How to build an AK: Cheapskate edition

[DrivesGuy]

Ok guys. Here is my custom build AK-47. The barrel has a recessed crown. The Muzzle break is adjustable. The Quick Acquisition Scope is either Red or Green Dot and the Tactical Light is good to 300 feet. Triple J. did all the custom build for me. My gunsmith said that normally AK's are not that accurate. He said this is the most accurate weapon, he has ever shot.

 

[n8thegr8]

Ok, so this is turning into "how to build an AK: stop being a cheapskate and buy the right tools edition"

I bought a press from harbor freight ($100 after coupon). I went to start pressing the barrel the rest of the way in, when I realized somehow, when trying to get it in earlier, it twisted and the gas port is off vertical now.

So, I pressed off all the barrel components, and I'm going to stop and get a ratchet extension after work to press the barrel out with. The press made it so easy to press everything off, I wish i had just done it in the first place. Seriously, use a press, it's worth it.

 

[Darva]

Who here knows anything about headspacing?

 

[n8thegr8]

Who here knows anything about headspacing?

Well, if everything goes right, I should know by experience this weekend, lol.

What's your question?

 

[Darva]

Scratch that last question. But I do have another!
If I buy a kit will you help build it? I just noticed that this thread is pretty old so, do you still have your tools? lol
In return I may be able to offer a nice coating to one of your guns!

 

[n8thegr8]

Sorry, sold all my tools. Only thing I have is my press I just bought, and some headspace gauges, which I'm planning on selling after I'm done. Soonertactical on here bought my trigger guard jig with the intent of renting it out, so you might ask him if you're interested. He said he was going to acquire more tools to rent out as a service, so he might have everything you need by now.

 

[n8thegr8]

Got the barrel pressed in and headspaced on the first try (meaning I didn't have to press the barrel back out), yay! I was thinking I'd have to go buy some bar stock to press against, but a big allen wrench caught my eye.

After fussing with a square trying to line up the barrel components, I ended up just eyeballing everything, and it worked spectacularly.

Now, I'm going to drill the barrel pin hole and press it in, then make the final adjustments to the barrel components.

 

[n8thegr8]

well, I dun fooked up one too many times. While reaming the barrel pin hole, I egged it out. I tried again, this time triple checking that everything was square, ran a slightly larger drill bit through, and egged it out even worse. the egged out side of the trunnion is about 8.3mm, and the largest your supposed to be able to go is 8mm, so I think the front trunnion, and the barrel probably, are toast at this point.

Anyone know of a gunsmith who could fix my screw-up? or should I just demill the trunnion and put the whole shebang on gun broker?

 

[n8thegr8]

I decided to have another go at it myself. I demilled the screwed up front trunnion, bought a new front trunnion, and riveted that in. Unfortunately, I sold my Toth bolt cutter rivet tool, so in order to rivet the new trunnion in, I decided to just make my own ($15 for the boltcutters and an hour of grinding, vs an additional $70 for the Toth jaws). I just got after it with a bench grinder, and this is what I came up with:

I made a bucking bar for the rivet head out of some mild steel, making the dimple with a 5/16" ball nose end mill. I tried to make the dimple in the jaw itself, but the steel is way too hard (I couldn't even center-punch it). You just cut the dimple until the rivet head barely sits above the surface (you don't want to go all the way, otherwise you'll be pressing against the receiver instead of the rivet head). Polishing the dimple is a good idea so you don't mar the rivet head.

Now I just need to get a new barrel...

 

[n8thegr8]

Lots of sweat and a little blood later, I finally finished this build! Going to the range to test it Friday (because 'Murica).



Once I had the proper tools, everything went a LOT smoother. Do yourself a favor and get one of these, $8 at home depot:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Johnson-Magnetic-Angle-Locator-700/100161689



Makes aligning things SOOOO much easier. Also, you'll need some sort of bucking jig for pressing the barrel in if you want to get it straight. I used one of these and it was a piece of cake:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=426327235



Once the headspace was set, I drilled the barrel pin channel with a 1/4" end mill, halfway through from each side, then used a needle file to get it close before reaming with a 7mm hand reamer.

The rest of the pins can be drilled with a drill bit (again, halfway through from each side), filed with a needle file, then hand reamed (lots of elbow grease, but unless you have a sturdy mill, you don't have a lot of choice). I used a 1/8" drill bit and 4mm hand reamer for the RSB pin, and 3/32" drill bit and 3mm hand reamer for the gas block and FSB pins.

Also, be mindful of the gas tube lock lever when you're clamping things down. I snapped mine off and had to order a new one. I filed down the flared head, pounded out the old one with a punch, then inserted the new one. I tried flaring it in the press, but it moved and bent, so I ended up pounding it flat with a ball-peen hammer. Not the prettiest, but it's tight and it works.

AK building is an art as much as it is a science, and it takes a lot of time, thought, and creativity, that's what's beautiful about it. Each one is a unique snowflake.

I'm still not sure how I want to finish it. I bought all the stuff to parkerize it, but don't really have time or energy at this point, so I may just hit it with some engine enamel to keep it from rusting until I get around to building a park tank.