Where to obtain an AKMS kit

[armed ferret]

Better yet, could I just get an AKM kit and swap out the stock?

http://armsofamerica.com/polishakm-47partskithandselect-1-2.aspx

This is nice since the chrome lined barrel is already headspaced. Just parkerized, assemble, and shoot

provided you have the underfolding stock, all the necessary hardware, and the rear trunnion, sure.

 

[mtel]

Better yet, could I just get an AKM kit and swap out the stock?

http://armsofamerica.com/polishakm-47partskithandselect-1-2.aspx

This is nice since the chrome lined barrel is already headspaced. Just parkerized, assemble, and shoot

Here's an AKMS kit. Says it might be missing parts but I don't see anything missing so that might be boilerplate text. Plus you could probably find replacements at AK Builder.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=370287859

Only hiccup with that Polish barreled kit is it's a U.S. barrel.

It'll be fine for plinking for awhile but if you want it to hold up over the long term, a better bet would be a chrome-lined hammer-forged foreign barrel.

 

[armed ferret]

^^ troof.

romanian barrels are a direct swap for polish akms kits.

 

[Bertfish]

Here's an AKMS kit. Says it might be missing parts but I don't see anything missing so that might be boilerplate text. Plus you could probably find replacements at AK Builder.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=370287859

Only hiccup with that Polish barreled kit is it's a U.S. barrel.

It'll be fine for plinking for awhile but if you want it to hold up over the long term, a better bet would be a chrome-lined hammer-forged foreign barrel.

I didn't see any parts missing either, maybe I will throw my hat at that one.

I appreciate all the help. I don't believe I under estimated the build difficulty but I did figure that parts kits would be more readily available

 

[huesmann]

Go for AK-74.

Is there a difference between stamped AK-47 and AK-74 receivers?

It'll be fine for plinking for awhile but if you want it to hold up over the long term, a better bet would be a chrome-lined hammer-forged foreign barrel.

What is the issue with US-made barrels?

 

[smdub]

Is there a difference between stamped AK-47 and AK-74 receivers?

Yes but VERY slight. The AK74 has deeper stamped mag dimples and a TINY bit narrower magwell opening. The difference is maybe 1mm per side. 74 mags are slightly thinner.

 

[stu929]

http://armsofamerica.com/bulgarian-milled-ak-47-underfolder-parts-kit-7-62x39-matching-s-and-very-good-to-like-new-condition.aspx

Wouldn't this work? Price seems nice too

 

[Bertfish]

http://armsofamerica.com/bulgarian-milled-ak-47-underfolder-parts-kit-7-62x39-matching-s-and-very-good-to-like-new-condition.aspx

Wouldn't this work? Price seems nice too

That is for a milled receiver. Mine (and most that other people buy) are stamped. Supposedly the milled parts kits will work in a stamped receiver if you swap out the trunnions but I don't have any expert backing to ensure that is an accurate statement

 

[mtel]

I didn't see any parts missing either, maybe I will throw my hat at that one.

I appreciate all the help. I don't believe I under estimated the build difficulty but I did figure that parts kits would be more readily available

No problem and good luck with it. Kits are frustrating. Tend to come in spurts and waves.

What is the issue with US-made barrels?

They're not hammer forged (which makes a much harder, longer lasting barrel). Sometimes the chrome lining flakes easily.

Just means they wear out too fast (even faster if you use regular steel-cased, bimetal ammo). Best to get one from combloc arsenals that have perfected the process and have been making them since ~WWII.

US AK barrels are still relatively new though. We have great AR hammer forged barrels, so we could make them. The tooling is expensive and I guess the market for AK barrels doesn't justify the investment yet or we'd have them already. For now though, foreign is your best bet.

 

[stu929]

That's a shame hearing about us barrels. They seem to be much more affordable but I also had planned to use that as part of the compliance. How many pieces do you need to be compliant?

 

[Bertfish]

No problem and good luck with it. Kits are frustrating. Tend to come in spurts and waves.



