know it was doomed to blow up on ya! LOL

 

[silverlance]

LOL
Seriously - building my own first AK really impressed upon me the amazing ability of the AK design to withstand abuse - even before the gun is built. I built this together with 17 other guys from calguns. We were like a band of bumble-pawed monkeys led by a charismatic orangatan. Most of us had never even used serious power tools in our lives.

A couple of guys ran off before I could get them to use my headspace gauge. They ignored my emails about HSing first and test fired the guns using the old "hold it away from your face" method.

amazingly, everyone's guns held together.

 

[nalioth]

just built my own homemade AK pistol last month

Pistols are not subject to 922r, homebuilt or not.

 

[jlpskydive]

OK I'm doing my first build and here's what I have, a Romy G kit (unfired!!! wa hoo!!) NODAK SPUD receiver, G2 group, and I'm gettting a Tapco grip, mag, and buttstock. What else do I need to come into 922r compliance? Thanks for the help.

 

[eab]

dstorm1911, thanks for the info, your one post was more helpful then all the googlefu I tired a couple days ago. Pretty sure mine is all in spec but I am going to check it again tonight anyway. Thanks for the help and clearing it all up.

 

[elmerfudd]

922r applies to the building or assembly of a weapon. Just possessing it is not a violation in itself, although depending on where you bought it, possession may be prima facie evidence that you did in fact convert it illegally. But in any event it's probably not a good idea to post details online about it.

 

[Hoppy590]

jlpskydive
Nodak= 1 us part
g2=3 US part
grip=1
butstock=1
All US mag (floorplate, follower, mag body) = 3

9 us made parts. AKs have 16 of the parts on the list, the red ones are the ones your using US parts for

1) Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings
or stampings
(2) Barrels

(4) Mounting blocks (trunnions)
(5) Muzzle attachments
(6) Bolts
(7) Bolt carriers

(9) Gas pistons

(11) Triggers
(12) Hammers

(14) Disconnectors
(15) Buttstocks
(16) Pistol grips
(17) Forearms, handguards
(18) Magazine bodies
(19) Followers
(20) Floorplates

less than 10 foriegn parts.your good to go plenty of infor over at AKfiles.com

 

[jlpskydive]

Thanks!! Always good to check.

 

[nalioth]

922r applies to the building or assembly of a weapon.

The alphabet boys consider inserting a magazine to be "assembling".

 

[Hoppy590]

. As for the fixed box mag I would tripple check the state you plan to go into because most have a stipulation prohibiting the magazine from being seperate of the pistols grip and in front of the trigger gaurd this was to prevent guns like tech nines etc

in MA its called an "Assault Pistol" and yes they are illegal in post ban.

how ever theres som gray area about if you MOVE into the state. you may be allowed to bring it in. im not sure on that.

 

[SnakeEater]

I'm "fooly" aware of the 922r issue. A Century compliance kit is all that is needed for anyone interested in doing this and staying compliant. The kit includes US made FCG, piston, and pistol grip. Cost is $40.

You see, I was joking about building this $165. It really cost me $205 because I added the compliance parts.........

 

[Hoppy590]

he kit includes US made FCG, piston, and pistol grip.

thats 5 parts. would be legal for a US made reciever was used

im not sure (AKA dont think) the WASR single stacks are USmade recievers...

 

[SnakeEater]

thats 5 parts. would be legal for a US made reciever was used

im not sure (AKA dont think) the WASR single stacks are USmade recievers...

Uh, no. 5 parts are needed if no muzzle device is used. If a foreign made muzzle device was used a 6th part would be required, or just use a US made muzzle device.

 

[LeibstandarteAdH]

welcome to the 5.45 club, where you can get steel cored light ball for $118/1000

I love my WASR/74 clone, but i payed $289, ive never seen the single stack wasr's before, how much material did you have to remove? Did you use a template? What about the mag spacer "springs"? -thanks

 

[SnakeEater]

I did not use a template. I used a micrometer to measure the magwell (0.71), and the double stack mag (0.97). I drew a line on each side of the magwell 0.14 from the edge, this would give me an opening of 0.99, which turned out to be perfect. The little metal "shelves" inside I simply ground down out of the way. Mags fit without wobble, lock up tight, and release perfectly.

 

[Hoppy590]

If a foreign made muzzle device was used a 6th part would be required

ah very good. didnt realize post ban still gave with crowned barrels or muzzle nuts didnt even think to look at picture