Interchangeable Parts: AK /= VEPR?

[HollowPoint]

I have been wanting to put together a small supply of parts for my 7.62x39 VEPR MD2 and have found that there is very little specific info on VEPR parts online. I know the VEPR is built on the thicker RPK receiver and many standard AK parts are not compatible but some can be modified.

Sooo ..... I'm asking exactly what CAN be interchangeable? What would be useful with modification?

Parts like: recoil springs, firing pin, firing pin spring, bolt, gas tube, piston, trigger group (tapco) ... things of the sort. Not that some of this list would ever need to be replaced but import of VEPR's was halted once and maybe again and I plan on keeping mine till the sun blows up. BOOM!

I've searched this site and googled and there are a lot of posts that 'some' things can be compatible but no specifics. I guess I'm more or less looking for a list of specifics. Any help here is appreciated!!!

 

[rob-cubed]

The major changes in design are to the thicker front trunnion and barrel, and of course the thicker receiver. The Russians did their best to make the AKM design work for a variety of uses with minimal changes to the basic design.

FCG is standard AK, I have a Red Star in my VEPR.

Furniture is interchangeable between the two with some effort. The VEPR lacks a front handguard retainer and also doesn't have an AKM-style gas tube for the upper handguard. The thicker slant-cut receiver requires some fitting.

Internals I'm not 100% sure on and can't pull guns out to check (maybe tonight). But I think most of the other internal parts are interchangeable with an AKM--just be aware that swapping the bolt in any AK can create headspacing issues. A second set of springs and a firing pin would be a good investment but I've never heard of a bolt or bolt carrier failure on an AK. By the time the locking lugs wear you'll have shot the barrel out already.

 

[HollowPoint]

Appreciate the reply! Sans additional replies here from our AK guru's I'll be looking to get at least a standard AK platform firing pin (spring loaded type), firing pin spring and recoil spring shortly for starters as from what I'm seeing they can be interchanged. The pin in the bolt might be a good idea too. That should hold me for at least the first 50,000 rounds or so.

Not planning on changing any of the furniture at this point. I like the wood and the thumbhole stock.

I know! I'm a n00b to the platform but gotta start somewhere.