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Thread: Working on my PAP

  1. #1

    Working on my PAP..Updated W/New Pics See Post #15

    I bought this PAP a month or so ago. I was very impressed with the way it was made, it feels like a very solid rifle. The looks however, left a lot to be desired.

    Never one to let the cost of modifications exceeding the value of something stop me. I decided to change the looks a bit.

    I have been collecting US military firearms for years and I love the look of walnut on a firearm, so I bought a set of stocks from Ironwood in black walnut. I also replaced the fire control group with a Tapco double hook trigger set to keep it 922r compliant.

    Finally, I had a friend of mine machine out the mag well to accept double stack mags.

    I bought it from a guy at work w/750 rounds of ammo for $500 and have another $300+ into it, but I don't really care. I could have maybe built one on a kit for a bit less, but this a matching number gun that was built at the factory that made them for the Yugoslavian military.

    Before:


    After:






    With an East German cleaning kit:


    I still have to refine the small filler piece that I made to fit in the angled area behind the lower part of the back of the receiver. I was a bit too enthusiastic with a file while trying to fit it and then ran out of gas for my TIG welder so haven't been able to weld it up and take another stab at shaping it for a better fit.

    Other than that I am extremely happy with it

    Edited to post new pics...I worked on that $#@&^ filler piece today. I 'm pretty sure I have more time in it than all the rest of the project combined.

    PS, I decided to see if I liked the tacticool look, so I installed a ghost ring type sight. Very inexpensive from Big Five ($49.95) and so far I like the way it shows up on target. I'll take it out later this week and sight it in and see if it holds zero.
    Last edited by Highpower; 10-19-2012 at 09:21 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Full Otto's Avatar

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    Beautiful work, nice job on the filler piece but yeah that needs a little smoothing out. Not that I could do it but it really catches the eye on an otherwise nice looking rifle.
    Did you come across a narrow bolt on that? If so does it feed smoothly?

    Well done
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  3. #3
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Thumbs up

    Well what do you know you really can polish a turd! But seriously, a marvelous job there to take a hideous AK and making it look 1st Rate!

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Full Otto View Post
    Beautiful work, nice job on the filler piece but yeah that needs a little smoothing out. Not that I could do it but it really catches the eye on an otherwise nice looking rifle.
    Did you come across a narrow bolt on that? If so does it feed smoothly?

    Well done
    I bought what was advertised as a standard Yugo bolt. I checked it when I installed it and it headspaced correctly so it was good to go.

  5. #5
    That is a real nice restoration.
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  6. #6
    Senior Member Full Otto's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Highpower View Post
    I bought what was advertised as a standard Yugo bolt. I checked it when I installed it and it headspaced correctly so it was good to go.
    That's awesome.
    IN THEIR FACE man way to go
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Mark Ducati's Avatar

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    WOW! I actually love the new look with the wood, very nice job.

    Is that stock a little on the short side? It kind of reminds me of the LEO "stubby-club" stocks for the AR15...

    The first photo reminds me of the rifle from the planet of the apes...

    Way to resurrect that rifle!

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Ducati View Post
    WOW! I actually love the new look with the wood, very nice job.

    Is that stock a little on the short side? It kind of reminds me of the LEO "stubby-club" stocks for the AR15...

    The first photo reminds me of the rifle from the planet of the apes...


    Way to resurrect that rifle!

    The wood was advertised as being a standard configuration Yugo wood set. Many years ago I had a Chinese type 56 and that had a really short stock, so the European spec furniture seems quite a bit longer in comparison.

    The lesson to be learned here is you just have to look below the surface to see what can be done with these Zastava's. I have looked at many AK's and I can tell you from my personal observation that these are made as well as any of the better AK variants. Remember, as I said in my first post, they are made by the same factory that made them for the Yugoslavian military. They are extremely well made, and while they do take some work to take the ugly off of them, in the end it is worth it.

  9. #9
    The Yugo, MK's favorite AK variant.
    Zastava manufacturing does stand up, or exceed other com-block
    types. More robust, and I would venture to say more accurate overall in
    design. I have and early M64 which shoots marvelously.
    We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.
    George Orwell

  10. #10
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    OK, I was informed to contact u which bolt u used to install the double stack magazine in your zastava akm. Also wanted to say very nice work on the stock, also wondering where u got the stock for it, id really like to convert to a more traditional style stock if possible.

