« previous next »
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down

Author Topic: AK47 Build Project  (Read 6827 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline benb61

  • Established Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1444
  • My 2 fast cars
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #20 on: April 02, 2013, 04:45:50 PM »
Quote from: trapeze on April 02, 2013, 03:35:36 PM
I cleaned up my parts kit today. Soaked everything in mineral spirits. The furniture looks a lot better, nearly acceptable, but I think that I am still going to go with new synthetic stuff when I get to that point.

Right now, the thing that is holding me back is the lack of a barrel. It took me a long time to get a receiver and a parts kit and I have been looking for quite a while now and there are almost zero barrels to be had. The ones that I have found are not chrome lined so I am going to be patient and wait for what I want to continue the build.

In the meantime I am ordering a rivet kit and one of the bolt cutter riveting tools so that I can at least move forward with that part of the project.

And I am going to have to find a source for 30 round mags and get those coming before they are illegal in July. Not that I can't buy them in Texas but I just want to have that part of the process out of the way. And I guess I will also need to start stocking up on ammo for it, too.

This project is beginning to get interesting and it might just develop into a full blown hobby. I haven't had an obsession-grade hobby since the feds outlawed online poker. The only problem will be what to do with all of the firearms I make. Technically, I not supposed to sell anything (without a serial number) that I make so I guess I will be giving them away. Someday. After I have some.

I'd like to put my name in the hat for one of those "give aways".  Maybe there is something that I have that I could "Give" to you for the consideration.   ::thinking::
Logged
Eschew Obfuscation

charlesoakwood

  • Guest
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #21 on: April 03, 2013, 05:51:09 PM »
Logged

Offline Libertas

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 64006
  • Alea iacta est! Libertatem aut mori!
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #22 on: April 03, 2013, 06:38:31 PM »
Numrich seems pretty good, gotten a few things from them over the years.  Last thing I got from them were some magazines for my fathers ancient .22 Winchester bolt action.  Before that is was magazines and spring for an old AMT.
Logged
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Offline trapeze

  • Administrator
  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 6367
  • Hippies smell bad. Go away, hippie.
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #23 on: April 08, 2013, 12:55:17 AM »
Quote from: Charles Oakwood on April 03, 2013, 05:51:09 PM

http://www.gunpartscorp.com


Nice site. The barrel that they offer is not exactly what I'm looking for, though...it's not chrome lined...and it's sold out.

Not to worry because I think I found one here. I placed the order a couple of days ago and it is supposed to be available for shipping sometime around the middle of the month.

I'm ordering the rivet set next and a tool to set (at least most of) the rivets.

I will also need to get some kind of a Parkerizing kit to treat the receiver and the barrel prior to riveting and assembly so that's on the purchase list, too.

Things are getting closer to action (as opposed to just collecting the things needed) and when that happens I am going to start taking pictures and posting them here.

It has been (and will continue to be) a learning process. One of the things I have learned is that it is virtually impossible* to purchase a front trunnion (which is riveted to the receiver and holds the barrel) outside of a "parts kit." Parts kits are ridiculously overpriced for what you get...perhaps they have gone up in price along with everything else recently. I have also learned that it's not possible to acquire a parts kit that includes a barrel. A barrel can only be purchased separately and is almost always made in the USA. Not a bad thing, actually since it is the most critical part of the firearm. So...the front trunnion and the barrel make the cost of building your own kind of expensive.

After I get done with these first two rifles (I did buy two receivers but I'm building them one at a time) I plan on getting a folding jig so that I can build future rifles without serial numbers. Heat treating is still a problem but not insurmountable.

*They are out there but extremely hard to find. More difficult to come by than barrels.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2013, 01:09:19 AM by trapeze »
Logged
In a doomsday scenario, hippies will be among the first casualties. So not everything about doomsday will be bad.

Offline Glock32

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 8747
  • Get some!
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #24 on: April 16, 2013, 11:39:54 AM »
Not to threadjack, just thought I would point out to anyone interested that AIM Surplus (www.aimsurplus.com) has new manufacture Polish 30rd AK mags in stock for $14.95. I wouldn't expect them to last long.

I just ordered 3 myself. :)
Logged
"The Fourth Estate is less honorable than the First Profession."

- Yours Truly

Offline trapeze

  • Administrator
  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 6367
  • Hippies smell bad. Go away, hippie.
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #25 on: May 16, 2013, 10:54:03 PM »
Finally...my AK barrel shipped today. Should have it by early next week.

So now I have to order my rivet set and get some sort of a tool to set the rivets.

Oh, and I also have to figure out how I am going to finish the receiver and barrel. I'm leaning toward parkerizing over bluing.
Logged
In a doomsday scenario, hippies will be among the first casualties. So not everything about doomsday will be bad.

Offline AlanS

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 7908
  • Proud Infidel
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #26 on: May 17, 2013, 05:56:21 AM »
Quote from: trapeze on May 16, 2013, 10:54:03 PM
Oh, and I also have to figure out how I am going to finish the receiver and barrel. I'm leaning toward parkerizing over bluing.

This is what I'll be using on my project. Supposed to be pretty tough.