They're not hammer forged (which makes a much harder, longer lasting barrel). Sometimes the chrome lining flakes easily.

Just means they wear out too fast (even faster if you use regular steel-cased, bimetal ammo). Best to get one from combloc arsenals that have perfected the process and have been making them since ~WWII.

US AK barrels are still relatively new though. We have great AR hammer forged barrels, so we could make them. The tooling is expensive and I guess the market for AK barrels doesn't justify the investment yet or we'd have them already. For now though, foreign is your best bet.

If that's the case and you are forced into buying a US barrel it seems like a non-chrome one would be better. Less money and no chrome to flake. No sense wasting more money on a barrel that is lower tier anyways

 

[mtel]

That's a shame hearing about us barrels. They seem to be much more affordable but I also had planned to use that as part of the compliance. How many pieces do you need to be compliant?

I think we'll get there one day. Unfortunately the harder it gets to find a quality replacement, the more they'll cost, the more sense it'll make for us to produce a better barrel. We'll get there.

On a stamped AK? You'll need 6 U.S. parts. Really the law reads you can't have more than 10 foreign parts but that translates to 6 U.S. parts.

ETA: There's a decent 922r summary somewhere. Right, here it is. A parts count of the popular rifles is at page bottom:
http://www.tapco.com/section922r/

If that's the case and you are forced into buying a US barrel it seems like a non-chrome one would be better. Less money and no chrome to flake. No sense wasting more money on a barrel that is lower tier anyways

Without chrome lining, the bimetallic properties of most combloc ammo will cause the barrel to wear out even faster. That's why the majority AK barrels have chrome lining. If I had the choice, I'd definitely want it.

 

[SRD]

That's a shame hearing about us barrels. They seem to be much more affordable but I also had planned to use that as part of the compliance. How many pieces do you need to be compliant?

I use the gunwiki charts,kinda makes it easy.

http://www.gunwiki.net/Gunwiki/BuildAkVerifyCompliance

 

[smdub]

I bought a nitrided US 74 barrel. Tougher and no flaking. I don't have any way to test the inside of the barrel, but I do have a superficial rockwell hardness tester (tests surface hardness) I can use on the outside if I ever get around to it.

http://armsofamerica.com/us545x39bulgarianmodel6999-1-1.aspx

Not installed yet but I suspect w/ my shooting pattern it will never wear out (but that might be able to be said for non chrome lined too. )

 

[Bertfish]

Not to bead a dead horse here but I still have one question unanswered

Any experience amongst MDS members with putting a milled kit on a stamped receiver? A post above had a link to a nice Bulgy milled kit for $200 which is a real steal. I'd need to buy trunnions since the milled receivers have them built in

 

[hvymax]

Not to bead a dead horse here but I still have one question unanswered

Any experience amongst MDS members with putting a milled kit on a stamped receiver? A post above had a link to a nice Bulgy milled kit for $200 which is a real steal. I'd need to buy trunnions since the milled receivers have them built in

Shave the stamped metal thickness off of the front part so it is like a Trunion and weld or screw it together.

 

[smdub]

putting a milled kit on a stamped receiver?

I think the cost of trunnions is going to set you back more than the right kit.

 

[Bertfish]

I searched and searched for trunnions last night too. You're right, they are costly when you can find them. Guess I will bite the bullet and spend the 300+ on a kit

 

[huesmann]

Yes but VERY slight. The AK74 has deeper stamped mag dimples and a TINY bit narrower magwell opening. The difference is maybe 1mm per side. 74 mags are slightly thinner.

So can you build a 74 out of a 47 receiver?

 

[armed ferret]

So can you build a 74 out of a 47 receiver?

not really.

the mag well is too large and the dimples aren't deep enough....you'll get massive mag wobble which could cause feed issues.

along with that, the ejector doesn't stick out quite far enough for "ak reliability" in a 5.45

there's a reason there are different receivers for the different calibers. if they both worked on each other, the receivers wouldn't be made differently.