Building my own AK...help the newbie

[godzilla]

With respect to my AK elders on this forum,

Already own one AK (SAR1) that was bought as is. Been thinking for awhile now of adding a new AK to my collection, and I had so much fun stripping and refinishing a stock on an SKS I bought last year that I thought I'd try and build an AK from a kit. Now, my concern is that I am not a real mechanical genius (although, I'm sure I can figure it out), and I don't have a workshop per se or any metalworking skills.

Here, in short, is what I think I want to do, probably to a Romanian kit after it's built - Bocefus is selling what looks like a nice kit (http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6490) now, but I assume I need to get a receiver? How in the world does that worK?

- add side folder stock - probably an ACE stock (http://www.aceltdusa.com/) stock, although not sure yet.

- add a tactical foreend grip (probably ACE again)

- add a red dot scope (not sure about this yet - looking to find a KOBRA, or similar)

So my question is, can a guy without metalworking skills, a machineshop or a blowtorch build this AK? I sure do love shooting my rifles, but I think I'd love them even more if I could learn to build them, I just don't want to fall on my face and waste alot of coin in the process. I really need some basic, simple advice to help me ease into the do-it-yourself world from you AK veterans.

[dalegribble]

Hi godzilla! Welcome to the addiction. If this is your first building experience you probably want to go with a ready-made receiver. The one made by ohio ordnance works (OOW) has gotten good reviews. In order to get one you would have to find an FFL holder in your area that is willing to order one for you. Follow this link : Gunbroker FFL finder (http://www.gunbroker.com/User/DealerNetwork.asp) and put your zip code in to find a dealer near you. Once you have your receiver, parts kit, and US made compliance parts you can assemple the rifle by riveting, screwing, or welding. Using the screw method MAY be the easiest of the three depending on the resources available to you. Do a search on the site for "screw build" or something similer. Basicly you tap the river holes in the trunnions and locktite in high quality screws to hold it all together. Thats the cliff-notes version anyway. You will need a drill (a drill press is great but a hand drill can be used) some taps of the correct size ( more than one of each size, they tend to wear out on this sort of job, at least mine did.) and last but not least a dremel tool and lots of accessories for it. Other common tools may be needed as well. The akfiles has pretty much all the info you need to get the job done. Take a cose look at your SAR1 and try to see how it's put together. take it apart and look closely at the front and rear trunions (the parts where the barrel and stock attach :wink_smal ), those are the main building areas that you will be working on. These guns aren't all that complicated, at least compared to some others. You can do it man, we have faith in you.

[clovis]

you can do it i did it with a hand drill one bit one reg tap one bottoming tap a home made rivet punch for the trigger rivets and rear trunion a hammer and dremal tool just work and fit take your time i used screws in front trunion and rivets on the rest it works very well joeken recievers are the best if you can get one have your ffl order it cod it will get to you that way have fun and play safe

[godzilla]

Thanks for the great information guys. Sometimes I honestly feel a bit overwhelemed by the amount of stuff I need to know to advance this hobby, but I appreciate the help in figuring it out. I'm going to take things in baby steps, and buy a base AK and work to install the custom parts I want and a new FCG before I try and build one from scratch. I figure that process will end up informing me a little better so that I can progress from there into actually assembling a kit. The last thing I want to do is muck up a perfectly good rifle because it's the first time I'm using a Dremel.