    Thanks in advance, greeenie

    Tried to pm u, but don't have 10 posts yet.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by greeenie View Post
    OK, I was informed to contact u which bolt u used to install the double stack magazine in your zastava akm. Also wanted to say very nice work on the stock, also wondering where u got the stock for it, id really like to convert to a more traditional style stock if possible.

    Thanks in advance, greeenie

    Tried to pm u, but don't have 10 posts yet.
    The stock set is from Ironwood Designs, expensive, but worth it.

    I bought a bolt from Apex that was advertised as a Yugo. I believe that any European would fit, but it must be checked for headspace

    In my case it fit and headspaced OK, but, let me repeat, be sure and check the headspace before you fire any live ammo. Just for the hell of it I tried the stock bolt with a double stack magazine. It would fail to feed and jam about half the time, so the new bolt is a requirement for proper functioning.

    If you have any other questions please ask and I will try to help. Good luck with your project.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Highpower View Post
    The stock set is from Ironwood Designs, expensive, but worth it.

    I bought a bolt from Apex that was advertised as a Yugo. I believe that any European would fit, but it must be checked for headspace

    In my case it fit and headspaced OK, but, let me repeat, be sure and check the headspace before you fire any live ammo. Just for the hell of it I tried the stock bolt with a double stack magazine. It would fail to feed and jam about half the time, so the new bolt is a requirement for proper functioning.

    If you have any other questions please ask and I will try to help. Good luck with your project.
    awesome man, thanks so much for the response.

    ill make sure and double check headspce, dont want any ruptured cases. looks like in a few weeks ill be doing my conversion, and when i do u think a DIY would be warranted? with pictures of course

  13. #13
    No problem. When you machine out the mag well be sure to check the feed ramp. There is a lip on it which has to be removed. The lip is there because the portion of the stock single stack bolt that strips the cartridge from the magazine protrudes about .060 less than the double stack bolt. The lip is there to compensate for the difference. If you don't remove it the new bolt will hit it and won't go into battery.

    It's not really all that complicated and when you start on the conversion you will see what I am talking about.

  14. #14
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    This is the first time since i have owned this gun that i have had serious information about it towards converting it. Really want to say thanks again and really good looking result u have there. ill make sure and look out for the lip ur talking about, ill check it out tonight.

  15. #15
    Decided that tacticool looks stupid on an AK (or any rifle for that matter). so I changed the top cover out for a Bulgarian cover. I had to cut about 1" off of the front and make the clearance cuts for the front trunnion and for the push button thingie at the back of the cover.

    I like the look a lot better






    Next up: I am going to thread the muzzle and install a slant brake as soon as the die and guide arrive. Also I have a RPK windage adjustable rear sight on the way.

    UPDATE

    Just got the muzzle brake die and guide in today so I decided to go ahead and thread the barrel. I must say that it now looks complete and I am finished with it. The RPK rear sight came in also, but it does require some fitting as it is longer and thicker. Took about an hour or so to make it fit.




    So I am now done with it and I really can't think of any other changes that I want to do to it.

    Final Pictures:


    Last edited by Highpower; 11-16-2011 at 11:02 PM.

  16. #16
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    def keep the thread updated and lmk what it takes to thread the barrel for muzzle brake, ur doing everything i aspire to do to mine. thanks so much for sharing man, very informative

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  18. #18
    That's the one.

  19. #19
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    beautiful, thanks much

  20. #20
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    Hey thanks for the info on the conversion. I bought the Zastava and it shoots great. I thought I'd convert it to a double stack. I started on mine about 3 months ago. Yeah, I know what's my hurry? I carved out the mag-well and it wouldn't feed right. Still worked with the singles and the project stalled. I suspected that I had to change the bolt and found Apex about a week ago. Your thread will make it easier, for those who haven't fired up the Dremel yet, to convert their Zastavas.
    I had a little problem with the ghost ring on mine because the cover would wobble a little. Makes it rough to get a zero. On these guns, iron seems like the foolproof sight. Even if your eyes ain't what they used to be. I can still outshoot my 17 y.o. grandson.

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