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Thread: Is building a gun difficult?

  1. #1

    Is building a gun difficult?

    I am interested in getting started on my first build but wanted some info first. I am a woodworker by trade and am real handy with tools so I'm not concerned with that. Are there any special tools that I should get to start with? Any beginner tips? I was looking at the rpk kits at apex to start with. If that helps at all. Any advice would be appreciated.

  2. #2
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    You need (if you want to build one right using rivets) a rivet press, backing plates to support the dome shaped rivet head so it doesn't get flat as you cursh the shank inside the trunion to fix the trunion to the receiver. You will need a 10 to 20 ton bottle jack press for pressing out barrel cross pins, mashing rivets, pressing barrels out then back in. You can't rivet the front trunion with the barrel in so that's why you have to press the cross pin out of the trunion to get the barrel pressed out. http://ak-builder.com/index.php?disp...oduct_id=29972 Follow this link to AK-Builder.com they have all the tools you will need to do a good job. They will cost some money.


    OTOH building an AR15 is much easier. A barrel wrench, some pin punches, a flat blade screw driver and a receiver support fixture for clamping in a vice costs way less than the rivet jig to do AK wepons. I can build an AR flat top model in 45 minutes. Not quite that fast with an AK build as pressing barrels out, riveting and pressing stuff back in takes a lot longer.

  3. #3
    Senior Member abpt1's Avatar

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    this site will be invaluable to you if you plan on getting into building.

    http://www.weaponsguild.com/

  4. #4
    Guns Network Contributor 04/2013 El Laton Caliente's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by abpt1 View Post
    this site will be invaluable to you if you plan on getting into building.

    http://www.weaponsguild.com/
    I've tried to register there more than once and get errors every time... never got passed the regitration screen...

  5. #5
    If you have any untapped mechanical aptitude, its not difficult to build the necessary jigs and fixtures for a complete DIY project. Just from pics I found at the common build sites, was able to easily duplicate them myself. I can bend the flats, including top rails easily into finished receivers. I went the cheap route and bought flats for $12 and spent the time instead of throwing money at my projects. Rivet press with bucking plates. Also devised the necessary fixtures to demill the torched remains and remove barrel pin. Barrel alignment gauge and press. You cant put a price on education. Least not for this type of skill. If you end up comfortable doing this type of work, the basic skills can easily carry over to anything mechanical, that has nothing to do with firearms. One newer project is working out a closed bolt setup for a Sten. There are several good working conversions out there. After looking over the many different components available for so many builds, I can adapt some of the parts I think will work best for the semi auto conversion to make compliant with federal law.
    Last edited by fordtrucksforever; 11-29-2012 at 05:07 AM.

  6. #6
    Team Gunsnet SILVER 05/2012 deth502's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by El Laton Caliente View Post
    I've tried to register there more than once and get errors every time... never got passed the regitration screen...
    what was the error?

  7. #7
    Senior Member charger0122's Avatar

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    building an ak is not to hard now you got pre cut flats,bending jigs, bent receiver shells,rivet squishers,full receivers on the cheap. back a few years ago we were making them out of flat sheet metal and a template printed off on our computer and some ungodly way to bend them in lots of different ways or manners. if you didnt have the right tools to do it you improvised thats where alot of these nice building tools came from.

    iv had many hobbys but building aks was the best thing i ever learned to do.i dont do it any more i cant afford it anymore. you found the best place to learn if you want to try!

  8. #8
    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by deth502 View Post
    what was the error?
    yea. there was a time period when it was all screwed up even if you erased your cookie/cache it wouldnt let you in
    PRAISE KEK
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