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Thread: I finally got an underfolder for my Mak 90!

  1. #1
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    I finally got an underfolder for my Mak 90!

    The day i received my choate stock and put it on there I decided I needed to start trying to find an underfolder again. Of course after spending money....oh well. Well that night I found one and got it today. All the pins were there and it fits great. Couldn't be happier now I have an ak that looks like one whenever I think of one. One question for everyone though, is there anything that can be done to fix the pin in the front sight"? it just sits in there and wobbles. Thanks guys! Oh and I will cut the rear off soon.






  2. #2
    Administrator imanaknut's Avatar

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    Congrats on finding both the MAK-90 that has an underfolding receiver, and finding a folder to install!

    The finish on the stock makes a what looks like a field bring-back look not to nice. I would try a light steel wool with a CLP or other gun oil to try to clean up some of the rust, then I would try cold bluing to see if I could return the finish to something closer to the stock. If you got a good enough deal on the rifle, having it professionally hot blued might be something to think about.

    Regardless, I still would be thrilled to find a rifle like you found!

    The sight pin is a split pin that is supposed to fit tight in the windage piece. If the sight pin is loose, it is possible that one of the legs are broke off. If that is the case, they are not hard to find, and not too expensive either, couple of dollars at most. Even if the threads are messed up in the windage piece, they too are easy to come by, but sometimes a pain to get out. Every one that I have tried to move took a good soaking in a penetrating oil, and then a lot of force using a good AK sight adjustment tool, or a c-clamp with a piece of a punch smaller than the windage part, and a socket on the other side for you to press the part into. the c-clamp would press on the socket on one side, and the punch piece or the end of a drill bit cut off to just longer than the windage piece. Usually once you get the adjustment part to move the first time, it moves easily afterward if further adjustment is needed.

    Now that you have the hard part done, good luck with the front sight getting it fixed, then take that bad-boy out and enjoy your rifle!!!

    Also, now that you have the folder in place, I would carefully cut that welded on tang off and sand and refinish the rear cover.

  3. #3
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    I am actually planning on getting it professionally done. I got the gun for 600 back in December and we all remember how that was a sellers market to say the least. I like it a lot so why not do it right? I don't have plans on selling it.
    Quote Originally Posted by imanaknut View Post
    Congrats on finding both the MAK-90 that has an underfolding receiver, and finding a folder to install!

    The finish on the stock makes a what looks like a field bring-back look not to nice. I would try a light steel wool with a CLP or other gun oil to try to clean up some of the rust, then I would try cold bluing to see if I could return the finish to something closer to the stock. If you got a good enough deal on the rifle, having it professionally hot blued might be something to think about.

    Regardless, I still would be thrilled to find a rifle like you found!

    The sight pin is a split pin that is supposed to fit tight in the windage piece. If the sight pin is loose, it is possible that one of the legs are broke off. If that is the case, they are not hard to find, and not too expensive either, couple of dollars at most. Even if the threads are messed up in the windage piece, they too are easy to come by, but sometimes a pain to get out. Every one that I have tried to move took a good soaking in a penetrating oil, and then a lot of force using a good AK sight adjustment tool, or a c-clamp with a piece of a punch smaller than the windage part, and a socket on the other side for you to press the part into. the c-clamp would press on the socket on one side, and the punch piece or the end of a drill bit cut off to just longer than the windage piece. Usually once you get the adjustment part to move the first time, it moves easily afterward if further adjustment is needed.

    Now that you have the hard part done, good luck with the front sight getting it fixed, then take that bad-boy out and enjoy your rifle!!!

    Also, now that you have the folder in place, I would carefully cut that welded on tang off and sand and refinish the rear cover.

  4. #4
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    Oh also in my underfolder deal I got these handguards

    I have some black plastic ones that would probably look better right? :P However I have not put them on yet because the lower handguard pin is stuck and bent some and the last time I tried to move it I chipped the lower handguard and heard more cracking. I might try to loosen it up again now that I have some more handguards but if anyone has ever had this problem and has some tips they would be greatly appreciated.


  5. #5
    Administrator imanaknut's Avatar

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    Remove the gas tube/upper handguard assembly first. Then lubricate the lever, and the attached rod that goes over the barrel. There is a very good chance there is a ton of rust under that rod almost gluing it to the slot in the barrel that it rides in. Do a good job of drowning it with penetrating oil and let it sit for a while before you try again to rotate the lever, they can and do break.

    As for plastic parts on an AK or AKM, I am the wrong person to ask . On the other hand, the AK-74 shipped with a plastic stock set, but the MAK-90 is not an AK-74.

    Also as rusty as some of those parts are, the upper handguard might be held in by rust too, so turning it out might be a pain. Once you do have the wood off, if you intend to take the rust off, having the wood off will allow you to get into areas some people miss. If the person you are sending it to does the de-rust, let them do it as most prefer to do it as part of their refinishing it.

    Either way, the upper gas tube locking lever could also have a lot of rust on it. I have had to use needle nose pliers to move the lever that locks the gas tube in place because it was tight, but if it doesn't move easily, don't force it. Spray inside as much as you can to get penetrating oil on the upper mechanism too. You can take the top cover off, remove the bolt and spray the locking rod through the rear sight block.

    Good luck getting it apart. Be patient and use lots of penetrating oil so that you don't break either of the retaining pins/locking levers.

  6. #6
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    First I was kidding about the plastic. When I think of an Ak it has wood on it. My ar is for dressing it up in plastic. Not my Ak! Second, do you ever sleep? Haha. I'm going to keep doing it in oil and see what happens. Thanks!
    Quote Originally Posted by imanaknut View Post
    Remove the gas tube/upper handguard assembly first. Then lubricate the lever, and the attached rod that goes over the barrel. There is a very good chance there is a ton of rust under that rod almost gluing it to the slot in the barrel that it rides in. Do a good job of drowning it with penetrating oil and let it sit for a while before you try again to rotate the lever, they can and do break.

    As for plastic parts on an AK or AKM, I am the wrong person to ask . On the other hand, the AK-74 shipped with a plastic stock set, but the MAK-90 is not an AK-74.

    Also as rusty as some of those parts are, the upper handguard might be held in by rust too, so turning it out might be a pain. Once you do have the wood off, if you intend to take the rust off, having the wood off will allow you to get into areas some people miss. If the person you are sending it to does the de-rust, let them do it as most prefer to do it as part of their refinishing it.

    Either way, the upper gas tube locking lever could also have a lot of rust on it. I have had to use needle nose pliers to move the lever that locks the gas tube in place because it was tight, but if it doesn't move easily, don't force it. Spray inside as much as you can to get penetrating oil on the upper mechanism too. You can take the top cover off, remove the bolt and spray the locking rod through the rear sight block.

    Good luck getting it apart. Be patient and use lots of penetrating oil so that you don't break either of the retaining pins/locking levers.

  7. #7
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    As nut said, take off the gas tube above the lower handguard. That is a camming lever that never slips out but releases the front ferrule once it is flipped forward toward the muzzle. There is a semicircular groove in the barrel that the pins cam will be free of once it is flipped forward. Oh and if you are going to change out the wood, just in case you didn't know it the wood over the gas tube rotates to be removed. They can often be quite stuck in there. I've removed them by either clamping the parallel sides at the rear near the receiver in a vice to prevent it from rotating. Be careful to not over clamp it as you could crush it in a vice. Then use a thick folded cloth to grab onto the wood with and rotate it to break it free. The other method is to hold the wood with the rag and use a crescent wrench on the flats that can be clamped in a vice to rotate the gas tube inside the wood.

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