Soviet AK: Nickel-plated carrier?

[HMMurdock]

I'm researching the variants of the Kalashnikovs, and I repeatedly see some of the original "Soviet" AKs with a chrome-plated bolt carrier and some withouth. Can someone with a better understanding of the Kalashnikovs explain to me when and where the AK-47's recieved nickel-plated bolt carriers and how some do not? :banghead:

Thanks.

 

[briansmithwins]

1) Chrome and nickle are two completely different things.
2) I've never seen a plated bolt carrier.
3) There have been 'in the white' or uncoated bolt carriers. The ones I'm thinking of are Chinese and Yugo, and maybe Albanian.

BSW

 

[HMMurdock]

For instance. That's not in the white, is it? I'm reading up and the phrase "nickel plated" is coming up http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct656.aspx -- such as on that reproduction. I'm looking for a historically authentical reproduction in semi-auto.

 

[zoom6zoom]

I'm with brian, I've never seen a plated bolt carrier either, and I've built a bunch of AK's, and still have a stack of kits in the basement. They are generally unfinished steel, or painted. Polishing and plating is something that vendor has had done.

 

[briansmithwins]

A hardchromed bore and either parkerizing or paint over parkerizing would be authentic finishes.

Never heard of any bolt carriers being plated. I can't see how that could hurt anything but I don't think it's OEM...

BSW

 

[nalioth]

As the others have said, I've also never heard of a plated bolt carrier from the factory.

They're either in the white, or in the white and polished.



In civilian hands, anything is possible.