Who has an AK (and variants)?

Once it's here, I don't think 922r even matters anymore.

 

My first was a norinco I remember paying $250
and thinking way too much for a chinese gun .
Still have it and had Krebs go through it afew years ago . Great rifle !

 

I am hoping this goes through but I have a feeling the guy I work with will keep it

 

I swapped the trigger out of mine put magpul furniture on it and replaced the front sight with a kns (world of difference) and replaced the rear with a krebs .

 

As long as barrel is 16", no stamp needed.
Authentic: Polish, East German, Romanian wire folder, direct bolt in.
Most conformable: Bonesteel arms Galil style folder.
Cheapest: Zhukov plastic POS (known to break its latch)

 

Watch headspace and front trunnion rivets on Pioneer Arms AKs. They use barrel as a bucking bar for the rivets holding the trunnion to the receiver. Those rivets tend to walk in the receiver. Pioneer Arms had a video on YT at one point showing how they assemble their AKs, so it is not a hearsay.

PS there is NO connection whatsoever between PA and (11) Fabrika Broni, other than being located in the same town. Old FB equipment (after they went to CNC machines), dies, jigs, etc were bought by WBP (one of the FB suppliers).
Sorry about not being excited about Pioneer Arms.

PPS AK headspacing is done by drilling thru the front trunnion and the outer part of the barrel and driving a pin thru to lock trunnion and barrel together. The proper procedure is to remove the barrel afterwards and rivet the front trunnion into teh receiver. A bucking bar used on the inside of the trunnion to form a proper rivet head. Rivet deforms uniformly, locking the two parts together.
Pioneer arms leaves the barrel in after headspacing and rivets the whole assembly to the receiver. The back part of the rivets does not mushroom properly, instead it presses against the barrel, deforming the stem of the rivet and not forming a rigit connection. Over time rivets start moving more and more in the receiver, enlarging the holes.

 

Thanks for reminding me to update. Went with the Bonesteel Galil style. The release is a bit stiff but the overall quality is great!

 

Very, very nice.It will break in some. A dab of grease on the both of locking "teeth" may help with unlocking
It looks like you have enough meat on the barrel to thread it. FSB should have a hole for the retaining pin, and it is easy to put in.

 

Yeah I put a caliper on it and it looks like 14x1L die would cut threads without a diameter change. Undecided on a muzzle brake. Even a slash thread cover would look better.

 

Slant break is pretty effective on full auto (needs to be clocked correctly, with the bottom at 7 o'clock, viewed from the back), less so at semi-auto.
AK-74 "compensator" clone is very, very effective if it is a true copy, with 3 gas ports on the top.
Fighter break is a nice overall brake. Very compact, not as good as AK74, but close. Good as a flash hider also.
https://definitivearms.com/product/definitive-arms-fighter-brake-14x1/

 

My deal fell through on the MAK90 but I did make a step into the AK world with a ZPAP M70. I can’t wait to try it. Saturday was the first time I really held an AK. I have a bit to learn but I enjoy that. One member had already helped a bit

 

All of the stuff Zastava is doing now is supposed to be top notch. The boys at TFB TV did a cool video on their process in Serbia and in the USA side of things. I've always liked the thicker receiver they use makes it heavier but stronger.

 

Practice fieldstripping it to get familiar with it. IIRC you were supposed to fieldstrip in in 12 seconds or less, and put it together in 15 seconds or less.
Use the body of the cleaning kit as a lever to move the gas tube lever.

Rear trunnion seat (where the recoil guide goes) and bolt locking lugs get a very thin coat of grease (oil works, grease better). Bolt stem, rails, FGC get oil.

99.99% of AK gunsmithing can be done with a cleaning kit (and an empty steel mag), from the front side adjustment to replacing the FCG and cleaning.

 

Agree. Yugo specific furniture is the only thing to be aware of. Russian Vepr uses the same 1.5x RPK style receivers, but prices on them have gone thru the roof.

 

I’ve field stripped it 4 times already just to familiarize myself with it and to clean and lubricate it. The gas tube was a pita to get off and back on but I guess with some use it’ll loosen up a little. I’ve never dealt with or shot an AK so kinda figured I’d learn some new stuff. I’m still kinda on the fence about how high this optic mount is but I guess we will see when I get an optic

 

There several narrow slots on the cleaning, insert the lip on the lever into the wide and narrow slot (the only one that really fits) on the kit, and it creates a comfortable handle to pivot the lever. To put the tube back, make sure that lever is ALMOST up (about 5 degrees off 90, IIRC). Play with it to see what I mean. At that angle the locking lug disappears completely into the rear sight base. Put the front of the gas tube into the gas block and hit the back of the gas tube with the edge of you hand (karate chop). If locking lug is withdrawn completely, tube will seat every time.
If you have hard time putting the receiver cover back on, put the rear of the recoil guide just below of the rear trunnion, not in the rear trunnion itself. Put cover on, pull the charging handle back sharply, recoil guide will snap back into its place.

Optic will be high, if mount is designed to leave the iron sights unobstructed. Throw a rubber tourniquet on the stock and get comfortable with a chin weld.
BTW, side rail was designed to keep zero when mount is taken on and off. When unlocked, there should be enough tension to create SLIGHT resistance when you put the mount on and off.

Also, IIRC Yugo rifles have there side rail higher on the receiver than other AK variants. Yugo specific mounts compensate for it.

 

I used the groove in the side of the bolt carrier to engage the locking lever for gas tube and that part was fine the tube itself is just tight or it’s just me being unaccustomed to it

 

Gas tube will be tight on the new gun, it will loosen up, paint will wear off on the tip. I have seen people use the bolt carrier to lock and unlock, but never did it myself. That groove is what receiver rails ride in.

 

My XW was a schoolgirl in 1980s USSR (Ukraine). EVERY student learned to operate an AK, gas mask, and hand grenade. I doubt they did live-fire practice, but all were shown the basics of operation.

 

I would say that would be a good idea here but in todays climate it would probably backfire