Logged
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem."

Thomas Jefferson

Offline Libertas

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 64006
  • Alea iacta est! Libertatem aut mori!
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #27 on: May 17, 2013, 07:00:37 AM »
With a name like Aluma-Hyde I hope they can back up their claim!   ::thumbsup::
Logged
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Offline AlanS

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 7908
  • Proud Infidel
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #28 on: May 17, 2013, 09:56:37 AM »
The reviews make it look pretty good.
Logged
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem."

Thomas Jefferson

Offline Glock32

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 8747
  • Get some!
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #29 on: May 17, 2013, 11:53:32 AM »
It's an AK.  Just hit it with some BBQ grill paint :)
Logged
"The Fourth Estate is less honorable than the First Profession."

- Yours Truly

Online Pandora

  • Administrator
  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 19529
  • I iz also makin a list. U on it pal.
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #30 on: May 17, 2013, 11:55:27 AM »
 ::doh::  ::rolllaughing::
Logged
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." - Mark Twain

"Let us assume for the moment everything you say about me is true. That just makes your problem bigger, doesn't it?"

Offline trapeze

  • Administrator
  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 6367
  • Hippies smell bad. Go away, hippie.
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #31 on: December 31, 2013, 11:23:33 PM »
Well...time to resurrect this thread. Yesterday I ordered two sets of rivets so I should have them within a week or so. Tomorrow I am going to order a budget rivet setter...this one.

Next up is a tool to press the barrel into place...this one.

I have really been too busy with my business to devote any time to this in the last few months but it is time to move on with it. If everything goes well I will have this project finished by spring. This is my first ever attempt to make my own gun and I hope that I get lucky and that it works out well despite my inexperience.
Logged
In a doomsday scenario, hippies will be among the first casualties. So not everything about doomsday will be bad.

Offline trapeze

  • Administrator
  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 6367
  • Hippies smell bad. Go away, hippie.
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #32 on: January 19, 2014, 10:34:02 PM »
Well, I got my rivets and I also received my front trunnion rivet tool. I am ordering the barrel install/removal tool this evening. That leaves only a couple of tools yet to acquire before I will be able to finish the assembly on the first AK.

I found a video that shows how to drill out the barrel/trunnion for the barrel pin so that mystery is more or less solved. This won't be the first time that I wished I had a milling machine. I will be drilling it out with my drill press.

One thing that I have found recently is that, like ammo, parts are beginning to get a little easier to find. For instance, no trouble at all finding a new barrel and I even found a front trunnion on one of the auction sites for a reasonable price.

This has been a true learning experience. I know that I will learn a lot more before the first AK is finished. But when I get one done I will be able to assemble the next one a lot faster. I will then have all of the tools and some experience.

I think that after the first two are assembled I will get a bending tool to make my own receivers out of blanks. I already have a spot welder so I will just need to get the correct tongs in order to spot weld in the guide rails. I will still need to come up with a way to heat treat them, though. Another option is to get an 80% receiver (no bending) and then just drill it and heat treat it.

But, getting back to this first build, I need to decide on a metal finishing method for the receiver...parkerizing or bluing. I honestly do not know which one to choose and I would appreciate some input from those with opinions.
Logged
In a doomsday scenario, hippies will be among the first casualties. So not everything about doomsday will be bad.

Offline Glock32

  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 8747
  • Get some!
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #33 on: January 19, 2014, 11:43:27 PM »
Personally I've always felt that parkerizing seems more appropriate for a mil-spec rifle.  The ComBloc AKs used a variety of finishes depending on time period and country of origin. My AKs of Romanian origin use a phosphate finish similar to parkerizing, and I also have one of East German origin that is blued. The blued one looks appropriate for an early AKM of 50s/60s vintage. The phosphate is more in line with updated variants when they began moving to synthetic stocks.

Are you going for a classic AKM look with wood furniture? Or more of an Evil Black Rifle look?
Logged
"The Fourth Estate is less honorable than the First Profession."

- Yours Truly

Offline trapeze

  • Administrator
  • Conservative Superhero
  • *****
  • Posts: 6367
  • Hippies smell bad. Go away, hippie.
Re: AK47 Build Project
« Reply #34 on: January 20, 2014, 01:59:04 AM »
Quote from: Glock32 on January 19, 2014, 11:43:27 PM
Personally I've always felt that parkerizing seems more appropriate for a mil-spec rifle.  The ComBloc AKs used a variety of finishes depending on time period and country of origin. My AKs of Romanian origin use a phosphate finish similar to parkerizing, and I also have one of East German origin that is blued. The blued one looks appropriate for an early AKM of 50s/60s vintage. The phosphate is more in line with updated variants when they began moving to synthetic stocks.

Are you going for a classic AKM look with wood furniture? Or more of an Evil Black Rifle look?

Something in between. I am going to go with synthetic stock but not black. I'm looking at the "earth" or "desert" color. I have done bluing before on a shotgun barrel so I am somewhat familiar with it. I guess that I will have to look into the phosphate thing.
Logged
In a doomsday scenario, hippies will be among the first casualties. So not everything about doomsday will be bad.
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up
« previous next »